Lean, green smile machine

I first met her sometime in July, two years ago. She was petite, but attractive. As I looked longer, I found her to be quite elegant, yet with a fun-loving character that can make me smile. I was beginning to fall for her, but at the time, I knew it just wouldn’t be possible. But still, I wished I could have her for myself.

Now, before anybody starts calling up my wife about this illicit affair, let me point out that I’m talking about the Nissan Verita. This retro-styled 4-door hatchback, based on the Nissan March and built and retro-fitted by Yulon Motors, was introduced by Nissan Motors Philippines Inc. to the motoring public in the second half of 2000. Imported CBU, or completely built-up, it is a limited edition niche car that continues to further the cause of luxurious and opulent mainstream vehicles, extending the genre of the Sentra Exalta STA, Grandeur GS, the Cefiro Elite and VIP Brougham to the kei (small) subcompact car segment.

The common denominator of these cars is that the seats are covered in leather, and the Verita is no exemption. Finished in beige with brown piping, the seats are quite firm but comfortable, like those in a Mercedes-Benz. However, the center of the seat is quite narrow that you will feel you are sitting on the side bolsters, not in them. The simulated wood accents, wood-rimmed and chromed steering wheel, white-faced gauges with chrome bezels and the analog clock add to the class and the opulence of the Verita. Factor in a low beltline, a large green house to compliment the tall roof, and you’ve got to get used to people staring at you as you motor by.

Notice that I used the term "motor by" instead of "pass by" or "drive by", because that’s what you’ll be doing when you drive the Verita. It transports you back to an age when people were motoring to destinations and happy thoughts are reflected in their smiling faces. With the A/C blowing the characteristic cool air inherent in Nissan vehicles, the 8-disc CD changer playing "The Cascades" or similar music from the early ’60s, and the horn honking off an almost funny monotone, the car becomes a time machine, a portal to a bygone era. You will find yourself smiling as you drive, as if you left all your problems by the roadside when you rode in the car. Likewise, you’ll find people looking at you and smiling back. Like what they say, "Smile and the world smiles with you…"

And you will have other reasons to smile with the Verita. The fuel-injected DOHC 1300-cc in-line four powerplant has enough pep to keep up and leave some of the traffic behind while sipping gas. This writer has recorded 7.72 km/l in admittedly spirited city driving, with a better fuel efficiency of over 10 km/l, when shifting to more sensible driving habits. The engine also emits fewer pollutants into the air, thanks to the catalytic converter installed in the exhaust system. The 4-speed overdrive automatic transaxle delivers the power to the front wheels in a sporty manner, with the transmission holding the gear up to 5500 rpm when you mash the throttle.

And when you do slow down and just motor by, you will always be amazed by the reaction of people when they see the Verita. To the uninitiated, it is a well-restored classic. Some will say "Austin Mini" or "Mini Cooper," but the smiling grille, the lack of the hood bulge leading to the headlights and the four doors make the car more akin to an Austin A-series sedan built in the ’60s than to the vaunted Mini. The chrome accent strips, chromed wheels, side mirrors and door handles add a dash of elegance to the diminutive Nissan, with the dark green exterior complementing the light-colored interior. The Yulon design team should be applauded for the creative way in which the round headlights and taillights with chrome bezels were grafted to the square openings of the March. If they only did the same treatment to a two-door model equipped with a sunroof and a 5-speed manual shifter with a chrome lever and wooden shift knob, that model would have been a "keeper," a car that would be an instant classic, like the much-loved Mini.

To summarize the Nissan Verita in one phrase, it would best be described as a "car with a lot of character." It makes people smile and wave at you or give you a "thumbs-up." And in today’s busy and high-tech world, those gestures are becoming increasingly rare.