There are many names that send a pulse of adrenalin coursing through the veins; Sunny, Tiida, Q, GTI, GTI-R, NX, EXA, GXE, Ti, SSS, GL, Primera, Vector, Sabre, Arex, Langley, Cherry, Sentra, Bluebird Sylphy, Liberty Villa, Holden Astra, Alfa Romeo Arna and Audi Grinny. And all they have one thing in common. Nissan Pulsar. Today we take a random selection from Melbourne’s curbs and see how they stack up.
1990-94 Nissan Pulsar GTI-R
An early entrant in the all-wheel-drive turbocharged flourish. An air-to-air intercooled Garrett T3 turbocharger was mated to the Pulsar’s 2 litre aluminium twin cam and drove an ATTESA four-wheel-drive with a viscous centre coupling to give a 50/50 split.
Prepared to homologate a Group A rally car, Nissan instead withdrew from rallying so it could never really be measured in battle against its STi and Evo counterparts. There was also a lightweight JDM-only version offered which shaved 30kg off the 1220 kg weight.
This one’s a JDM grey import, we never got these in their day. The UK got 70 of them as the Sunny GTi-R.
Max Power: 220 PS @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 196 lb ft @ 4800 rpm
Max Speed: 134 mph (lightweight 139)
0-60 mph: 6.1 secs (5.9)
1987-91 Nissan Pulsar Q
Nissan did a JV with Holden as part of a policy of rationalisation in the Australian automotive industry during the early eighties. Holden badged theirs Astra, and both were powered by the GM-sourced Family II 1.8 litre four-cylinder engine. The Q was a local market budget sporty trim level for the Pulsar, above the base GL and beneath the fully sicker SSS and luxo Ti.
Max Power: 107 PS @ 5,600 rpm
Torque: 111 lb ft @ 3,600 rpm
Key Standard Equipment
2 Speaker Stere0, Power Door Mirrors, Disc Brakes Front Ventilated, Power Steering, Disc Brakes Rear Solid, Spoiler – Rear, Limited Slip Diff
1984-85 Audi Grinny
A ill-fated foray into rallying with the disastrous Quattro all-wheel-drive cars had Audi in despair. A team of VW negotiators was secretly despatched to Japan to find a quick remedy. Subaru was approached first, but declined. Nissan jumped at the chance to utilise a lightened Patrol arrangement and in return they got a (JDM-only) prestigious European brand atop their staggeringly tall Pulsar hierarchy.
The Grinny delivered the exhilaration of the Alfa Romeo Arna with all-wheel-drive.
Yeah… nar… made that up.
This isn’t a photochop, though.
hehehe
Further Reading:
1979-82 Nissan 310 Coupe and Hatchback CC
1991-95 Australian Spec Pulsar CC
1992 Pulsar NX 2000 CC Capsule
I’m assuming “Grinny” refers to fhe face of the owner as he sees people gawking at his rebadge job? It looks halfway believeable from the front.
That GTI-R looks like a proper hot hatch. We never got that though, the only Pulsar variants having been sold in the USA being the first generation (badged as the 310) and, for one single year of 1983, the 2nd-gen hatchback. What we had badged as Pulsar NX was the small coupe sold in the rest of the world as EXA.
The grinny is hilarious. I wonder what the guy parked in front with the Q3(?) thinks.
Weird CC effect, just got an email in my inbox that Japanese Classics LLC in Richmond, VA has a fully road legal Pulsar GTI-R in stock.
“Just Arrived: 1990 Nissan Pulsar GTi-R “RA” 74k Original Miles, SR20DET, 5 M/T, ATTESA AWD System, Rally Service Vinyl, Nismo Strut Braces, Front Bumper + Rear Differential Guard. Original Umbrella and Service Manual included. Offered at $11,995
Available Now in Richmond, VA
844-DRIV-JDM”
I have no idea if the price is inline or not but I keep my eyes on their selection as they have a good reputation and that’d be the easiest way to acquire one of the Japanese cars I lusted after when they were new but not attainable over here at all for any price. If I really wanted it that price is certainly do-able for what would end up being a special occasion car for me.
According to ‘A-Z Japanese Performance Cars’ by Chris Rees, the things to watch out for:
Brakes not really up to the task
Wheel bearing wear
Diff and gearbox v. expensive to repair
JDM imports not undersealed
At a glance, seems a joke !! 🙂
But, it is real: an Audi/Nissan Pulsar.
Incredible
Those GT1Rs get along well I had an impromptu street race with one for a few kilometers very quick but a bit underdone on the corners he was braking and sliding where my rear steering just punted around the turns under power, great fun. There seem to be plenty of ex JDM hot Pulsars/Sentras about.
Well, the Grinny had me fooled for a second. Seriously though, while I’m familiar with Arna, the Holden variant has me curious. I mean, Toyota and GM were pretty close in those years, at least in the US. Why not a rebadged Corolla like our Nova/Prism? Or is this a symptom of another Deadly Sin, where GM would rebadge anything … Subaru, Daewoo, Isuzu, Toyota, Suzuki, Holden, am I missing some? … just to dilute their sales a bit more.
Dman, the ‘badge engineering’ was a result of an oz federal govt rationalisation called the ‘Button Plan’.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button_car_plan
That Astra predated the Button plan by several years that thing replaced the out dated Gemini we got em in 83.
Thanks for clarifying, Bryce.
The really weird thing was they had both the Astra and fwd RB Gemini at the same time.
The FWD Isuzu didnt last very long on the market though GMH must have known it had a limited lifespan and gone with the Nissan, One thing that was missed not all those X1Rs have the Primera motor many seem to be 1600 twin cam automatics and are basicly badge fast cars, I’d forgotten until earlier when I went out for milk theres one in my street and CC effect I stopped for a look see and its very standard Sentra auto.
That was because the RB Gemini didn’t come in a five-door hatch, and one guess what bodystyle Laser was flying out of Ford showrooms? Right. Nobody wanted a sedan the size of the RB Gemini. Holden dealers must have been screaming for a product to sell against the all-conquering Laser. Holden had to look outside the GM empire to find something suitable, scoring bonus points because the Pulsar was already in Australian production.
The Holden-badged Camry and Toyota-badged Commodore were weird enough.
But the Nissan-badged Ford ute was too far.
http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nissan-ute-xf-640×462.jpg
The Holden-Nissan Astra was replaced by a Corolla-clone Nova from 1989-96. There was an overlap between the Holden-Nissan and local Ford-Nissan partnerships too!
Holden at that time was also putting RB 30s and in NZ RB 20s into their Commodore, Aussie never got the 2Litre six or the GTS and Royale models they were Kiwi only.
That late 80s Pulsar looks like a Toyota FX16 but with 2 more doors. Even the grille and tail lights look Toyota-ish.
Seriously (and I feel stupid asking) is that Audi real? Oh well, if Aston Martin can sell that mildly “customized” Toyota for insane money I guess VW/Audi is allowed to be silly/STUPID, at least once.
Howard and @Fernando:
This is a homebake. The ridiculous model name just makes the premise even more credible.
There was a five-door FX, so you can imagine the resemblance…
From ghosties and ghoulies and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night, plus the Audi Grinny,
Good Lord, deliver us.
he he indeed. Got a grinny out of me.
The Audi rebadge is real. I’ve seen it in the morning traffic!
There’s a Hyundai Excel covered in funny stickers too…
Don, Don, Don… Love your work, top marks! 😀
I almost googled the Audi Grinny for more information!!!!!