1996 Nissan Primera eGT review from UK and Ireland

Exhaust gasket between centre section and rear silencer has popped twice.

Radiator now decaying and refusing to pass coolant around the engine when heater flap set to cool.

Driver's seat creaking due to previous owners inability to abstain from cakes.

Don't be fooled by the eGT badge. It is not particularly quick. When you consider that cylinder pressures haven't changed that much over the last 30 years, manufacturers let their cars rev higher to generate BHP. It is a quick and high revving engine. Torque is just a memory from my Subaru days.

The handling is excellent for a front wheel drive car. Yes, it has ridiculously poor traction in the wet, but then so does every other front-drive car on this planet, but has very good anti-dive and anti-squat geometry. Torque steer is well muted too. Passive oversteer is available. Terminal understeer will result in damp conditions if care is not taken in setting the car up for corners. There is very little evidence of body roll. The shell feels taught with only minimal discernable twist when pressing on. Rear suspension geometry exhibits passive steer under roll and can generate come quite improbable cornering loads. Very amusing.

The brakes have excellent bite, the steering good ‘feel’ and the clutch a commendably short travel. The gear change is short too, although it’s possible to outpace the syncromeshes when excited.

The rear suspension is mounted to an empty diff cradle, which brings me to my only real gripe. This car would be perfectly fabulous of Nissan saw to fill that diff cradle and make it rear wheel drive. As it is, the only real shortcomings with it are those pertaining to front wheel drive. This may not unduly concern you, as most people today are unable to feel any difference and base their purchases on the ‘tinsel factor’ whereas I like to giggle when I drive. On reflection, more torque would have ruined it’s handling to engine balance.

The suspension is 'exotic' because it was required for homologation into the BTCC in the mid to late 90's. The later cars that weren't raced have a much simpler (and inferior) affair.

The ride can be a little firm and can jar on rougher roads. If you want “relaxing” then this vehicle isn’t suitable.

Insurance ridiculously expensive (more than my Subaru Legacy Turbo) and quite disproportionate to vehicles performance. This would perhaps indicate the claims made for this car by other drivers and hence the sort of people who buy it.

I’ve fitted an LPG conversion and it works rather well. The spacious boot contains a 100 litre LPG cylinder, giving a range on gas of about 500 miles. On LPG and empty, challenging roads, economy works out about 27 mpg. On petrol, reckon on seeing low 30’s.

Nissan dealer is marvellous. They collect the car from home and return it when done. I’ve used them for about 4 years and would recommend them to anyone.