Showing posts with label Nissan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nissan. Show all posts
Friday, May 22, 2015
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Nissan GT-R 45th Anniversary Edition
The current iteration of the Nissan GT-R has been melting our hearts since 2007, but the GT-R's story doesn't just begin with the version that we get here in the States. Over in Japan, the GT-R's got an even longer history that dates back to 1969, the year when the GT-R first entered the market, eventually becoming the forefather of the Skyline range. Forty-five years later, as of 2014, the GT-R has taken different forms, including the current iteration. As such, Nissan is celebrating this milestone by unveiling the GT-R 45th Anniversary Edition in Japan.
The GT-R 45th Anniversary Edition is based on the 2015 Nissan GT-R and will only be available in the model's Premium trim. The upgrades on the model are pretty limited, too. That's a little disappointing considering what Nissan could have added to the car if it really wanted to go overboard to celebrate its 45th anniversary.
Maybe it's waiting for the 50th anniversary model to unleash all of its goodies? That's an issue for another time, but the bottom line remains the same. Lack of changes notwithstanding, the GT-R 45th Anniversary Edition is still the same fire-breathing Godzilla we've all come to love. As sports cars go, it's still one of the best in the world.
Sadly, the special-edition model is exclusive to its home market. Unless you live in Japan, you get no dibs on the 45 units Nissan plans to build to celebrate the GT-R's 45th anniversary.
Updated 03/16/2015: Nissan announced that a total of 30 GT-R 45th Anniversary Edition units will make it to the U.S. market. It will be priced at $102,770 and, just like in Japan, will be offered with a special "Silica Brass" paint, plus a special gold-tone VIN plate located inside the engine compartment and a special commemorative plaque on the interior center console.
Click past the jump to read more about the 2016 Nissan GT-R 45th Anniversary Edition.
Nissan GT-R 45th Anniversary Edition originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 16 March 2015 16:20 EST.
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Next-Gen Nissan GT-R Confirmed To Use a Hybrid Powertrain
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding the means of propulsion for the next-generation GT-R, with plenty of reports suggesting that a hybrid powetrain may be in the works. As it happens, Nissan's Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura recently confirmed what a lot of people had feared. In an interview given to the folks at Top Gear, he said that the upcoming all-new Nissan GT-R will indeed be a high-performance hybrid. Fret not though, as the days of "hybrid equals boring" have been over for a long time, with all that extra torque given by the electric motor being mainly used for creating extra oomph and not primarily to bring mileage figures up. (Witness the Porsche 918 Spyder.)
On top of that, Nakamura also said that he has seen each and every speculative rendering of the new GT-R on the Internet and is confident that "not one of them is close [to how the car will look]." With that being said, Nissan's long-time creative wizard disparaged reports that the model may switch to a mid-engine design, as the GT-R has always been envisioned as "a front-engine, 2+2-seater coupe" and that it will remain that way in the future.
Another interesting fact in the discussion that Nakamura had with Top Gear concerns the date at which the next GT-R is supposed to be launched, and believe it or not the current model is here to stay until at least 2018, with a number of updated versions to arrive until then. Since Nissan will also invest in a full Le Mans program from the 2015 endurance season onward, where they currently use hybrid powertrains in the LMP1, it is expected that some of the technology used there may end up on the production model in the future.
Click past the jump to read more about the next Nissan GT-R.
Next-Gen Nissan GT-R Confirmed To Use a Hybrid Powertrain originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 February 2015 13:00 EST.
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Friday, December 12, 2014
Paul Walker's Nissan Skyline From "Fast & Furious" up for Sale
A heavily modified Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 is listed at Classic Trader, the auto classifieds that sells a lot of classic exotics. So what's so special about this particular Skyline other than the fact that it's blue, has 550 horsepower under its hood, and only 6,000 km (3,728 miles) on the odometer? Well, it's a Hollywood car driven specifically by the late Paul Walker in Fast & Furious - the fourth installment in the franchise.
