Return of the Nissan Pulsar GTI-R??

Not exactly but maybe something close...maybe.

See the new 2013 Nissan Sentra is due to bow in the near future and will be a complete redesign from the current version.  Known as the Sylphy in most of the rest of the world and as the Pulsar in Australia, North America's Sentra will be a common platform across the globe beginning production at Nissan's Smyrna plant later this year.

What is particularly interesting here is that it was released today in Australia that not only is there going to be a hatchback version of the new Sentra/Pulsar/Sylphy but there is also going to be a high performance version with an upgraded engine.  A manual gearbox will be available in addition to the now nearly standard Nissan CVT in the sedan version of the Sentra/Pulsar/Sylphy and hopefully this transmission choice will make it over to the high performance hatchback.

While the standard version of the Sentra/Pulsar/Sylphy looks to get a 1.8L engine, wouldn't it be cool if they dropped the Juke's 1.6L MR16DDT engine into the hot-hatch?  It would seem like a smart match.

Hot Hatch Sentra Coming!!!


Update: and now released is that the engine for the Sentra/Pulsar/Sylphy hatch WILL be a 1.6L turbo!  Sounds like my guess for the Juke's engine may have been spot on.  Nissan goes on to say that pure speed will not be the goal here but instead is focused on driving dynamics (a good sign for those wanting a manual transmission?).  Unfortunately this news comes with a downside in that the idea of a new 200SX has been eliminated.  Read more here: Hot Hatch Sentra to get turbo 1.6L.....


Photo above is Nissan Pulsar GTI-R from its WRC days and below is the sedan version of the 2013 Sentra that has yet to be introduced on U.S. soil.