Nissan Videos: 2013 Nissan GT-R Versus 2012 Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition

2013 Nissan GT-R Versus 2012 Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition - Perhaps the greatest achievement for Nissan and its GT-R is that it has become a benchmark for all types of sports cars. And there's no better proof for this than the fact that in February alone, we've seen at least three publications comparing the Godzilla against a variety of new sports cars including the 2012 M5 sedan, the 2012 Camaro ZL1 and now, the Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition from Insideline.
So, before you watch the video test, let's do a quick rundown on the numbers:
The 2013 GT-R has a 545HP and 463 lb-ft 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 linked to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission driving all-four wheels, and a starting price of $97,820, with the test car costing $100,820 due to the $3,000 Super Silver paint option.
On the other side of the ring, we have the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition powered by a 7.0-liter pushrod V8 pushing out 505HP and 470 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.
The Z06 starts at $76,500, but the test car's options such as the $8,815 3LZ Premium Equipment Group, $4,950 Centennial Special Edition package, $7,500 Z06 Ultimate Performance package (with Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes), and $3,995 carbon-fiber package lift the price to $101,760.
Check out the video test below while you can also read the full test over at Insideline.

VIDEO: 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 vs.

Vintage Japanese Cars Gaining a Strong Following in the U.S

Vintage Japanese Cars Gaining a Strong Following in the U.S - When you hear the term “classic” car, you surely think of something old but rare and most likely expensive, like an Aston Martin, a Ferrari or perhaps even some good ol' American iron.

The sole Japanese model that fetches serious money in the classic car market is Japan’s first supercar, the Toyota 2000GT. Collectors pay more than US$400,000 for the road versions while a 2000GT racer is currently being offered for US$1.7 million.

Whatever you think about the insane prices that some people are willing to pay for them, you would never apply this term to 30-year-old run-of-the-mill Japanese compact cars.

Nostalgia, however, can be a very powerful emotion. That’s why mainstream Japanese cars, which at their time were considered reliable and frugal but not really exciting, are gaining a growing number of followers.

One of them is 36-year old Jun Imai who works as a designer at Hot Wheels having directed the styling for two 1970s Nissan die-cast models that the Mattel-owned company released last year.

“It’s a very special feeling I have for cars like these”, told Detnews, Imai, who lives in Southern California and owns a 1971 Datsun 510 wagon and a 1972 Datsun pickup. “They are so distinctive in the designs, the sound of the engines, the way they drive, yet most are approachable in terms of costs and availability”, he adds.

Imai is not alone in having a passion for old Japanese metal. In a 2005 meeting set up in Long Beach by Terry Yamaguchi and her husband, Koji, owners of a 1972 Toyota Celica coupe and a 1977 Celica liftback, more than 200 cars showed up. The show then became an official event called the Japanese Classic Car Show and it continues to be held today attracting about 350 entries.

People who are usually interested in old, fairly common Japanese cars are 30-something men that grew up with these models and can now afford to buy and run them.

Bryan Thompson, a designer for Nissan from 2001 until 2009 who currently works as a contract designer for Volvo, says that he chose his profession because he was fond of his parents’ 1983 Toyota Tercel wagon.

“When you have everyday cars, there’s an emotional connection”, he explains. “They’re part of your life in the way a pet or a family member is part of your life.”

Nostalgia is also what prompted Toyota to manufacture what it claims to be a modern-day version of its Corolla AE-86, a favorite among drift drivers. However, that’s only one side of the coin. The other that sparked the resurgence of interest in old Japanese cars was the Fast and Furious franchise.

Benjamin Hsu, co-founder of the Japanese Nostalgic Car magazine and website, says that the franchise had a huge impact: “People wanted to find out what the Japanese were doing. And what Japanese people were doing was drifting.”

With almost every affordable Japanese model being front-wheel drive, the solution was simple: buy an old one. “Japanese companies weren’t building rear-wheel drive cars, unless you get to high-end luxury”, says Hsu. Therefore, 1980s models like the Nissan 240SX, the Corolla GT-S and the first-generation Mazda RX-7 suddenly became very popular.

It’s not just rear-wheel drive Japanese models that attract U.S. buyers: Detnews reports that, on eBay, a 1976 Honda Civic CVCC with 59,000 miles on the odometer sold for US$3,550. Serious cash for such a small car, but still much less than what a comparable Alfa Romeo or Chevy Camaro, for example, would cost.

