The Nissan Gloria Turbo Brougham combines high tech with luxury and gadgets galore. Boasting the smooth power of a turbocharged, electronically injected in-line 2-litre six, the safety of four wheel disc brakes, and the luxury of lavish interior appointments, this is one car where the tired executive can kick back, letting the 3-speed auto pick the right gear and the power steering take out any arduous parking effort. Yes, we were impressed by the big Gloria - despite its slightly odd styling, we think that this is a package that's right up to date for the Eighties
And the first impact is that styling. Similar in some respects to other large saloons from this manufacturer - the old 280C lineage is clear - the Gloria adds a swept-back rear window, the formality of large, rectangular headlights, and the ornateness of alloy wheels. The car has presence - wherever we went in it, people commented. Wind the four electric windows down and another surprise awaits: this is a pillarless four-door - there's no B pillar there at all. Instead, window sealing strips are carried up and down by the glass, resulting in the test car in a slight wind whistle from the left-hand side. However, the driver's side sealed perfectly - perhaps in the pre-delivery inspection a slight adjustment could be made to cancel this noise.
The minor wind noise was even more noticeable because of the luxurious quietness otherwise present within the cabin. Apart from the deliciously high-tech sound of the turbocharger making a barely perceptible whistle in the mid-range, the Gloria has top European levels of NVH suppression. Road, wind and engine noise are minimal - the big Nissan wafts along on its tall tyres. However, we did notice that a light in-cabin resonance could be generated in some conditions - whether it was from the exhaust or suspension we're not sure. But this is really nit-picking - generally the car is, er, gloriously quiet.
Put your foot down and you find that the Japanese luxury car comes from a very different school to our local V8-engined big cars. With only a decompressed (a lower compression ratio is necessary on turbocharged engines) 2-litre six to move the automatic car away from a standstill, a large prod of the accelerator is required. However, once she gathers her skirts, the Nissan has very satisfying mid-range grunt, the whistle of the turbo the only giveaway as to the suddenly changed response. There is no boost gauge or even a pilot light indication of positive manifold pressure; instead the road just suddenly starts to sweep towards the windscreen and a quick glance down at the speedo is necessary to confirm the growing increase in speed. We can't wait until Nissan starts to use turbocharged engines in other, lighter and more sporty cars. Nineteen-eighty-five roll on - it wouldn't surprise us if by then there is a whole range of turbo cars on Australian streets.
The automatic transmission works well, with silky-smooth up-changes and with kickdown just an easy foot movement away. The driveline has been tuned more for mid-range grunt than screaming engine revs (though the engine is redlined at 6000 rpm), and in normal driving a 4000 rpm change works well. We know that some transmission companies predict that there will be four-speed autos in the future, but this Jatco 3N71B 3-speed works so sweetly we wonder if that will be ever necessary.
Nissan has for more than a decade shown how to do an independent rear end, however for this less sporty car they have chosen to stay with a traditional suspension design. Up front are double wishbones, tension rods and an anti-roll bar, while a Panhard rod, two longitudinal links and an anti-roll bar support the rear solid axle. Over big speed humps it can be clearly felt that the front spring and damper rates are much softer than the rear's, however, on the road it works well.
Move inside the cabin and you see where the real strengths of the Gloria lie. Absolutely lavishly equipped, there are enough gadgets to keep even the most technical of enthusiasts pushing buttons and twiddling knobs for hours. First up, the front fender-mounted rear vision mirrors are both electrically controlled, with chrome-plated joysticks used to vary their angle. Near to the mirrors are twin blue repeater lights for the headlights. Move across the control panel a few inches and you'll find the rear window electric demister has a switchable auto-off function - a great help if you're one of those people who turns it on and then promptly forgets all about it. Both the speedo and tacho are generously sized, while to one side of the panel a display shows which position you have selected on the auto trans T-bar. Gauges for oil pressure and battery volts are incorporated in the dash display, while a state-of-the-art digital quartz clock silently ticks away the seconds. Other features include intermittent wipers, electric boot and fuel filler lid releases, and an adjustable steering column.
The sound system includes a fully electronic AM/FM radio (with hidden bass and treble controls) that also features an automatic station search function. Next to it is a sophisticated auto-reverse cassette deck that has metal tape and Dolby facilities, in addition to a resettable tape counter. The heater and ventilation system is equally as sophisticated. 'Climate Control' is fitted for both the front and rear occupants, with a separate Breezemate air conditioner system located in the boot and connected to the engine bay compressor by long copper lines. Rear seat passengers get their own set of temperature controls, and can also adjust the radio station and volume as they please. Basking in either the summer cool or winter warmth is easy, thanks to soft, luxuriously upholstered, buttoned velour seats. The driver's seat is adjustable for height and lumbar support as well as fore/aft travel, and provides good under-thigh support.
Once you've finished admiring the dash you can turn your eyes upwards and gaze in awe at the roof console. Featuring multiple warning lights for fuse, washer, battery, radiator and fan belt, the console also contains a swivel reading lamp and another lamp with a switch marked 'Fancy'. Flicking this rocker turns on an illuminated central bar that extends down the centreline of the car.
While the styling may not be to everyone's taste, the Gloria matches its target group perfectly. With the innovative high-tech under the bonnet and every gadget known to man included inside the plush cabin, the Nissan is the choice of transport to take the tired executive home from his office - chauffeured or even steering himself.
Footnote: Our thanks to Craig Dean of Sports and Luxury Cars for making available our test vehicle. With just 39,000km on the odometer, the Gloria is in very nearly brand new condition. It is for sale. http://www.crossover-car.com.au/mainpage.htm
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