Nissan Deltawing will lose the Nissan part

You've probably heard of the DeltaWing which used a Nissan engine but now it seems Nissan left the project. Why? Nobody knows. What we do know is that the Deltawing will have a new 1.9liter Mazda engine replacing the Nissan 1.6liter prepared by RML.

Besides the new engine, which is more powerful (now has 345hp) and lighter (the engine has less 6.8kg or 15lbs), they also have plans to use a closed cockpit. And what did Nissan had to say about this less than a year after they joined the Deltawing project? They used twitter to confirm it.

"yes folks, it's true. We had a blast with DeltaWing and will always have a major soft spot for that car." "Nissan wishes Dr Don Panoz and all the other partners involved in the DeltaWing all the best for the future."

Not cool Nissan.

Source: topgear

Nissan will build a new C-Segment car in Barcelona, Spain.

In total Nissan will invest 110 million euros, almost 150 million dollars, in their factory located in Barcelona, Spain, so they can start building a new passenger car from July 2014. The vehicle is rumored to be a new C-Segment car, possibly with some styling cues taken from the Nissan Invitation concept shown almost a year ago (In reality this concept gave birth to the Nissan Note).

This investment will allow for an additional 80,000 units of annual capacity to Barcelona, and the creation of 1,000 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. Really good in a country getting close to an unemployment rate of 30%.

But this isn't the only investment at the Barcelona plant. Nissan will invest 14 million euros (19 million dollars) to increase the annual production capacity by 24.000 units of the 1-Ton Pickup, and 6 million euros (8.15 million dollars) for the assembly of the gearbox for the Nissan LEAF and Nissan eNV200.

Of course Frank Torres, Nissan Motor Ibérica Managing Director, was really happy with this investment by say that: "I have the pleasure of sharing with you the fruits of the competitiveness agreement reached last week, which have opened the door to new production opportunities. The most important thing now is to be able to ensure the successful launch of these products and keep the competitiveness commitment. If we do, I am sure new opportunities will come."

Adding that "In the coming years, Barcelona plant will work at full capacity, with an annual output over 200,000 units while maintaining its attractiveness to produce new models. Given the current crisis environment, this is not only a great achievement for Nissan, but for the entire industry in this country."

Source: Nissan

Nissan reveals the 370Z Nismo for the European market

Nissan surprised everyone by showing the Nismo version of the 370Z during the official presentation of the European Juke Nismo that took place in Barcelona. The new 370Z will be sold starting from July.

The new version includes several changes to the look of the car, and includes a new rear diffuser, 19 inch wheels, improved brakes side skirts, a front spoiler and the suspension was lowered by 10mm. On the inside we have black alcantara with a red trim.

The 3.7liter V6 engine now produces 344hp and 371Nm and will do the 0 to 100km/h (62mph) run in 5.2 seconds. The top speed was not revealed but it should be limited to 250km/h (155mph).

Source: autoportal

Spain will get another major investment from a carmaker

The German company Volkswagen said last week it would invest around 785 million euros ($1 billion) in a plant in northern Spain over the next five years, making it the third company in recent months that announced a major investment in that country with severe economy problems.

First it was Ford that said they were going to move production from their Belgium factory to Spain, then Renault announced it was hiring 1.300 new people, but just last week Nissan canceled the plans to expand production of a new model in Spain because they didn't reach an agreement with union workers adding that Spain was losing 4.000 jobs and an investment of 130 million euros.

The Volkswagen plant is in Pamplona in the region of Navarra, can produce up to 1.400 vehicles every day and provides work for 4.600 people, so this was good news for the struggling country. But the Spanish government boasted that these investments happen because "they are the result of a labour market reform that makes the country more competitive for businesses and also makes it cheaper for companies to hire and fire employees.".

I am not sure if its a good thing to make it cheaper to fire people but it seems that's what the companies want.

Source: reuters

Nissan confirms Nismo version of the Leaf

Shoichi Miyatani, President of Nissan Motorsport International Limited (Nismo) said to Autocar that the Leaf Nismo, which was recently introduced at the Tokyo Auto Salon, will enter production in Japan this summer, and depending on how it performs it may also be sold in Europe and/or in the United States of America.

While this version doesn't have any mechanical upgrades, meaning the power is the same over the regular version, with 107hp (80kW), 280Nm (210ft/lb), a top speed of 145km/h (90mph) and a range of 175km (108miles), it includes several aesthetic improvements, like the aerodynamic body kit taken from the Leaf RC concept, new alloy wheels and a lightly redesigned interior.

Miyatani also said that the Leaf RC "race car", which was introduced at the New York Motor Show in 2011 for a one-make race series, won't really happen after all.

