2014 Nissan Altima 2.5 Sl on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi could use Lancer Sportback name on its version of the Nissan Leaf

Various reports might help with filling in some of the blanks in Mitsubishi's Momentum 2030 plan. That's the automaker's new initiative we heard about last month that Mitsubishi North America President and CEO Mark Chaffin said is "setting the stage for new powertrains and vehicles being introduced, new dealerships being opened, and new technologies being developed to make the shopping and ownership experience faster, easier and more enjoyable." The first hints of new product suggested a rugged plug-in hybrid van, something else in the Subaru Outback segment, and perhaps an electric pickup. And after Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance partner Nissan introduces a new-generation Leaf EV for the 2026 model year, Mitsubishi's supposed to get the Leaf for its own use. Based on a recent trademark renewal, Australian outlet Which Car? via Car and Driver suspects this EV (highlighted in the image above) could be called Lancer Sportback.  Car and Driver caught the fact that Mitsubishi renewed a trademark application for the name Lancer Sportback at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 12 of this year. And speaking of Lancers, the Japanese automaker applied to trademark Lancer Evolution on August 8 last year. The USPTO refused the registration, Mitsubishi filed an appeal that's still under consideration.    Which Car? doesn't say why it believes Mitsu might apply the Lancer (requested in 2020) or Lancer Sportback name to its little EV, but notes that the automaker's been reusing names around the world of late, such as Airtrek, Colt, Eclipse, and Eclipse Cross. There's more where that came from for us, C/D also tabbing Mitsubishi's trademark application for the name Montero, submitted last August and approved in February. That 4x4 launched as the Pajero in 1981 and sold in the U.S. as the Montero (and the Dodge Raider). The carmaker hasn't sold a Montero here since 2006, and ended Pajero production in 2021. A new model called the Pajero Sport filled the gap in the lineup, but that SUV is based on Mitsubishi's Triton pickup sold in overseas markets.  We've got a while to wait to figure out what's up. The new Leaf is expected to be a mini Nissan Ariya based on Nissan's Chill-Out concept from last year's Tokyo Mobility Show. The image above is from the Momentum 2030 announcement, the little crossover we've highlighted has a DRL signature that fits the form factor.

Here’s how 20 popular EVs fared in cold-weather testing in Norway

Electric vehicles are known to suffer diminished performance in cold weather, but some do a better job than others hanging onto their range capacity while cabin heaters and frigid outdoor temperatures sap power from their batteries. Recently, the Norwegian Automobile Federation put the 20 of the best-selling battery-electric vehicles in the country to the test, to see not only how winter weather affected their range but also their charging times. The major findings: On average, electric vehicles lost 18.5% of their official driving range as determined by the European WLTP cycle. Electric vehicles also charge more slowly in cold temperatures. And interestingly, the researchers learned that EVs don’t simply shut down when they lose power but instead deliver a series of warnings to the driver, with driving comfort and speed levels maintained until the very last few miles. Because itÂ’s Norway, the worldÂ’s top market for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles by market share, the test included many EVs that arenÂ’t available here in the U.S. But there are many familiar faces, among them the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Models S, 3 and X, Hyundai Kona (known here as the Kona Electric) and Ioniq, and Audi E-Tron. In terms of range, the top-performing EV was the Hyundai Kona, which lost only 9% of its official range, which the WTLP rated at 449 kilometers, or 279 miles, compared to its EPA-rated range of 258 miles on a full charge. It delivered 405 km, just enough to nudge it ahead of the Tesla Model 3, which returned 404 km. Other top performers included the Audi E-Tron, in both its 50 Quattro (13% lower range) and higher-powered 55 Quattro (14% lower) guises; the Hyundai Ioniq (10% lower); and Volkswagen e-Golf (11% lower). At 610 km (379 miles) the Tesla Model S has the longest WLTP range of all models tested and went the furthest, but still lost 23% of its range, though it also encountered energy-sapping heavy snow at the end of its test, when many cars had dropped out. The Model 3 lost 28% of its range. The worst performer? That goes to the Opel Ampera-e, better known stateside as the Chevrolet Bolt. It traveled 297 km (about 184 miles) in the test, which was nearly 30% lower than its stated WLTP range. We should also note that Opel, now owned by Groupe PSA, is phasing the car out in Europe and that Chevy recently upgraded the Bolt here in the U.S.

2016 Nissan Titan coming to 2015 Detroit Auto Show

The Titan has continued to sit in a corner of Nissan's front yard, taken out on occasion but largely unloved, the same way you see a project truck in a neighbor's driveway that makes you wonder, "Are they ever going to do anything with that?" The fullsize pickup made the news about six months ago when reports surfaced that the next generation would offer a Cummins diesel engine that had originally been meant for Ram, then it returned to the shadows.
According to a report from Edmunds, the Titan will return to the spotlight in about a year, with the unveil of the 2016 model planned for next year's Detroit Auto Show. Along with that oil-burner, it will bring a gasoline V6 engine, a complete redesign and a regular cab configuration to finally give it a fighting chance against the thick end of the light-duty truck market. Toyota gets pressed for the molasses-like sales of the Tundra, but that fullsize entrant sold 7,890 units in January and 10,988 in December 2013. Nissan sold 887 Titans in January, 1,284 in December 2013 and broke 2,400 US sales in a single month just once in four years. (The segment-leading Ford F-150, for reference, sold 46,536 units in January.)
An entry-level model and a regular cab option should give the Titan a welcome and overdue sales boost. Better power numbers and fuel economy for the V8 would probably go a long way, too. We expect to start getting glimpses of its future later this year.