GT5 Transcripts/Nissan Primera P12

A highly anticipated model following in the footsteps of its previous version, the Nissan Primera entered into its third generation in 2001. Like the cars before it, this latest model boasted a ride quality that resembled European cars, but was much larger than its former self (now a Japanese Class 3) as Nissan had global sales aspirations for this new Primera.

The car was slotted into the D-segment car category in Europe. Nissan Design Europe was responsible for the new exterior appearance of the Primera, and the car was noted for its artistic and flowing lines. The interior, created by Nissan's design center in Japan, reflected modern tastes and was given a centralized control station that integrated the interfaces for the air conditioning, audio, and navigation system into one.

The car made its debut with the newly-developed QR-series engines, a 2.0-liter DOHC inline-4 that produced 148 HP, and a 2.5-liter unit that made a higher 168 HP. A 1.8-liter engine became available later on. The standard gearbox was a 4-speed automatic unit with a CVT transmission, which was so popular in the previous generation Primera offering.

The version that really stood out in the Primera lineup was the sports grade 20V. Powered by a 201 HP SR20VE DOHC inline-4 that made use of variable-valve timing and mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox (the first on a Nissan front-wheel drive car), this created a car with an incredible aggressive level of performance that even an enthusiast could appreciate.