2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid on 2040-cars

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Nissan Murano hybrid greens up Shanghai

Nothing says summertime like a muscle car with a ragtop. Or, in China's case, a hybrid crossover SUV, right? So it's a good thing Nissan plans on starting sales of a hybrid variant of its Murano in China for the upcoming warm weather season. Nissan showed off the Murano Hybrid at the Shanghai Motor Show with a supercharged engine that is paired with an electric motor. The company says the powertrain will deliver the fuel economy of a 2.0-liter engine and the power of a 3.5-liter V6 engine. Nissan didn't release actual specs of the engine nor any fuel-economy figures. Back in 2013, Nissan was working on expanding its hybrid choices, including hybrid variants for both the Murano and the Rogue. This powertrain choice makes some sense, since it could be difficult to wring a decent single-charge range out of those relatively heavier vehicles if they were all-electric. With that in mind, take a look at Nissan's press release below. NISSAN APPEALS TO CHINESE WITH TWO WORLD PREMIERES: LANNIA AND MURANO HYBRID AT AUTO SHANGHAI 2015 Lannia makes global debut to capture the hearts of young Chinese customers All-new Murano Hybrid offers excellent fuel economy and driving performance in the luxury SUV segment Customers in China can begin ordering GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo today SHANGHAI, China (April 20, 2015) – Nissan unveiled two all-new production models, Lannia and Murano Hybrid, along with two Nismo products, GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo, at Auto Shanghai 2015. "These innovative vehicles represent the start of an exciting new chapter in the story of Nissan's presence in, and commitment to, China," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "Nissan's growth strategy in China will continue to reflect our commitment to use local engineering and manufacturing. And we will maintain our support for China's efforts to promote more efficient and sustainable transportation. On both of these fronts, Lannia and Murano Hybrid will lead the way forward." Highlights of the Nissan display: Building on Nissan's longstanding success in the sedan market, Lannia delivers a fresh, distinctive personality that China's young generations embody. As the first product developed and designed for the young Chinese generations, especially those in their 20s and 30s today who are seen as energetic trendsetters, Lannia is a tangible expression of the company's commitment to China.

Tier 1 suppliers call GM the worst OEM to work with

Among automakers with a big US presence, General Motors is the worst to work for, according to a new survey from Tier 1 automotive suppliers, conducted by Planning Perspectives, Inc.
The Detroit-based manufacturer, which has been under fire following the ignition switch recall and its accompanying scandal, finished behind six other automakers with big US manufacturing operations. Suppliers had issues with trust and communications, as well as intellectual property protection. GM was also the least likely to allow suppliers to raise their prices in the face of unexpected increases in material cost, all of which contributed to 55 percent of suppliers saying their relationship with GM was "poor to very poor."
GM's cross-town competitors didn't fare much better. Chrysler finished in fifth place, ahead of GM and behind Dearborn-based Ford, which was passed for third place this year by Nissan. Toyota took the top marks, while Honda captured second place.

Nissan ZEOD RC finds nothing but trouble at 2014 Le Mans

Audi came away a big winner at this year's Le Mans competition, but Nissan has at least one thing to celebrate. The Pyrrhic victory apparently presages Nissan giving up on the gas-electric race car for Le Mans 2015. Before the race this weekend, the prototype ZEOD RC hybrid race car was doing quite well. In fact, given the way things turned out, Nissan's keen to mention that team engineers managed to get the car to complete a lap on electric power and hit a target speed of 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour) on the Mulsanne Straight during testing. ZEOD RC stands for Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car. "The race was obviously very disappointing" – Wolfgang Reip Things didn't go so well once the real race started. The problem for the Deltawing-esque prototype – which is powered by a 1.5-liter gas ending putting out 400 horsepower and a pair of 110-kW electric motors – was that something broke in the transmission after just 23 minutes and five laps. Driver Wolfgang Reip put his best spin on the hybrid's collapse: "The race was obviously very disappointing but having got a taste of Le Mans now, I can't wait to get back." If Reip does return with Nissan, it will likely be in a more traditional Le Mons racer. The ZEOD RC was part of the LM P2 class, but Nissan says that, "For Le Mans 2015, Nissan will return to the LM P1 class." You can watch the full warm-up electric lap in a video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Nissan ZEOD RC heroic electric lap followed by heartbreak Amazing morning warm-up result after all-nighter by crew "New tech" car halted by "old tech" issue Nissan breaks new ground in electric vehicles LE MANS, France – Nissan's assault on the Le Mans 24 Hours may have ended early, but the revolutionary Nissan ZEOD RC electric prototype still leaves Le Mans having reached its historic goals of hitting 300 km/h on the Mulsanne Straight and recording a complete lap of Le Mans on electric power only. The unique prototype – which features both internal combustion and electric power sources – reached its first target during Thursday night qualifying when Satoshi Motoyama exceeded 300 km/h before the first chicane on the Mulsanne Straight. Nissan's other key goal was to complete an entire 8.5-mile lap of Le Mans on pure electric power. GT Academy winner Wolfgang Reip was at the wheel when the team achieved this goal during the morning warm-up.