Car & Bike News » Nissan

Mercedes, Renault-Nissan Team Up

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:17:49 +0000

Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche and Renault/Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn have signed an agreement to share technologies and platforms, with a small 3.1% equity exchanging hands. The two heads lead a 12-member committee to identify and work on projects where the three auto giants can find synergy to better compete with competitors.

This is the latest in a long line of attempts by luxury car Mercedes to partner with a mass-market automaker that can help with popularly priced models without compromising the three-pointed star brand. The 3 companies expect to realize cost savings and added revenue of about $5.4 billion from the deal, which is open-ended in time and number of potential projects. It also helps Renault/Nissan fill up its underutilized capacity and helps both pose credible threat to Volkswagen Group surge.

Nissan Juke

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 09:59:52 +0000

Sporting a very distinctive body, a raised ride height, the option of four-wheel drive with torque vectoring and a new 187bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine, the Juke will make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month before going on sale in October. It will cost around £13,000, competing with competitors like Vauxhall’s Meriva and MINI’s Countryman.

The showroom-ready version features many touches from the Qazana concept that previewed it, including circular spotlights at the front, a wide-mouthed grille, pronounced wheelarches, hidden rear door handles and chunky, four-square proportions.

Inside, the cabin is just as stunning with a centre console inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank, finished in high gloss paint. Large twin chrome-ringed dials mark out the instrument binnacle, while the fascia also features color displays for the ventilation system. With seating for five and a rear bench that splits and folds flat, plus a hatchback boot and plenty of cubby holes, it should offer decent practicality too.

Beneath the skin, the Juke features a development of the same platform that underpins the Micra and the Clio of Nissan’s Alliance partner, Renault. Front-wheel drive versions get MacPherson struts with a torsion beam at the rear while four-wheel drive models have a multi-link rear suspension modelled on the system found on Qashqai.

The latter gets ALL-MODE 4×4-i – a new development of Nissan’s electronic all-wheel drive system, which now features torque vectoring designed to enhance agility and reduce understeer when cornering. However, don’t expect much off-road ability. “Juke was born in an urban environment and that is where it will spend most of its life,” said Simon Thomas, Nissan’s European senior vice president for sales and marketing.

Three engines will be available: a 1.5-litre diesel and two 1.6-litre petrol units. Topping the petrol line-up is a new direct injection turbocharged unit that produces 187bhp and 240 Nm of torque. It is the only engine to be available with four-wheel drive and gets a new six-speed CVT automatic.

2012 Nissan Quest

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:29:03 +0000

With the launch of 2011 Toyota Sienna and forthcoming redesigned Honda Odyssey, Nissan is working hard on the next version of Quest minivan. Details are still sketchy, but what is confirmed is that the next Quest will be on sale in early 2011. It will sport a larger grille and narrower headlights than the current model.

The current Quest was deemed too quirky for many buyers when first introduced in 2004; by 2007, Nissan engineers had redesigned it with a more conventional interior to suit majority taste. Even then sales were hard to come by. Hopefully, the new iteration will do the trick for Nissan.