|
‘IT is a
dream come true for me,” said Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
chief operating officer Toshiyuki Shiga after officially
launching the company’s all-new Grand Livina in the
showroom of PT Nissan Motor Indonesia in Jakarta.
“The
Grand Livina is special to me,” Shiga, who spent six
years in Indonesia during the early ’90s, explained. “I
was in charge of the Indonesian market, where Nissan’s
presence was almost zero. After observing the country
and region, I decided to propose a plan to top
management for the Asean market.”
Shiga,
who was in the
Philippines
during the launch of the X-TRAIL in 2003, continued:
“Convincing them was made difficult by the 1997
financial crisis, which made them consider pulling out
of Indonesia. Luckily, they listened and with the
worldwide Nissan Revival Plan began by Carlos Ghosn
[Nissan CEO], the company became interested and the plan
was approved.
“The
plan involved the creation of a global MPV specifically
designed for the Asean market. We realized that we
could not continue to follow what our competitors were
doing,” Shiga, who is a former member of the faculty of
economics at Osaka Prefecture University, confided.
Based on
inputs received from representatives of the different
Nissan national sales companies during a regional
product planning meeting held in 2005, Asean customers
put a premium on compact size, efficient fuel
consumption and comfort. “This is why we were
determined to exceed their standards and achievements.
Thus, we decided to make something different and the
result is the Grand Livina,” added Shiga.
Announced in July 2006, the Grand Livina is a seven-seater
MPV designed and engineered at the
Nissan Technical Center
in Atsugi, Japan, and built in Nissan Motor Indonesia’s
newly expanded and refurbished facility. With the new
vehicle, Nissan expects to boost its sales in
Indonesia
and, hopefully, in the other four countries of Asean,
where it will also be launched.
“The
Grand Livina is an irrefutable example of Nissan’s
commitment to our customers in Indonesia. With seven
variants in two engine sizes, we expect the Grand Livina
to be a popular choice for Indonesian customers. For
2007, we expect sales of this model to reach 12,000
units, out of our total domestic sales of 21,000 units,”
Shiga proudly stated during the launch.
According to Nissan, the Grand Livina is based on the
concept of a stylish MPV. The Grand Livina offers a
driving experience with sedan-like flexibility and ride
comfort. With an elegant and sporty look, the interior
is spacious and provides multiple seating or storage
combinations. Using a monocoque body structure, the
Grand Livina is powered by either a 1.8L MR engine or
1.5L HR engine with CVTC (continuous valve timing
control) for improved performance and fuel efficiency.
The 1.8L model comes with the choice of a four-speed
automatic transmission or six-speed manual transmission,
while the 1.5L version is equipped with either a
four-speed automatic transmission or five-speed manual
transmission.
The
vehicle will be introduced in Malaysia later in the
year, while the Philippines will receive a
left-hand-drive version in 2008.
During
an intimate press conference with selected journalists
from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Shiga
revealed Nissan’s “roadmap” for the Asean market.
“At the
moment, we will start to build the brand. Think of it
as making the base first and then we will build the
business from there. The size of the market is not the
issue because it will eventually grow,” shared Shiga.
According to Therry Viadieau, Nissan corporate vice
president of Asean operations and concurrent president
of Nissan Thailand, “To achieve this, we must achieve
several objectives: 1) Regain ground by consolidating
and developing trust in the brand and products in terms
of quality; 2) Build a real Asean consciousness through
the perception of the brand in each country; 3)
Understand that volume and not market share (regardless
of total industry volume) is the important thing.”
Viadieau
revealed that a closer collaboration among the four
Asean countries will take place wherein “representatives
will be called in to participate in an Asean management
committee, which will find solutions to problems such as
sourcing, customer concerns and what have you.”
Nissan
projects its sales at around 61,400 units and 6,000
units for the Philippines, where two companies—Nissan
Motor Philippines Inc. (NMPI) and Universal Motors Corp.
(UMC)—represent the brand.
In a
related development, NMPI introduced the new Nissan
X-TRAIL Tokyo Edition for the 2.0L 2WD variant.
The
vehicle is called the “Tokyo Edition” because it mimics
its specifications from the highly successful Japan
Domestic Model X-TRAIL, which carries new designed front
grill, front and rear bumper, rear reflector and rear
combination lamp, as well as more rigidly designed
five-spoke alloy wheels.
“What
the X-TRAIL is now is a natural evolution of its form,”
said Raymond Tribdino, senior manager of market and
product planning department of NMPI. “We cannot
drastically change a winning formula, thus the solid
lines and powerful angles of the X-TRAIL were retained,
making it an authentic crossover SUV and not simply a
soft-roader. Its true performance lies beneath.”
According to NMPI, the interior has been completely
revamped. The revision sees a slightly darker interior
creating a stronger, more purposeful atmosphere.
Textures were made more vibrant and contoured. Fabrics
and leather were chosen to reflect its real sporty
character. The front cabin carries a redesigned
instrument panel and center meter and notable changes
include additional air vent, front cup holders with
cooling function and upper glove box. Seat cloth has
been changed to water-repellent dimple-cloth
upholstery. The seat material is black, harmonizing
with the darker accents of the interior. To ensure the
safety and well-being of the occupants, active headrest
preventing whiplash injury now comes as a standard
feature. An anchor net and luggage hook to keep the
items in the luggage area organized and in place also
comes standard. Powering the vehicle is a 2.0-liter QR
engine with a CVTC (continuously variable valve timing
control) system.
“The
X-TRAIL remains a strong contender in the very
competitive SUV market. NMPI continues to improve and
better the X-TRAIL to reward customers with the sheer
comfort and convenience of driving a truly great SUV.
With the Nissan X-TRAIL Tokyo Edition, you will surely
enjoy the ride,” said Dennis Chang, AVP of marketing,
sales and aftersales division of NMPI. |
