Browse by Tags
All Tags » Nissan ( RSS)
-
|
In the late ‘90s, Nissan brought a handful of automotive journalists into its California headquarters. The company was struggling, and it seemed as if the executives were looking for a magic solution. Frankly, it felt as if the company had gone insane. The car writers were unanimous in saying that Nissan was making some wonderful, powerful, sweet-handling cars. However, we added, the American public was hopelessly infatuated with giant sport/utility vehicles and pickups, and Nissan and its Infiniti brand had arrived too late to that party. The cynic in me wanted to say, “Check your water coolers. It appears as if they’re being spiked. And, if the coolers are clean, perhaps you should put everybody on Prozac or something.” The bottom line: The company lost its way and second-guessed itself almost to death. Fast-forward to the present. At its gleaming new headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, Nissan showed the media an impressive lineup of cars. No trucks or SUVs were present for this event. Today’s bad economy, the threat of rising gas prices, and looming fuel-economy rules have America’s love affair with big SUVs and pickups on the rocks. Meanwhile, over the past dozen years, Nissan...
|
-
|
Nissan is offering a Krom edition for the 2010 Rogue , giving the compact SUV line a sportier variant with cosmetic attitude. Pronounced “chrome,” the Krom concept has been previously applied to the Nissan Cube , giving the asymmetrical box a version with street-cred to rival the Scion xB. (See our Scion xB, Kia Soul, Nissan Cube Gen-Y crossover comparison .) With the Rogue, the Krom package sharpens the body with a unique grille and front fascia fitted with fog lamps, rear fascia with center-exit exhaust routing, body-colored rear spoiler, and 17-inch aluminum wheels. The side mirrors are body colored, and the rear windows are finished with darkened privacy glass. Obligatory badging further announces its presence. Inside, the modifications are limited to steering wheel-mounted audio controls. The Krom edition is available on front- and all-wheel drive models, and it is offered in Venom Red, Wicked Black, and Gotham Gray paint. It goes on sale in December 2009. The Rogue carries over relatively unchanged for 2010, aside from the Krom edition and a new 360-degree value package for the Rogue S with unique 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, privacy glass, integrated rearview mirror rearview...
|
-
|
Nissan has announced that its Nissan LEAF zero-emission, all-electric car will make its North American debut in Los Angeles on November 13. The Los Angeles showing will be the first time people in the United States will be able to see the five-passenger, five-door, gasoline-free car, as it begins its nationwide tour....
|
-
|
It is the week ending October 16, and we have browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather the highlights from each....
|
-
|
Safety experts have become so concerned that today's whisper-quiet hybrid and electric cars may pose a danger to visually-impaired pedestrians that they've introduced a study to investigate whether such vehicles should have artificial soundtracks to help people nearby hear them....
|
-
|
So, CNN Money is reporting that Ford is recalling more than 4 million vehicles due to a potential fire hazard that can be created by a faulty cruise control deactivation switch. A friend of mine sent me an email that said " See? This is why people don't buy American. " The recall covers 1995-2003 Windstars, 2000-2003 Excursion diesels, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-Super Duty diesels, 1992-2003 Econolines, 1995-2002 Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Rangers and 1994 F35 motorhomes. This is the eighth recall that involves a specific faulty switch manufactured by Texas Instruments, and brings the total to more than 16 million Ford vehicles recalled because that switch. The article at CNN Money advises that "Ford drivers should look for warnings of possible imminent fires, including malfunctioning cruise control systems and brake lights and antilock braking system and brake light warnings on the dashboard. The safety agency also said difficulty in getting the vehicle out of the park mode should be treated as a warning." Ford says it has not used that switch in any model years after 2003. It's disappointing that this is what people think...
|
-
|
Reacting to strong interest in its five-door electric car, Nissan will accept reservations for the Leaf in spring 2010. To date, about 22,000 people have contacted Nissan about this significant EV. (See our Nissan Leaf preview .) The Leaf uses laminated compact lithium-ion batteries that generates 90kW, routing 80kW to the electric motor. The batteries can be recharged up to 80-percent full in under 30 minutes with a quick charger. At home, it would take about eight hours to fully recharge via a 200-volt outlet. Nissan claims the Leaf 100-mile range – ample for the daily needs of most drivers. Pricing hasn't been announced, though Nissan says it will significantly undercut the Chevrolet Volt , and it may be well under $30,000 with federal incentives. About 70 percent of the people in North America who have inquired about the reside in markets where the all-electric zero-emission car first will be brought to market. This strong consumer reaction has Nissan hoping to secure 20,000 reservations before the car goes on sale late 2010. The Leaf will be sold globally, with plans for it to be sold in Europe, Japan, and the United States 2010. Beginning in late 2012, Nissan will manufacture...
