Tag Archives: Nissan

Opinion: Here’s Where Infiniti Lost its Way

July 16, 2021 admin

Late last year I put forth some thoughts about the future direction of Infiniti, largely about how the company was on a downward trajectory. Looking forward, the brand needs a major change in direction – not much has changed since December when I wrote that piece.

But one might then logically ask “Where did the company first lose its way?” I’m going to answer that question right now. Let’s take a little trip to the Before Times, in 1990.

That was the first model year for Infiniti just like it was the first model year for Lexus, but Infiniti started off on the wrong foot. I am of course speaking about the Q45, the grill-free, no-nonsense, no-wood, super-serious, full-size luxury sedan that was the company’s flagship. Where Lexus spent big money and years dreaming up an all-new car for its first U.S. luxury foray, Nissan went the cheap route. It took the upcoming new-generation President (the company’s JDM full-sizer) and then tried to Americanize it. Whereas Lexus made a more reliable Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Infiniti made a more hardcore BMW 7-Series without any of the iconic styling.

Americans wanted wood, ruched leather, a hood ornament, and a reasonably compliant suspension in their large sedans (they hate all that shit today, but whatever). Infiniti got a focus group together and then proceeded to edit the President into a firm-riding car without any wood or ruched leather. No grille, no hood ornament. After Judgment Error Number One was finished, they hired an ad agency to produce commercials for the exciting new Q45, and chose not to show it to customers. That’s right, they assumed that the luxury car buyer concerned with image and prestige would visit their dealer upon seeing an ad with a lake, rocks, and trees and “You can see this at a dealer!” tag line. That didn’t work then, and it wouldn’t work today. It was a terrible idea.

Their other premier offering was the M30 coupe and convertible. Based again on an existing Nissan, the Leopard, Infiniti went cheapo. Lexus spent big time money on the SC 400 and amortized that cost with the now-legendary Supra with which it shared a platform. The Leopard had some wood and leather added eventually (they’re learning!) and debuted as the M30. The Leopard wasn’t a bad car per se, and it had the V6 from the 300ZX. But it was again not what the American customer wanted. It was dated looking, too square, too small, not nice enough inside for the asking price, and half-assed. The SC and Acura Legend trounced it.

Shortly thereafter, Infiniti went after the Lexus ES 300 and the BMW 3-Series with the Nissan Primera-based G20. The Primera was more a world car than the President or Leopard, and more competitive generally. But G20 was a compact sedan with very bland styling, again based on something slightly too small for its American purpose. The ES 300 was larger and more luxurious and had interesting frameless windows. Most importantly, the ES didn’t look like it was a Camry. The G20 looked like a Sentra – which it wasn’t – but people assumed it anyway. People still think that even today in the age of the Internet. The G20 did make it quite a while (another problem) and earned itself a second generation that ran from 1999 to 2002. Infiniti had been around for nine years when the second G20 debuted, and the brand was still was doing badge swap jobs against unique Lexus product.

<img data-attachment-id="1617298" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/03/buy-drive-burn-1995-buying-sports-luxury-sedan/attachment/97804011990406/" data-orig-file="http://ghostridermotorcycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/opinion-heres-where-infiniti-lost-its-way-29.jpg" data-orig-size="1024,682" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="1995 Infiniti J30t" data-image-description="

Image Infiniti

<img data-attachment-id="1670270" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/04/qotd-your-least-favorite-rear-drive-nineties-ride/q45_pebble-beach/" data-orig-file="http://ghostridermotorcycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/opinion-heres-where-infiniti-lost-its-way-34.jpg" data-orig-size="800,518" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="1997 Infiniti Q45" data-image-description="

Infiniti

The company’s had two or three bright spots along the way, but they’ve never been able to replicate the success or mature it into a second-generation offering. The G35 was a sales success and brought back sporting credibility to Infiniti. Sedan, coupe, convertible, the G35 was the right product at the right time. It used Nissan’s FM platform that carried over into the G37 version, where things started to fall apart. It wasn’t as inspired as the G35, and overall less original. The VQ V6 problem was here too, among others: Each time Nissan made the VQ larger it lost some refinement, sounded more like a paint mixer, and got more thirsty (3.0, 3.5, 3.7, 4.0). G37 became Q50 and Q60, and that 20-year-old FM platform is still in use today. It’s a big problem that Nissan can’t seem to fix.

FM also became the FX35, a stylish and unique crossover way ahead of its time. But then it turned into the FX37 and started looking like a fish. There weren’t enough new ideas there, and people demanded more cargo room out of their midsize two-row SUV circa 2009. They’d be okay with crap cargo room now because that’s marketable as “coupe SUV,” which is bullshit, but it would’ve worked had the FX persisted today.

