Nissan Avenir

Nissan Avenir Cargo in Japan

Introduced to the Japanese market in May 1990 (a small number of units were exported to Nissan New Zealand to replace the locally assembled U11 Bluebird wagon), the W10 Avenir was initially available with either the 1.8 L SR18Di in FWD or a 2.0 L SR20DE engine. The Nissan Expert/Avenir Cargo van light commercials came only with the 1.6 L GA16DS.

The FWD was available with either a four-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual, the 4WD (introduced in November 1990) only available coupled to the automatic. There was also the ATTESA configuration. A 2.0 L CD20T Turbo-Diesel was added to the range along with a light facelift in January 1993. At the same time, the 1.8 L SR18Di models were given the improved 1.8 L SR18DE with electronic gasoline injection. In December 1993 a special edition called "Avenir Salut" appeared, French for "hello!", a name which eventually made its way onto the entire passenger car part of the Avenir range. This was a lower cost version of the Attesa-equipped, SR20DE-engined 2.0 Si, forgoing some of that car's standard equipment such as the front spoiler and alloy wheels.[1]

High sales of the second generation Subaru Legacy Wagon prompted Nissan to redesign the Avenir's rear end in a similar style. This only applied to passenger car versions (the Avenir Cargo retained the original rear design), all of which were now badged Salut. These were introduced in August 1995, along with a turbocharged model called GT turbo; this came with a 210 PS (154 kW; 207 bhp) version of the 2.0-litre SR20DET and was available only in 4WD with the automatic transmission.

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  1st gen Nissan Avenir Blastar
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  The Avenir Salut's redesigned rear end
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  1st gen Nissan Avenir Cargo

1999 Nissan Avenir GT4-Z in New Zealand

The W11 model was introduced early in 1998. Initially available with the 1.8 L QG18DE, 2.0 L SR20DE, 2.0 L SR20DET or the 2.0 L CD20ET Turbo-diesel. The QG18DE models were FWD only and available with either a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission, the SR20DE models were an FWD 4-speed automatic or CVT transmission with 6-speed tiptronic function, the 4WD continued to be conventional 4-speed automatic only. The diesel CD20ET was only available with a 4-speed automatic. Once more the turbocharged 2.0 L SR20DET variants were available only in 4WD with the conventional 4-speed automatic. The power output of the turbo version increased to 230 PS (169 kW; 227 bhp).

From May 2000 the turbocharged Salut was renamed the GT4 along with interior and exterior changes. The output of the SR20DE engine was improved. From the August 2000 facelift, the CVT transmission was fitted to some non-turbo 4WD models.

Autech offered a customized version called the "Rider" trim level. The Avenir Cargo delivery van was renamed the Nissan Expert starting in June 1999.

October 2000 saw the introduction of the Avenir Blastar, with an increased ground clearance and larger wheels, equipped with ATTESA and the SR20DE engine as an alternative to the Subaru Outback. Nissan shared the appearance with the smaller Nissan Wingroad JS.

In August 2002 the SR20DE and the SR20DET engines were replaced with the new QR20DE.

Due to lack of demand for the Avenir, the entire line was cancelled in September 2005; the Expert delivery van lasted until December 2006.

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  2001 Nissan Avenir Blastar
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  2002 Nissan Expert (Japan)
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  Nissan Avenir
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  Avenir rear

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nissan Avenir.

• Nissan Avenir official website (in Japanese)
• Nissan Expert: October 2000 - April 2002 (in Japanese)
• Nissan Expert: April 2002 - August 2002 (in Japanese)
• Nissan Expert: August 2002 - December 2006 (in Japanese)
• Avenir Lineup including Blastar (in Japanese)
• Safety Recalls for Nissan Avenir
• Safety Recalls for Nissan Expert