This Skyline is actually one of nine Skylines that were used in the making of the movie, but according to Top Gear, this one is the only real Skyline in the movie. The rest were apparently makeshift units created by using plastic bodies on Volkswagen Beetle chassis. We won't blame you if become nauseous after reading that.
This one, though, is the real deal. It's got all the bells and whistles of the GT-R R34, including a 2.6-liter, twin-turbo, straight-six engine that was fitted with a front-mounted intercooler from Turbonetics. That setup allows it to pump out an impressive 550 ponies with the power sent to all four wheels courtesy of a six-speed Getrag transmission.
It also has a loot bag of aftermarket options, which isn't at all surprising considering the nature of the movie it appeared in. It has plenty of Nismo parts, including a bumper with side skirts, lowering springs, V-Spec NUR pedals, and an NE-1 exhaust, all of which are consistent with what a full-fledged drag Skyline should have at its disposal. A Momo Alcantara steering wheel was also installed, as well as a custom roll cage, a Sony head unit, a custom heads-up display for the dash-mounted PC, and an MFD Xenarc Display unit with all gauges programmed to the Skyline's ECU.
As you can expect, this Skyline doesn't come cheap, nor should it considering that it also comes with a "40-page appraisal from a well known accredited appraisal company documenting the build and movie car history." For the privilege of owning Paul Walker's Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 from Fast & Furious, interested buyers need to have at least 600,000 at their disposal, which is about $940,740 as of 12/4/14.
We did say "at least" because given the car's history and who drove it, the price for this Skyline GT-R R34 is expected to reach more than $1 million.
Click past the jump to read more about Paul Walker's Nissan Skyline.
Paul Walker's Nissan Skyline From "Fast & Furious" up for Sale originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 7 December 2014 12:00 EST.
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Saturday, November 22, 2014
Video: Project Titan PR Film
Remember the modified Titan pickup Nissan built using crowd sourcing in its Facebook page? If not, it centered around rising support and awareness for the Wounded Warrior project by putting two Wounded Warrior alumni veterans in the Titan and sending them on a weeklong adventure through the Alaskan wilderness while a film crew followed closely behind.
Well, the time has come for Nissan to reveal the completed project.
This video teaser shows a few snippets from the video series set to release this Veterans Day happening November 11th. The series can be viewed though Hulu, XBOX Live, and the History2 Channel.
The truck itself features a host of upgrades including a lift kit, 35-inch-tall Nitto Trail Grappler tires, an ARB front bumper, A bed topper with roof rack, and a compact off-road camping trailer wrapped in the same desert camo as the Titan. A Lowrance GPS system and a pair of Wounded Warrior-stitched seat covers help dress up the interior. A small list of changes on the engine including a cold-air intake and a reprogrammed ECU make some extra power for tackling the challenging Alaskan terrain.
Video: Project Titan PR Film originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 15 November 2014 06:00 EST.
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Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Nissan Leaf "Sparky"
Needing the right tool for the job often requires ingenuity. That's exactly the case at Nissan's Stanfield, Arizona proving grounds. The team of engineers needed a truck-like vehicle to haul test gear, but something that got great gas mileage around the 3,050-acre complex.
Meet Sparky, the wild idea a few Nissan engineers cooked up while trying to solve the dilemma. The team started with a stock Nissan LEAF, the all-electric hatchback and combined it with several parts scavenged off a Nissan Frontier pickup. The combination is something of a Frankenstein, but it gets the job done.
Not using a drop of fuel, little Sparky makes his way across the grounds and helps out with testing of future Nissan products. "I needed a project for a team building activity so we can bring the team together. We had a need for a truck. Something to drive around, a shop truck," says Roland Schellenberg, one of Nissan's masterminds behind Sparky.
Helping build Sparky was Arnold Moulinet. "I went home and stayed up till like four in the morning making all kinds of designs for what would work," he says. "We basically got the stock Leaf, and after reviewing a bunch of designs of pickup trucks that we have here at Nissan, we decided to go with a Frontier bed."
