1990 Nissan Primera Sedan Photos, engines & full specs

Nissan introduced the first generation of the Primera, also known as the P10, in 1990, when it replaced the trustworthy but aging Bluebird.

The Japanese automaker tried to expand its European business, and for that, it designed the Primera’s first generation with the Old Continent customer in mind. While the exterior design was not spectacular, the car had advanced technical solutions for its time, which surprised its main competitors. In addition, it enjoyed the excellent reputation gained with the Bluebird lineup, the car that it replaced. Surprisingly, though, Nissan chose to introduce the Primera in Japan and only launched it in Europe after that. To have more chances of getting more customers, the car was available in three shapes: sedan, hatchback, and station wagon.

It was the early ‘90s, and the automotive design switched from wedged shapes to rounded ones. Still, Nissan’s design department didn’t dare too much when it penned the Primera. While its headlights had some curved edges, their overall look was rectangular but with corner-mounted taillights. Between them, the automaker installed a split grille adorned by chromed details depending on the trim level, which tried to look like a pair of wings. Lower, on the bumper, the Primera sported a second air intake flanked by the optional squared fog lamps.

From its profile, the P10 Primera showed a rather mundane design, with a raked windshield and a tall greenhouse for the car’s size. Nissan installed a black rubber stripe that crossed the car from the front to the rear bumper, matching the color of the unpainted door handles. The door mirrors, on the other hand, had the same shade as the rest of the body. Depending on the trim level and options, the car was fitted with either steel wheels with caps or light alloy wheels. The tall and short deck could be optioned at the back with a spoiler, while the taillights were stretched from the rear quarter panels to the trunk lid.

Inside, Nissan installed low-mounted seats with multiple adjustments, including the height. The driver fronted an instrument cluster slightly rounded and filled with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and smaller gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature. The car could be optioned with power windows, central locking, and a sunroof. The center stack housed the HVAC control panel and a stereo, which was an off-the-shelf product from other manufacturers, such as Blaupunkt from Germany. The bench could host up to three adults in the back, although with limited legroom.

The Primera came with a sophisticated multi-link front suspension that helped the car corner better than many other European cars from that era, mostly relying on McPherson struts. Under the hood, Nissan installed a choice of gasoline and diesel engines paired with a five-speed manual as standard, while a four-speed automatic was on the options list.