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Nissan reveals Patrol Nismo in Dubai

Nissan's performance division has worked its magic on a variety of vehicles. But not all of them have been based on sports cars, and not all of them have been made available here in the United States. Its latest model is neither. In launching the Nismo sub-brand in the Dubai, Nissan has started with a decidedly different model in the Patrol Nismo. It's based on the SUV we'd know better as the Infiniti QX80, but instead of taking an off-road or luxury approach, the Patrol Nismo (as you might have guessed) goes for on-road performance. To that end, the performance division has given it a thorough workover. The 5.6-liter V8 engine, for starters, has been tuned by Nissan's Takumi craftsmen up from 400 horsepower to 428. The suspension has been firmed up with Bilstein shocks and mounted with 22-inch forged alloys from Rays. The power steering system has tuned by Nismo for sportier handling. The bodywork has been upgraded for an aggressive look and zero aerodynamic lift. And the interior has been refitted to make it a more suitable environment from which to command the added performance capabilities. The result may have potential as a junior version of SUVs like the Mercedes GL63 AMG or Range Rover Sport SVR, not to mention prospective upcoming performance versions of the Cadillac Escalade. But it's being launched exclusively in the United Arab Emirates for the time being, and given that we don't get the Patrol as such in North America, it looks highly unlikely the Patrol Nismo will ever reach these shores. Those looking for a high-riding Nismo model, then, will just have to content themselves with the Juke. Related Video: Nissan proves its passion for performance with launch of 'NISMO' brand in the Middle East Nissan debuts world premiere of Patrol NISMO showcasing ultimate essence of its 'Innovation that Excites' promise - Thrilling performance marque launches in Middle East - Stunning Patrol NISMO announced as world premiere model - GT-R NISMO and 370Z NISMO showcased to the media DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - October 7, 2015: Nissan's world famous motorsport and road car performance brand, NISMO, made its Middle East debut at a spectacular launch event in Dubai, heralding the next step in 'Innovation that Excites' for driving enthusiasts across the region. In addition to launching the performance marque, Nissan also confirmed the world premiere launch of the Patrol NISMO.

Interest in an Infiniti EV is muted, to say the least

More than a quarter-million people have bought an electric vehicle from the Renault-Nissan Alliance. When it comes to Nissan's Infiniti luxury nameplate, though, there's not a lot of confidence. The Alliance doesn't have much hope that the badge will add to that total anytime soon. So says Emirates 24/7 in its report that Infiniti is planning on opening two showrooms in Abu Dhabi. Models such as the QX80 SUV, the Q70 sedan, and the Q50 will be shown off to those looking to live the high life, Infiniti style. But company executives told the publication that no battery-electric Infiniti models would be in the works until at least the end of the decade? The reason? Lack of demand. It's a far cry from three years ago, when a concept version of the Infiniti LE electric vehicle was shown off at the New York Auto Show. The model boasted 134 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque as well as wireless-charging capabilities. It was about the size of the Infiniti G sedan. At the time, the automaker's executives were estimating that car would hit the market by 2014. Those plans didn't come to fruition, obviously. As for the Alliance, Renault and Nissan celebrated the sale of their 250,000th electric vehicle this past summer. And while the lion's share of those were in the form of the Nissan Leaf, the 250,000th vehicle was actually a Renault Zoe that was bought by a computer engineer in Bordeaux, France. That's a long way from the UAE, and a long way from an Infiniti EV.

Is the skill of rev matching being lost to computers?

If the ability to drive a vehicle equipped with a manual gearbox is becoming a lost art, then the skill of being able to match revs on downshifts is the stuff they would teach at the automotive equivalent of the Shaolin Temple. The usefulness of rev matching in street driving is limited most of the time – aside from sounding cool and impressing your friends. But out on a race track or the occasional fast, windy road, its benefits are abundantly clear. While in motion, the engine speed and wheel speed of a vehicle with a manual transmission are kept in sync when the clutch is engaged (i.e. when the clutch pedal is not being pressed down). However, when changing gear, that mechanical link is severed briefly, and the synchronization between the motor and wheels is broken. When upshifting during acceleration, this isn't much of an issue, as there's typically not a huge disparity between engine speed and wheel speed as a car accelerates. Rev-matching downshifts is the stuff they would teach at the automotive equivalent of the Shaolin Temple. But when slowing down and downshifting – as you might do when approaching a corner at a high rate of speed – that gap of time caused by the disengagement of the clutch from the engine causes the revs to drop. Without bringing up the revs somehow to help the engine speed match the wheel speed in the gear you're about to use, you'll typically get a sudden jolt when re-engaging the clutch as physics brings everything back into sync. That jolt can be a big problem when you're moving along swiftly, causing instability or even a loss of traction, particularly in rear-wheel-drive cars. So the point of rev matching is to blip the throttle simultaneously as you downshift gears in order to bring the engine speed to a closer match with the wheel speed before you re-engage the clutch in that lower gear, in turn providing a much smoother downshift. When braking is thrown in, you get heel-toe downshifting, which involves some dexterity to use all three pedals at the same time with just two feet – clutch in, slow the car while revving, clutch out. However, even if you're aware of heel-toe technique and the basic elements of how to perform a rev match, perfecting it to the point of making it useful can be difficult.

Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo looks awesome in red

As we reported the other day, Nissan has a whole raft of concepts it's bringing to the Tokyo Motor Show this year, but the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo is perhaps the most striking. Or at the most least colorful. Now if you're thinking that we've already seen Nissan's concept for the popular racing sim, you're absolutely right. It debuted last summer ahead of the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed. But sinister as it looked in gray, this time it's been done up in bright red – Fire Knight red – according to the automaker. And as you can see for yourself in the gallery above, it looks awesome. Of course the Teatro for Dayz is still the main novelty here. Envisioned as a theater on wheels (hence the name), the Teatro packs the company's electric powertrain technology that we've already come to know from the Leaf. The interior is all smooth and white, serving as a sort of blank canvas of sorts – ostensibly allowing for a broad range of personalization. The minicar could point the way towards a successor to the equally quirky Cube that has, in its present iteration, been on the market since 2008. Or it could just be a showpiece for its home-market show, which only comes around every other year. Either way, you can check it out in the second image gallery. While you're doing that, we'll be staring at that red supercar concept for a while longer, and wondering how closely it might presage the next-generation GT-R. Nissan to show Teatro for Dayz, Gripz, Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo and more in Tokyo YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today released an overview of its exhibit at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight and open to the public from October 30 through November 8. Among the exhibits will be Teatro for Dayz, an innovative concept that signals a new direction in mobile technology. Designed especially for the digital native generation, this vision of near-future vehicles departs from convention and marks a shift in perception.

Ghosn hedges Nissan's 2020 autonomous deadline

Three years ago, Nissan was one of the first companies to promise a hands-free autonomous car by 2020. According Nissan Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn, when and how much we'll be able to take our hands off the wheel depends on more than just the components in the car. At a press conference during this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, the head of the Renault-Nissan Alliance said, "No matter how fast the technology develops, the autonomous cars are very dependent on the regulation." Basically Ghosn is saying that Nissan will be ready, but the laws allowing hands-free driving might not be so prompt. "You can build a lot of autonomy, but if the consumer or the driver cannot enjoy it because he still has to have his hands on the wheel, he still has to have his eyes on the road, it just puts cost in the car without the benefit," said Ghosn. The overall tone of Ghosn's comments was that Nissan is ready for autonomous driving, but without clear laws there could be no point in offering the technology to consumers. Ghosn also clarified what autonomous driving means in Nissan terms, clarifying a statement last year where he said a consumer product is still a long way off. The company's three-step plan begins next year, "where you can be on the highway as long as you don't change lanes and you can be in autonomous mode." Then in 2018, these systems will be able to change lanes without human intervention. For the final step in 2020, "We're going to have cars capable in the city and on the highway to make more complicated operations [in an] autonomous way," said Ghosn. "That's why I think when you talk about autonomous cars, we have to be much more specific about what kind of autonomy are we talking about... but we maintain our forecast that is going to come in different waves, and we define our waves by the functionality of autonomy in our cars [in] '16, '18, '20." That said, don't skip your driver's license renewal five years from now. According to Ghosn, you won't see a Nissan without a steering wheel. That's both Nissan's goal, and the company's way around the lack of regulation on driverless cars. "Frankly, a car without a driver is not our priority... There is a driver, and we are putting some functions into the car, allowing the driver to drive when they want, and to stop driving when they want... These are the same pieces of technology, which in addition to others, can lead you to the car without the driver.

