NISSAN'S new Almera GTi will cost £14,420, including a £425 delivery charge, when it goes on sale in the UK on July 1. Previewed in Fleet News last week (May 31), the new car is designed to compete with hot hatch market leaders such as the Volkswagen Golf GTi, Peugeot 306 XSi, Vauxhall Astra Sport and Ford RS2000.

Powered by a 2.0 litre 143 bhp engine the GTi has a top speed of 130 mph and a 0-62 mph time of 8.2 seconds. The new Almera is being launched with GTi sales on the increase due to reductions in insurance premiums as a result of improved security features on vehicles.

Nissan aims to sell about four or five hundred Almera GTis in a full year and believes the 'highly competitive' price will attract buyers away from market leaders.