 

Story References: Detnews

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Non-U.S. Automakers Displeased After President Obama Snubs Them at Washington Auto Show

Non-U.S. Automakers Displeased After President Obama Snubs Them at Washington Auto Show - On Tuesday, January 31, U.S. President Barack Obama’s schedule included a visit to the 2012 Washington Auto Show. The White House informed automakers on a two days’ notice to bring their most fuel-efficient models to the show. Naturally, they obliged. For example, Honda flew in the FCX Clarity from California, Kia brought the Optima hybrid and Mercedes-Benz a fuel-cell car. Carmakers also brought along their top brass to discuss green technologies with the President.
As Bloomberg reports, the problem is that Obama, who had half an hour in his disposal, ignored foreign manufacturers.
Instead, he spent most of his time with domestic brands, posing for the press with the Dodge Dart, the Chevrolet Malibu, the Ford C-MAX Energi, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 (not pretty fuel efficient those two, by the way…).
“When you look at all these cars, it is testimony to the outstanding work that’s been done by workers, American workers, American designers”, said Obama. “The U.S. auto industry is back. The fact that GM is back, number one, I think shows the kind of turnaround that’s possible when it comes to American manufacturing.”
The Association of Global Automakers’ CEO Michael Stanton said that representatives of non-U.S. manufacturers were displeased with the President’s action.
“Many of our members bent over backwards to meet the request from the White House”, said Stanton. “We were just terribly disappointed that the President refused to recognize the commitment that our members and others have made to the manufacturing base of the United States.”
Stanton added that members of the Washington-based Association, which includes Toyota, Honda and Kia, have made investments in excess of US$43 billion to the country and employ more than 80,000 workers.
Ironically, one day later, Honda announced its plans to invest US$100 million to its Ohio transmission plant, which is part of a total investment of half a billion in upgrading the factory in the last 18 months.
John O’Donnel, executive VP of the show organizers, said, “I don’t believe it was an intentional snub. I think he was checking up on the investment he made in the domestics”, referring to the 2009 GM-Chrysler bailout.
White House spokeswoman Sandra Abrevaya declined to comment.
Published by: carscoop

Tuning: Fox Marketing Working on 400hp Nissan Juke Special

Fox Marketing Working on 400hp Nissan Juke Special - Tuning firms are sure to have been inspired by Nissan UK's daring move to wedge the GT-R's twin turbo V6 and AWD system into the conceptual Juke-R, and having built project cars for over a decade, Fox Marketing looks to be the first to create a high-powered variant of the small crossover."When we first saw the Nissan Juke-R that Nissan UK built, we were blown away," said the tuning firm. "But, to build a vehicle like the Juke-R you are talking a seven figure build budget."

As part of the company's 12th year anniversary they are working on a new tune for the Nissan Juke, which will be introduced in the coming months.The tuner will modify the Juke's standard powertrain by fitting a custom intercooled turbo setup to motivate the 1.6-liter engine to around 400hp. A new brake system with 14-inch 6-piston calipers, 20-inch alloys, a more aggressive aero package, performance springs, and interior improvements including Yonaka Ronin racing seats, will also be added.BASF will contribute Foxy Orange paint once the body modifications are complete.

 

source: www.foxmarketingcars.com

 

Cool 11m Scrappage Car - Cool Cars

Cool 11m Scrappage Car  - This cool 11-metre car is created out of more than 2000 scrapped car parts including a door from a limousine and a set of furry dice. The car is advertised as having 'one careful owner - and any number of really, really careless ones'.

It was created by a reputable British sculptor, a commission for a car maker in the United Kingdom. Nissan was seeking to make a statement about the effectiveness of the UK Government's Scrappage Scheme. The deal saw generous incentives offered to new car buyers who were willing to trade in their eight-to-10-year-old vehicle to be scrapped. It is credited with keeping car sales ticking along through the worst of the recession last year. 

Downing Street is pulling the plug on the  car scrappage scheme in the UK, but Nissan is among manufacturers now offering their own trade-in system, which they say will put more people in cars meeting the strict Euro 5 emissions standards. In Nissan's case, that's a $5000 minimum trade-in for any vehicle over seven years of age traded on any new British built Nissan. Effective until the end of June, the deal covers the Micra, Note, Qashqai and Qashqai-Plus.

