With a longer wheelbase, shorter overhangs, and a front-midship engine configuration, the new Stagea has definately found better proportions, and not to mention a better look in the M35 model. Always the sister car of the Skyline series, the new Stagea will not be left out of the performance picture, having an available 2.5 L turbocharged NEO VQ25DET with VTC good for "280 hp" @ 6400 rpm (once again as with all cars in Japan, an underexaggeration), linked to all four wheels. Super-Hicas is back, along with some new in-cabin features such as "intelligent" cruise control which adjusts the cars speed according to the distance and speed of the car up front using a small grille mounted sensor (also seen in some upscale Mercedes Benz cars), and ETC, or electronic toll collection system, a new feature in Japan for quick electronic toll-pay tracking with a small transmitter in the car.

Model trim breakdown:
300 RX - VQ30DD - 2WD
250t RX FOUR - VQ25DET - 4WD
250 RX/RX FOUR - VQ25DD - 2WD/4WD
250t RS FOUR/RS FOUR HICAS - VQ25DET - 4WD
250 RS V - VQ25DD - 2WD
250 RS/RS FOUR - VQ25DD - 2WD/4WD
AR-X FOUR - VQ25DET - 4WD

Stateside sales? Unlikely.

Rear:

Side:

Powertrain:

Interior (AR-X FOUR):

It looks like a Volvo V70 towards the rear of the car.

It looks like a Volvo all round :D Nice looking car though.

I did a lot of research before buying a new car. I compared the Stagea turbo, Audi A4 Avante 3.0 Quattro, BMW 325 wagon, BMW 540 wagon, Subaru Legacy GT-B, Mitsubishi Legnum VR-4, Volvo Crosscountry, and Audi Allroad. In the end I went with the Stagea. This car had the highest cost-performance of the group. In fact, it had the highest performance period.

It is a great car. I purchased a 2002 silver Stagea 250t RS Four V with 2500cc V6 turbo engine, black leather interior, power heated seats, and twin sunroofs.

The only major complaint is that it is not offered with a manual transmission likes its brethren, the Infinity G35 Coupe.

Does anyone else have any ownership experience with the Stagea?

Originally posted by RKM
..
The only major complaint is that it is not offered with a manual transmission likes its brethren, the Infinity G35 Coupe.

Does anyone else have any ownership experience with the Stagea?

G35 coupe is NOT the brethren of the Stagea, rather the G35 is sold elsewhere as the Skyline. You'll have a hard time finding a Stagea owner here, methinks, because many of us are in the US, and the Stagea has never been brought over here in any form. Matter of fact, though Nissan makes many wagons, the US hasn't seen a wagon or hatchback from Nissan since the Sentra hatchback (you'd probably know it as the Sunny) in the mid-1980s.

On the other hand, I do have a Stagea, of sorts..
http://www.nissan.co.jp/EVENT/PAPERCRAFT/s.html
PDF printable paper Stagea (http://www.nissan.co.jp/EVENT/PAPERCRAFT/PDF/stagea_n4c.pdf) GIF printable paper Stagea (http://www.nissan.co.jp/EVENT/PAPERCRAFT/PDF/stagea.gif)

I did a lot of research before buying a new car. I compared the Stagea turbo, Audi A4 Avante 3.0 Quattro, BMW 325 wagon, BMW 540 wagon, Subaru Legacy GT-B, Mitsubishi Legnum VR-4, Volvo Crosscountry, and Audi Allroad. In the end I went with the Stagea. This car had the highest cost-performance of the group. In fact, it had the highest performance period.

It is a great car. I purchased a 2002 silver Stagea 250t RS Four V with 2500cc V6 turbo engine, black leather interior, power heated seats, and twin sunroofs.

The only major complaint is that it is not offered with a manual transmission likes its brethren, the Infinity G35 Coupe.

Does anyone else have any ownership experience with the Stagea?


I own a manual stagea, but it was converted from an auto RS4 and had a totally reconditioned r32gtr box with a set of nismo heavy set gears whacked into it, all done before I bought it.

I love my Stag! :)