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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.

Infiniti to move forward with 'Nissan-plus' strategy for its future cars

Sales at Infiniti in 2019 were down in the dumps. While the market as a whole fell 1.2%, Infiniti brand sales were down 21%. Nissan wasn’t too far behind, with its sales sliding 9.9% year-to-year. None of those numbers look great, but Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta still sees a path forward for NissanÂ’s luxury brand, Infiniti. “We will bring back Infiniti as Nissan-plus, in terms of product and technology," Gupta told Automotive News. “Infiniti will be great again.” Historically-speaking, Infiniti has been “Nissan-plus” for a long time over the years. Many vehicles in its lineup have been re-skinned versions of Nissans with some luxury thrown into the mix, and thatÂ’s not necessarily a bad thing. There have been some standouts, namely the original Q45 with its pioneering active suspension and shockingly sporty dynamics. And then there are the G coupes and sedans, vehicles that are still desirable to enthusiasts today. View 31 Photos InfinitiÂ’s current enthusiast offerings revolve around the Q50 sedan and Q60 coupe, both of which are rear-wheel-drive (or all-wheel-drive) cars with sporting intentions. ThereÂ’s no equivalent Nissan sold in America, but the Q50 is the Nissan Skyline in Japan. ItÂ’s impossible to know what the fate of these rear-drive-based cars will be, but a few possibilities lie ahead. Infiniti could really lean in to the “Nissan-plus” nomenclature and repurpose the new Altima as an Infiniti sedan. More likely, however, is a move to electrification. The Nissan IMs Concept and Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept both suggest that the company is interested in creating electric sedans. A “Nissan-plus” electric sedan sure sounds a whole lot better than a front-drive-based rebadged Nissan. InfinitiÂ’s biggest problem at this second is the lack of new product on the market. Its QX50 crossover is the most recent big redesign weÂ’ve been witness to, but it needed replacements yesterday for the QX60, Q50 and Q60 to be competitive with others in those segments. Both Lexus and Acura are outpacing Infiniti by a wide margin. The path forward as “Nissan-plus” also suggests Infiniti aims to be a premium brand, rather than a full-fledged luxury brand competing toe-to-toe with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. ThatÂ’s consistent with how the brandÂ’s cars have stacked up in recent years, even as it collaborated with Mercedes to put an Infiniti badge on the GLA crossover.

Here's how Nissan is quietly getting ready for Leaf 2.0 [UPDATE]

The Nissan Leaf had its best sales month of the year in May, selling 2,104 units. By July that number had come down nearly 50 percent to 1,074 units, and Hybrid Cars reports that Leaf production is on an even steeper decline as the company prepares to roll out the updated 2016 Leaf. In April, Nissan built 2,575 EVs, in May that dropped to 1,569, in June it was just 504. That has pushed the number of Leafs in dealer inventories to a 2015 low of 62 days worth of sales. The trend gave the Chevrolet Volt the upper hand in July sales for the first time in almost two years, even though the Chevy's annual performance is also down for the year. The likely culprits in both cases are customers waiting on the 2016 models to arrive, along with expiring tax credits, a fleet of expired-lease vehicles rolling back onto the market, and declining gas prices. As for the much-rehashed expectations, a Leaf with at least 20 miles more range and perhaps up to 35 miles more range is what customers are anticipating in the fall. Either one of those would be a significant number that justifies not buying right now, and orders for the coming hatchback are being taken in some states. The new Leaf will also get a more conventional style and might also come in a small CUV version. We've asked Nissan for a comment on the declining production numbers, but have not yet heard back. We'll update the post if we get a response. UPDATE: Nissan's Paige Presley told AutoblogGreen, "While I can't comment on future products, I can tell you that we are managing production in line with vehicle demand in the market. With higher sales of Altima and ramping up of Maxima, we have shifted Smyrna's production toward those models. (Additionally, the Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant was on its annual summer shutdown for two weeks in June.) The Nissan LEAF continues to be the global leader in EV sales, and we expect EV sales to continue to rise over time with increasing emission regulations, low operating costs, reduced dependence on foreign energy sources, environmental concerns and fulfilling driving experience." Related Video: Featured Gallery 2015 Nissan Leaf View 12 Photos News Source: Hybrid Cars Green Plants/Manufacturing Nissan Car Buying Hatchback Electric