Nissan Bluebird

Nissan Bluebird: Which Version to Buy and Why

The Nissan Bluebird choice depends mainly on whether you want a simple rear-wheel-drive classic, a lighter front-wheel-drive car, an AWD sedan, or the strongest turbo specification. The supplied catalogue covers 8 generations from 1971 to 2001, with Sedan, Coupe, and Hatchback 5-door bodies. At the practical end, the 10 generation 1.6 MT has 97 hp and a recorded kerb weight of 1,100 kg.

The Nissan Bluebird choice depends mainly on whether you want a simple rear-wheel-drive classic, a lighter front-wheel-drive car, an AWD sedan, or the strongest turbo specification. The supplied catalogue covers 8 generations from 1971 to 2001, with Sedan, Coupe, and Hatchback 5-door bodies. At the practical end, the 10 generation 1.6 MT has 97 hp and a recorded kerb weight of 1,100 kg. At the performance end, the 10 generation turbo 2.0 MT produces 210 hp and 275 Nm with AWD. Buyers seeking the clearest balance of output and recorded weight should also consider the 11 generation 2.0 MT with 150 hp: its 1,190 kg kerb weight gives 7.9 kg per hp.

Nissan Bluebird generations compared

4 generation, 1971–1976: This Sedan generation contains 6 versions. Its 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT produce 82 hp, while the 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT appear with either 80 hp or 88 hp. Every listed version is Gasoline and RWD. Manual cars have 4 gears, Automatic cars have 3, and ground clearance is 185 mm. This is the generation to consider when RWD and the greatest recorded clearance matter more than outright power.

5 generation, 1976–1979: This Sedan has a single listed version, the 1.6 MT. Its 1,595 cc Gasoline Inline engine produces 90 hp and 126 Nm, paired with a 5-speed Manual and RWD. Kerb weight is 1,050 kg, equivalent to 11.7 kg per hp. The data also records a 160 km/h top speed, making it the only version here with a measured maximum speed.

6 generation, 1979–1983: The Coupe generation contains 21 versions. The displayed range includes 1.6 MT, 1.6 AT, 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 1.9 MT, 1.9 AT, 2.0 MT, and 2.0 AT specifications, all Gasoline and RWD. Output extends from 82 hp to 135 hp. The strongest 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT versions use Turbo engines producing 135 hp and 183 Nm. Ground clearance is 160 mm throughout the displayed specifications.

7 generation, 1984–1990: This Sedan generation contains 50 versions. Its displayed 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0 specifications produce between 83 hp and 135 hp, use Gasoline engines, and are FWD. Manual versions have 5 gears; Automatic versions have either 3 or 4. The 135 hp 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT are Turbo versions, while ground clearance is 155 mm across the displayed range. Compared with the 6 generation, this generation changes the listed drive layout from RWD to FWD.

8 generation, 1987–1991: This Hatchback 5-door generation contains 38 versions. Displayed engine capacities run from 1,598 cc to 1,974 cc, with power from 83 hp to 135 hp. All shown versions are Gasoline and FWD, with 5-speed Manual or 4-speed Automatic gearboxes. Recorded kerb weight is 1,220 kg for the displayed Manual versions, including the 135 hp Turbo 1.8 MT. Ground clearance is 160 mm.

9 generation, 1991–1997: This Sedan generation contains 25 versions. The displayed range begins with 79 hp 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT versions and reaches the 175 hp Turbo 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT. FWD and AWD are both listed, as are 5-speed Manual, 3-speed Automatic, and 4-speed Automatic gearboxes. The AWD Turbo 1.8 MT produces 226 Nm and weighs 1,310 kg, giving 7.5 kg per hp. Ground clearance ranges from 145 mm to 150 mm.

10 generation, 1996–1998: This Sedan generation contains 23 versions. Its displayed range runs from the 97 hp 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT to the 210 hp Turbo 2.0 MT and 2.0 AT. The turbo cars produce 275 Nm and use AWD. The 2.0 MT has a recorded kerb weight of 1,400 kg, equivalent to 6.7 kg per hp, the strongest recorded power-to-weight result in the supplied data. Non-turbo choices provide 125 hp or 145 hp, with FWD or AWD.

11 generation, 1998–2001: This Sedan generation contains 16 versions. The displayed specifications include 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 1.8 CVT, 2.0 MT, 2.0 AT, and 2.0 CVT, producing from 125 hp to 150 hp. FWD and AWD are offered, while transmission choices include 5-speed Manual, 4-speed Automatic, and Variable. The generation lacks the preceding generation’s 210 hp Turbo option but offers several lighter FWD configurations.