|
-
|
Nissan has freshened the Altima for 2010, giving the popular, well-regarded coupe and sedan a midlife update. Most noticeable, the Altima has a new hood, grille, front bumper, and wheels. Inside, the Altima has new upholstery, trim, and revised option packages. Stability control is standard on all models. The infotainment factor is turned up to 11 for the new year, with an available premium Bose audio system. This new stereo boasts nine speakers, 4.3-inch screen, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free phone operation, XM satellite radio, and a rearview camera. Also available is a hard-drive-based navigation system with a 6.5-inch screen, Zagat ratings, XM NavTraffic and NavWeather, Bluetooth streaming audio, DVD player, and 9.3 gigs for music storage. What hasn’t changed is the base price, which remains at $19,900 for the 2.5 S sedan. The coupe climbs several hundred dollars to $22,440. 2010 Nissan Altima suggested retail prices 2010 Altima Sedan Engine/Transmission M.S.R.P. Altima Sedan 2.5 S 2.5L I4 CVT $19,900 Altima Sedan 2.5 S 2.5L I4 CVT $21,840 Altima Sedan 3.5 SR 3.5L V6 CVT $24,520 2010 Altima Coupe Engine/Transmission M.S.R.P. Altima Coupe 2.5 S 2.5L I4 6MT $22,440 Altima Coupe...
|
-
|
By all the reports we've seen from the Department of Transportation and other automotive blogs, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program was " wildly successful " at driving consumers towards dealerships. With nearly 700,000 vehicle transactions utilizing "Cash for Clunkers" trade-ins, not to mention standard purchases that didn't include the government-subsidized rebates, it's clear that manufacturers benefited from a giant sales infusion during the month of August. When comparing sales figures for August 2009 against August 2008, Ford was the most successful American manufacturer with an increase of 16.99 percent (182,149 units sold) for all of Ford Motor Company and a 21.25-percent jump for just the Ford brand itself. Toyota Motor Company and American Honda were up 6.41 (225,088) and 9.93 (161,439) percent respectively. Unfortunately, even with the incentives, some manufacturers still sold fewer cars than they did a year ago, notably Nissan North America was down 2.93 percent (105,312 units sold), Chrysler was down 15.43 percent (93,222), and General Motors was down 20.19 percent (246,479) from a year ago. (Many thanks to John Neff at AutoBlog...
|
-
|
It's the week ending August 28, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. Once again, the biggest news involves the end of the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program AKA "Cash for Clunker" rebates, culminating in 690,114 transactions valued at $2.88 billion, with stories galore on its " wildly successful " outcome. LeftLaneNews reports on some of the downfalls of the program, saying the clunkers' Web site crashed several times, resulting in a bottleneck of applications. Moreover, only about a third of dealers have received their first clunkers check, leaving many dealerships with cash flow problems. Consumer Reports shares the environmental impact, saying the average new car bought with the rebates got 9.2 mpg more than the average clunker traded in, for an annual average fuel savings per driver of 277 gallons of fuel or about $720. Pizza magnate Papa John Schnatter has finally been reunited with his Camaro. In celebration, he gave away nearly 36,000 free pizzas . Click here to read the detailed story of how Jalopnik helped make it happen -- and if you want, you...
|
-
|
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ( IIHS ) has tested bumpers on several midsized family sedans for repair costs, finding not one of the six models earned a top rating of Good. This is the second group of vehicles the Institute has evaluated under a new bumper ratings protocol based on repair costs averaged and weighted to reflect real-world damage and insurance claims frequency. (See “ Small Cars Can Be Costly to Repair .”) A series of four tests were conducted: front and rear full-width impacts at 6 mph and front and rear corner impacts at 3 mph. These tests are designed to drive bumper improvements, though they also highlight the potentially significant costs of a minor bump. Bumpers on 2009 models of the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, and Nissan Maxima performed better than their 2007 predecessors in low-speed crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Bumpers on the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu and 2010 Ford Fusion did worse than earlier models. None of the six popular midsize sedans earns the top rating of Good in a recent series of tests designed to assess and compare how well bumpers resist damage in everyday fender-benders. Bumpers on 2009...