Now the Nissan development team has an electrically powered mini truck that functions as park of the team. "It's something that we all put together," says Schellenberg. "We all share, so it has a little bit of everybody in there."
Nissan Leaf "Sparky" originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 19 September 2014 13:00 EST.
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Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Nissan Murano
Nissan has a lot riding on the success of the Murano. That's not an easy position to be, seeing as the Murano is considered as the halo vehicle for the company's range of crossovers and SUVs, but also has such a polarizing look. So it figures that Nissan is using the New York International Auto Show as the event to introduce to the auto world the new 2015 Murano.
Far more than just a debut of the vehicle, the Murano's attendance in New York will also serve as a showcase for the automaker to introduce its new design language, one that will be used on future production vehicles. Big stakes involved here for Nissan, if people haven't already noticed.
As far as the 2015 Murano is concerned, the SUV's new look isn't the only thing that's worth paying attention to. Far from it, actually. A spacious premium interior is also being offered, as are a host of new safety and connective technology features.
As we anticipated, this new generation for the Murano moves it away from its unconventional look of today and gives it a more mainstream look.
Updated 04/14/2014: Nissan unveiled the official details on the 2015 Murano - with just a few days before the car's official debut in New York.
Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Nissan Murano.
Nissan Murano originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 14 April 2014 15:00 EST.
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Saturday, January 11, 2014
Nissan unveils Datsun in India
Nissan unveils Datsun in India
By Kevin Davis on Tuesday, July 16th, 2013Nissan launched a new Datsun in India, which will go on sale in India next year.
The Datsun, a five-seat hatchback, will be offered for about $6,670, or about 400,000 Indian rupees.
The Datsun will also be sold in Indonesia and Russia, but price and size will be different for each market.
Source: The Associated Press via Detroit Free Press
Friday, June 14, 2013
Nissan Juke n-tec Special Edition
| Posted on 03.12.2013 13:00 by |
Nissan is preparing to roll out a new special-edition Juke, except that unlike the Juke-R that has been the subject of numerous dreams and fantasies, the Juke n-tec Special Edition is not to be confused with a performance monster.
Unfortunately, the Juke n-tec doesn’t carry any power enhancements the same way the Juke-R, and to a lesser extent, the Juke Nismo, had it in droves. Nevertheless, the Juke-n-Tec does come with a unique and new feature, namely Google’s Send-to-Car technology.
With this technology in tow, a Juke n-tec owner can make travel arrangements on any form of technological device - a PC, a tablet, or a smartphone - from just about anywhere and then sent those instructions to the car. The Juke n-Tec’s Send-to-Car technology then proceeds to map out the entirety of the trip by itself, including checking for the best route, avoiding traffic and specifying how many pit stops to make. Pretty cool, right?
On top of the Send-to-Car technology, the special-edition Juke also comes with a choice of eight exterior colors, three interior color choices, glossy-black mirror caps, a new set of 18-inch black/silver alloy wheels, the new generation Nissan Connect infotainment system with remote connectivity and a choice of three different engine trims.
Customers can choose from a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine that delivers 117 horsepower; a 1.5 dCi with 110 horsepower; and best of all, a 1.6-liter turbocharged DIG-T that produces 190 horsepower.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Nissan GT-R Nismo
| Posted on 02.28.2013 20:00 by |
A few days ago, Nissan confirmed that its in-house performance division, Nismo, is preparing for big updates for the future. One of the biggest surprises offered by the performance division will be a Nismo version of the current Nissan GT-R.
The future Nismo version will be based on the 2014 GT-R and will add a series of updates that will transform the GT-R into a real track machine, while keeping it perfectly suitable for the road. No other details have been provided, but it's pretty easy to imagine what the future GT-R Nismo will bring on the market.
On the exterior, Nismo will work on improving the car’s aerodynamics, so you should expect lower front and rear bumpers, wider wings and sill side skirts, plus a huge wing at the rear. On the interior, the Nismo GT-R will get special suede-trimmed Nismo sports seats with red stitching, plus a redesigned steering wheel, pedals, gauges and gear knob.
