Nissan Pintara
Encyclopedia
The Nissan Pintara is a mid-sized automobile that was manufactured by Nissan Australia
from 1986 until 1992.
assembly plant in Melbourne
from mid 1986. Replacing the locally produced Nissan Bluebird (910), it was based on the Nissan Skyline with a single fuel-injected 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine, entirely built and sold in Australia to compete with the Mitsubishi Magna
. Like the Australian built six cylinder R31 Skyline, it was offered in sedan and station wagon form.
Four specification levels of the R31 Pintara were offered: GLi, Executive, GX, and GXE. A TRX bodykit package was offered for the GX and GXE sedans, featuring a front and rear air dam, rear spoiler
, side skirts, grille
cover, alloy wheel
s and low profile tyres. Unlike the later U12 TRX, it did not feature any mechanical upgrades.
The sole engine choice was a 2.0 litre CA20E
inline-four, producing 78 kW (DIN) at 5,200 rpm and 160 newton metres (118 ft·lbf) (DIN) at 3,200 rpm. This unit was SOHC, multi-point fuel injected featuring electronic concentrated control system (ECCS) including electronic ignition. It featured two spark plugs per cylinder to help meet emission requirements.
version of the Nissan Bluebird (U12), rather than a model uniquely designed for Australia as initial stories had indicated. In Australia, this was sold as the Nissan Pintara (U12), also available as a locally designed five-door "Superhatch". The Superhatch was exported to both Japan and New Zealand as the Nissan Bluebird. The U12 model was discontinued in mid-1992 when Nissan Australia ceased local production.
Under the Button car plan
, in which local manufacturers shared models, Ford Australia
marketed a rebadged
version of the U12 Pintara sedan and hatchback as the Ford Corsair
.
Nissan fitted a 2.0 litre CA20E
inline-four engine to the GLi and Executive levels of trim. This engine was rated at 83 kW (DIN) at 5,200 rpm for power, and 168 newton metres (123.9 ft·lbf) (DIN) at 4,000 rpm torque.
T, Ti, and TRX versions received a 2.4 litre KA24E
inline-four. This engine produced 96 kW (DIN) at 5,600 rpm and 189 newton metres (139.4 ft·lbf) (DIN) at 2,800 rpm. Fitted with electronic concentrated control system (ECCS) for precise MPI fuel injection, the 2.4 litre also featured ignition timing control with SOHC and three valves per cylinder (two intake, one exhaust).
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
from 1986 until 1992.
First generation (R31; 1986–1990)
The first generation R31 Nissan Pintara is a mid-sized family car which was built by Nissan Australia at its Clayton, VictoriaClayton, Victoria
Clayton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Clayton had a population of 14,332.-Overview:...
assembly plant in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
from mid 1986. Replacing the locally produced Nissan Bluebird (910), it was based on the Nissan Skyline with a single fuel-injected 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine, entirely built and sold in Australia to compete with the Mitsubishi Magna
Mitsubishi Magna
The Mitsubishi Magna was a mid-size car offered between May 1985 and September 2005 by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited . Manufactured at the Tonsley Park assembly plant, Magna spanned three generations before being replaced by the Mitsubishi 380...
. Like the Australian built six cylinder R31 Skyline, it was offered in sedan and station wagon form.
Four specification levels of the R31 Pintara were offered: GLi, Executive, GX, and GXE. A TRX bodykit package was offered for the GX and GXE sedans, featuring a front and rear air dam, rear spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler may refer to:* Spoiler , a device to reduce lift in aeronautics* Spoiler , a device to modify air flow in order to increase fuel efficiency or improve handling in automobiles...
, side skirts, grille
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
cover, alloy wheel
Alloy wheel
Alloy wheels are automobile wheels which are made from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium. They are typically lighter for the same strength...
s and low profile tyres. Unlike the later U12 TRX, it did not feature any mechanical upgrades.
The sole engine choice was a 2.0 litre CA20E
Nissan CA engine
The CA engine is a 1.6 L to 2.0 L Inline-4 piston engine from Nissan designed for a variety of smaller Nissan vehicles to replace Z and smaller 4-cylinder L series engines. It is an iron block, aluminum head design with a timing belt, thus was cheaper to make than the timing chain setup...
inline-four, producing 78 kW (DIN) at 5,200 rpm and 160 newton metres (118 ft·lbf) (DIN) at 3,200 rpm. This unit was SOHC, multi-point fuel injected featuring electronic concentrated control system (ECCS) including electronic ignition. It featured two spark plugs per cylinder to help meet emission requirements.
Second generation (U12; 1989–1992)
The first generation Pintara was replaced in 1989 by a model initially dubbed by the media as "Project Matilda", which turned out to be a locally produced front-wheel driveFront-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
version of the Nissan Bluebird (U12), rather than a model uniquely designed for Australia as initial stories had indicated. In Australia, this was sold as the Nissan Pintara (U12), also available as a locally designed five-door "Superhatch". The Superhatch was exported to both Japan and New Zealand as the Nissan Bluebird. The U12 model was discontinued in mid-1992 when Nissan Australia ceased local production.
Under the Button car plan
Button car plan
The Button car plan, also known as the Button plan was the informal name given to the Motor Industry Development Plan. The plan was an Australian federal government initiative, intended to rationalise the Australian motor vehicle industry. Industry consultation had begun in 1984 with a proposed...
, in which local manufacturers shared models, Ford Australia
Ford Australia
Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
marketed a rebadged
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
version of the U12 Pintara sedan and hatchback as the Ford Corsair
Ford Corsair
The Ford Consul Corsair, manufactured by Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom, was a midsize car introduced at the London Motor Show in October 1963 and available as either a saloon or estate from 1964 until 1970...
.
Nissan fitted a 2.0 litre CA20E
Nissan CA engine
The CA engine is a 1.6 L to 2.0 L Inline-4 piston engine from Nissan designed for a variety of smaller Nissan vehicles to replace Z and smaller 4-cylinder L series engines. It is an iron block, aluminum head design with a timing belt, thus was cheaper to make than the timing chain setup...
inline-four engine to the GLi and Executive levels of trim. This engine was rated at 83 kW (DIN) at 5,200 rpm for power, and 168 newton metres (123.9 ft·lbf) (DIN) at 4,000 rpm torque.
T, Ti, and TRX versions received a 2.4 litre KA24E
Nissan KA engine
The KA engines were a series of inline-4 four-stroke gasoline piston engines manufactured by Nissan, which were offered in 2.0 L and 2.4 L versions.The engines blocks were made of cast-iron, while the cylinder heads were made of aluminum....
inline-four. This engine produced 96 kW (DIN) at 5,600 rpm and 189 newton metres (139.4 ft·lbf) (DIN) at 2,800 rpm. Fitted with electronic concentrated control system (ECCS) for precise MPI fuel injection, the 2.4 litre also featured ignition timing control with SOHC and three valves per cylinder (two intake, one exhaust).