Autoblog

Nissan Note makes big splash at global debut

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Videos, Hatchback, Nissan

The Note, along with its new "Squash Line," is an important car for Nissan, demonstrated by the big show the company put on for the little B-segment hatchback. Having done well with the Note so far since its introduction as a 2006 model, the revamped global five-door has taken the lead in providing design cues for other models, like our Versa hatchback.

Nissan has said the Versa will get "features tailored to its markets in North and South America." We don't know how that means it will differ from the Note, but we hope the Versa's launch comes with water cannon projections, too. You can watch it all in the video below.

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Nissan Note makes big splash at global debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Nissan Note introduces the Squash Line [w/videos]

Jeff Sabatini — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Europe, Japan, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Hatchback, Nissan, Design/Style

The second-generation Nissan Note mini MPV debuted in Japan today, featuring a more dramatic design. Nissan is calling the car's deep character line a "Squash Line," perhaps because it looks like someone squashed the side of the car with the prow of a kayak.

We're more excited about other aspects of the Note than its design, the first being that Nissan will be fitting the car with its Around View Monitor system. Once the province of high-spec Infiniti models, that this camera system has now found its way into the subcompact segment can only point to the technology's proliferation throughout Nissan's product line. While we are big fans of Around View Monitor, we do wonder, however, whether it's really necessary in cars this small?

Our second area of interest lies under the hood, where Nissan is fitting a three-cylinder engine. Don't scoff, as we're willing to bet that just as four is the new six today, three will be tomorrow's new four. This one comes in a neat variant, supercharged and direct injected with a compression ratio of 13:1. Nissan claims the Note will be able to hit "class leading economy of 25.2 km/L" which converts to 59 mpg. The same engine fitted in the new Nissan March makes 92 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque, which could be enough power to give this engine a potential future in the North American market.

For now though, the Japanese Note is slated to launch in September, with the European version bowing sometime next year.

Check out all the images of the new Note in our gallery and scroll down to read the presser and watch videos from its debut.

Continue reading New Nissan Note introduces the Squash Line [w/videos]

New Nissan Note introduces the Squash Line [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Note gets minor upgrades for 2012

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Minivan/Van, Europe, Hatchback, Nissan

For 2012, the funky little Nissan Note is getting some upgrading for its top two trims, the oddly named Acenta and N-TEC+, while the Note lineup itself is getting some downsizing. Outside, the Acenta sits on 16-inch wheels now and gets "chrome-effect" caps on the side-view mirrors and around the front fog lights. Inside, items like climate control and automatic headlights are standard, as is a blue cross-stitching on the seats for "a more premium feel."

Above that, in the UK, the new N-TEC+ trim is now the top-of-the-line model, as the former top-tier Tekna is going away. The N-TEC+ gets rear parking sensors, privacy glass and Nissan's "Connect" touch-screen satellite navigation.

The base Visia model remains unchanged, as does its £11,200 price (around $17,500 USD). The Acenta gets a £200 price bump to £13,000 ($20,400), the N-TEC+ rises £100 over the plain old N-TEC of yore to £13,500 ($21,200), all prices inclusive of Britain's costly Value Added Tax. Engines in the range, the 1.4- and 1.6-liter petrols and 1.5-liter diesel, are also carried over. Follow the jump for the press release and have a closer look at the Note in the gallery of high-res photos.

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Nissan Note gets minor upgrades for 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Nuvu concept, Pixo city car, revised Note headed to Paris

John Neff — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:27:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, Nissan

Click above for high-res gallery of Nissan's Paris Motor Show lineup

Nissan is bringing a trio of vehicles to the city of lights for the 2009 Paris Motor Show: a new concept called the Nuvu, an all-new production car car called the Pixo and a revised Note. We don't have an image of the Nuvu yet, but Nissan says it's a compact all-electric city car with 2+1 seating. It takes its green theme seriously with solar panels shaped like tree leaves on the roof that channel the sun's power through a "tree trunk" conduit in the center of the vehicle.

Next up is the Pixo, a new production car for the city with four-doors and a rear hatch that's powered by an eency-weency 1.0L three-cylinder engine. Built in collaboration with Suzuki, the new A-class car will obviously be geared towards fuel economy and low emissions when it goes on sale in Europe in the spring of 2009.

Finally, Nissan will have a revised version of its Note compact car that features a new, sleeker front end. New wheels, colors, a revised suspension and an available 1.5L dCi engine round out the changes. The Note also gets Nissan's new in-car nav/infotainment system called Nissan Connect. It comes with everything the market demands including a touch-screen navigation system, connectivity for digital audio players and Bluetooth connectivity.

Gallery: Nissan at the 2009 Paris Motor Show

[Source: Nissan]

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Nissan Nuvu concept, Pixo city car, revised Note headed to Paris originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan 360: the Note

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Hatchback, Nissan

The Nissan Note was the smallest of the "big" cars we sampled at Nissan 360. Sold in -- yet again -- Europe and Japan only, the English-built Note hatchback has been on the market for just a year. The car is aimed at "parents who need a practical five-seater," and the inside of the car feels like it's custom made to handle bouncing, throwing, stomping little ones. The front seatbacks even have little tray tables with cupholders in them. It's like coach class, but actually enjoyable.

The Note is basic, but nothing about it feels cheap. The only real issue we had was the tire noise that drowned out the four-cylinder, 110-HP mill. Due to that alone, the peppy little Note was the loudest car we drove all day. And while the super comfy fabric seats looked great, their coverings are perforated. The first time a McDonald's shake gets spilled -- or, heaven forbid, something that spoils -- we wouldn't want to be the ones who have to get the mess out of each little pore.

You can check out the Nissan 360 event site for more details on all the vehicles in Nissan's lineup. In the mean time, be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res photos below.

Gallery: Nissan 360: the Note

Our travel and lodging for this media event was provided by the manufacturer.

Nissan 360: the Note originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Nissan Note "Note & Pencils" TV Spot

Alex Nunez — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:58:00 EST

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

The "Ken & Mary" Skyline commercial posted earlier was something we found during our search for the Nissan Note TV spot you see above. Filmed in Bangkok, it's one of the better ads we've seen in a while, and it features a Marine Blue Note 15S v drawing a giant face on an enormous notebook. The tricksters at Nissan rigged a paint tank in the Note's cargo area to feed the blue "ink" onto the tires, which became de facto paint rollers. So yes, in case you were wondering, the car really did draw the picture.

The background track is Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody," which was actually released as a CD single tie-in to the ad campaign (album art after the jump). Oh, and the notebook? It's made of wood and is 50m x 40m.

You can read more about the Nissan Note here (knowing Japanese would help) and the car it's based on, the Renault Modus, here.

(Album art after the jump)

[Source: Nissan]

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VIDEO: Nissan Note "Note & Pencils" TV Spot originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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