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All-New 2000 Nissan Sentra Shows Design Flexibility    

12 January 2000

All-New, Larger, More Powerful 2000 Nissan Sentra Shows Design Flexibility With Models Ranging From 'Green to Mean'    

    DETROIT, Jan. 11 -- An all-new, larger and more powerful 2000
Nissan Sentra made its bold entrance at the North American International Auto
Show in Detroit this January with a range of innovative designs ranging from a
zero evaporative emissions Sentra CA (Clean Air) model to the sophisticated
Sentra SE.  Also shown at Sentra's world debut press conference was a
specially modified "tuner" version.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000111/LATU091 )
    The new four-door sedan is the first Sentra designed exclusively for North
America -- as well as the first North American Nissan to be produced as part
of Nissan's new vehicle platform and component strategy plan.
    "The 2000 Sentra is quite revolutionary in its evolutionary process," said
Jed Connelly, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan
North America, Inc.  "It is a true international design, with all the benefits
of a new-generation global sedan platform, created exclusively for our
market."
    The 2000 Sentra features an exterior styled at Nissan Design
International, Inc. (NDI) in La Jolla, Calif., an interior inspired by Nissan
Design Europe (NDE) in Geretsried, Germany, and was engineered at Nissan
Technical Center (NTC) in Japan and Nissan Research and Development (NRD) in
California, Michigan and Arizona.  The new Sentra will be manufactured by
Nissan Mexicana (NISMEX) in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
    The new Sentra goes on sale in early spring at Nissan retailers
nationwide.  It will be available in three trim levels, XE, GXE and SE, with a
choice of an all-new 1.8-liter or refined 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines.  The
2000 Sentra also will be available in California only in a limited production
Sentra CA model -- the first gasoline-fueled vehicle to meet California Air
Resources Board (CARB) super ultra low emissions vehicle (SULEV) standards and
obtain zero emission credits.

    Global Platform, Designed and Built in North America
    Two goals drove the initial development of the all-new 2000 Nissan Sentra:
First, reduce cost dramatically by utilizing advanced technologies such as
platform sharing and high strength Zone Body construction, and secondly,
invest the savings back into the vehicle -- creating a stylish and comfortable
new generation sedan that exceeds customer expectations of performance,
quality and value.
    Through use of a global platform (Nissan defines platform as the
combination of floor panel and functional components such as the engine,
transmission and chassis components attached to the floor panel which
determine the basic performance of the vehicle), Sentra development time was
reduced.  Along with time and cost reductions in the areas of research and
development, other savings were realized under the platform strategy in areas
such as capital investment expense, die production, production trial vehicle
development and supplier development costs.  Future platform sharing also will
improve quality and reduce assembly time by as much as 20 percent through
adoption of modular assembly techniques.
    Currently, the new Sentra shares its global platform with six other models
in Europe and Japan, with more variations likely to come in the future.
    "The Sentra platform uses advanced two-zone body technology to achieve a
high level of frontal crashworthiness along with enhanced levels of handling,
stability, ride comfort and quietness that we believe exceed the norms of the
compact sedan class," said Connelly.
    The two-zone concept offers one energy absorbing crushable zone, including
newly developed hexagonal front side member sections, and a safety restraint
zone, which acts as a safety cell to protect occupants.  The occupant friendly
upper interior has been designed to help reduce the impact forces to an
occupant's head during a collision.
    Using the global platform as an engineering base, Nissan Research and
Development in Farmington Hills completed the vehicle development to meet
North American customer needs and requirements and coordinated styling,
interior and manufacturing elements.
    "Nissan's new platform strategy has clearly allowed us to have the best of
both worlds -- the development time, cost and quality improvements of a world-
class platform with the unique look, feel and performance tuning for our home
market," said Connelly.  "The strategy allows us the freedom and room to
create models as varied as the Sentra CA and the Sentra SE for the diverse
needs of the U.S. market, rather than just accepting vehicles designed for
other world markets."

    Contemporary Exterior Design
    Nissan Design International, designers of the popular 2000 Nissan Xterra
sport utility vehicle and 2000 Maxima sedan, wanted to take the styling of the
2000 Sentra in a new direction, away from its previous economy focus into a
more Maxima-like arena -- stylish and comfortable, smart, assertive and self-
confident.
    "This was our first crack at an 'entry level' product so the first thing
we did was eliminate 'entry level' thinking," said Jerry Hirshberg, president,
NDI.  "Our aim was to design a car with its own character that happens to be
in the right price range for a lot of people.  It's robust, rounded and just a
little sassy."
    The overall length was stretched 6.5 inches to 177.5 inches and the body
widened by 0.8 inches to 67.3 inches.  Height also was raised 1.1 inches to
55.6 inches.  The front of the new Sentra features an expressive hood with
subtle surface forms, a large, functional bumper and fascia and integrated
headlights and grille.  The sporty profile is marked by a solid, structural
waist, low hood line and raised rear deck and a stretched and chiseled
character line running front to rear.  Strong rear fenders blend into a wide
deck with an arching character line and easily accessible trunk space.
    The new Sentra offers a 30 percent improvement in torsional rigidity over
the previous generation Sentra, due in part to an additional (third) floor pan
crossmember.  Roof sides, B-pillars and outer body sill panels have been
strengthened, and the front side crossmembers (with hexagonal cross-sections)
are S-shaped for improved crash performance.  Expandable foam has been
utilized in body pillars and 56 enhancements have been applied throughout the
new Sentra for a marked reduction in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
    The 2000 Sentra is offered in five new colors among eight total colors.