<img data-attachment-id="1618832" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2018/03/qotd-whats-reliable-car-youve-ever-owned/attachment/96804051990203/" data-orig-file="http://ghostridermotorcycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/opinion-heres-where-infiniti-lost-its-way-50.jpg" data-orig-size="1024,682" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="1997 Infiniti I30" data-image-description="

Image Infiniti

Oh, and there’s more FM: the M35. A larger midsize, M took over for the final Q45 as the only large-ish sedan the brand offered in 2007 (it shared the stage with Q for 2006). It was unrelated to the M45, a rebadged Nissan Gloria circa 2003 that was very enthusiast-approved but flopped with the general public given its looks. A generally successful offering, the M35 was not large enough to compete with full-size offerings from the other luxury brands and went against the E-Class, Lexus GS, and BMW 5-Series. The M had 2003-type styling at introduction in ’06 and maintained it through 2010 when everyone else had long moved forward. It was updated in 2011, again to add fish-like styling elements. It got larger in its rework (still not full-size), and spawned a long-wheelbase L version. It was renamed Q70 in short order but by then nobody cared. Stretched beyond its means, the FM Q70 did not feel well made, had an outdated interior full of 2006 components that were never updated, and was floppy in its handling while being too firm over bumps.

<img data-attachment-id="1436825" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2016/10/consumer-reports-most-reliable-vehicles-mostly-unpopular/2016-infiniti-q70-premium-select-edition/" data-orig-file="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016-Infiniti-Q70-e1533069414239.jpg" data-orig-size="2928,1949" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"7.1","credit":"Infiniti","camera":"NIKON D4","caption":"The 2016 Infiniti Q70 Premium Select Edition's exterior offers dark chrome trim, a darkened lower rear bumper, a rear decklid spoiler and unique design and color 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 245\/40R20 all-season performance tires. The interior of the Q70 Premium Select Edition is highlighted by unique Graphite or Stone semi-aniline leather seating, suede-like headliner, aluminum interior trim, illuminated kickplates and floor mats with contrasting piping.","created_timestamp":"1438974858","copyright":"\u00a9 2015 Infiniti","focal_length":"105","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.05","title":"2016 Infiniti Q70 Premium Select Edition","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="2016 Infiniti Q70 Premium Select Edition" data-image-description="

Image: Infiniti

” data-medium-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016-Infiniti-Q70-450×300.jpg” data-large-file=”http://ghostridermotorcycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/opinion-heres-where-infiniti-lost-its-way-9.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1436825″ src=”http://ghostridermotorcycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/opinion-heres-where-infiniti-lost-its-way-9.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”406″>I’ve gone on for a while here and now I’m worn out. In summation, bad foundational product lead to a poor start. The foundational product was bad because Nissan didn’t invest enough in Infiniti the way Toyota did with Lexus and to a lesser extent Honda did with unique product for Acura. The G37 should have been the last FM platform ever, yet Infiniti can’t seem to get away from it. Among their more recent problems, the subsistence on FM is the worst, most important, and most persistent. When are they gonna cut that cord?

[Images: Infiniti]

2022 400Z HP Revealed?

March 9, 2021 admin

According to Project Cars 3, a video game from Slightly Mad Studios distributed by Bandai Namco, the new Nissan 400Z is shown in their latest downloadable content (DLC) power pack to possess some very serious horsepower.

In its interpretation of the Power Pack, thenewnissanz.com flaunts the numbers shown in the video, such as 445 horsepower and a weight of 3,251 lbs. When it compared the 400Z to the powertrain in the last Z, the 2020 370Z, the numbers they found were 332 hp with a curb weight of 3,333 lbs. If that wasn’t impressive enough, they then pitted the new Z versus the 2021 Toyota Supra, whose inline-six produces 382 hp while weighing in at 3,400 lbs.

We’ve previously chronicled what we know so far about the 400Z’s powertrain and its design. With no official word from Nissan, there is more speculation than usual, and thus far no spy photos taken here or in Japan.

Project Cars 3’s power pack is referenced in a trailer, which can be viewed on Yahoo! Entertainment. In the trailer, there are numerous examples of 400Zs, modified for motorsport competition.

Not having played Project Cars 3, I had to admit the trailer gave me the urge to go out and buy a Playstation4. I wonder if there’s a Gamestop nearby where I can go and try it out?

[Images: Slightly Mad Studios]

First Look: 2022 Nissan Pathfinder

February 4, 2021 admin

Nissan’s got a new Pathfinder for everyone for the 2022 model year.

Japan’s second-largest automaker is operating in catch-up mode – but after several years of struggle it’s hoping to make some major gains in the U.S. market with a wave of 10 new products set to roll out by the end of this year.

We’ve already seen several, including the new Sentra, Kicks and Rogue. Today, Nissan pulled the covers off two more major updates, including the long-overdue Frontier pickup and the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder. The SUV clearly needed some attention, the outgoing, fourth-generation model in showrooms with relatively few updates since the 2013 model year.

