First Drive: 2012 Nissan GT-R
Invincible. According to Webster’s, the word means “incapable of being conquered, overcome or subdued.” The adjective is often used to describe something so superior that it’s nearly impossible to overthrow. Want to know what invincibility feels like? Strap yourself into the driver’s seat of the 2012 Nissan GT-R, and then press the start button.
Just three years after successfully launching its flagship performance vehicle on our shores, the engineers at Nissan have introduced a subtly but completely reworked supercar. The engine has more power, the suspension has been revised, the wheels are lighter, the seats have been redesigned, the brakes are bigger, the chassis is stiffer and the aerodynamics have been reconfigured to improve cooling and provide more downforce. This isn’t a manufacturer’s token “mid-cycle refresh” to boost sales; these are changes that improve the overall drivability and performance of the GT-R so significantly that most will be inclined to consider it nothing short of a second-generation rebirth.
This story really started three years ago this April. That was when we first drove the then-all-new 2009 Nissan GT-R, the spiritual descendant of a long lineage of epic Nissan Skyline sports cars.
Read more…
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, coupe, Nissan Tags: Nissan
2010 Nissan Maxima SV Sport is a lot of car for a lot of coin
Front-wheel drive is a funny thing. When originally introduced during the Thirties in the Cord 810 (then later in the awesome supercharged 812) and the Citro?n Traction Avant, FWD was hailed as a major breakthrough, a wondrous technological innovation that allowed for lower ride height and greatly increased passenger space. Postwar consumers got a taste of the wonders of FWD with the iconic Citro?n DS. At the top of its game in the Sixties, General Motors reintroduced FWD to American consumers with two remarkable luxury coupes: the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado and the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado. Come the Seventies, Citro?n produced what is arguably the greatest GT coupe of that decade, the impeccable (and FWD) SM.
It’s not that RWD is always better than FWD. Only in this case, it is.
Roll the clock forward to the Eighties and suddenly everything was being tugged around by its front wheels. Honda, Toyota, Nissan, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler all jumped head first onto the FWD bandwagon and, for the most part, they haven’t looked back. Granted, Cadillac has rethought which wheels get driven, but with the exception of a dinosaur livery-mobile, there isn’t a single rear-wheel-drive Lincoln to be found. Even Volkswagen got in on the transversely-mounted engine madness. This left only the Germans – namely Mercedes-Benz and BMW – to seriously carry the rear-wheel drive passenger car torch for nearly a decade. Sure, Lexus and Infiniti brought out some heavy hitting RWD sedans along with a raft of FWD offerings (M30 I30, G20 anyone?), but Acura never bothered.
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, Drive Experience, Nissan, Sedans/Saloons Tags:
Nissan updates Qashqai crossover – and no, we’re still not gonna get it
The Nissan Qashqai has a silly name. Though not as silly as the Qashqai+2, the seven-seat version of the British built small CUV. But silly name not withstanding, the slightly smaller than a Nissan Rogue compact crossover has been something of a sales phenom for Nissan, selling more than 500,000 copies around the world since 2007 despite not being offered in the North American market.
For the 2010 model year, some things are changing, and some aren’t. The biggest and most obvious difference is the front end, which is all-new and quite handsome looking. We especially like the sculpted lower fascia and intake. And while it is slightly smaller than the Rogue we do have in America, the Qashqai (named after a nomadic Iranian tribe) looks tougher. In the rear, the song remains largely the same, though the taillights have been slightly revised. The colors you see here are both new — Magnetic Red and Mineral Gray.
Categories: Crossovers/CUVs, Nissan Tags:
LA 2010: Nissan GT-R adds 45 HP for 2012, hits 60 under 3 seconds
issan is making quite a splash at the 2010 LA Auto Show. Despite the presence of the bat-guano-crazy Murano CrossCabriolet and rather attractive Ellure Concept, perhaps the most highly anticipated machine from the Japanese automaker is the 2012 GT-R. Here are the most important pieces of information to chew on: 530 horsepower and 488 pound-feet of torque.
That means Godzilla Part II (Tokyo Strikes Back!) offers up 45 more raging stallions than the first edition, which Nissan claims is enough to push its all-wheel-drive super coupe to 60 miles per hour in under three seconds(!). Those upgraded figures come courtesy of increased boost from the twin turbos packed into the six combustion chambers along with larger inlet and exhaust pipes.
Body modifications include an enlarged front fascia and grille openings along with double rectifier fins and LED running lights. These updates are said to allow for more air to enter the engine compartment and sweep across front brakes for cooling. Out back, Nissan says its redesigned rear fascia lowers the car’s center of gravity.
Aerodynamic improvements such as the aforementioned front fascia, rear diffuser and underbody trays equal a coefficient of drag that falls to just 0.26. All models get new and improved Rays wheels, and a new Black Edition sees darkened six-spoke affairs along with red-trimmed Recaro seats that should look pretty darn nice with the new across-the-range carbon interior highlights.
Colors include Solid Red, Gun Metallic, Pearl White and a limited production four-stage metallic Super Silver, which join two new shades for the new year: Deep Blue Pearl (pictured) and Jet Black.