Under the hood, the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine will be tricked to deliver at least 20 horsepower over the standard 545 horsepower.
The new Nissan GT-R Nismo will hit dealerships in a year’s time. We'll update you when new information surfaces.
Nissan GT-R Nismo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 February 2013 20:00 EST.
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Friday, May 17, 2013
Nissan Working on Experimental Racer for Le Mans
| Posted on 02.26.2013 15:00 by |
With Nissan officially announcing its intention to drop out of the DeltaWing program, we started to worry about its long-distance racing future.
Fret not, as the company has announced its intention to return to 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014. According to Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer, Carlos Ghosn, the company is preparing an "innovative project that promises to continue the pioneering spirit of last year’s award-winning Nissan DeltaWing experimental entry." Nissan will return as the "Garage 56" entry for innovative concepts.
First details revealed on this experimental project show that it will offer an "innovative new powertrain technology." Data delivered by this experimental project will be provided to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) who will then decide if this "breakthrough technology" can be used in the "endurance racing in the future."
Ghosn also revealed that the technology used in this experimental project can be used in both road car and race cars in the upcoming future.
Nissan Working on Experimental Racer for Le Mans originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 15:00 EST.
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Nissan DeltaWing
| Posted on 10.23.2012 14:00 by |
The rising gas prices have been impacting all of us for many years, but the world of racing seemed almost immune to these price hikes for many years. Well, with the price of fuel teetering in the $4-per-gallon range, even racing circuits are feeling the pinch at the pump. With this pinch and racing series also wanting to become more eco-friendly, they have almost all been looking into ways to modify their cars to fit this mold.
IndyCar and F1 have been at the forefront of these changes, and these changes spawned the birth of the DeltaWing in an attempt to infiltrate IndyCar in 2003. The DeltaWing was ultimately rejected by IndyCar, but its developers didn't stop there, as they slowly worked toward getting it a spot in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which it finally achieved in 2012. The Nissan DeltaWing, unfortunately, did not finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but its strong start did show that it had definite potential.
Now with the DeltaWing scheduled to run in the 2013 American Le Mans Series and taking home fifth place in the 2012 Petite Le Mans, the DeltaWing and its builders are well on their way of realizing their dreams. So what makes the DeltaWing so great?
Click past the jump to read our full review and learn what makes this odd-looking racecar so special.
Nissan DeltaWing originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:00 EST.
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Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Infiniti Giving its V-8 Engines the Axe Treatment; Nissan Could be Next
| Posted on 09.4.2012 12:00 by |
Just recently, we reported that Johan de Nysschen left Audi USA to head up Infiniti, and it appears he is already making some necessary changes. According to Car Sales, Nysschen confirmed that it, like many other automakers, is heading away from V-8 engine configurations to help reduced CO2 emissions and help it meet the anticipated CAFE standard of 54.5 mpg by 2025. He was quoted saying: "I don't think any car that is on Infiniti drawing boards from here onwards we should expect a V8 to be included in that plan"
This means that models like the FX50, M56, and other V-8-powered Infinitis will opt for a turbocharged or supercharged V-6 or 4-cylinder engine. Ironically enough, the sister company of Nysschen’s former employer is going the exact opposite route, cutting out its turbocharged V-8 in favor of a V-12 configuration.
It is admirable seeing luxury automakers willing to take a step forward to help meet the needs of the world, as fuel prices continue to rise. This is a sharp contrast to his former employer stance, as Volkswagen has spoken out pretty harshly against these upcoming regulations and is one of only a handful of car manufacturers that has not signed the CAFE agreement. We wonder if this was a ideological difference that helped push Nysschen away from Audi and VW.
Keep an eye out for the next generation of Infiniti cars to be lacking the all mighty Nissan 5.6-liter V-8 engine and we are now awaiting Nissan to announce a similar changeover. This would entail changes to the Nissan Titan and NV van lineups. Ford has already shown that a turbocharged V-6 engine works great in a pickup truck and we’re sure it translates well to a van too.
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