“Thirty-five years after the launch of the original model, Pathfinder has returned to its rugged roots,” said Jared Haslam, vice president, Product and Services Planning, Nissan North America. “Today’s large SUV owners want a vehicle that conveys strength and rugged capability, while using advanced safety and technology features to keep their family safe and comfortable during every-day adventures, and the all-new 2022 Pathfinder is ready to take on those adventures.”

New Nissan Pathfinder opts for a bolder look

The new Pathfinder’s sporting a more rugged look for the 2022 model year.

It’s been a while since Pathfinder followed the industry trend, migrating from a classic, body-on-frame platform to a more car-like unibody. While the 2022 model takes a relatively evolutionary approach to styling, the goal was to give the ute a “new, bold, more muscular look,” officials said during a media backgrounder ahead of the SUV’s official debut.

The underlying platform underwent what they describe as a “significant update” to improve on-road manners and to give the 2022 Pathfinder a bit more capability off-road – though this ute isn’t designed for serious trail crawling.

Visually, the primary influence was the original, 1986 Pathfinder, according to senior designer Ken Lee. This is no retro model, but those familiar with the old SUV will likely catch the way the 2022 model borrows from details like the chamfered grille and triangular rear windows.

“Now’s the right time for a return to a rugged (design) philosophy,” said Lee, though his team wanted to avoid the solid, slab-like looks some key competitors have lately adopted.

The wheels have been pulled further out to the corners on the new Pathfinder, with a bit more sculpting to the body sides. There’s also a new, floating C-pillar which works well with the 2022 model’s available two-tone roof.

Although not really a trail crawler, the new Pathfinder does have some off-road capabilities.

Rugged exterior, more comfortable interior

There are plenty of modern touches, as well, including the LED lamps and the now-familiar Nissan boomerang running light design, though hear “blockier” than on other recent models.

While the intent was to create a rugged looking exterior, “When people step inside they expect a lot of comfort,” said Lee, noting the increased use of soft-touch materials on all surfaces a passenger will likely come in contact with. And there are upscale options like semi-aniline leather, with seven different interior “environments” on the check list. The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder adopts a flat-bottom steering wheel and a floating touchscreen, with metallic accented shapes “bookending” the instrument panel.

The SUV comes in a standard, 8-passenger layout but a 7-passenger model with second-row captain’s chairs is available. So are a 10-way power driver’s seat and a tri-zone climate control.

The 2022 Pathfinder offers plenty of interior comfort and significant convenience technology features.

Buyers can opt for a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, rather than the standard analog gauges, as well as a 9-inch color touchscreen placed high on the IP. Pathfinder also gets an optional, 10.8-inch head-up display for the first time.

The Nissan Connect infotainment system can be paired with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the latter also available in wireless form. And there’s an optional, 13-speaker Bose Premium sound system.

Family-oriented SUV adds plenty of new safety features

The new Pathfinder gets a variety of safety-related features, such as the Around View Monitor that provides a birdseye view of the SUV’s surroundings, as well as optional ProPILOT Assist, a system that is claimed to make driving easier on long trips – though it officially still requires the driver to maintain hands on the wheel. Among other things, it links to Pathfinder’s optional navigation system and active cruise control and can automatically slow the vehicle during sharp curves or at freeway exits.

The Nissan Safety Shield 360 system adds other smart systems, including Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind-Spot Monitor and Lane Departure Warning.

2022 Nissan Pathfinder nose driving snowstorm

With all-wheel drive, the Pathfinder is a very capable machine.

Power comes from a 284-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 mated to a new 9-speed automatic transmission. With 259 pound-feet of torque, the package is capable of pulling what Nissan claims is a best-in-class 6,000 pound trailer load.

Options include two- and four-wheel-drive

The 2022 Pathfinder will be available in both two- and four-wheel-drive. And drivers will have the ability to control a variety of vehicle functions – including steering boost, throttle response and shifts – thanks to a seven-position Drive and Terrain Mode Selector.

Look for fuel economy and pricing to be announced closer to the new Pathfinder’s on-sale date this coming Summer.

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Toyota, Lexus Rolling Out New Online Sales Programs

February 1, 2021 admin

Toyota is making the buying process easier and more transparent with its new SmartPath program.

Analyst after analyst said that 2020 would leave an indelible mark on the automotive industry, specifically how new cars, trucks and utility vehicles are sold. Toyota and its luxury unit, Lexus, are proving them right.

Each company unveiled new retail “experiences” today, Toyota with “SmartPath” and Lexus its “Monogram” program. The goal is to allow potential buyers a flexible experience starting with the internet, giving them as much or as little “personal” touch as they desire.

“Our goal is to ensure we create the best experience for our customers and our dealers,” said Jack Hollis, senior vice president, Automotive Operations, TMNA. “As our customers’ expectations evolve, SmartPath provides our dealers the technology to exceed those expectations. Our shared mission is to make the experience of shopping, buying, and owning a Toyota as easy and carefree as driving one.”

(Nissan taking lead in online new vehicle sales.)

