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2013 Nissan Pathfinder: Wrap-Up [w/video]

Despite our tendency as enthusiasts to clamor for things like wagons and hot hatchbacks, it's hard to argue with the buying public's increasing demand for functional crossovers. In fact, the great SUV craze of the late-1990s has all but faded in favor of the easier-driving, better-packaged, more-efficient crossover. That's even true at the larger end of the market - just look at what happened when Ford redesigned its body-on-frame Explorer into a stylish and well-equipped CUV. And now look at the similar success Nissan has had in repurposing its rugged Pathfinder sport-ute as an appealing crossover.
But happily, we report the following line: out of every long-term vehicle Autoblog has ever tested, not a single one has been as in-demand as the 2013 Pathfinder Platinum you see here. After 13 months of solid use, we added 24,372 miles to the Pfinder's odometer - and that's without the vehicle ever leaving the hands of our Detroit-based team (sorry, West Coasters).
There's good reason for that high-demand usage, too. After spending a little over a year with our Mocha Stone tester (a color that earned this Nissan the nickname "Sweet Brown") we came to appreciate its vast versatility, comfort, all-weather prowess, and the way it absolutely ate up the miles on long trips. We drove it all over the United States, in all four seasons, filling it with our families, friends, and occasionally using its capacious cabin for sleeping on the road. Through good and bad, the Pathfinder was a trusty friend. But like any good friendship, that wasn't without a couple of fights.

Is Nissan's Le Mans LMP1 racer really going to be front engined?

Since debuting the Nissan GT-R LM Nismo under a sheet earlier this year, Nissan has kept a very tight wrap on details about the racer. The company simply promised that the model would be on the starting grid for the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, the automaker had an aggressive attitude about the new program and said that the vehicle would "win in a very different way." The brand also hinted the final result wouldn't look like its competitors. This rendering suggests just how divergent the GT-R LM might be. Posted by Jalopnik, the rendering was supposedly based on the descriptions of people who have actually seen the racer. They described a car with a very long nose, and a rear that was potentially narrower than the front. From those details the pictures of a reverse Deltawing is almost conceivable. Judging by the original teaser image, this description actually sounds somewhat plausible too. The draping of the sheet in that photo could suggest some empty space at the back. According to this rumor, underneath that long snout could be an even bigger revelation – the engine. These days putting the powerplant ahead of the driver in a top-class endurance racer – even if it's behind the front axle for a mid-engine layout – is almost unheard of. Nissan trying it would certainly fall under a different way of winning. Though, such a thing was done by Panoz in the 2000s. Nissan is clear about keeping the racecar and road version at least somewhat related, especially technologically. Jalopnik speculates that the engine could be a gasoline-fueled twin-turbocharged V6 powering the rear wheels and a hybrid spinning the front and rear with a total system output of 1,000 horsepower or more. That figure is right on the money for modern LMP1 cars since the 2014-championship winning Toyota TS040 packs about 986 hp total. In the past few years, Nissan has failed to finish Le Mans with both the Deltawing that it sponsored and the ZEOD RC project. If these rumors prove true, then even getting the GT-R LM to see the checkered flag could be quite an accomplishment no matter where it finishes. Rumor has it that Nissan might show at least a glimpse of the vehicle during the company's Super Bowl ad this year. Related Gallery 2015 Nissan GT-R LM Nismo Announcement View 16 Photos News Source: JalopnikImage Credit: Jason Torchinsky via Jalopnik Design/Style Motorsports Nissan Racing Vehicles rendering nissan gt-r lm nismo nissan gt-r lm

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge gets the heart of a GT-R [w/video]

There has been ongoing talk of an Infiniti using the Nissan GT-R powertrain practically since the moment the Nissan's flagship sports coupe hit the road. While the rumors have gone back and forth over the years, they have never completely gone away. It seems Infiniti is finally turning an ear to the screams of its most vocal enthusiasts with an updated version of the Q50 Eau Rouge concept boasting a modified version of Godzilla's engine and all-wheel drive system debuting at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. It's even taking things a step further and granting it a new, seven-speed transmission to replace the Nissan's six-speed.
The latest evolution of the Eau Rouge packs the same 3.8-liter, twin turbocharged V6 found in the GT-R but with a unique tune of 560 horsepower and 443 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque. That makes it 15 hp more powerful than the standard 2015 GT-R but gives up 20 lb-ft of torque. Power gets to the ground through the GT-R's all-wheel-drive system. Infiniti predicts that the Eau Rouge would sprint to 60 miles per hour in less than 4 seconds and on to a top speed of 180 mph.
According to Infiniti Communications Senior Manager Kyle Bazemore in an email to Autoblog, the modded GT-R powertrain was not the only choice for the Eau Rouge. It also considered "developing a high-power sports diesel" and hybrid versions with an electric supercharger. However, "this was the clear solution for this concept car," Bazemore said. Other than the drivetrain, the Eau Rouge in Switzerland is identical to the one shown in Detroit. Sadly, it is not confirmed for production; so we might not be getting the fabled Infiniti GT-R sedan any time soon. Still, we can hope.