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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , SUVs , Green , Nissan The undisputed champion of hydrogen fuel cell SUVs at the Nurburgring has been crowned: the Nissan X-Trail FCV. The winning time: 11:58. Of course, it's the winning time because it's the only time -- a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle has never ran the 'Ring before. After piloting the 120 bhp X-Trail around the world for two years, Nissan engineer Frank Eickholt, decide it was time to take it to the track. The €1.3 million X-Trail was apparently hampered by moist tarmac, so you can expect a redo at some point in the future. Just when you thought the 'Ring craze was as hot as it could get, here come the hydro-powered vehicles to... pour some water on it... [Source: ZerCustoms ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: SUVs , Trucks/Pickups , Nissan , Renault Times are tough in the US auto industry, and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn doesn't see the situation improving any time soon. Ghosn and company are planning under the assumption that overall US sales won't break 15M units for the year, which is a substantial 2M units less than just three years ago. To complicate matters, the Japanese automaker expects steel prices to rise either later this year or early in 2009, which would put further strains on the entire industry. While times are tough, Ghosn does see a silver lining for Nissan, as the Japanese automaker has a full lineup of fuel efficient cars that customers are buying. That should translate into increased market share, though since it's a larger piece of a smaller pie, it probably won't translate into more year over year volume. While that isn't reason enough to break out the Dom Pérignon, it's better than most automakers can say these days. [Source: Forbes...
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Filed under: Trends , SUVs , Trucks/Pickups , Plants/Manufacturing , Nissan Following the lead of Japan's other two big-time automakers, Toyota and Honda , Nissan has just announced that it too will be cutting truck production to focus on cars. At its Canton, Mississippi plant, Nissan will cut in half the number of shifts for workers assembling Titan pickup trucks and Armada full-size SUVs. On the flip-side, the automaker will add a third shift for production of the Altima mid-size sedan, which should allow it to keep its workers on the job. This move is not surprising, as passenger cars have been outselling their truck brethren handily in these days of record high gasoline prices. Ford, which has a new F-150 set to go on sale shortly, has offered employee pricing for its trucks, while General Motors recently announced that it would be idling four plants that produce trucks and SUVs and may rid itself of the HUMMER brand entirely. Dodge, for its part, is offering cheap gas and big incentives...
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Filed under: SUVs , Trucks/Pickups , Nissan Click either image to view high-res galleries Though sales of pickups and SUVs are falling, these vehicles still need to be updated from time to time. That time is the 2009 model year for Nissan Xterra SUV and Frontier pickup. The Japanese automaker has revealed that both models will be getting their front ends tweaked, along with new wheel options and optional Roof-Mounted Off-Road Lights built into the roof rack of the dam of the Xterra. The Frontier line will also get beefed up with a new PRO-4X off-road model (shown). The instrument panel of both models has also been upgraded with new displays and switchgear and new upholstery options for the seats. Nissan has also decided to make most of the Xterra's optional Technology package, including a Rockford Fosgate sound system, XM satellite radio, Bluetoth, redundant steering wheel controls and an iPod jack, standard equipment for 2009. It appears most of these changes are cosmetic, trim and...
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Filed under: SUVs , Auction Action , Nissan , Celebrities Click either image for gallery of Dwight's Nissan Xterra Fact: A new episode of The Office aired last night in which Andy sells his Nissan Xterra to Dwight, who then puts it up for sale on eBay Motors. Fact: the guy who owns the Xterra in real life works for the show and has put it up for sale on eBay Motors along with a script signed by the cast and props used during filming. Question: how much is owning Dwight Schrute's Xterra worth to you? The current bid is $15,300 ( Kelley Blue Book says one in excellent condition is worth only $9,715) and no, your money will not go to an obscure charity. It will help this guy trade his SUV for a hybrid. That's so Hollywood. Thanks for the tip, Bojac! Gallery: Dwight Schrute's Nissan Xterra [Source: eBay Motors] Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Minivans/MPVs , SUVs , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan Click above for hi-res gallery of the X-by-Wire EA2 Concept Nissan showed off a drive-by-wire concept that wasn't about touting the technology itself, but the space and features you could get back because of it. By fitting a steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, and shift-by-wire systems, 11 centimeters of extra space was added to the cabin which allowed for a third row of seats in the rear of this Murano-based concept. The room came from pushing the wheels out to the far corners, which could be safely done without sacrificing vehicle dynamics due to the lack of mechanical linkages. The small, race-style steering wheel needs less turning input, and the column can be tilted up completely out of the way. The center tunnel has become a beautifully finished control panel that gently arcs up to greet the driver. When you don't need it, it can also be folded back over itself creating even more space in the front...