The Japanese automaker isn’t going it alone in this area. Most automakers have offered some form of online shopping for several years now; however, there are some automakers that are bulking up their online sales programs, notably Nissan.

Nissan revealed its new online sales program in late December. Called “Nissan@Home,” the process allows buyers to handle everything online from test drive to delivery. It tested the program at seven dealerships to work out the kinks before moving to a nationwide offering.

Toyota may have recognized the trend to toward growing internet sales early as it began piloting SmartPath in 2019, but the automaker recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic “accelerated consumer demand for digital transactions.” The company noted a recent survey showed that two out of three shoppers are more likely to purchase a vehicle online.

Monogram, the Lexus program, just as is the case with SmartPath allows buyers to start their buying process online. The system is designed to be transparent in order to make the process easier for the potential new owner as well as dealership personnel.

Both programs are currently in what’s best described as an expanded pilot phase. It’s available in several markets, at least 50 in the U.S., with plans to continue expanding it throughout the year. The flexibility of starting with the internet, but inviting an actual person in at any point in the process seems to fit with exactly what buyers want these days.

(Used cars booming, Honda takes aim at retailers like CarMax, Carvana.)

Automakers should get used to it, according to a recent study by Gartner Research. Currently less than 1% of all sales are completed online, that number is expected to jump to 20% within five years.

Lexus is also rolling out a new online shopping program. It’s named its version “Monogram.”

Mercedes-Benz, Ford, General Motors and other automakers all referenced significant upticks in internet-based sales in the last year.

However, a trend isn’t a majority necessarily. According to Deloitte’s newest report, the 2021 Global Automotive Consumer Study, release in mid-January, the number of people buying vehicles online during the pandemic was done more out of necessity than preference.

Seventy-one percent of U.S. vehicle buyers prefer an “in-person sales experience,” the study revealed. This biggest part of that is 75% want to see and touch the vehicle before they buy it, with 64% needed some time behind the wheel as well.

“Unlike many other retail sectors that have seen a wholesale shift to online buying, purchasing a vehicle remains a largely personal experience for many consumers,” said Karen Bowman, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP and U.S. automotive sector leader.

“However, some people will be looking for a virtual sales experience to maximize convenience, speed and ease of use. This will likely result in a more complicated, and potentially costly, set of consumer expectations for dealers to meet at a time when businesses are looking to recover and thrive in the wake of the pandemic.”

(Pandemic may not have changed car buying habits of consumers.)

One area where U.S. consumers were happy to see handled via the internet was vehicle service. The ability to get online and have your car or SUV picked up by a dealer at home or work was appealing with 46% of respondents in favor of that type of interaction — provided it is free.

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Throwback:Nissan Says Merry Christmas By Turning the Leaf into a Rolling Christmas Tree

December 25, 2020 admin

Nissan’s bringing the yuletide cheers to all of us

After spending an entire year producing cars, building future plans, and spending millions of dollars in research and development, automakers typically take a step back during the holiday season, either to unwind, reflect on the year that’s about to end, or, at least in Nissan’s case, turn a Nissan Leaf into a fully lit Christmas tree.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Nissan Tree.

I don’t know what I’m more impressed with. That Nissan was able to cover the entirety of the Leaf’s body with Christmas lights or that it managed to find a way to use the Leaf’s own regenerated energy to actually power all these lights. Mind you, we’re not just talking about a strand of lights with this setup. Nissan used over 15,000 lights on light up the Nissan Tree. It also used 190 meters of utensil and enough Christmas balls to fill a ball pit.

The e-Pedal system is doing the work

Throwback:Nissan Says Merry Christmas By Turning the Leaf into a Rolling Christmas Tree - image 877528

All the lighted bits on the Nissan Tree, from the snowflakes on the wheels to Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer on the roof, are powered by the Leaf’s e-Pedal system and B mode functions.

For those unfamiliar with these features, the e-Pedal is a single pedal function found in the Leaf that can be used to accelerate and brake the electric car. Engaging the e-Pedal allows you to slow the car down when you lift your foot off the accelerator so much so that the Leaf can stop by itself. While the feature itself doesn’t accelerate the car when activated, it does stiffen the real accelerator pedal and you’ll feel that immediately.

Beyond this, the e-Pedal is also the same function that helps the Leaf harvest energy via regenerative braking.

Nissan accomplishes this by recycling the energy from the Leaf’s movement during deceleration or braking. The regenerated energy then goes straight back to the batteries where it is used to recharge the cells that eventually provide the energy for the Nissan Leaf to light up like a rolling Christmas tree.

Nothing but a day’s work for the Nissan Leaf

Throwback:Nissan Says Merry Christmas By Turning the Leaf into a Rolling Christmas Tree - image 877529

It’s hard to power over 15,000 Christmas lights in one go.

It’s even more difficult when you consider that you’re using regenerated energy to actually power all these lights. But the Nissan Leaf is a special kind of electric car.

