Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Nissan cancels RWD Silvia successor and GT-R sedan, Prius-fight planned]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/12/nissan-cancels-rwd-silvia-successor-and-gt-r-sedan-prius-fight/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/12/nissan-cancels-rwd-silvia-successor-and-gt-r-sedan-prius-fight/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/12/nissan-cancels-rwd-silvia-successor-and-gt-r-sedan-prius-fight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



We knew this was coming, it was just a matter of getting confirmation. According to Autocar, Nissan has suspended plans to create a compact, rear-wheel-drive successor to the Silvia due to Nissan's financial difficulties and Carlos Ghosn's pledge to reduce costs.

The first indication that Nissan was working on a Silvia/240 replacement came in the form of the Foria concept that debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. The Urge design study quickly followed and development of the RWD coupe continued over the following years. We talked to a Nissan exec back in August of 2008 and they were able to confirm that work was still underway, but wouldn't put an exact date on when it would be unveiled.

Another casualty of the financial crisis is the rumored and refuted GT-R-based sedan for Infiniti. Work on the Porsche Panamera fighter has been put on indefinite hold, but it hasn't been cancelled outright. Ghosn wants the automaker to focus its development efforts on producing small- and medium-sized cars, including a Toyota Prius competitor which could arrive as early as next year.

[Source: Autocar]

REPORT: Nissan cancels RWD Silvia successor and GT-R sedan, Prius-fight planned originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've heard this particular rumor before, but despite Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's denials that a four-door GT-R is in the works, AutoExpress cracks open the taps once more, citing its usual "sources in Japan." But there's a twist.

According to the British rumormongers, the Infiniti-badged GT-R will be stretched to accommodate the extra set of doors, making the wheelbase longer and giving it a more comfortable ride. However, the GT-R's twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 won't be used. Instead, the FX50's 5.0-liter V8 will be mated to the same all-wheel-drive system and rear-mounted twin-clutch gearbox as its Nissan counterpart. Output is pegged at 420 hp with a 0-60 time of five seconds and a top speed of 170 mph.

While we're suitably skeptical about any mention of a four-door GT-R, this could be the long-rumored replacement for Infiniti's Q, taking the fight to the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Back in the Rumormill: Infiniti working on four-door GT-R originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn may have dismissed the notion of an Infiniti sedan based on the GT-R as "online blog speculation", but that won't stop the automotive press from churning out renderings just the same. Following an earlier sketch commissioned by Motor Trend comes the computer rendering you see above, predicting what a GT-R-derived Infiniti sports-sedan could look like. The rendering comes courtesy of Japan's Top Car magazine, and does a good job of translating the GT-R's styling into an even bigger, more commodious package.

If they built it, the four-door GT-R would certainly have the looks to stand its ground against the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide, Porsche Panamera and the eventual production version of the BMW Concept CS. And with GT-R underpinnings, it would most definitely have the performance to match.

[Source: GTR-World via GTRBlog]

Rendered Speculation: Infiniti's four-door GT-R originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ghosn recently told reporters at the Geneva Motor Show that the idea of a four-door super sports sedan based on the Nissan GT-R is "online blog speculation". Uh, you talking to me? Of course it's speculation, but we're from America and if two doors is good then four must certainly be better, right? Actually, no, we're fine with the GT-R fulfilling its purpose as a personal road rocket with room for two. And no blog started the four-door GT-R rumor, that would be Motor Trend, which, on authority from a "senior Nissan source", went so far as to commission renderings of the imaginary model, as well.

Infiniti will likely, however, field a successor to the discontinued Q45 that's more suited to take on its German competition, a charge that's all the more relevant considering Infiniti's impending penetration into the Western European market. Such a flagship model would likely be powered by the new 390-horsepower 5.0L V8 that debuted in the also-new FX50 in Geneva. Hopefully the next Q will be more competitive than the model that no one noticed disappear from the market two years ago, but don't expect a four-door GT-R. It doesn't sound like Ghosn wants one at the moment and the brand is more in need of a new top model to replace the M35/45 that's hardly suited for the job.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Ghosn dismisses GT-R sedan, Q45 successor likely originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MotorTrend supposedly has it on good authority from a source within Nissan that the automaker is looking into producing a four-door version of the Nissan GT-R. The model, which would be badged an Infiniti but wouldn't carry over many of the design elements of the two-door GT-R, might be exactly what disgruntled dealers here in the U.S. want. Although it's possible, it won't be easy since the FM platform would have to be stretched within an inch of its life to accommodate an extra set of doors and usable rear seats. However, the new model could still utilize the same suspension pickup points, and, more importantly, the turbocharged 3.8-liter powerplant, all-wheel-drive system and rear-mounted dual-clutch gearbox.

It's likely that the four-door flagship wouldn't benefit from all the carbon fiber body panels as the coupe, instead using a steel body. That won't do it any dynamic favors, but it would continue to keep the GT-R at the head of the pack while giving Infiniti a new super sedan to do battle with AMG, BMW's M lineup, the IS-F and Audi's RS-line of products.

However, we don't buy Mike Connor's assertion that a "four-door GT-R would have about as much credibility in Japan as a four-door Corvette would here in the U.S." Ummm... Mike, they made one. Actually, they made quite a few, and aside from the four-door R33s and R34s having a considerable following in Japan, we want one here, too.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Nissan considering four-door GT-R for Infiniti originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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click above to view in high resolution

Back in April '06, we reported on the disappointment expressed by Infiniti dealers over the decision to make the new GT-R exclusively a Nissan. But retailers of the company's premium brand, now branching out of North America and into markets in Asia and Europe, may have their prayers answered as Nissan considers creating an Infiniti derivative of the supercar.

The report comes from an interview with Nissan's design guru Shiro Nakamura in the January issue of Britain's Car magazine. "We have developed the platform and the transaxle powertrain - an Infiniti version is a future possibility," says Nakamura. "I have not done a study yet, but we are thinking about it." Promising words, though hardly the kind of confirmation dealers can bank on at this point, especially ones in the U.S. But with Infiniti dealers worldwide split over the direction of a potential new Q sedan, a GT-R derivative could do wonders as the brand's new flagship model, positioned above the G37 coupe, which is sold in Japan as the Nissan Skyline.

[Source: Car magazine]

Gallery: Nissan GT-R


Gallery: US Spec 2009 Nissan GT-R

Nissan considering Infiniti GT-R originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Feb 2008 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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