Nissan bringing rolling social media box to Tokyo

Nissan has quite a diverse lineup ready for the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show this year. There are a few familiar faces in tow like the Gripz concept and updated Leaf. However, the true debut among this group is the quirky Teatro for Dayz concept (pictured above) that imagines the ultimate vehicle for young people. According to Nissan, the Teatro for Dayz is designed for the so-called digital native generation – basically those with the Internet widely available from birth. On the outside, the EV concept actually evokes a modernized take on the Cube with its boxy, angular shape. The oddly named concept wears some of the brand's current styling cues, though, like the V-shaped grille and LEDs slashing through the headlights. The squared-off rear features taillights running all the way across and lower lights that echo the ones in front. The interior is just a simple expanse of white with front and rear bench seats, but layout meant to allow social-media-obsessed occupants to express themselves through digital displays. Meanwhile, the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo goes on display in Tokyo with a few tweaks. This GT-R of the digital future now wears a coat of Fire Knight red paint and gets a more prominent V-shaped grille in front. The original version debuted at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Overview: Nissan Exhibit at 2015 Tokyo Motor Show Yokohama (October 5, 2015) – Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today released an overview of its exhibit at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight and open to the public from October 30 through November 8. Among the exhibits will be Teatro for Dayz, an innovative concept that signals a new direction in mobile technology. Designed especially for the digital native generation, this vision of near-future vehicles departs from convention and marks a shift in perception. Major Nissan exhibit components include: Nissan Gripz Concept, making its Japan debut following its unveiling at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show last month Upgraded Nissan Leaf with increased battery capacity, resulting in significantly longer driving range Leading-edge autonomous drive and safety technologies Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo A total of 20 vehicles will be on display, including the X-Trail Hybrid Mode Premier and Juke 16GT Four Personalization models; and special-feature models, including the Skyline 350GT Hybrid Type-SP Cool Exclusive, Fuga 370GT Type-S Cool Exclusive and Serena Highway Star V Selection.

Nissan recalls 320K Versas in North America for faulty springs

Following an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration starting in May, Nissan is now recalling 319,507 examples of the 2007-2012 Versa in North America. Corrosion from road salt can potentially cause the cars' front suspension coil springs to snap. Specifically, the campaign covers 218,019 Versas in cold-weather US states: the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In addition, there are 101,488 cars affected under this campaign in Canada, according to Nissan spokesperson Steve Yaeger to Autoblog. Nissan reports that a manufacturing issue by the supplier results in an "insufficient anti-corrosion coating" applied to the coil springs. Given enough time and exposure, this can lead to the part's fracturing. According to Yaeger, there are "no accidents or injuries related to this issue reported to Nissan." Owners of these Versas will get both front coil springs replaced, and Nissan will begin notifying them in November. It seems like perfect timing to avoid another winter of salt hitting them. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Front Coil Springs may Corrode , 1 INVESTIGATION(S) Report Receipt Date: SEP 14, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V573000 Component(s): SUSPENSION Potential Number of Units Affected: 218,019 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) NISSAN VERSA 2007-2012 Details Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc. SUMMARY: Nissan (Nissan North America, Inc.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Nissan Versa vehicles manufactured May 8, 2006, to November 12, 2012, that were sold or ever registered in the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing. CONSEQUENCE: If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by mid-November 2015.

Nissan goes retro with Bathurst racing livery [w/video]

At the Bathurst 1000 next month, the #23 Nissan Altima V8 Supercar will wear this throwback red, white, and blue color scheme. And as you might have guessed, the team didn't pull it out of thin air. It's derived from the colors worn by the Skyline that Jim Richards drove in the 1990 Australian Touring Car Championship – the precursor of today's V8 Supercars series. In that historic season, four-time ATCC champ Richards won two rounds in the Skyline H31 GTS-R before switching to the newer R32 GT-R and winning one more. Those three checkered flags helped Richards score his third title, and the first of three that Nissan would go on to win in the series. Richards kept that H31 and still brings it to historic racing events with what he remembers as his favorite racing livery. If there's anything we love more than old racing liveries, it's when automakers and racing teams bring them back. Whether it's the Gulf livery sported by Aston Martin at Le Mans, the Martini stripes worn by Williams in F1, or the throwback liveries Toyota recently cooked up for the GT86 (aka Scion FR-S). Nissan's done some of its own retro racing liveries as well, like the one the GT-R LM Nismo wore recently, or this one done up Down Under. Watch and listen to Nissan's Michael Caruso talk to Richards about it in the video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Nissan to celebrate 25 years since first Australian Touring Car championship title at 2015 Bathurst 1000 - #23 NISMO Nissan Altima V8 Supercar to race in colors of Jim Richards' 1990ATCC-winning Nissan Skyline HR31 at 2015 Bathurst 1000 on October 8 to 112015 MELBOURNE, Australia – Nissan will celebrate its first Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) title by running a spectacular retro livery on its #23 Nissan Altima V8 Supercar at this year's Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama from October 8 to 11 in Bathurst, Australia. The #23 NISMO Nissan Altima V8 of Michael Caruso and Dean Fiore will race in the same colors as the 1990 Nissan Skyline HR31, 25 years after Jim Richards used the Skyline to win the 1990 championship. Richards raced the Skyline in six of the eight rounds of the 1990 ATCC. Richards switched to the new Nissan GT-R R32 for the final two rounds of the1990 championship, but crucially, two of his three round wins that year were with the Skyline HR31.

