Nissan strikes again with Teana

India’s fast growing car market on Thursday saw yet another addition with Japanese car major Nissan lifting the wraps off its second vehicle for India, the Nissan Teana..

Nissan’s new luxury sedan Teana aims at tapping the growing high-end car market in India, said a report. The Nissan Teana which will compete with Honda Accord and Toyota Camry has been priced at Rs 20.47 lakh (ex-showroom) in Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, and slightly higher at Rs 20.67 lakh in Mumbai, it said.

The report added that Teana would be fully imported from Nissan's Kyushu plant in Japan, and is powered by a 2.3 litre petrol engine. The Indian Teana will churn out 125 kw (170ps) at 6000 rpm. Maximum torque will be 224nm (22.8 kgm) at 4400rpm.

Nissan India hopes that it will be able to sell about 350 units of the Teana in India in one year.

The car features LED headlamps, LED rear lights and stop lights, a spacious and luxury interior and an eight way powered driver's seat for comfort.

Meanwhile, Nissan Motor has said that it would introduce a diesel version of the Nissan Maxima in the United States in 2010. According to top company officials in the US, the new vehicle would comply with emissions standards in all 50 states and provide improved fuel economy and lower carbon dioxide emissions. The launch has been tipped as marking the start of a broader diesel strategy in the United States.

With car makers increasingly looking at shifting to diesel versions following studies that diesel is popular in Europe, Nissan too is eyeing that market. The company has plans to develop alternative vehicles keeping in line with industry efforts to cut emissions.

The carmaker, however, has not provided a new estimate for when the automaker will meet a key sales target. It believes that it may need to push back its goal of selling 4.2 million vehicles worldwide in the fiscal year ending March 2009, the report added.