2013 Nissan Maxima Sv on 2040-cars

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New Nissan Pulsar marks brand's return to the European C-segment [w/videos]

Following a small teaser, Nissan has unveiled its newest entry into the hotly contested European C-segment. Making new use of the Pulsar nameplate, it will attempt to take the fight to market stalwarts, like the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Vauxhall Astra.
The new five-door will be built on Nissan's modular CMF2 architecture, which also underpins the Euro-spec Qashqai and X-Trail (known in the US as the Rogue). It's a larger vehicle than one of its main challengers, the Golf, riding on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, which is 2.4 inches longer than the VW. It's also longer overall, at 172.6 inches.
The new Pulsar is a moderately powered little five-door, boasting an engine lineup familiar to anyone that knows the Qashqai. A 1.2-liter, turbocharged gas engine offers up 113 horsepower, while those that need a bit more oomph can wait for the late-availability, 187-hp, 1.6-liter turbo that American drivers will know from the Juke crossover. Diesel fans will be able to opt for a 1.5-liter mill that delivers 192 pound-feet of torque and 108 hp. No surprise here, but continuously variable transmissions are the order of the day.

Carlos Ghosn vows to 'restore my honor' in first remarks since arrest

TOKYO — Nissan Motor's jailed ex-chairman, Carlos Ghosn, vowed to restore his good name in court after a month in detention, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said on Friday. "Things as they stand are absolutely unacceptable," Ghosn was quoted as saying via his lawyer. "I want to have my position heard and restore my honor in court." It was Ghosn's first comment since his arrest on Nov 19 for allegedly understating his income by about half over a five-year period from 2010. He was later charged with the same alleged crime covering the past three years. A call to the office of his lawyer, Motonari Otsuru, went unanswered outside business hours early on Friday. The lawyer has previously declined to return calls for comment on the Ghosn case. A Tokyo court on Thursday unexpectedly rejected prosecutors' request to extend Ghosn's detention, which Japanese media said means he could go free on bail as early as Friday. Ghosn wants to hold a news conference after he is released, NHK quoted his lawyer as saying. The executive, who formed a carmaking alliance among Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors Corp and France's Renault SA, said he is not a flight risk and wants to be able to travel abroad, the report said. The Ghosn case has put Japan's criminal justice system under international scrutiny and sparked criticism for some of its practices, including keeping suspects in detention for long periods and prohibiting defense lawyers from being present during interrogations, which can last eight hours a day. Japan has also come under fire for its 99.9 percent conviction rate. The Tokyo court unexpectedly ruled not to extend Ghosn's detention. It said it had also decided against extending detention for Greg Kelly, a former Nissan executive who was arrested along with Ghosn on Nov. 19. It later overruled an appeal by prosecutors against the decision, clearing the way for the possible release of the two men as early as Friday. The court did not disclose reasons for its decision, and NHK said it was "extremely rare" for it to reject the prosecutors' request to extend detention. If Ghosn and Kelly are granted bail, conditions may require them to apply for permission to travel overseas. They could also be barred from contacting Nissan officials. Both executives had not been able to make any public statements since their arrest, although local media have reported that they have denied wrongdoing. Ghosn was indicted on Dec.

2016 Nissan Altima gets SR model, 39 mpg, 3 press releases [w/video]

UPDATE: After taking exception with Seyth's reaction to press-release overdose, a Nissan spokesperson commented,"It gets 39 mpg. That's ******* epic." The Mazda 6, rated 40 mpg highway, is the only car among the Altima's peers to do equal or better. (See a full list of gas-powered non-hybrid cars that do 39 mpg highway or better here.) It seems that Nissan just can't stop selling its hot Altima midsizer. At least, that's what the bullet points of the press release for the new, 2016 version of the car tell me. The model has seen five consecutive years of sales growth, occasionally hitting the 30,000-per-month figures that heavies like Camry, Accord, and Fusion regularly nab. And, as we all know, a key to keeping midsize sedans fresh is the mid-cycle refresh. Here we have it. Nissan has reshaped the front and rear of the Altima to better match the look of its handsome new Maxima. That means a deep-v wrought in chrome on the front fascia, new (optional) LED headlights that look like reverse check marks, and a lower bumper that mirrors the shape above it. There are new taillights, bumper, and trunk lid for the rear of the car, too. You'll likely have to stare at the pictures pictures of the posteriors on the old and new cars for a few minutes (as we did) to pick them out, but they're there. The press release says so. Changes to the interior are subtle. We spotted a new center stack, and new cup holders next to the gearlever. Your weird friend Brian who hosts the Altima Altimatics fan forum could probably lend more detail here, but the non-enthusiast eye sees a mild rethinking of a nice interior. The excellent Zero Gravity front seats are still standard on all trims, which is probably half the reason Nissan is selling so many of these things. (How did that not make the bullet points, guys?) Change is more evident in the new-for-'16 Altima SR trim. The lighting profile is different for the model's most athletic variant, with smoked lenses, daytime running lights and revised fog lamps. More importantly, the SR gets its own suspension setup, revised dampers, stiffer front and rear stabilizers, and a more aggressive wheel/tire package. Nissan also offers drivers the ability to paddle-shift the SR's CVT transmission. The SR grade can be had with either Altima engine option. As for the motivating forces behind Altima's new nose, well, they're mostly the same.