Sunday 15 December 2013

Luxo-Sunny..

Not usually my favourite 'genre' (I suppose that works?) of car.. the luxury-economy car. A small car, loaded up with lots of stereotypical luxury faff, that seems to take itself too seriously.
BUT.. it can be an ironically funny thing - almost a caricature of a luxury car.

What we have here, is a 1988 B12 Nissan Laurel Spirit Grand Limited-E - a very dressed up 1985-1990 B12 Nissan Sunny!
While never sold in Australia, it actually reminds me a lot of the same-era N13 Pulsar Ti. I'd say Nissan missed the mark on that one, not calling it the Pulsar Skyline Spirit Grand Limited-E!

Unlike the Sunny it is at heart; here we have lots of chrome, fender marker lights, an upright bonnet/hood emblem, parking pole..

... extra tinted mouldings around the windows, rear curtains, two-tone paint...

... and those sharp little basket-weave wheel covers!
(Love the bridgestone model - 'Sneaker'... ha!)

Serious economy business here..

Inside is lots of burgandy velour, and possibly the most elaborately plush floormats I've ever seen. They're properly fantastic.. they look like little rugs!
The doiley seat half-covers and miles of dark red velour, actually makes that 5spd and extra pedal seem out of place..

..but no, likely used to extract every horse out of the 1.5ltr E15, a basic SOHC four-cylinder driving the front wheels.


Overall, a good bit of fun to drive exactly how it is. In fact, I'd find a set of blown shocks, just to exaggerate the experience.
Roll backs have never had more style..





1 comment:

  1. IIRC that velour interior was available on the US-spec Sentra GXE. The exterior was somewhat more restrained though...

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