2014 Nissan Titan Sl on 2040-cars

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2015 Nissan Leaf gets B mode standard, new MorningSky Blue color

The Nissan Leaf is getting a few updates for the 2015 model year, some functional, some purely aesthetic. The appearance options will be made available later than the rest, and include a new exterior color called MorningSky Blue, as well as standard 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels for the SV trim level. In terms of driving, the 2015 Leaf gets a dedicated B-mode for every trim level, including the base S car (it was formerly only available in the SV and SL levels). This provides more aggressive regenerative braking when the driver is not on the accelerator - perfect for making the most of those downhill grades. Now every Nissan Leaf includes Normal, Eco-Mode and B-Mode, regardless of trim level. SV and SL trim levels also get a couple new convenience features. For those who find it impossible to disconnect while driving, the Hands-Free Text Messaging Assistant allows them to communicate without taking their eyes off the road, taking their hands off the wheel or risking a distracted driving ticket (perhaps you might want to rethink using it, though). Additionally, SV and SL customers will Voice Destination Entry to make spontaneous rerouting to the theme park a little easier. Of course, a lot of other Nissan cars got some cool upgrades this year. The Quest, NV200 Compact Cargo and V6-powered Altima, for instance, eke out another mile per gallon highway and combined. See what's new in the Leaf and the rest of the Nissan lineup in the press release below. The 2015 Nissan Lineup: Charting the Changes Nissan's U.S. sales have significantly outperformed the industry in 2014, up 12.7 percent CYTD through June. Sales have been led by the recently redesigned Altima, Rogue and Sentra – along with other models such as LEAF (+29.4%), JUKE (+44.9%), Frontier (+22.6%) and NV200 (+439.3%), which have shown strong results month after month. This gives the Nissan lineup great momentum heading into the 2015 model year. Headlining the changes for 2015 is the upcoming launch of the all-new Nissan Murano (due in late 2014). As the halo vehicle for Nissan's expanding range of bold crossovers and SUVs, the dramatic 2015 Murano features a new V-motion front end, LED boomerang lights and a unique "floating" roof. Murano's breakthrough exterior design carries into the interior, which offers an engaging social lounge feel through features such as advanced NASA-inspired Zero Gravity front and outboard rear seating and oversized Power Panoramic Moonroof.

Renault-Nissan to build EVs in China with Dongfeng

BEIJING — Nissan and its partner Renault will build electric cars in China in a new venture with Dongfeng Motor, as global automakers scramble to get ready for stringent electric vehicle quotas being introduced by the nation. China, the world's biggest auto market, wants all-electric battery cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles to make up at least a fifth of the country's auto sales by 2025, as part of its solution to tackle alarming pollution levels in major cities. Ford announced earlier this month it was exploring setting up a joint venture with car maker Anhui Zotye Automobile Co to build electric vehicles in China under a new brand. Tesla, Daimler, Volkswagen and General Motors have already announced plans for making electric vehicles in China, The new joint venture, called eGT New Energy Automotive Co, will be owned 25 percent each by Nissan and Renault with Dongfeng owning 50 percent, Nissan and Renault said in a statement on Tuesday. They said eGT will design a new electric vehicle on a subcompact crossover SUV platform of the Renault-Nissan alliance. "The establishment of the new joint venture with Dongfeng confirms our common commitment to develop competitive electric vehicles for the Chinese market," Carlos Ghosn, chairman and chief executive officer of the Renault-Nissan alliance, said in the statement. The statement did not give details of financial commitments of the joint venture partners or say by when the vehicles will be launched. Dongfeng already partners Nissan in China. Both Nissan and Renault already market electric cars. Nissan's Leaf compact hatchback has become the world's top-selling electric car since its launch in 2010, while Renault began selling its Zoe model in 2012. The game changer for global automakers, many of whom until recently have resisted an industry shift to heavily electrified vehicles, is China, an auto market with strong potential for growth where stringent policies favoring cleaner energy cars are being aggressively pursued. Under China's latest proposals, electric vehicle sales quotas, which are expected to take effect as early as 2018, are due to require 8 percent of automakers' sales to be battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles by next year, rising to 10 percent in 2019 and 12 percent in 2020.

Nissan NV200 Taxi

"You're a long way from home!"
When I signed up to drive a pre-production version of the Nissan NV200 Taxi, I expected to have a higher-than-normal level of interaction with the public at large. However, while I was hoping for unsuspecting Ann Arborites to perhaps hail me down, or maybe even get a hop-in when stopped at an intersection, I didn't really think I'd be hassled in parking lots so much. And yet, almost as if all of the Dad-Joke energy in the universe was drawn to my tall, yellow ride, seemingly everywhere I parked I heard some iteration of the phrase above.
Har har, guys.