Autoblog

Want to test drive a Nissan Leaf? Live in Southern California?

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Nissan, Event Alert, Electric

2011 Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery

Nissan is running around the country to promote its all-electric Leaf. The Drive Electric tour has already had two stops in California - the AltCar Expo in Santa Monica and the Orange County Auto Show in Anaheim - and a third one is planned for this coming weekend. SoCal residents, this is your opportunity to get behind the wheel of a 2011 Nissan Leaf and see what it's like to drive a full-size electric vehicle.

The San Diego stop of the Drive Electric tour is located at the NTC Promenade. The event kicks off today and will be open from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM. The EVs will be in San Diego through Sunday, October 17th.

Interested in attending this weekend's EV fun? Head over to DriveNissanLeaf.com and register. If you don't live in Southern California but want to the chance to drive a Leaf, take a look at the schedule to see if the Drive Electric tour is coming to a town near you.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Leaf: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2010 Damon Lavrinc / AOL

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Want to test drive a Nissan Leaf? Live in Southern California?

Want to test drive a Nissan Leaf? Live in Southern California? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan to offer free conventional car loan to Leaf buyers to ease range anxiety?

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Nissan, Rumormill, Electric

2011 Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery

The December 2010 launch of the 2011 Nissan Leaf gets closer every day and thousands of people have already signed up to reserve their spot for one. Still, some would-be buyers may suffer from a touch of "range anxiety" - that is, a nervous apprehension about running out of juice, only to be stranded somewhere. To quell that fear, TheDetroitBureau.com reports that Nissan is pondering an option for owners who need to undertake a journey longer than the 100-mile range the all-electric Leaf is rated for. A no-cost loan of a conventional, gasoline-powered vehicle could be made available to owners for periods of up to a week.

The loaner car option is still in the early planning stages, and it's not yet clear exactly how it would work. Would the Leaf owner be required to arrange the loan through a rental agency, or could it be handled through a local dealership? Nissan still has a lot of details to iron out, but if the plan gets approved, it could prove to be a strong marketing tool.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Leaf: First Drive

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: TheDetroitBureau.com]

Nissan to offer free conventional car loan to Leaf buyers to ease range anxiety? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Nissan Rogue shows up at 2010 Z Car Convention

Zach Bowman — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, SUV, Hatchback, Nissan, Design/Style

2011 Nissan Rogue - Click above for high-res image gallery

We managed to make our way to the 23rd annual Z Car Convention at the Nissan North America headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee this weekend. Aside from a slew of Zed-related goodness of unmatched acclaim, the 2011 Nissan Rogue was also rolled out as part of the celebration. Overall, the little crossover sticks close to last year's recipe, though some subtle visual updates help the ute better stand out from the rest of the mall parking lot crowd.

The tweaked front fascia now has a more angular look aimed at giving the nose of the Rogue some definition. Likewise, the grille has been massaged to incorporate a larger Nissan badge, and the optional fog lights now reside in sculpted inserts. A chrome strip spans the 2011 Rogue's flanks, and a similar piece of brightwork now glams up the rear liftgate. Lastly, buyers who opt for the 2011 Nissan Rogue Krom or Rogue SL will get new 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, too. Otherwise, it's much of the same from Nissan's compact people hauler. Hit the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading 2011 Nissan Rogue shows up at 2010 Z Car Convention

2011 Nissan Rogue shows up at 2010 Z Car Convention originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan refreshes Rogue crossover for 2011

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Nissan

2011 Nissan Rogue - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 Nissan Rogue is a getting a slight efresh when it goes on sale in mid-August. The most obvious external changes are a nose job that brings with it an eggcrate grille shaped more like the one on its bigger Murano sibling, along with new pockets around the foglamps that give the front a more sculpted appearance and revised front and rear spoilers. 18-inch wheels are also newly available for the SL and S Krōm Edition models. The exterior alterations strike us as subtle but handsome, particularly the new grille, which minimizes the odd 'chrome bucktooth' look of the 2010 model.

