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Nissan GT-R LM Nismo claws its way into Jay Leno's Garage

Nissan has taken a radical approach to its Le Mans entry, giving the GT-R LM Nismo an unusual front-engine, front-drive layout to challenge the mid-engine prototypes put forth by the likes of Audi, Porsche and Toyota. It's so unusual that Jay Leno just had to have it in his garage to get a good look at it – and fortunately he had the cameras rolling when he did. Nissan's LMP1 design will attempt to take advantage of the regulations that are more restrictive on the rear aerodynamics than they are on the front. So the Japanese automaker moved everything up front, including the engine, the driven wheels, and the bulk of the downforce. Whether it will pay off remains to be seen, but we'll be watching closely to see how it fares against the mainstream competition. In the meantime, you can scope out this special 24-minute episode of Jay Leno's Garage to see what Nissan is up to.

To survive in India, a diminished Nissan bets big on a small SUV

NEW DELHI — By any measure, Nissan has had a dreadful run in India. A push to revive its lower-end Datsun brand flopped, sales have slumped 60% over the past five years, and its sole plant in the country is operating way below capacity. But the amount of money and energy that Nissan — battered by scandal and expecting a record $4.5 billion annual operating loss worldwide — will spend to turn its fortunes around in India will hinge on the sales of one vehicle, its new Magnite compact SUV. The SUV may also determine how much heft Nissan will wield as it and alliance partner Renault thrash out their respective roles in the Indian market. Unveiled this month and due to be launched either late this year or early 2021, the Magnite will be Nissan's first new vehicle in India in two years. It's expected to have a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine with 72 horsepower, and a turbocharged version of that engine making 100 horsepower. It will have features such as an 8-inch touchscreen, cruise control, and a 360-degree camera. Moreover, it will be just one of three Nissan-branded models in the market after two others were pulled in April when tougher emission rules kicked in. "Magnite will buy Nissan a couple of years to figure out a plan for India and the SUV's success will determine whether it invests more or scales down operations," said one source. A second source called the sport-utility vehicle Nissan's "last hope" to revive the brand in India. Japan's No. 2 automaker has, however, no plans to withdraw from India, where it has invested over $800 million, and discussions about strategy are ongoing, the sources said. They were not authorized to speak to media and declined to be identified. The Datsun brand is likely to be phased out as part of a global overhaul, they added. Nissan's only other models in India are three Datsun cars. Nissan said in a statement to Reuters it is committed to the Indian market and has a well-defined strategy for "a sustainable and profitable business". It declined to comment on sales goals for the Magnite.   Who will lead? Nissan's internal plans call for sales of 1,500 to 2,000 Magnites a month, the first source said — which if realized would exceed the average India monthly sales it achieved last business year with seven models. The SUV will be priced "aggressively," the sources said without elaborating.

Thanks to a year of free charges, Nissan Leaf sees sales increase in Texas

Nissan is pretty certain that free charging offers in the two largest metropolitan areas in Texas are substantially boosting sales of the Leaf electric vehicle. Heck, one Houston car dealer says Leaf sales have tripled because of the plan, which is run by NRG through its batch of eVgo Freedom Stations. Each of these stations has a fast-charging outlet and a standard Level 2 cord where EV drivers can plug-in without breaking out the wallet. Here's how the plan works: NRG is offering a year of free charging for those who buy or lease a Leaf in either the Houston or Dallas-Fort Worth areas. NRG has 17 stations in Houston and another 23 in DFW. Nissan pays NRG a fee for employing the program, and it's apparently paying off, Nissan's Brendan Jones told Plug In Cars. The stations are located at retailers such as Walgreens and at gas-station chains. The "No Charge to Charge" program started October 1 and runs through the end of this month. The promotion may be driving sales, but let's remember that Nissan was touting a rise in Leaf sales numbers before the free charging deal went into effect. Of course, the fun does eventually end, and folks have to start paying for the juice after that first year. Two options NRG offers are a 12-month unlimited charging plan for $39.95 a month or a year of unlimited one-hour sessions at a Level 2 a cool $59.95. Californians, there's sadly no word on Nissan or NRG bringing a similar program to the Golden State. Because we know you were wondering that.