2001 Nissan Primera Sedan P12 Photos, engines & full specs

In 2001, Nissan introduced the third generation of the Primera, also known as the P12, in Japan, and it waited for another year to unveil the hatchback and the station wagon versions for it.

The Primera P12 was the first vehicle released by the Japanese automaker after it formed an alliance with the French automaker Renault. It was a far departure from the previous P11, and many considered it to be a car ahead of its time. Besides the unusual, UFO-like look, the P12 came with unique features such as a reversing camera and a cabin designed like nothing else on the market. Nissan had invested a lot in this car and offered it in three shapes: sedan, hatchback, and station wagon. So, after it unveiled it in Japan at the beginning of 2001, in September, it unveiled it at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

While the previous generations’ look was behind the market’s trends, the P12 was spot on, with one foot in the bio-design, but sported some influences from the rising new-edge styling movement. The upper grille followed the Flying-wing design theme that was more obvious than on the P11. and was flanked by the swept-back, angular-shaped rhomboidal headlights. On the lower side of the bumper, Nissan installed an additional broad air intake where it placed the fog lamps.

From its profile, the 2001 Primera sedan showed ample, curved lines and a few sharp angles. The entire range was now available with body-colored grab-type door handles. Nissan created a greenhouse that looked like an arched line that connected the hood with the sloped-down trunk lid. The base version sat on steel wheels with caps, while the rest of the range was available with alloy wheels. Finally, at the back, the corner-mounted taillights flanked the wide trunk opening.

But such an advanced-looking vehicle couldn’t be complete in its aspect by a dull interior. As a result, Nissan installed a dashboard where the instrument cluster sat atop the dashboard. It sported a layout similar to the previous generation, with the coolant gauge on the left, followed by the speedometer, the tachometer, and the fuel level. On the center stack, the automaker placed a color display with a control panel underneath it for the infotainment system. Moreover, it offered a rear-view camera, which was automatically activated when the reverse gear was selected. Even if the display’s resolution was poor, it was good enough to avoid obstacles, such as a parking pole or the car behind. At the front, the bolstered bucket seats were separated by a low center console that housed the gear stick, the handbrake, two cup holders, and an armrest with a storage bin underneath it. In the back, a bench seat could accommodate up to three passengers.

Under the hood, the Primera P12 was available with a choice of six engines, gasoline or turbodiesel. Besides the two least powerful engines paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, the other four were mated with six-speed transmissions. A CVT was also available.