Perhaps the more important changes outside the vehicle are of the type that only James May would be likely to notice: spats in front of the wheels and a new underbody tray cut the aerodynamic drag and contribute to 1 mpg improvements in both the city and highway fuel economy numbers. The front-wheel-drive model is now EPA rated at 22/28 mpg while the all-wheel-drive variant manages 22/26 mpg. Inside, the Rogue doesn't look much different but does get upgraded entertainment systems.

The 2011 gets its first public showing this weekend at the annual Z Car Convention in Nashville, TN.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Rogue

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan refreshes Rogue crossover for 2011

Nissan refreshes Rogue crossover for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redesigned Nissan March goes on sale in Japan

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:07:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Hatchback, Nissan

2011 Nissan March - Click above for high-res image gallery

The all-new Nissan March, which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in, you guessed it, March) went on sale in Japan this week. The March (or Micra, as it's known in Europe) is powered by a new family of inline three-cylinder engines. The base normally-aspirated 1.2-liter is rated at 79 horsepower, and Nissan has also announced a supercharged and direct injected version that should produce over 100 horsepower.

The normally-aspirated engine is available with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a continuously variable transmission along with an automatic start-stop function to switch off the engine when the car comes to a halt. The CVT variant with idle-stop is rated at 61 miles per gallon (U.S.) on the Japanese urban test cycle, which should be equivalent to somewhere in the low to mid 40 mpg range on the EPA cycle.

Nissan has yet to confirm whether it will offer the redesigned Micra/March in the U.S. market.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Micra / March

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Redesigned Nissan March goes on sale in Japan

Redesigned Nissan March goes on sale in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan Titan and Frontier pickups to get new model designations for 2011, little else

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Nissan

While Nissan refines its pickup truck plans and gets ready for an all new Titan in 2014, it is doing only a little bit of tweaking to the 2011 Titan and Frontier. The Titan swaps three of its four trim level names, with XE becoming S, SE becoming SV and LE becoming SL, and any four-wheel drive model will get a "4x4" badge. More substantively, captain's chairs will be fitted as standard on the top-level SL trim. The 317-horsepower, 5.6 liter V8 remains unchanged.

The name swap carries over to the Frontier, however, with the PRO-4X model keeping its name on the Frontier and Titan. The smaller pickup loses the six-speed manual on the long wheelbase SL King Cab and SV Crew Cab, but gains a six-speed manual option for the lowest trim S model and the PRO-4X short wheelbases. The top line SV trim adds a Luxury Package to its option sheet, and with a little mix-n-match you can get LATCH child safety seats.

The 2011 Titan goes on sale in August, the V6 Frontiers hit showrooms in September, the four cylinder Frontiers in October.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Nissan Titan and Frontier pickups to get new model designations for 2011, little else originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan Juke handily beating early sales projections in Japan

Chris Shunk — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Japan, Crossover, Nissan

2011 Nissan Juke - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Nissan Juke may be a bit awkward-looking for our tastes, but first week sales in Japan show that quirky styling can lead to paying customers - at least in Japan. Local business daily Nikkei reports that Nissan sold 1,300 copies of the Juke in the automaker's home market in one week. That's 300 percent more sales than the Japanese automaker was hoping for in the first month. And those 1,300 sales are just the tip of the iceberg. Through Tuesday, Nissan has reportedly accumulated 5,296 orders.

Nissan is likely delighted with the early reception the Japanese public is giving the little crossover. The next big test comes this autumn, when the Juke goes on sale in Europe and here in the U.S. Will American customers be as eager to add the Anime-faced Juke to their driveway? Only time will tell, but the early results in Japan shows that unique styling and an efficient 1.6-liter turbo engine could make for a hot-selling mini-ute. A starting price of well under $20,000 couldn't hurt, either.

Gallery: Nissan Juke

[Source: Nikkei]

Report: Nissan Juke handily beating early sales projections in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple demos Nissan Leaf ad on iPhone 4 with exclusive contest

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:19:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Nissan, Electric

Nissan Leaf iAd on 4th generation iPhone - Click above for high-res image gallery

One or two of you may have noticed that Apple CEO Steve Jobs "officially" revealed the new fourth-generation iPhone today at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference. What you may not know is that the Nissan Leaf played a small part in his demonstration of Apple's new iAd mobile advertising platform. Nissan will apparently be using the iAd system to promote its upcoming electric car with some cool interactive features.