|
-
|
Nissan unveiled a pure-electric hatchback today named Leaf that is destined to go on sale in Europe, Japan, and the United States in late 2010. The five-passenger Leaf has a claimed 100-mile range – ample for the daily needs of most drivers. The Leaf uses laminated compact lithium-ion batteries that generates 90kW, routing 80kW to the electric motor. Nissan says, "This ensures a highly responsive, fun-to-drive experience that is in keeping with what consumers have come to expect from traditional, gasoline-powered automobiles." The batteries can be recharged up to 80-percent full in under 30 minutes with a quick charger. At home, it would take about eight hours to fully recharge via a 200-volt outlet. Billed as a connected vehicle, the Leaf can receive support, information, and entertainment through a “global data center.” One application is that some Leaf systems can be activated via cell phone, such as air conditioning or charging functions. The distinct design looks modern and practical, with enough futuristic flare to announce that this vehicle is special—that may be a key combination for attracting buyers. But the real hook is zero-emission motoring. It may seem that Nissan...
|
-
|
The Detroit 3 showed marked improvements in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study released this week, with a 10-percent gain over 2008. This accomplishment for Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors is remarkable given the well-publicized challenges they have faced in the past year, and all the more impressive for being greater than the 8-percent rate of improvement by the industry overall. Cadillac ranks in the top three, moving up from 10th last year, with Ford, Chevrolet, and Mercury all ranked above the industry average. However, Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep remain well below the average. The study finds that initial quality for newly launched and redesigned models in 2009 has improved compared with previous years. Historically, all-new models have typically launched with below-average levels of initial quality. However, several all-new models in 2009, including the Hyundai Genesis, Kia Borrego, Toyota Venza and Volkswagen CC, perform considerably better than their respective segment averages. Many redesigned models in 2009 also show notable improvement from the previous generation--particularly the Acura TL, Ford F-150, Honda Pilot, and Nissan Z. The highest ranked...
|
-
|
PlayStation-fueled driving fantasies have materialized at Nissan dealers nationwide as the Nismo 370Z is now on sale, starting at $39,130. Sadly, floor mats ($115) are extra, but endless machismo is standard. Developed by Nissan's Specialty Vehicles Group, the Nismo Z boasts an 18 horsepower advantage over the standard Z , with 350 horsepower and 276 lb.-ft. of torque. The gains from in part from an exclusive free-flow dual exhaust system, muffler tuning, and an optimized engine control module. The Nismo is offered with only with a close-ratio, rev-matching six-speed manual to transform any driver into a heel-toe master. The Nismo-tuned suspension includes specially tuned springs, shock absorbers, and stabilizer bars. Wider, unique five-spoke 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels are mounted with Yokohama ADVAN Sport Y-rated tires. Sport Brakes and a viscous limited-slip differential are also standard. The Nismo is visually distinguished by its bold body work, including an extended nose with a canard design at each corner for improved downforce and a fully integrated chin spoiler. Special side sills and a unique rear fascia help manage airflow under the vehicle, while the functional rear...
|
-
|
Do you prefer to start fresh? Would you feel better knowing that your new car doesn’t have a used-car history? If you’re in the market for a brand new car with a new-car warranty, but want or need to keep your spending to a minimum, here are the 16 new models available in trim levels for less than $15,000 (price ranges for some models include trim levels over $15k). Click on each vehicle to learn more about its features and options. Happy hunting! 2009 Chevrolet Aveo ($11,965-$15,365) 2009 Honda Fit ($14,750-$18,960) 2009 Hyundai Accent ($11,070-$15,070) 2009 Hyundai Elantra ($14,120-$17,020) 2009 Kia Rio ($11,495-$14,280) 2010 Kia Soul ($13,300-$16,950) 2009 Kia Spectra ($13,550-$16,450) 2009 Mazda MAZDA3 ($14,690-$20,895) 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer ($14,340-$26,490) 2009 Nissan cube ($13,990-$19,370) 2009 Nissan Versa ($10,990-$16,330) 2009 Pontiac G3 ($14,335) 2009 Scion xD ($14,650) 2009 smart fortwo ($11,990-$13,990) 2009 Suzuki SX4 ($13,299-$15,139) 2009 Toyota Yaris ($12,205-$15,880) See the rest of our New Car Buyer's Guide for pricing, specs, mileage figures, and photo galleries of all vehicle makes, models, by pricing and category. -Deborah Neal, Editorial Director
|
More Posts Next page »
|