SLEEK AND ELEGANT The Teana may look similar to the outgoing Cefiro but it is an entirely new car

MODERN LUXURY The Teana's interior design has been inspired by high end furniture

By Justin Lee

FIRST SHOWN AT the 2008 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in April, the Nissan Teana (pronounced tia-na) has made its way here and was recently unveiled by local distributor Tan Chong Motor Sales.

The car sports a sleek exterior design that looks similar to the Cefiro, the car it is replacing. A significant design detail is the bold character line which runs from the front to the rear of the car.

The interior is designed using what Nissan calls the Modern Living Concept adapted from traditional Japanese interior architecture philosophy. This design principle which debuted on the outgoing Cefiro places emphasis on carefully balanced line and surfaces, the use of natural materials and the elimination of excessive decoration.

Simulated matte wood panelling, heavily bolstered seats and plump arm rests on the doors are some of the Teana’s interior appointments which try to replicate that of a luxurious modern living room.

Its external dimensions are 4850mm for length, 1795mm for width, 1485mm for height and 2775mm for the wheelbase. It is 10mm taller than its closest rival the Honda Accord but its length, width and wheelbase are shorter by 95mm, 50mm and 25mm respectively.

Buyers will have a choice of between three variants. The 200XL has a 136bhp 2.0-litre in-line 4 16-valve engine while the 250XV has a 182bhp 2.5-litre V6 unit. The range topping 350XV has a 251bhp 3.5-litre V6 engine. All models come equipped with Nissan’s Extronic continuously variable transmission as standard

An intelligent key system, a push button ignition system, a factory-fitted 2DIN audio unit, dual zone air-conditioning, factory-fitted alloy wheels and powered driver’s seat are key features for the 200XL.
The 250XV and 350XV comes with cruise control, powered driver and front passenger seats with cooling function, memory function for driver’s seat, front passenger ottoman type seat, high intensity discharge headlamps on top of what is already found in the 200XL. The range-topping 350XV also has a sunroof.

Kinichi Saitou, Nissan’s product chief designer for the Teana, explained that the car’s exterior and interior design were inspired by various luxurious objects such as jewelry and high end furniture.

“For the Teana’s exterior, we wanted the car to look dynamic and elegant. So we took inspiration from expensive jewelry to design items such as the head and tail lamps,” he said.

On why the Cefiro’s name was not kept for our market, Nissan Asia Pacific senior manager for marketing and sales Tomohiko Yao said that it is because the Teana is based on a new platform.

“Shifting the name over to Teana is a good thing as it is an entirely new car and it is hoped that this new name will bring the image of the Teana to higher level than that of the Cefiro,” he said.

Prices for the Teana are as follows:
200XL – from $88,500 with COE
250XV – from $97,500 with COE
350XV – from $109,500 with COE