You can point to its 40-kWh battery pack that comes with an EPA-rated range of 151 miles. You can point to its electric motor, which produces 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Or you can point to all the technical bits and systems it carries with it, including the aforementioned e-Pedal system and the B-mode driving function that also helps regenerate energy under braking using the more traditional brake pedal.

You can point to any of these as factors in the Leaf’s ability to regenerate as much as 744 kWh of clean energy if the car is driven 11,000 miles each year.

Nissan Leaf specifications
	Battery
Type	Li-ion battery
Capacity	40kWh
	Electric motor
Name	EM57
Maximum output	147 HP @ 3,283 9,795 RPM
Maximum torque	236 LB-FT @ 0 3,283 RPM
	Performance
Cruising range	150 miles
Charging time (normal charging)	16 hours (3kW) 8 hours (6kW)
Charging time from alert to 80% (Quick Charging)	40 minutes
Curb weight	3,433 – 3,508 Lbs
Gross vehicle weight	4,453 Lbs

For some perspective, that amount of energy is equivalent to energy savings of 20 percent on domestic electricity consumption of an average household. For even more perspective, the amount of regenerated energy can power all these things:

266 Christmas trees with 700 incandescent lights for a full hour of joy
297 ovens for one hour to cook your Christmas dinner
744 televisions for five hours to watch your favorite Christmas movies
10,783 houses with 1,000 LED lights for five hours

Compared to what the Nissan Leaf’s regenerated energy technology is fully capable of, powering over 15,000 Christmas lights covering the Leaf doesn’t sound like hard work for Nissan’s venerable electric hatchback.

NACTOY Names Finalists for Car, Truck Utility of the Year

December 17, 2020 admin

The 2021 Genesis G80 is the second generation of the brand’s original offering, and a candidate for 2021 North American Car of the Year.

It’s down to just nine new models, three finalists in each of the three categories for North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year, with the winners set to be announced in less than four weeks.

Three manufacturers overwhelmingly dominate this year’s list of finalists: Hyundai Motor Group, Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. A few familiar names, including General Motors, Honda and Toyota, which have been dominant during the past quarter century among NACTOY finalists and winners, are notably absent. But the list does include one entry each from Nissan and Land Rover.

“In this very challenging year, these nine vehicles emerged as our Finalists out of an unusually strong field of 27 Semifinalists,” said NACTOY president Gary Witzenburg. “Each one of them – especially the 15 in the ultra-competitive utility vehicle category – is excellent in nearly every way. Not to mention the automakers’ unusually difficult challenge of getting our 50 jurors from all over North America into their candidate vehicles for testing and evaluation prior to our later-than-usual voting deadline.”

(Jurors whittle list down to 27 semi-finalists for NACTOY awards.)

Ford F-150 Limited

Hyundai Motor Group landed what appears to be a strong three different finalists in two of the three categories, and they represent two of its three brands: mainstream Hyundai with the Elantra sedan and high-line Genesis with the G80 sedan and GV80, its first SUV. The group’s third brand nabbed its first-ever NACTOY trophy last January, the Kia Telluride named North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

Fiat Chrysler hits with two models in the Truck category, the Ram 1500 TRX, and the Jeep Gladiator Mojave pickup. If Jeep scores again it would mark a repeat,

Land Rover Defender

the Gladiator, its first pickup in decades, winning Truck of the Year honors in January.

Ford has finalists in both the Truck and Utility Vehicle categories with the F-150 pickup and Mustang Mach-E, its first long-range battery-electric vehicle. It didn’t even field an entry into the Car of the Year competition as it has effectively walked away from the passenger car market but for its conventional Mustang coupe.

Nissan rounded out the Car of the Year list with its Sentra sedan, Land Rover nabbing the third Utility of the Year finalist spot with the reborn Defender.

The NACTOY judging process for 2021 began even as the 2020 awards were handed out at the beginning of this pandemic-plagued year. The 50 jurors from the U.S. and Canada started out by individually testing nearly 50 vehicles. The process was complicated by the COVID-19 crisis as some vehicles were added, some removed from the list due to the disease’s impact on product development and production plans. A group of semi-finalists were brought together for a socially distanced group drive in October.

Hyundai Elantra

(North American Car, Truck, SUV of the Year jurors reveal 2021 candidates.)

“Just as individual car buyers have their own purchase criteria, each of our 50 expert jurors has his or her own individual process for evaluating candidate vehicles,” said NACTOY Vice President Jack R. Nerad, “which results in a robust and comprehensive competition that looks at the contenders from every possible angle. We are proud of the vast experience and diversity of our panel of jurors.

Jeep Gladiator Mojave

Jurors now will begin final reviews, with voting on the eventual winners to take place between Jan. 2-4, 2021. The three trophies for 2021 NACTOY Car, Truck and Utility of the Year will be announced on Jan. 11. Details about the announcement process will be announced in the coming weeks but will include an online presentation.