Source: autocar

2014 Nissan X-Trail 3 revealed in patent drawings

My Chinese isn't that good but it seems (and it surely looks) like the Hi-Cross concept will serve as a base for the next-generation X-Trail that could be introduced at the Geneva Motor Show next March.

Nissan hopes to attract a younger audience, thanks to the futuristic look of the concept and the production model that you can see in the images of the industrial patents below.

And from what we can see the look is very similar to the concept, except for the functional stuff like lights and bumpers.

Source: auto.sohu

Nissan Resonance Concept. Preview of the future Murano III

Nissan took advantage of the Detroit Auto Show to reveal the future direction of Nissan crossovers, but I suspect that will only serve to show the lines of the Murano III.

This new concept has a hybrid electric drivetrain driving all four wheels. The system combines a smaller displacement internal combustion gasoline engine with an electric motor/lithium-ion battery and an advanced management system, together with the new Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

The design is innovative, in particular the profile. Francois Bancon, Nissan Motor Co. division general manager, Product Strategy and Planning, added: "When the designers were first working on conceptualizing the Nissan Resonance, they were inspired by amazing scientific advancements in technology and material innovations. They also were inspired by the aspirations of those people who unabashedly embrace innovation and are optimistic about the future. It was about serving those people a concept vehicle that is forward-looking and fuses style with an athletic ride."

Short News: Nissan confirms next generation Murano concept for Detroit [Video]

Nissan will preview the next generation Nissan Murano at the Detroit Auto Show starting next week, and promisses a design that will be as surprising as the original.

The design is expected to be based on the Nissan Terra concept shown in the 2012 Paris motor show, but sales of the production version won't start until 2014.

Source: autocar

Short News: Nissan-Renault will buy 67,13% of AvtoVAZ

 

This will mean the Franco-Japanese alliance will take over Lada and have a voting stake of 74.5% in AvtoVAZ, and all of this will cost €570.000.000.

This brand has a greater presence in the Russian market but will now be under Renault and Nissan, also developing and generating products for Datsun.

Short News: Customization program for the European Nissan Juke

 

The Nissan Juke has had many different versions, the Nismo edition, Batman, R, Kuro, Shiro and possibly some more that I can not remember. But now each buyer can further customize their car.

The alloy wheels, mirror caps, fog light rings, side sills, boot door handle and the rear spoiler can all be choosen from five different colors: Force Red, Glossy White, Orange Racing, Piano Black e Silver Grey.

Also available are three new design packages, Style, Premium and Exclusive. Nissan also announced that the these are the first of several other components that will be part of a bigger customization program, including interior parts.

Source: Nissan

 

Short News: Sales of the Nissan Sylphy start today in Japan

This new sedan will be sold in over 120 countries all over the world, from the USA to China, but fails to really impressive. The wheels look to small and the side profile looks like the Peugeot 301, only worst.

Nissan pretends to sell 600 units every month for a price between 1.937.250yen (€18.000 or $23.600) to 2.389.800yen (€22.250 or $29.100), including consumption tax. The engine is a new 1.8liter MRA8DE matched with a next-generation XTRONIC CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).

 

Source: Nissan

 

Press Release

 

YOKOHAMA, Japan (December 5, 2012) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced the launch of the all-new Nissan Sylphy, which goes on sale today at Nissan dealers throughout Japan.

The all-new sedan will be sold in approximately 120 countries, including the USA, Japan, China and Thailand. Sylphy is one of Nissan's global core models, along with the new compact Note (released in September) and the new Latio compact sedan (introduced in October).

 

Featuring an elegant and sophisticated design and class-above comfort, the Sylphy is powered by the newly developed 1.8L MRA8DE engine. The new powerplant is matched with a next-generation XTRONIC CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with sub-planetary gear, delivering powerful and smooth driving.

 

The Sylphy for the Japanese market is produced in Nissan's Oppama Plant in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

 

Key features of the new Sylphy:
Design in pursuit of true sedan beauty
With its premium-feel front grille, LED-accented headlamps, large rear combination lights and a flowing character line, the new Sylphy exterior expresses a sophisticated sedan style. Compared with the previous generation model, the new model is 15mm lower in height and 65mm wider in width, giving it well-balanced sedan proportions.

Within the spacious and comfortable interior, Sylphy's high-quality, refined cabin features a seamless, integrally molded instrumental panel and detailed meter design.

 

Class-above comfort
Sylphy's optimized interior layout creates ample rear legroom that is comparable to that of a sedan one class above. Interior spaciousness is further enhanced with shoulder room that is increased by 30mm from the previous model. Ride comfort is also improved by reducing vibration with strengthened body rigidity, enhancing quietness with efficiently placed acoustic insulation and utilization of a vibration-absorbing suspension. Other features, including a Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) system and air conditioner outlet for the rear seats, which are also offered on Fuga and Teana, create a comfortable cabin for all passengers. Enhanced visibility and ease of driving is provided by large windows and the slope of the hood, which allows the driver to easily grasp the vehicle shape.

