2001 Nissan Altima (special Edition) on 2040-cars

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GM, UAW poaching Nissan workers in Tennessee

General Motors and the United Auto Workers are going on a recruitment drive at the Spring Hill factory in Tennessee, and they're hoping to poach some skilled workers from Nissan's nearby plant in Smyrna, TN. The General and the union even bought a billboard advertising for industrial electricians near the Japanese automaker's facility, according to the Daily News Journal. The reason for the billboard was simple. "GM was short of electricians," said Tim Stannard, the president of the UAW local at Spring Hill, to the Daily News Journal. The factory currently builds the Chevrolet Equinox but has a contract to assemble the next generation of Ecotec engines and the Cadillac XT5, which replaces the SRX. Thanks to the $185-million deal, employment there is expected to double by May 2016, according to Stannard, with roughly 1,800 additional union jobs. Beyond just several billboards, GM has job postings online for the Spring Hill plant looking for workers with specific skills. There has already been some interest in the positions among Nissan employees, Stannard indicated. According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research, the average GM worker currently makes $58 an hour, including benefits. Comparatively, Nissan pays an average of $42 an hour with benefits. The General's number could change in the coming weeks because its contract with the UAW is about to expire, and higher wages are among the major negotiating points.

2015 Nissan GT-R updated with new lights, more refined ride

The Nismo version of Nissan's high-tech supercar may be getting most of the headlines today, but we shouldn't forget that the car on which it's based, the garden-variety GT-R, has been significantly updated for 2015, as well.
What Nissan engineers focused on for the new model year was making the GT-R a more well-rounded GT car. That means dialing some more compliance into the car's very firm suspension for a more comfortable ride, as well as lightening up the steering at low speeds to make urban maneuvering easier. The braking calibration has also been changed to be more linear and smooth when slowing from normal, everyday speeds. Does this mean the GT-R has gone soft? We'll reserve judgment until we drive it, but Nissan claims the new refinements giving the car "multi-dimensional performance."
The GT-R also gets new lighting technology for 2015, including multi-LED headlights that lend the car a new light signature at night, and the LED taillight rings are now complete circles instead of rings of dots. The headlights are also now controlled by an Adaptive Front Lighting System, which sounds similar to other systems that aim light where the car is being turned, but Nissan's system adjusts the angle of the lights depending on vehicle speed - at higher speeds the lights are angled to project their illumination further.

2014 Nissan Versa Note priced from $13,990*

With the 2014 Nissan Versa Note going on sale this month, Nissan has announced the official pricing for its redesigned subcompact hatchback. Commanding a $2,000 premium over the Versa sedan, the new Versa Note will have a starting price of $13,990 (*not including $790 for destination), which is $680 less than the 2012 Versa Hatchback.
The base model is the Versa Note S, but trim levels also include S Plus and SV starting at $15,240 and $15,990, respectively. The S Plus trim will deliver the highest fuel economy - best in class according to Nissan - for the Versa Note thanks to a CVT and active grille shutters, and the SV brings more convenience features like power windows and door locks (that's right, the base models will still get crank windows and manual door locks). Stepping up even further, the SL Package will add push-button starter, backup camera and heated seats for $17,690 while the SL Tech Package tops out at $18,490 with navigation, Nissan's Around View Monitor and Bluetooth. More pricing details for the 2014 Versa Note are posted below in the official press release.