Nissan Infiniti Digital Art Competition Gallery - Cool Cars

Nissan Infiniti Digital Art Competition Gallery - We're always on the look out for cool design when it comes to cars and so this digital art competition from Nissan is right up our street. Called Infiniti, it's Nissan's luxury and performance car arm to their business, based around high performance and high style in all the range. The digital art competition is in conjunction with cool design magazine designboom. This competition was the first ever 'free to enter' international digital art competition of it's type. The competition invited entrants to design a sculpture, projection or installation that would be entered into the competition and eventually whittled down to 6 finalists which are to be shown in Infiniti showrooms around the country. The bespoke boutique-hotel-style Infiniti CentreStockport (Manchester, UK) is the latest of these showrooms and is in the middle of a week long promotion inviting people to come along and look at the art works as well as the cool cars.

With cool art and high performance cars in one place - there's something for everyone there! The art works include the work of Shinji Nukumi of Japan, entitled ‘Infiniti Passion’ – a design which expresses the potential of Infiniti cars from the inside rather than from the outside.

Crystalline DNA

Making his debut in the sphere of automotive-based art, Brano Hlavac from Slovakia has created a series of four visuals which look at the manufacturing and design of Infiniti’s models utilising the elements of crystal, the power of shape and DNA. In his designs, he highlights the importance of creativity and the automaker making their own mark, putting to one side the act of selling cars.

Value Added

The curvaceous sculpture by Slovak designers Juraj Rattaj and Jan Ziska explores the idea of creating a parking space which projects the correct image of a luxury car such as an Infiniti, whilst adding value as a piece of art in a public place rather than merely being confined to the function of hosting a vehicle.

Highway of Light

This is a digital animation conceived by Bob Trempe and Roman Torres of the USA to reflect the powerful and distinct “character lines” used in the design of every Infiniti model. The digital animation communicates the lines of Infiniti brand by combining a silhouette of a car and the moving light streaks of fast moving vehicles on a highway.

Infiniti Passion

The brainchild of Japanese artist Nukumi Shinji and NBBR, “Infiniti Passion” is composed of a series of projections on to an Infiniti model which focuses on the ‘inner’ dimension of the car in order to be able to see the potential of the marque.

Presence

The piece designed by Sanchit Sawaria and Palash Singh looks at the importance of performance and a car which creates an experience for the user beyond driving. The art does not reveal the mechanics which made the visual possible, but is the result of the discreet presence of technology such as streaks of light generated by fast moving cars.

Synthesised by Nature

Inspired by light, nature, and geometry, the artwork created by Englishman Jackson Tayler, combines three half cubes and projections to create the journey of a streak of light through an autonomous and sophisticated world. The free-flowing movements of the beam, which guide the viewer through the artwork, incorporate elements of ballet, and reflect the power of an infiniti’s engine and the elegance of the cars’ curves.

You can find out more digital art competition information or visit the Infinity website at www.infiniti.co.uk and the Infinity Reveal gallery

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Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

The FIA Foundation announced the results of the first ever crash tests carried out by the Latin New Car Assessment Program (Latin NCAP), and the news isn’t good for consumers and automakers alike. Actually, the crash test results reveal a terrifying reality: most of the best selling cars in Latin America’s emerging markets offer minimal or no protection at all to their adult occupants let alone children...
Max Mosley, president of Global NCAP, said: “The latest results of the Latin NCAP reveal that South America’s most popular cars are still about 20 years behind the levels of safety enjoyed in Europe and North America. This cannot be acceptable.”
"We want to see the UN’s global crash test standards applied to all new cars across the world. And we want consumers to be aware of the life and death choices they make when buying a new car," Mosley added.
The 64 km/h (40 mph) frontal impact crash tests revealed that most of the cars that were tested suffered from poor structural rigidity which, along with the absence of airbags in most of them, “awarded” them an unheard-of, in the 21st century, one-star rating!
This kind of performance is indeed scary, especially when compared to models sold to the European and North American markets, where the top five-star rating for every new model, save for ultra compacts which usually score four stars, is the norm.
Whereas in North America and Europe safety agencies constantly upgrade their requirements, in most Latin American countries safety regulations are virtually non-existent.
A measure of the work that needs to be done is the fact that Argentina and Brazil will make airbags mandatory by 2014 – and that, sadly, is hailed as a sign of progress.

