Nissan Sentra
Nissan Sentra
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Nissan Sentra

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Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra is a series of automobiles manufactured by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 1982. Since 1999, the Sentra has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. Until 2006, Sentra was a rebadged export version of the Japanese Nissan Sunny, but since the 2013 model year, Sentra is a rebadged export version of the Sylphy. The Sentra nameplate is not used in Japan. Many other countries in Latin America sell their versions of the Sunny as the Sentra. In Mexico, the first three generations of the Sentra were known as the Nissan Tsuru (Japanese for crane), and the B13 model was sold under that name until 2017, alongside the updated models badged as Sentra.

In North America, the Sentra currently serves as Nissan's compact car, despite being rated as a mid-size car by the EPA due to its interior volume since the 2007 model year. While previous Sentras were subcompacts, the Sentra has grown over the years, with the Nissan Versa having replaced the Sentra in the entry-level area.

The Sentra name was created for Nissan by Ira Bachrach of NameLab, and Bachrach describes the origin as "Nissan wanted consumers to understand that it was quite safe even though it was small. The word Sentra sounds like central as well as sentry, which evokes images of safety."

The first generation of the Nissan Sentra was introduced in the United States in May 1982 as a direct replacement for the Datsun 310. The model was initially imported from Japan, where it was produced at Zama plant. Available in four body styles (two-door sedan, four-door sedan, five-door wagon and three-door hatchback coupe), it was the second car to be marketed in the United States under the nameplate of Nissan and using a model name instead of a number. The first one was the Nissan Stanza, introduced at the 1981 New York International Auto Show as a 1982 model. While previous Sunny models had used a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the B11 Sentra was the first to use a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. Engine choice was the 67 hp (50 kW) (E15) 1.5 L four-cylinder SOHC, replacing the old A-Series OHV. This featured semi-hemispherical combustion chambers, high-swirl intake ports and a semi-dual exhaust manifold to provide strong torque at low and medium rpm ranges. Torque peak was 85 lb⋅ft (115 N⋅m) at 3200 rpm. Transmission options were a four-speed manual, 5-speed manual or a three-speed automatic with lock-up torque converter. Drag coefficient was 0.39 for the coupe and 0.40 for 2- and 4-door sedans.

At the time of its release, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave the Sentra MPG the highest gasoline mileage for gasoline powered cars marketed at that time, 43 miles per gallon in city and 58 miles per gallon in highway, a combined 48 miles per gallon. Curb weight of only 1875 pounds helped it to achieve that number. The Sentra MPG featured a three-way exhaust catalyst and an electronically controlled fuel metering unit to monitor the air-fuel mixture automatically and make adjustments to boost fuel mileage.

Trim levels were Standard, Deluxe, and XE, while price ranges were between US$4,949 for the base two-door sedan up to US$6,899 for the two-door XE hatchback coupe. Standard equipment on all models were four-wheel independent suspension, front disc brakes and rear drums, rack and pinion steering, maintenance-free battery, a rear ashtray, and bucket seats. Deluxe models added halogen headlamps, a remote-locking gas filler door, a carpeted trunk, and a rear wiper washer on the wagon. Deluxe and XE offered tinted glass, trip odometer, a vanity mirror, dual remote mirrors, and door trim. XE offered cut pile carpeting, an analog quartz clock, remote rear window opener, a low-fuel warning light, an AM-FM Clarion stereo radio, power steering, a tachometer, and 155/13 whitewall radial tires. A sunroof was available as an option.

In its first year of sales, the Sentra became the best-selling import in the U.S. and the fourth best-selling passenger car overall (together with the earlier 210), with 191,312 units sold of both cars. The Sentra ended the 1983 year as the eighth-most sold passenger car, with 209,889 units.

The 1983 model-year introduced a 1.7 L CD17 diesel inline-four, mated with a four-speed manual transmission. Also, the 1.5 L was replaced by a 69 hp (51 kW) 1.6 L E16 as the standard engine, available with a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic. Later that year the Sentra also received an electronically controlled carburetor.

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