    Assertive Interior Design
    In addition to creating the exterior styling, NDI coordinated the final
execution of the interior concept developed by Nissan Design Europe.  NDE
sought to give passengers a comfortable, open feeling, using "appropriate
technology" that reflects versatility and practicality with high quality
materials, textures and shapes.
    "Like the exterior, the interior of the new Sentra has grown up -- it's
fun but functional," said Hirshberg.  "There's an intelligence to the design
with a place for everything you really need, yet nothing interferes with
usable headroom or legroom space."
    The 5-passenger Sentra continues to offer many unique features not
commonly found in other sedans in its class, including excellent front and
rear headroom and legroom.  Total interior volume has been increased 2.2 cubic
feet to 100.1 cubic feet (88.5 cubic feet passenger compartment/11.6 cubic
feet trunk) moving it up into the EPA compact classification, with interior
dimensions revised to accommodate both larger people as well as a greater
range of sizes.  Headroom has been increased 0.8 inches in front and
0.5 inches in the rear.
    The driver's seat now has 6-way adjustments, and the hip point was raised
20 millimeters and expanded 10 millimeters for easier entry and exit.  The
seat design provides an open feeling through use of a large, one-piece cut
pattern around the shoulder area.  A 60/40 split fold-down rear seat with
locking seat backs is available on the GXE and standard on SE.  Three types of
cloth are available, depending on model and trim levels, in three colors.
    Total storage capacity has been doubled and storage pockets include a
covered box on the top of the instrument panel and a tray covering the front
side sill crossmember.  Front door pockets include a holder for 20-ounce water
or soft drink bottles.  A tray is provided next to the parking brake lever to
hold small items.
    The instrument panel features a new gauge cluster design with larger,
easier-to-read figures for enhanced visibility and instant understanding.  The
SE with Performance Package offers titanium tinted gauges (like on the Maxima
SE), as well as a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
    The 2000 Sentra also offers a wide array of conveniows to state-of-the-art seven-speaker, 150-watt
AM/FM/CD audio systems with available in-dash 6-disc CD changer.

    Refined Engines and Breakthrough Emissions Technology
    The 2000 Sentra is offered with two advanced powerplants, a responsive
1.8-liter 4-cylinder (replacing the previous 1.6-liter) for XE, GXE and CA
models and a potent 2.0-liter 4-cylinder for Sentra SE.
    The all-new 1.8-liter DOHC engine delivers 126 horsepower at 6,000 rpm
(versus the previous 115 horsepower) and 129 ft-lbs of torque at 2,400 rpm
(versus the previous engine's 108 ft-lbs at 4,000 rpm).  The new engine
features a four millimeter bore increase, new single-type timing chain, new
direct ignition system (similar to Maxima), variable valve timing, redesigned
exhaust manifold, microfinished crankshaft and camshafts, 32-bit engine
control module and a special swirl control valve which increases air/fuel
mixing during engine warm-up to improve combustion.
    The 1.8-liter Sentra engine delivers 27/35 mpg City/Highway for the
5-speed manual transmission and 26/33 mpg City/Highway with the 4-speed
automatic transmission.  The 1.8-liter engine meets the California Air
Resources Board's stringent requirements for Low Emission Vehicles (LEV) and
will be available in all 50 states.  Both engines utilize platinum-tipped
spark plugs with 100,000-mile maintenance intervals.
    The advanced Sentra CA model is the first gasoline-fueled vehicle to meet
California Air Resources Board (CARB) super ultra low emission vehicle
standards (SULEV) with zero evaporative emissions.  The Sentra CA received
CARB certification in November after stringent testing, meeting requirements
in three critical areas:  zero evaporative emissions, SULEV tailpipe emissions
levels and OBD II (On-Board Diagnostic II) and 150,000-mile durability
emissions system requirements.
    A number of key technologies combine to make the Sentra CA possible:
double-wall exhaust manifolds, a new combustion control sensor, quicker
catalyst warm-up (three 3-way catalysts are utilized in the emissions system),
new hydrocarbon trap catalysts, a non-return fuel system and use of a special
electronically controlled swirl control valve that reduces hydrocarbon
emissions in cold and warm start situations.
    In addition, the radiators of all Sentra CAs are coated with Engelhard
Corp.'s PremAir(R).  As ozone-laden air passes over the radiator, the PremAir
coating converts ozone molecules into oxygen.  In effect, the air the Sentra
CA leaves in its wake should be cleaner than the air in front of the vehicle.
    The sporty Sentra SE is powered by Nissan's proven 2.0-liter DOHC
4-cylinder all-aluminum engine, refined for 2000 with increased power and
torque and adopting Nissan's innovative variable capacity muffler system,
first introduced on the 2000 Maxima.  The 2.0-liter powerplant produces
145 horsepower at 6,400 rpm (increased from 140 horsepower) and 136 ft-lbs of
torque at 4,800 rpm (up from 132 ft-lbs).
    Refinements include a lengthened intake manifold, re-profiled intake
camshaft, lighter weight roller-type rocker arms, lighter weight crankshaft,
new piston rings, modified swirl control valve and double-tipped platinum
spark plugs with 100,000-mile service intervals.
    The new variable capacity muffler utilizes a special flap valve (using
high temperature aerospace spring technology and materials), which opens at
2,000 rpm and above -- reducing exhaust system backpressure and increasing
horsepower.
    EPA fuel economy for the 2.0-liter engine are 24/31 mpg City/Highway for
the manual transmission and 24/30 mpg City/Highway for the automatic.
    A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on all models, except the Sentra
CA.  Clutch activation has been improved through use of hydraulic control
(instead of cable) and more than 25 modifications have been made -- including
use of first and second gear double-cone synchronizers -- for smoother,
stronger performance.  A viscous limited-slip differential is available with
SE models equipped with manual transmissions and the optional Performance
Package.
    A 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission is standard on
the Sentra CA and optionally available with XE, GXE and SE models.  It
features a modified clutch pack and revised shift schedule to provide smoother
performance and a newly designed torque converter to enhance performance and
fuel economy.