 

Sales target: 600 units/month
Price range: 1,937,250 yen to 2,389,800 yen, including consumption tax
Sales launch events: December 8 (Sat.) - 9 (Sun.) and December 15 (Sat.) - 16 (Sun.)

 

1.Design
Beautiful exterior design expressing a dynamic and premium feel while improving the functionality of a sedan

    Three-dimensional chrome front grille with an imposing presence
    Front bumper with horizontal design, emphasizing great width and a sense of stability
    Headlights with six LED clearance lights that suggest the ‘power of eyes'
    Flowing character line that runs from curved front fender through the rear combination lights
    Electric retractable remote control body-colored door mirrors with integrated side turn lamps that are easily seen (standard on G, X)
    Rear combination lights featuring bold horseshoe-shaped design with fifteen LED lights expressing a stunning, high-quality feel
    A total of six available exterior colors, including a new color, Deep Iris Grey (PM) (PM stands for Pearl Metallic)

Interior design with sophisticated beauty, ample space and refined comfort

    Instrument panel design gives a feeling of spaciousness
    Instrument panel features integrally molded upper-to-middle section, flowing curved surface and the use of soft pad trim to provide a premium interior feel
    ‘Micro-grain' that reduces glare and provides smooth feel to touch and a relaxed atmosphere is adopted in the lower instrument panel and the upper side of the front door trim
    Adopted in all grades is easy-to-read Fine Vision Meters with a central color liquid crystal display showing various information, including ECO mode indicator
    Class-above high-quality feel achieved with carefully selected and combined materials used for the center panel finisher

 

2.Driving performance and packaging
Mechanism

    Newly developed 1.8L MRA8DE engine adopted in all grades
    Powerful and smooth driving achieved by a longer engine stroke, improved combustion efficiency, improved intake/exhaust efficiency and reduced friction
    Fuel economy improved by 16% to 15.6km/L (in JC08 mode) compared to the previous model
    XTRONIC CVT adopted in all grades

 

Packaging

    Front window glass expanded upward to provide easier viewing of traffic lights and signs
    Hood shape that makes it easier to see where the vehicle's front end is
    Tilt and telescopic steering wheel for most appropriate driving posture (adjustable by 30mm backward and forward and 40mm up and down)
    65mm added to the width and shoulder room increased by 30mm compared to the previous model – enhancing interior spaciousness and increasing door thickness, creating ample armrest space
    Large rear knee room where passengers can relax with legs crossed
    Newly designed flat rear seat back sides improve comfort and ease of egress/ingress when three passengers sit in the rear seat
    510-liter luggage space capacity

Aerodynamics performance and comfort

    New body shape with lower air resistance and optimized under floor airflow achieve coefficient of drag of 0.29
    Strengthened body rigidity and reduced vibration give improved quietness
    Clearance, which is a route where noise comes in, is thoroughly removed and noise insulators are efficiently displayed, delivering improved quietness
    Ride comfort improved by a longer suspension stroke and improved impact/vibration absorption performance

 

Key Safety and Environmental Technologies

    Xenon headlights (projector type with low beam/auto-control) (standard on G)
    Optimum light distribution, multi-reflector halogen headlights (manual control) (standard on X, S)
    Auto light system (linked front wipers, dawn sensors) (standard on G, X)
    VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control <TCS functionality included>)
    LED High Mount Stop Lamp
    ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution), Brake Assist
    High-strength body construction (Zone Body), body construction for pedestrian protection
    Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) 3-point seatbelts for all seats
    SRS air bag system for driver and front passenger
    Side air bag system and SRS curtain air bag system for driver and front passenger (standard on G)
    Based on JC08 fuel-economy mode
    Every grade achieves SU-LEV certification, emitting 75% fewer exhaust emissions than 2005 standards
    Achieves more than 95% recyclability rate (where recycling facilities exist)

 

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 248,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4.8 million vehicles in 2011, generating revenue of 9.4 trillion yen ($US118.95 billion). With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of 64 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero-emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades, including the prestigious 2011-2012 Car of the Year Japan and 2011 World Car of the Year awards.

Nissan Hi-Cross Concept. The future crossovers will look like this.

This isn't really a new concept because it was already displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March, but Nissan also brought it to Los Angeles to preview "the next-generation of Nissan crossovers".

So we can say that surely we will see something similar to this passing by in our roads in a few years, probably replacing the X-Trail.

The Hi-Cross is a hybrid vehicle with a 2.0liter four-cylinder direct injection gasoline engine with an electric motor powered by a small lithium-ion battery similar to the one in the Leaf, connected to Nissan's next-generation Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).

Source: CarScoop