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Filed under: SUVs , Japan , Nissan , Rendered Speculation , Rumormill Thankfully we can officially report that the humongously ugly rendering of a GT-R based SUV , which appeared in Best Car's early February edition, has no basis in reality. Reliable sources, both at Nissan's HQ in Tokyo and at the company's development center in Zama, who typically answer questions with non-committal "can neither confirm nor deny" statements, were adamant that no such project exists. With the GT-R snatching the Porsche 911's crowns left, right and center, and the upcoming new hardcore Z rumoured to be a Cayman eater, Porsche can relax in the knowledge that the Cayenne, at least, is safe for now. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: SUVs , Crossovers/CUVs , Infiniti , Nissan While an Infiniti-badged GT-R sedan might seem semi-plausible, this rendering from Best Car is about as probable as a mentally balanced child star. A GT-R SUV? Why not? Well, let's start with the ugly factor. The Nissan GT-R isn't the prettiest vehicle on the block to begin with; jack it up, add a couple of extra doors and a misshapen hatch and you've got an amalgamation of design cues that's causing a mild burning sensation in our eyes. With 480 hp and all-wheel-drive, stranger things have been produced; the Porsche Cayenne Turbo comes to mind, and if this monstrosity ever comes to production, that's likely the benchmark it'll be aiming for. [Source: Best Car via Auto-Otaku ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: SUVs , Safety , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just finished the latest round of their long running series of crash tests of new vehicles. This time around they evaluated nine different mid-sized SUVs and CUVs. IIHS does front, rear and side impact testing on each of the vehicles and in the latest batch of tests, only one vehicle got the Top Safety Pick award. The second generation Nissan Murano scored the coveted award for getting good ratings in all crash tests as well as having electronic stability control. While IIHS points out that overall safety is improving on this class of vehicles, some of them still aren't performing as well as they could. The Jeep Liberty and Wrangler Unlimited only managed a marginal grade on the side impact test, while the Kia Sorento was rated poor on the same test. Mazda's CX-9 and CX-7 got marginal rear crash results, while the Mitsubishi Endeavor did poorly when hit from behind. The only...
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Filed under: SUVs , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan The Nissan Pathfinder has done what was needed to take advantage of a sales trends: it started life as body-on-frame, then switched to unibody, then back to body-on-frame. Today, it shares the ladder platform with the Nissan Titan pickup and Armada SUV. Speculation, however, is that the next generation Pathfinder could go back to unibody construction. Nissan isn't yet saying what it will do, but with the need to raise mileage -- as well as comfort -- a new Pathfinder CUV could be a win for everyone. And, as seen with the repackaging of the Ford Explorer America concept , a unibody build would give Nissan designers a lot more leeway to create something new and fresh. The biggest issue appears to be what to do about the Pathfinder's different buyers in other countries. In America, the Pathfinder could probably sacrifice some off-road prowess and towing capacity and not suffer too much if at all. In Africa, every bit of the Pathfinder's...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , SUVs , Etc. , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan While the Pontiac Aztek was a sales failure, it did have the ability to quickly turn into a camping appliance with a rear end that could be converted into a tent. Nissan must love the idea since it has developed a dome-shaped tent attachment for its UK utility vehicles. The tent attaches to the back, where the rear liftgate can be left ajar to provide a more open area for additional sleepers. Four adults can sleep in the 9x9 enclosure, with a couple more campers bunking in the car. The vehicle can also be easily detached from the tent if errands need to be run. While tent accessory is handy, it does come at a price tag well beyond most stand-alone portable living quarters. The Navara tent costs £260 , and the tent for the Pathfinder, X-TRAIL, Murano or QASHQAI will run you £460. Here in the States you can get a gently-used pop-up camper for a little more than $1,000 USD. The safety of the tent may also be a question...
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Filed under: SUVs , Nissan , Australia Click image to enlarge Automakers making rough-and-ready versions of their SUVs is nothing new, but it's clear that some of these are more serious than others. Nissan Australia has whipped up a machine that falls solidly into the latter category with the special-edition Patrol DX Walkabout. In Walkabout trim, Nissan's venerable off-roader receives a laundry list of accessories as standard equipment, including a bull bar, snorkel, cargo barrier, side steps, alloy wheels, and $2,000 (AUD) worth of camping equipment. (Oh yeah, it gets a CD changer, too, so you can blast your Midnight Oil records while rumbling through the bush.) Power comes from a 158-hp/280 lb-ft 3.0L turbodiesel mated to either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. It's available in silver or white and is priced at AUD $49,990 (manual) and AUD $52,990 (auto). That money buys you a vehicle that's pretty much ready to frighten kangaroos and traverse the island continent...
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Filed under: SUVs , Safety , Chevrolet , Ford , Jeep , Nissan , Toyota The latest round of crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is complete and mixed results are in for six midsized SUVs. While overall performance has generally improved, being in an SUV is no guarantee that you will be safer than if you were in a car in the event of an accident. The IIHS evaluated the Nissan Pathfinder and Xterra, Toyota FourRunner, Ford Explorer, Chevy Trailblazer and Jeep Grand Cherokee. All but the Trailblazer scored an Good on the frontal offset test with the Chevy getting an Acceptable. The side impact test is where there was more divergence. Only the two Nissans lacked standard side airbags and the difference that made was clear. Without the side bags the Nissans were only Marginal, while the option bumped that score to a Good. The Jeep and Chevrolet both have standard side curtains but lack torso units. The result was that weak side structures yielded poor protection for drivers...
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Filed under: SUVs , Recalls/TSBs , Safety , Infiniti , Nissan Due to insufficient coating on the fuel filler tube, Nissan is recalling 372,250 Pathfinders and Infiniti QX4's. The model years in question are 1997-2001, and it's mainly for vehicles in the Northeast where there are large amounts of road salt in the winter. According to the NHTSA, if an opening develops at the lower mounting bracket of the metal fuel filler tube, the salt and water can corrode the it. If that gets so bad that holes develop in the tube, gas will leak from the vehicle and become a fire hazard. The recall begins on November 26 and applies to vehicles sold or registered in these states: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Nissan dealers will replace the assembly. Owners can call Nissan...
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