    Stable, Comfortable Ride and Handling
    Sentra's excellent road manners have been enhanced with a new front
subframe, softer bushings, refined steering feel and stiffer body
construction.  The suspension continues to utilize a front independent
MacPherson strut setup combined with Nissan's innovative rear Multi-Link
Beam(TM) design.
    "The 2000 Sentra drives like a more expensive, larger class vehicle," said
Connelly.  "It has a strong sense of the spirit of Nissan -- with 'pleasure
paybacks' to the driver through road feel, the sound of the engine and the
solidity of the body."
    The rear Multi-Link Beam suspension, which provides more predictable
handling and less road noise than traditional designs, uses a larger section
lateral link to improve performance and noise isolation.  Rear stabilizer
diameter has been increased.  In front, the new subframe allows use of softer
bushings for improved ride comfort and a shorter length stabilizer bar
improves dynamic performance.  Sentra SE models utilize a front strut tower
brace for reduced body lean, along with stiffer suspension tuning for enhanced
cornering performance.
    Braking is provided by a power-assisted front disc/rear drum braking
system on XE, GXE and CA models and 4-wheel discs on SE.  A 4-channel/4-sensor
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) is optional on GXE and SE models.
    Steering is provided by an engine-speed-sensitive power-assisted rack-and-
pinion system with a redesigned steering rack mount providing reduced lateral
movement and enhanced steering response and feel.
    Sentra XE and GXE offer standard 14-inch wheels and tires, with 15-inch
alloy wheels and tires standard on CA and SE models (optional on GXE).  Sporty
16-inch aluminum alloy wheels with P195/55R16 tires are optionally available
on Sentra SE.

    Safety
    Along with enhanced impact performance from the new global platform
design, the 2000 Sentra features an extensive list of standard safety features
including: dual supplemental front air bags, energy-absorbing steering column,
child safety rear door locks, 3-point seat belts in all seating positions,
front seat belts with height-adjustable shoulder anchors, front seat belt
pretensioners with load limiters, front and rear crumple zones and pipe-style
steel side-door guard beams.  Front seat supplemental side-impact air bags are
optionally available on GXE and SE models.  A vehicle security system with
Immobilizer is standard on the CA model and optionally available on GXE and
SE models.

    2000 Sentra Model Availability
    The all-new 2000 Sentra is offered in the limited production Sentra CA
(available only in California), the value-leading XE, well-equipped GXE and
sporty SE.
    Available options include the automatic transmission (standard on CA), an
XE Option Package, GXE Convenience and Luxury Packages, SE Performance
Package, front seat supplemental side-impact air bags (GXE and SE), ABS
(XE, GXE, SE), sunroof (SE) and various advanced audio systems, including a
7-speaker AM/FM/CD with 6-disc in-dash compact disc changer.
    "The all-new Nissan Sentra is clearly a car that has it all -- value,
styling, comfort and out-of-category performance," said Connelly.  "Along with
our new 2000 Maxima and Altima, the new Sentra gives us the strongest three-
sedan lineup in the industry."