The ad begins with a small banner that shows up at the bottom of the iPhone screen. iPhone users can tap the banner to expand the ad to full screen where they will find the Leaf on a pedestal. A swipe across the screen will spin the pedestal to reveal different features of the car. One of the pages allows users to register for the Leaf reservation list and even enter an iAd-exclusive contest to win a Leaf.

Users will be able to check out the ad on iPhones, iPod touches and iPads after it goes live on July 1.

Gallery: Apple iAd for Nissan Leaf

[Source: Engadget]

Apple demos Nissan Leaf ad on iPhone 4 with exclusive contest originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carlos Ghosn: 2011 Nissan Leaf sold out

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hatchback, Nissan, Electric

If you aren't already on the list to purchase a 2011 Nissan Leaf, you're officially out of luck. During a speech to the Detroit Economic Club today, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn announced that the U.S. market allotment for the first year's production of Leafs is already sold out more than six months before the EV even goes on sale. Nissan has now received 13,000 orders for the $32,780 electric car - quite impressive for a vehicle almost no one's driven.

So far, the orders are comprised of refundable $99 deposits, so it will be interesting to see how sales and orders hold up once people begin getting calls from dealers. Prior to going on sale in 2008, the Smart ForTwo also received thousands of orders before deliveries began - and we all know how well that turned out. While the Leaf will undoubtedly be a much more pleasant and practical car to drive than the Smart, it remains to be seen how customers will react once they get used to the real world electric range.

Ghosn remains extremely bullish on electric vehicles and will be adding production capacity in both the United States and Europe over the next three years.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan Leaf EV

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Carlos Ghosn: 2011 Nissan Leaf sold out originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 May 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2010: 2011 Nissan Juke is actually pretty neat

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Japan, Crossover, Nissan

2011 Nissan Juke - Click above for high-res image gallery

Attention all you small crossover fans out there, now is the time to get excited. Nissan pulled back the curtain on the 2011 Juke and although we've seen it (at the Geneva Motor Show), we're still glad it's here. We're being implored to mention that some of us think the front end has a Pontiac Aztek quality about it. Others ("Hi, Mom!") feel different. Yeah, it's... not normal looking, but we've seen worse. At least it's not derivative. The rest of the Juke's styling, however, is much less controversial. Especially that rear three-quarter view.

Sadly, Nissan has neglected to hold a press conference for the Juke, so we're still not sure exactly how much power this mini-ute is making. For now, we're stuck with the "180+ horsepower and 170+ lb-ft of torque" from its 1.6-liter direct-injected four-cylinder turbo, figures that are cited in the car's press release. There's a manual option for the front drivers, but CVT-only for the torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive versions. As soon as we can track down a Nissan employee with the details, we'll update the post. Until then, chew on this for more details. Also, while this here Juke is a right-hand driver, Nissan will be selling Jukes to us left-seat driving, high-rider loving Yanks come 2011.

UPDATE: We've talked Nissan's people here in NYC and until the 1.6-liter goes through the EPA, those numbers are still estimates. Nissan will tweak the engine to hit its mileage targets, at which point horsepower and torque figures will be solidified.

Gallery: New York 2010: Nissan Juke

Continue reading New York 2010: 2011 Nissan Juke is actually pretty neat

New York 2010: 2011 Nissan Juke is actually pretty neat originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Nissan Juke details, specs spilled ahead of New York intro *Updated w/video

Chris Paukert — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Crossover, Nissan

2011 Nissan Juke - Click above for high-res image gallery

Nissan's new-for-2011 Juke is set to make its North American debut at tomorrow's New York Auto Show, and the small crossover's polarizing moon-buggy styling is sure to set tongues wagging, just as it did during its global premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. Having seen this vehicle in person already, we can tell you that its "Baby Predator" front end takes some getting used to, but it all comes together better than expected, and the interior seems surprisingly roomy and well-resolved.

