Nissan Launches New Elgrand Luxury Minivan

Yokohama, July 16 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Nissan Motor Co. on Thursday started domestic sales of the new Elgrand luxury minivan equipped with the company’s third-generation “e-POWER” hybrid system. Nissan aims to revive its sluggish sales with the Elgrand, which underwent its first full revamp in 16 years. The first-generation Elgrand was launched in 1997 and gained popularity for its high-end features, particularly its emphasis on rear-seat comfort. However, no new Elgrand models were introduced after 2010, and the vehicle has since fallen behind rivals such as Toyota Motor Corp.’s Alphard. Priced from 6,897,000 yen, the new models feature improved quietness and fuel efficiency. The vehicle’s height and width have been increased to provide a more spacious interior. The vehicle adopts Nissan’s proprietary all-wheel control technology and was designed with an emphasis on “the pleasure of driving,” according to a Nissan official in charge of development. The Elgrand is an “important model that will drive Nissan’s future growth,” Akira Sugimoto, a Nissan corporate executive, said. In June, Nissan released the redesigned Kicks compact SUV as part of efforts to boost sales through a series of new model launches. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]