A closer look at the nine finalists:

Car of the Year:

Genesis GV80

Genesis G80: The successor to the original Hyundai Genesis that was the first Korean NACTOY winner, the second-generation G80 sedan got a complete makeover for 2021 aimed at enhancing its features and interior refinement, while also adopting the brand’s new signature appearance.

Hyundai Elantra: The Korean carmaker remains a fixture in the passenger car market as others walk away. The new Elantra isnot only better equipped this year but also now offered with a variety of packages, including a hybrid and performance-oriented N and N Sport models.

Nissan Sentra: The Japanese automaker is another brand remaining staying with the sedan market. The next-generation Sentra is larger, roomier and, along with a complete design makeover, gets a class-above update in refinement and features.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Truck of the Year:

Ford F-150: If anything, Ford’s mainstay full-size pickup is being offered in more configurations than ever, what with the launch of the all-new F-150 Hybrid. The F-150, on the whole gets an evolutionary styling update, along with lots of new features and powertrain upgrades.

Nissan Sentra

Jeep Gladiator Mojave: The Gladiator became the first Jeep pickup in years and won the NACTOY truck honors in 2020. Now, it is chasing the trophy once again with this significantly updated version specifically design for those who want to spend serious time off-road.

Ram 1500 TRX: The current Ram is another NACTOY winner, but the TRX marks a major update. It’s wider, taller, roomier. It’s also loaded with plenty of new features designed for use on or off-road. But the biggest new feature is the addition of the monstrous Hellcat V-8.

Utility Vehicle of the Year:

Ford Mustang Mach-E: Ford takes direct aim at Tesla’s hot-selling Model Y and could be the first to get the California EV maker sweating. The Mach-E lifts styling cues from the familiar Mustang coupe – but adopts an SUV body style. It delivers up to 300 miles and Mustang-like performance.

Ram 1500 TRX

Genesis GV80: Genesis has won rave reviews for its sedans – the G70 named a Car of the Year winner. But it has been slow to catch on with the public, something the Korean brand hopes to resolve with the launch of its first-ever SUV, the GV80 loaded with high-line features and great road manners.

Land Rover Defender: The heir to the original Land Rover Series I has been out of production for five years and missing in action in the U.S. market for more than two decades. It’s back with a new design, a luxurious interior, lots of new features – but even more off-road capabilities than ever.

(Ford Mustang Mach-E captures Green Car of the Year honor.)

Sex Machine: Nissan Reveals Proto Z

September 16, 2020 admin

Considering the dire straits Nissan currently finds itself in, I don’t think anybody felt ultra-confident that its next Z-badged performance coupe was automatically going to be a home run. I certainly did not. But then I watched Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida climb out of the prototype as he reminisced about how his first car was a Fairlady Z, noting that it was a “love at first sight” kind of deal.

It was fitting, not just because the Proto Z that debuted on Tuesday is clearly inspired by that iconic model but also because he just unveiled a car that will probably leave a lot of other young drivers feeling the exact same way.

Nissan spent a lot of time parading around Z models ahead of the debut, suggesting that the prototype would be influenced by them all. But it has become clear that the earliest models are the ones doing the heavy lifting. While the squared tail lamps floating on a black canvas covers everything up to the 300ZX, the Proto Z’s overall shape is commensurate with the original 240Z. It also happens to be quite handsome and uncluttered by a lot of the busyness found on modern-day sporting cars.

Where are the phony air inlets we’ve been forced to live with? Where are my 24-inch double digital display and floating tablet screen? Nowhere, apparently. It’s almost like the folks at Nissan tried to design an honest to God automobile and said to hell with everything else. There is even a trio of gauge pods sitting atop the center console and angled toward the driver to help reinforce everything the Z supposed to be about. Sure, the interior would have been fine without them. But it’s touches like this that really stand out and make you want to own one.

While the industry and those writing about it constantly get caught in the trap of discussing a vehicle’s “purity,” nobody will gripe in this instance. Uchida mentioned the entire point of the Proto Z was to deliver an absolutely pure sports car and it looks like that’s exactly what we’ve been given and it isn’t supposed to be altered much on its way to the factory. Nissan said what you’re looking at is as close to production-ready as a prototype can get.

Sadly, this means the manufacturer is keeping some aspects of the model to itself. We still don’t have an official name, though 400Z seems all but assured, and we don’t have a lot of specifics about the powertrain. But we know for sure it will be a twin-turbocharged V6 mated to a six-speed manual transmission. It even has a regular, lever-style parking brake for “parking” the shit out of that thing through a corner as you light up the rear tires. This feature should also work to help keep the car stationary when not in use.

An automatic version is allegedly in development but Nissan didn’t make it seem like it was a huge priority. Uchida said the car was designed to appeal to Z fanatics and they prefer to shift for themselves. Expect the automatic to show up sometime after launch.