Much smaller in person than one might think, the curvy ute is significantly shorter than vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 - it's even shorter than the new Hyundai Tucson and Nissan's own Rogue, not to mention the likes of Mitsubishi's Outlander Sport (itself another NY debut). The closest competitor we can think of is Suzuki's SX4 crossover, which is, believe it or not, actually longer than the Juke. In the end, we fully expect it to be cross-shopped with more conventional hatchbacks (Mazda3), as well as 'box cars' like the Kia Soul.

Featuring the first application of Nissan's 1.6-liter direct injected four-cylinder turbo in North America, it will be available with torque vectoring all-wheel drive, so it might just be the driver's car of the bunch, too. Featuring "180+ horsepower and 170+ lb-ft of torque," it will be available in both six-speed manual form and CVT with a sport setting. Unfortunately, the three-pedal setup will only be available in front-drive SV and SL trim, however. That torque-vectoring system? It defaults to a 50:50 front-to-rear split, but it can push power from side-to-side along the rear axle when situations warrant.

No official pricing has been revealed yet, but Nissan promises that the Juke will start at "just under $20,000." Want to learn more? Check out our high-res gallery below and the official press releases and spec sheet after the jump.

Update: Three videos of the Juke, its torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system and Nissan's new direct-injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine (definitely the one to watch) have been added after the jump.

Gallery: Nissan Juke

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading 2011 Nissan Juke details, specs spilled ahead of New York intro *Updated w/video

2011 Nissan Juke details, specs spilled ahead of New York intro *Updated w/video originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan only offering GT-R Premium for 2011, priced from $85,060* - will volume be constrained?

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Nissan

2010 Nissan GT-R - Click above for high-res image gallery

The illustrious Nissan GT-R is, quite possibly, one of our favorite cars currently in production. Now entering its third year in America, Godzilla receives a few minor tweaks for 2011, including some minor suspension tuning, a double clear coat on its front and rear fascias, new rear cooling ducts and - wait for it - slightly darker wheel center caps than on the 2010 model that is pictured. Additionally, the 2011 GT-R - henceforth only available in Premium trim - gets more standard features, including auto on/off headlamps, speed-sensitive windshield wipers, Bluetooth, a USB iPod interface and XM NavWeather and NavTraffic. All of this can be yours for $85,060 (*including $1000 destination charge), which represents an increase of $1,020 over the 2010 GT-R Premium. Get your pocketbooks out.

Curiously, the folks at Nagtroc.org are reporting that just 315 GT-R units are slated to come to the U.S. during the 2011 model year. That striking us as odd, we talked with Nissan spokesperson Darryll Harrison, and he says that the automaker can't confirm the limited production volume. Hmmm. The 2011 model is just now hitting the nearly 700 GT-R certified Nissan dealers across the country, though if the unit constraint holds up, it's likely that more than half of the approved showrooms will never see one. Either way, hit the jump for the full details in Nissan's press release.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Nissan GT-R

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Sources: Nissan, Nagtroc.org]

Continue reading Nissan only offering GT-R Premium for 2011, priced from $85,060* - will volume be constrained?

Nissan only offering GT-R Premium for 2011, priced from $85,060* - will volume be constrained? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Next Nissan Micra spotted?

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Minivan/Van, Hatchback, Nissan

Images of the next generation Nissan Micra have plopped onto the interwebs, and they have brought with them a revelation we are a little ashamed to have come to so late. First, let us say that we really, really dig the Nissan Micra as it is. Sure, we delight most in its hardcore version, but even the gutless four-door variants have that design going for them: the Micra is wonderfully visually compelling.

The revelation is this: when it comes to Nissan, the phrase "This car is coming to the U.S." looks to actually mean "a bloated kind of melty looking version of this car is coming to the U.S." We saw it first with the Cube, and the same sort of globular travesty has apparently been perpetrated on the Micra. Forget the oh-so-sexy sketch from a month ago. If this is the car we're getting, look for the Micra with its thumb stuck its thumb in its grille and puffed-out cheeks.

When the new Micra bows as a 2011 model, it will reportedly be built in four-door, five-door, and MPV flavors, all of which will supposedly be powered by a three-cylinder engine. What isn't clear, however, is which Micra bodystyles we'll see in America.

[Source: Joke for Blog]

Spy Shots: Next Nissan Micra spotted? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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