Published By: Carscoop

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First Drive: The 2012 Nissan Versa SV

Welcome to the 2012 Battle of the Compact Cars! In this multi part series, I will test drive several different cars in the Compact category and give you an honest review on which car is the best when it comes to purchase price, fuel economy, and all of the goodies manufacturers are throwing in at no extra charge. Read on to see who is offering you the most horsepower, bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, A/C, and navigation for your money.
The first car on the list is the 2012 Nissan Versa. Nissan offers the Versa in 3 trim levels: the S, SV, and SL. The S already holds the distinction of being the cheapest car offered in the US market for 2012 with an MSRP of $10,990. While the model I drove was the SV, I think it’s important to list some of the options that are standard on the base model. For $10,990, you get a trip computer, A/C, tilt steering, a 12 volt DC power outlet, an AM/FM/CD radio with an auxilary jack, and a 5-spd manual transmission option. The SV model that I drove starts at $14,560 and the SL model starts at $15,560. Please note that these pricing numbers are from the Nissan website and do not include any dealer costs or destination fees.
When I went to test drive the Versa, I was fully aware that the car had been completely redesigned. However, I was not fully prepared with just how drastic the transformation would be. When I walked out of the dealership into the parking lot, Kevin actually had to point the car out to me. The first words out of my mouth were, “Wow, that looks good!”



As soon as I sat down in the car, I realized where the cuts had been made in order to make this car as affordable as possible. However, none of them were deal-breakers. There were only two things that truly bugged me; the cheap plastic door panels and the fact that there were no center armrests. The dash and gauges are both quite similar to the Cube. Very user-friendly in both placement and function. The steering wheel controls for the cruise control and the audio are always a nice touch.


The SV and SL models also offer an upgraded trip computer which monitors average mpg, current mpg, distance to empty, and service interval. Other amenities include remote keyless entry and four speakers for the stereo instead of just two. The seats were OK but not great. I noticed this while driving less than 5 miles round trip so I’m guessing this would probably not be the an ideal road trip vehicle.
The test drive in itself was pretty calm. There is really no point in pushing a car with only 109 hp to its limits because that isn’t what this car was built for. The 1.6 DOHC engine does fine on the main roads but it is kind of scary when trying to build up speed on a freeway onramp, especially when it is paired with the CVT transmission. I was coming up the ramp at 4500 rpm trying to reach at least 45 mph. I’m hoping it was only struggling because of the grade of the road. There are only two transmission options available on the Versa; the CVT on all models and a 5-spd manual on the base model only. Hopefully I will get a chance to drive one of the manual versions and update this article with a comparison between the two. The Versa feels very similar to both the Cube and the Juke, only with less horsepower. The steering feels just a bit disconnected but the handling is very good for a car of its price range. There is some wind noise around the mirrors but nothing terribly distracting. Visibility is good out of all the windows and mirrors. The ride on the freeway seemed to be a bit harsh but I would hazard a guess that a tire upgrade would eliminate that issue. The only significant mechanical problem I had with the car was the brakes. The brake pedal needed to be adjusted because the brakes did not engage until the pedal was depressed about 50%. That was very disconcerting the first mile or so until I got used to it.
Other things of note are the huge trunk, lots of legroom for rear passengers, and a spare tire. I should mention that when Kevin sat in the back seat, his head did touch the roof. I guess I should also mention that he is 6’5″. He said legroom was comfortable. I am 5’7″ and I fit just fine. For those of you who like specific numbers, like me, here you go.
Interior (inches)

Head room (front/rear) without moonroof 40.6/37.9 inches
Leg room (front/rear) 41.4/38.0 inches
Hip room (front/rear) 48.8/47.2 inches
Shoulder room (front/rear) 53.5/50.7 inches


For those of you who are environmentally conscious and are concerned about the impact a new vehicle has on the Earth, here are a couple of good numbers for you. The Versa scored a 9 out of 10 on the global warming score and a 5 out of 10 on Smog control. Fuel economy on the Versa for the CVT transmission: 30/38. For the 5-spd manual transmission: 27/36.