Compared to the current 370Z, the prototype coupe is 5 inches longer and while being just a smidgen wider and lower. That’s 172.5 inches long, 72.8 inches wide, and 51.6 inches tall. We anticipate those dimensions remaining largely the same come production time. But the 19-inch bronze wheels will probably be reserved for higher trims and special editions. Currently, they’re wrapped in SP Sport Maxx rubber and measure 255 mm wide (front) and 285 mm (rear) with “Nissan Z” painted on the side.

Nissan was extremely clear that it did not want to tamper with the car more than necessary ahead of production. The company has already tested the aerodynamics of the Proto Z and decided it was working just fine. Any future changes should be in service of improving the vehicle’s overall performance and without upsetting the design.

Frankly, I’m more excited to see what will happen after its been on the market for a while. While gorgeous in its own right, the Z is kind of a blank canvas just waiting to be modded into the stratosphere. Maybe that’s why they left the grille looking kind of big. Should make a neat spot for an intercooler and those haunches are just begging for some widebody fender flares.

But I’m getting ahead of everything, as we don’t even know when this thing is supposed to enter into production. Odds are good there will be another debut in 2022 with the car hopefully making it onto the road before 2023. The manufacturer said to expect a lot of bold color options and a vehicle that prioritizes driver engagement, something it seemed worried the industry has forgotten about.

[Images: Nissan]

Confirmed: Nissan Shows Upcoming Z-Car With Manual Transmission

September 10, 2020 admin

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nissan

Nissan has issued another teaser for the impending 400Z with clear intent to alleviate any confusion created by the previous marketing materials. We said it looked like the company planned on offering the sports coupe with a manual transmission and are required to revise our claim. It’s now blatantly obvious that Nissan is planning on producing be-clutched examples. We can only assume that Nissan’s marketing department noticed that everyone had started to catch onto the possibility of there being a manual option in its last posting and simply decided to remove all doubt.

One can even imagine the video conference where management tells the person editing the clips to throw in a bare shot of the gear selector this time. Nissan knows few customers will actually buy one but that the automotive press can’t help but mention the last of a dying breed. Some of us wake up in a cold sweat nightly, haunted by the knowledge that carefully using two appendages to change gears isn’t something future generations are going to put up with.

Until then, it remains the more engaging option on sporting vehicles. It’s just not particularly practical in an era where less than 20 percent of Americans can actually drive stick. The rest of Nissan’s teaser was devoted to playing a guessing game where listeners attempted to determine which V6 would be used. Will it be the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 sourced from the company’s luxury arm? Maybe the 3.8-liter that’s in the GT-R will come into play.

We can’t really say and aren’t planning to use another shadowy teaser to make assertions of items that aren’t spelled out for us. Besides, the manufacturer will be showing us the prototype on September 16th. After living for months in relative isolation to avoid getting coughed on, waiting another week to see a car is going to be a breeze.

Turn your 🔊 on and listen to the #PowerofZ! We’re unveiling the #NissanZ Proto live on Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m. JST/12:30 a.m. GMT (8:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 15). Tune in at https://t.co/Y4xPO5WuNe pic.twitter.com/wK1pVOYRGK

— Nissan Motor (@NissanMotor) September 10, 2020

[Image: Nissan]

First Look: 2021 Nissan Ariya

July 15, 2020 admin

The 2021 Nissan Ariya is about the size of a Rogue SUV – but features the interior space of the bigger Murano.

Nissan is singing a new tune. With the arrival of the 2021 Ariya, Japan’s second-largest carmaker hopes to rebuild its once-lofty position as an innovator in the emerging market for battery-electric vehicles.

The automaker was, in fact, the first to mass market a BEV, but a decade after the launch of the original Leaf model, Nissan has not only been eclipsed by Tesla, but is being challenged by more conventional competitors, such as Volkswagen, Ford and General Motors, each rolling out waves of new long-range battery-cars.

The 2021 Nissan Ariya is the long-overdue battery-SUV meant to keep Nissan in the game. It’s a ground-up offering, not just a redesigned Leaf, with a brand-new platform and electric drive system that is more powerful and able to deliver longer range. Ariya also debuts Nissan’s first hands-free driving system.

(A week with the 2020 Nissan Leaf SL Plus.)

The Nissan Ariya will be offered in either front- or all-wheel-drive configurations.

The new model “is the spearhead, showing our vision of the future,” said Ivan Espinosa, the carmaker’s senior vice president of global product planning, during a media roundtable ahead of the battery car’s Wednesday debut. “Ariya is not just an EV,” he emphasized. “It is showing the technical prowess of Nissan…what Nissan stands for.”

Pronounced like the song an opera diva sings, a concept version of the Ariya made its first appearance at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show last autumn, followed by a U.S. debut at January’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Though there were some design details unique to exotic concepts, like the oversized wheels, the show car will go into production with only minor changes.