Categories: Auto Show, coupe, LA Auto Show, Nissan Tags: LA Auto Show, Nissan
LA 2010: Nissan Ellure concept previews future sedan design
Nissan calls its Ellure concept “the sedan re-imagined,” previewing what sort of design is possible for its forthcoming four-door range. This concept is at once elegant and aggressive, with styling elements that don’t stray too far from what the automaker is currently putting out. Those headlamps, for example, use the same fin-like design of the taillights on the 370Z and Juke, and are a more forward-thinking version of what we currently see on the Maxima.
Let’s be clear, though – there are plenty of elements on the Ellure that are purely concept car spec. The large, 21-inch wheels and rear-hinged rear doors, for example – stylish and sleek, yes, but hardly practical for future production sedans. The same thing can be said for the interior, which uses suede seats, “floating” headrests, red floors and red pedals (why don’t more cars have these?).
The Ellure is powered by a supercharged 2.5-liter inline-four and a 25-kilowatt electric motor, mated to the automaker’s Xtronic CVT and a front-wheel-drive layout. Nissan says the concept uses regenerative braking and an advanced drive-by-wire electric/hydraulic steering system to ensure that the Ellure is as involving as possible for drivers out on the road.
No, the Ellure won’t be destined for production, but we’re eager to see how this sexy new sedan influences Nissan’s future product portfolio.
[Source: Nissan]
More about Nissan Cars on WorldCarfans:
+ LA 2010: Nissan unveils fourth generation Quest; swagger-wagon wars heat up
+ 2011 Nissan Versa gets priced, includes minor updates
+ Report: Nissan offering 2010 “model version up” kit to older JDM GT-R owners
+ 2011 Nissan Juke details, specs spilled ahead of New York
+ New York 2010: 2011 Nissan Juke is actually pretty neat
Categories: Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Nissan, Sedans/Saloons Tags: LA Auto Show, Nissan
LA 2010: Nissan unveils fourth generation Quest; swagger-wagon wars heat up
Keeping up with the Joneses is a tough game to play, and Nissan’s third-generation Quest was getting jealous of the new Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey. Los Angeles can change you, and that’s why we are staring at the all-new fourth generation 2011 Nissan Quest.
Arriving in dealerships in the beginning of next year, the 2011 Nissan Quest will be offered in four trims: S, SV, SL and LE. All four are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 253 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, and it’s paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT unit. Each trim is also fairly well-equipped, with even the base Quest S receiving push-button ignition and a six-disc CD audio system. The top-level Quest LE goes all out with such features as a DVD entertainment system with wireless headphones, a blind-spot warning system and HID headlights.
Besides the tech amenities, the Quest also offers a plethora of what-you-would-expect minivan features. The 2nd and 3rd rows of seating both fold flat to the floor, and a deep rear storage well adds even more cargo space if you are traveling with items other than passengers.
[Source: Nissan]
More about Nissan Cars on WorldCarfans:
+ 2011 Nissan Versa gets priced, includes minor updates
+ Report: Nissan offering 2010 “model version up” kit to older JDM GT-R owners
+ 2011 Nissan Juke details, specs spilled ahead of New York
+ New York 2010: 2011 Nissan Juke is actually pretty neat
Categories: Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Nissan Tags:
2011 Nissan Versa gets priced, includes minor updates
The Nissan Versa hasn’t received any substantial updates since its 2007 debut. It’s a shame, since there’s some pretty stiff competition on the market these days, especially from the likes of the Suzuki SX4, Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta. Still, Nissan adds incremental updates annually, and the 2011 model year is no different. What’s most important, though, is that pricing for the latest Versa has gone unchanged, meaning the bottom-end 1.6 Base sedan still rings in at $9,990, and the top-end 1.8 SL hatch commands $16,900, with a variety of models in both body styles in between.
Visually, nothing will change from the 2010 car (pictured), but some new standard equipment makes its way onto some trims. 1.8 S Versa sedans now benefit from an in-dash six-disc CD changer, and mid-grade 1.6 sedans now come with standard ABS (sorry, 1.6 Base, you still have to do without anti-lock brakes).
Categories: Hatchback, Nissan, Sedans/Saloons Tags: Nissan
Report: Nissan offering 2010 “model version up” kit to older JDM GT-R owners
If you live in Japan, own a 2007-2009 Nissan GT-R and want all of the goodies the ’10 model boasts, you’re in luck. Select Nissan dealers in the Land of the Rising Sun will reportedly be more than happy to supply you with a “2010 Model Version Up Kit.” For a little scratch, you can get a reworked set of brake calipers, an upgraded navigation system and a Spec V spoiler to help your car keep pace with the new wave of Godzillas hitting the streets.
While the navigation system will get a software update, it will also feature new USB functionality to allow it to be compatible with the NISMO datalogging kit (sold separately). That’s cool and all, but not quite so slick as what’s going on with those stoppers.
The original equipment calipers were dipped in a gold paint that would turn brown after a few hard laps, and featured brake pad springs that would fatigue over time. The model version up kit will provide owners with a new coat of heat-resistant gold paint, complete with a prominent Brembo logo and a tougher pad spring.
2011 Nissan Juke details, specs spilled ahead of New York
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.
Categories: Auto Show, Crossover, New York Auto Show, Nissan Tags:
New York 2010: 2011 Nissan Juke is actually pretty neat
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.
Categories: Auto Show, Crossover, New York Auto Show, Nissan Tags:
