Nissan Primera Third Generation (P12)

The Nissan P12 was the third generation of midsize cars offered by the Japanese automaker Nissan under the sales name Nissan Primera in Europe. The model was introduced in June 2002 and distinguished itself above all by its courageous design and innovative operating concepts from its competitors.

Available as a four- and five-door, as well as an estate, it is powered by a variety of engine options. The 1.9- and 2.2-litre dCi direct injection common rail turbo diesel unit . Power outputs of 88kW (120PS) and 102kW (138PS) respectively, as well as torque figures of 270 and 314Nm, for the diesel models demonstrate that long distances are easily covered in a Primera, especially with the six-speed gearbox which is fitted as standard to the diesel engine models.

Petrol engines are offered with displacements of 1.6-, 1.8- and 2.0-litres, giving power outputs of 80kW (109PS), 85kW (116PS) and 103kW (140PS). On the 2.0-litre engine, Nissan offers a Hypertronic 6-Speed Continuously Variable Transmission. 

Nevertheless, the sales figures, especially with regard to its successful predecessor P11, apparently fell short of expectations, so that the production was discontinued in spring 2007 after almost five years without successors. The Primera P12 was available as a four-door notchback sedan , as a five-door hatchback as well as five-door station wagon . The latter was marketed as in its predecessor under the additional name Traveler .

The bodywork was a complete redesign. Their design was based on the design study Fusion from the year 2000. It was under the heading of the Swiss designer Stéphane Schwarz tried under the slogan Mon silhouette , the per se "typical" three folding of a notchback sedan of low front end and rear and intermediate higher passenger compartment by flowing as possible Hide transitions.

The production model was based very strongly on this study. This line was continued in the five-door and also in the combination variant, which has a comparatively flat and strongly upwardly curved rear window. Significant differences in comparison to the study were only visible on the car front and the interior design.

Another feature of the P12 was the standard operating concept N-FORM (originally Easy Control System ) , the audio and climate control via a centrally located control panel with a colour screen and a joystick envisaged -like control lever. The two high-end equipment lines also included a rear-view camera on the rear license plate, which provided in-depth reverse images of the rear of the car to the screen in the dashboard. This camera served as a key selling point in marketing.

Inside the cabin, the driver benefits from the ergonomically designed N-Form dashboard, offering a simplified interaction with the audio and heating controls. A single screen displays the settings for the car’s different systems, including the optional Birdview DVD-based satellite navigation system covering 13 countries on one disc. The screen also allows drivers to perform reversing manoeuvres with complete confidence thanks to a rear-facing camera which displays its view on the N-Form screen.The option of Nissan’s class-leading Intelligent Cruise Control, which is linked to the anti-lock braking system and the engine management system to automatically adjust speed to match traffic flow, takes the stress out of day-to-day driving – an important safety feature. In addition, the availability of Nissan’s Tyre Pressure Monitoring System adds to the reassurance which comes from Nissan’s renowned reputation for innovation and the application of useful technology, as does the phone cradle which was developed with Nokia and is integrated into the N-Form system for responsible telephone usage on the move.

The Primera P12 was available from mid-2002 with three gasoline and three different diesel engines, which made between 109 and 140 hp. The initially available only 2.2 diesel engine with 126 hp and direct injection was already replaced in the spring of 2003 by two different common-rail diesels of Renault and Nissan. However, these engines only met the Euro 3 emissions standard and were therefore taken out of the program without replacement in spring 2006 due to a lack of demand. The otherwise required equipment of engines with particulate filters to meet the higher emission standard Euro 4 would have come too expensive.

The gasoline engines were available with five-speed manual transmission and two different automatic transmissions. For the diesel engines there was a manual six-speed gearbox. In the case of diesel engines, there was a recall in October 2005 due to faulty engine control units and boost pressure sensors. 

Equipment variants

Furthermore, the P12 was available in three different equipment lines. The comparatively rich basic equipment visia included four electric windows and six airbags . The equipment acenta contained some other comfort features such as cruise control and rain sensor . The highest equipment line tekna also included xenon headlights , navigation system and a higher-quality audio system .

In addition to these three main equipment lines, there were occasionally still the special models visia plus and acenta plus with additional equipment.

As of mid-2002, the LaCera LaTeMax cruise control system was an option on the Primera, but only on the "Tekna" version with the 2-liter engine (103 kW / 140 hp) and the 6-speed CVT automatic with Tiptronic.  

Apparently in response to the unexpectedly low customer demand, the P12 was revised in July 2004, two years after the start of production. Here, especially the equipment and the interior were upgraded. For example, the pictures of the reversing camera were now coloured instead of black and white and there were new instruments, coverings and upholstery fabrics.

Also, this measure did not seem to bring the desired success. Thus, the production and sales of the P12 series were discontinued in the spring of 2007. Since then, Nissan has no conventional mid- size car in Europe on offer. A successor is not planned.