Nissan bringing GT-R LM Nismo back to WEC

Things didn't go exactly as planned when Nissan entered Le Mans this year with the GT-R LM Nismo. First years of a new racing program seldom do. But the radical front-drive LMP1 prototype performed so poorly that it looked for a while like Nissan would scrap the program altogether. Fortunately, however, the Japanese automaker has announced that the GT-R LM Nismo it is coming back. Several changes are afoot for next season. For starters, while the prototype only competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, Nissan says it "will return to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2016" – of which Le Mans is just part. It isn't saying how many of the races it will contest, exactly, but the calendar currently consists of nine events: Silverstone, Spa, Le Mans, the Nurburgring, Mexico City, Texas, Fuji, Shanghai, and Bahrain. Hopefully we'll be seeing the Nissan team at all nine events, especially the one at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, where it can be seen undergoing testing in the fresh and massive image gallery above. Schedules aside, Nissan has appointed a new principal to run the team. Brought in "to share the heavy load on Ben Bowlby's shoulders" will be Mike Carcamo, who moves from his job at Nissan Mexico to serve as the WEC team principal. Outgoing principal Bowlby does, however, appear to be staying on in an as-yet undisclosed capacity. Finally, Nissan says that "multiple changes have been made to the car since Le Mans," and you can bet that's a huge understatement. We won't know what those changes constitute, exactly, but the automaker is certainly hoping that they'll prove enough to make the car competitive. In its debut at Le Mans this year, two of the three cars failed to finish, and the third wasn't classified since it didn't cover enough distance. Related Video: NISSAN GT-R LM NISMO TO MAKE RACING RETURN IN 2016 Nissan's innovative LM P1 racer to complete test programme before returning to WEC YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - 1 October 2015: Nissan today announced that the innovative Nissan GT-R LM NISMO will return to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2016. The team has been working hard to address the technical issues faced at Le Mans in June and is in the middle of a comprehensive test and development programme to prepare the new car to race against the tough competition it faces in the LM P1 class.

Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf sales show big drops in September

As most readers likely know, it's not just lower gas prices that are affecting plug-in vehicle sales. The two long-time sales leaders in the US - the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt - are getting long in the tooth. First introduced in late 2010, the vehicles have been updated here and there since then, but recent sales figures have been lagging behind where they were in 2014. This trend continued in September, with sales of both vehicles down in a big way compared to last year. Sales of Nissan Leaf totaled 1,247 for the month of September. This is down a whopping 56.7 percent from September 2014, but thankfully the year-to-date sales are not quite as negative. So far this year, Nissan has sold 13,630 Leafs, which is "just" 37.5 percent lower tan the YTD total at this point in 2014 (21,822). This decrease swims against the overall direction of Nissan's September sales, which were up 18 percent over last year and set a new September record. The Volt sold 949 units last month, down 31.9 percent from last September. Year to date, the Volt has sold 9,264 units, which is 36.3 percent lower than the number of Volts that were sold in the first nine months of 2014 (14,540). This downward trend might be coming to an end soon. The new Chevy Volt will go on sale in 11 US states later this fall, and the 2017 model will be available nationwide next spring. An updated Leaf for the 2016 model year also offers more miles – 107, vs 84 in the 2015 version – so potential customers who have been waiting for the latest and greatest will soon not have any excuses. We'll have our broader look at green car sales in the US up soon. Green Chevrolet Nissan Electric Hybrid ev sales hybrid sales volt