The 2021 Ariya rides on a flexible new architecture, Espinosa explained during the online meeting. It eventually will be used for a variety of battery-cars to be produced not only by Nissan but also by its two alliance partners, Japan’s Mitsubishi and France’s Renault.

(Nissan lifts the covers on the next-gen Rogue.)

Features like the grille-less nose help reduce aero drag.

“The beauty of this platform is it’s modular (which) allows us to accommodate different possibilities,” he said, adding that the three partners have “a lot of questions about what new areas of the market we can explore.”

As with key competitors like Tesla, Ford, GM and VW, the platform positions its batteries, motors and other key components below the load floor. That reduces the size of the traditional engine compartment, allowing significantly more freedom, said Nissan’s global styling chief Alfonso Albaisa. And the development team found other breakthrough strategies. Rather than mounting the climate control, or HVAC, system within the instrument panel, it was moved into the modest space left where an engine would normal go, freeing up more space for the passenger compartment.

“You get inside and you’re really shocked,” suggested Albaisa, pointing out that the exterior footprint of the Nissan Ariya is about as big as the subcompact Rogue SUV, but the cabin has the roominess of the much larger Murano.

(Nissan among automakers taking big sales hit in Q2.))

The interior borrows heavily from the Ariya concept.

From an exterior design perspective, the Ariya is far less geeky than the Leaf which was designed during an era when green machines were expected to look like something from a sci-fi flick. That said, there are some obvious cues that tell you it’s a BEV, starting with absence of a conventional grille – electric vehicles needing far less disruptive airflow under the hood. Slit headlamps each feature four distinct LED bulbs. From the side, the crossover adapts a curvaceous, coupe-like shape, with plenty of subtle details designed to cheat the range-stealing wind – including twin rear spoilers.

Inside, Albaisa’s team adopted a minimalist approach, with a floating, horizontally oriented instrument panel featuring side-by-side video screens, each measuring 12.3 inches. One of the neat tricks is the ability to swipe across the infotainment display and move elements to the primary gauge display. The lack of a center tunnel creates a flat floor that makes it possible to sit five inside with reasonable comfort.

The new modular architecture is, fundamentally, front-wheel-drive, though buyers also will have the option of ordering an all-wheel-drive, twin-motor package. Nissan started all but from scratch, developing a new electric drive system it has dubbed e-4ORCE. The system has been described as the “spiritual offspring” of the automaker’s GT-R sports car, and that underscores a fundamental shift in thinking. No longer does Nissan believe BEV buyers will sacrifice that fun-to-drive quality just to go green.

Ariya will offer a standard battery or a 300-mile option.

The front-drive system delivers 160 kilowatts, or about 214 horsepower, and 221 pound-feet of torque. The twin-motor AWD system bumps that up to 290 kW, or 389 hp, and 443 lb-ft. The e-4ORCE system can direct power to individual wheels, using torque to assist driver input, among other things, when tracking through a corner.

That also pays off when using the next-generation ProPilot Assist 2.0, Nissan’s semi-autonomous driving system. The original version could help center the vehicle in its lane, among other things, but required drivers to keep hands on the wheel at all times. The new system, Nissan explained, allows “attentive drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel under certain conditions.”

Specific details have yet to be released but it appears to follow the format of GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s new version of CoPilot 360, operating on limited-access roads mapped in high-resolution. A monitoring system makes sure a driver remains alert and ready to take control in an emergency.

In terms of batteries, Nissan has continued tinkering with the chemistry of its lithium-ion cells and has both cut their cost and increased their energy density, storing more power in less space. The base 2021 Ariya stores 63 kilowatt-hours. That’s within a kWh of the current, longest-range version of the gen-2 Nissan Leaf Plus. The Ariya offers an extended-range 87 kWh battery expected to get around 300 miles per charge, according to the EPA.

Ariya’s 2nd row folds to create a flat load floor.

As for charging, Nissan officials weren’t ready to offer details beyond noting Ariya can handle up to 137 kilowatts of power, a big jump up from the roughly 50 kW limit for Leaf. That would suggest an 80% recharge for the smaller pack in perhaps a bit over an hour at a CCS charger.

And that signals another big shift by the automaker which had been the only key player in the U.S. market committed to the older, slower CHAdeMO system. Nissan’s policy “is to have happy customers,” said Espinosa,” and with more – and faster — CCS chargers now available, the switch was overdue, according to EV analysts.

As for pricing, the base version of the 2021 Nissan Ariya will start at $40,000, said Espinosa. It is set to go on sale in Japan in the coming weeks, with U.S. dealers beginning deliveries “later in 2021.”

For the first half of the past decade, Nissan dominated EV sales charts. It has lost its lead to Tesla and is facing plenty of other competition going forward. Whether it can come close to being a significant player with Ariya is far from certain. But Nissan officials are betting that the new BEV has enough going for it to make Ariya a serious contender.

(Ford’s Bronco is back…and it’s now part of a new family of SUVs.)

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