Nissan Bluebird engine specs

Repeated version names are separated below by generation, output, displacement, or drive. “Variable” is the catalogue’s English gearbox label for CVT.

Nissan Bluebird performance and mpg

Acceleration from 0–100 km/h is not measured for every listed version. Top speed is also not measured except for the 5 generation 1.6 MT, for which the recorded figure is 160 km/h. City, highway, and combined fuel consumption are not measured for any listed version, so Nissan Bluebird mpg cannot be calculated from this dataset.

Power per litre provides a useful comparison without inventing acceleration figures. The 5 generation 1.6 MT develops approximately 56.4 hp per litre. The 9 generation Turbo 1.8 MT reaches approximately 96.7 hp per litre, while the 10 generation Turbo 2.0 MT reaches approximately 105.1 hp per litre. Within the 11 generation, the 1.8 CVT produces approximately 73.5 hp per litre, compared with approximately 75.1 hp per litre for the 150 hp 2.0 MT.

Nissan Bluebird dimensions, weight, clearance, and tank

Exterior dimensions and wheel sizes are not measured for any supplied version. Gross weight is also not measured throughout the data.

Recorded kerb weights range from 1,040 kg for the 9 generation 1.6 MT to 1,400 kg for the 10 generation Turbo 2.0 MT. The 360 kg difference accompanies a rise from 79 hp to 210 hp, or 131 hp. In the 10 generation, choosing the AWD 1.8 MT instead of the FWD 1.8 MT adds 140 kg while power remains 125 hp. The comparable 145 hp 2.0 MT increases from 1,230 kg with FWD to 1,370 kg with AWD, again a 140 kg difference.

In the 11 generation, the 145 hp 2.0 MT weighs 1,180 kg with FWD and 1,310 kg with AWD, a 130 kg difference. The 150 hp 2.0 MT weighs 1,190 kg, while the equivalent 2.0 AT weighs 1,210 kg, adding 20 kg. Ground clearance is generally 140 mm on 11 generation FWD versions and 155 mm on listed AWD versions. Its fuel tank is 60 litres. The 9 generation also has a 60-litre tank, while tank capacity is not measured for the other supplied generations.

Which Nissan Bluebird version should you buy?

For the strongest specification, choose the 10 generation 2.0 MT with 210 hp. Its Turbo 1,998 cc engine produces 275 Nm, the 5-speed Manual drives all wheels, and its recorded 1,400 kg weight yields 6.7 kg per hp. The exact 2.0 AT alternative retains 210 hp, 275 Nm, and AWD, but its kerb weight is not measured.

For a performance-oriented earlier car, the 9 generation 1.8 MT with 175 hp combines Turbo induction, 226 Nm, AWD, and a 5-speed Manual. At 1,310 kg, it carries 7.5 kg per hp. Compared with the 135 hp AWD 1.8 MT from the same generation, it adds 40 hp and 67 Nm while adding only 30 kg.

For a later non-turbo balance, the 11 generation 2.0 MT with 150 hp is the clearest choice. It has 186 Nm, FWD, a 5-speed Manual, and a 1,190 kg kerb weight. Compared with the 145 hp FWD 2.0 MT, it adds 5 hp and 8 Nm while adding 10 kg. The 2.0 AT with 150 hp suits buyers who prefer Automatic, but it adds 20 kg over the 2.0 MT with the same output.

For AWD without Turbo, compare the 11 generation 2.0 MT with 145 hp against its FWD equivalent. Both produce 178 Nm from 1,998 cc, but AWD raises kerb weight from 1,180 kg to 1,310 kg and ground clearance from 140 mm to 155 mm. The extra 130 kg therefore buys AWD and 15 mm of additional clearance, not additional power.

For the lowest recorded weight among later generations, the 10 generation 1.6 MT is the straightforward option. It produces 97 hp and 132 Nm, uses a 5-speed Manual with FWD, and weighs 1,100 kg. Buyers prioritizing classic RWD can instead select the 5 generation 1.6 MT: it has 90 hp, 126 Nm, a 5-speed Manual, and a 1,050 kg kerb weight. Prices, market value, reliability records, problems, and cars or engines for sale are not measured in the supplied data, so they cannot support a responsible version recommendation here.