The list of safety features is too long to list here. They can be found on the Nissan Website. Rest assured, there are plenty of airbags and other features to ensure the driver’s and the passengers’ safety.
If I were to rate this car on a scale of 1-10, based on price and value for the dollar, I would have to give the Versa an 8.5. The only significant complaints I had were the door panels, the brake pedal, and the lack of power. The only one of those that would be an actual concern would be the brake pedal and as I mentioned earlier, I think that could be remedied with an easy adjustment. The Versa was built to be a cost effective way to get from point A to point B. It does a great job of that and thanks to the redesign, it does so with style.
Thanks again to our friends Kevin Schwartz and Charlie Cashen at Peoria Nissan for letting me test drive the car!

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The Nissan Leaf – Changing the face of motorsports?

The Nissan leaf was first shown to the public in December of 2010. For those of you who are not “in tune” with the environmental movement, the Nissan Leaf is a zero-emission vehicle, ok, electric car, with a 100 mile range and an electric motor system which generates 107 horsepower and 207 ft-lb of torque. Utilizing a fast-charge system the Leaf can be replenished to 80% of its full capacity within 30 minutes. Quite a feat. From a performance perspective the Leaf unofficially does 0-60 in 7 seconds and tops out at 94mph. Not too shabby for an all-electric vehicle that some liken to a catfish.
Since release the Leaf has received quite a few awards including the 2011 World Car of the Year, Top Safety Pick 2011 from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Top-10 green cars from Kelley Blue books, Wards 2010 Best Engines’ award, and the Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award, among others. So, the Leaf is eco-friendly, environmentally safe, has a decent range for city driving, charges quickly, and is being acknowledged by “the industry”. That’s good and all but what does this have to do with racing and record breaking?
Nissan is investing quite an effort to garner a positive image for their little electric car. Part of this effort has been to run the Leaf, and variants of the Leaf, in multiple road racing events around the world. The Leaf has been outfitted with racing tires, roll cages, and even aggressive body kits in its quest to be seen as something more as a simple city eco-warrior.
Unleash the Beast: The NISMO RC

The Leaf NISMO RC was released in April as a prototype. This Leaf received an all-new and aggressively style carbon fibre body with aggressive stance, colors and spoilers. The full fibre monocoque body was built in three pieces with removable front and rear sections, has fixed windows, LED headlights and taillights, and a fully adjustable rear wing. It sits on a wheelbase that is 3.9″ shorter but the car is actually 0.8″ longer and 6.7″ wider than the factory Leaf. From a height perspective the NISMO RC is 13.8″ lower overall than the factory vehicle with ground clearance limited to 2.4″ vs 6.3″ in the factory variant. Overall weight is 40% less than the factory Leaf as well. No changes were made to the driveline of the NISMO RC.
Leaf NISMO RC takes on Le Mans

In June the NISMO RC performed two demonstration runs at the Circuit de la Sarthe outside Paris. This made the Leaf the first purpose-built zero-emission racing spec production vehicle in the world, nonetheless the first to run the Le Mans circuit. Prior to this event, an all black race-prepped version of the RC did a shakedown run at Sodegaura Forest Raceway. Nissan’s Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares was behind the wheel of the electric race car, for a Le Mans event called the “Le Mans vers le futur”. Overall it took Tavares 22 minutes to lap the track while following a slower BMW. At no point was the car really put through its paces, I’m afraid.
Leaf at Pikes Peak Hill climb

On June 26th a nearly stock Nissan Leaf took part in the 89th Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb with veteran Nissan off-road truck racing champion Chad Hord behind the wheel. It competed in the Production Class for electric vehicles and, other than the removal of some interior parts like seats and carpets to make room for safety equipment such as a roll cage, racing seats and safety harnesses, the LEAF was very close to the way it left the factory. With a time of 14 minutes and 33 seconds the Leaf set a record for being the fastest production electric vehicle to take on the event. Yes, it’s also the first to ever accept the challenge as well. The only other electric vehicle running this year was a open wheeled purpose-built race car which completed the same run in 12 minutes and 20 seconds, a new record of its own.
Goodwood Festival of Speed

A record is a record it seems and Nissan was wanting two of them. In July, Nissan attended the Goodwood Festival of Speed with a Nissan Leaf, a Nissan Juke, and the NISMO RC prototype. The goal was to set two records while at the event. The Nissan Juke proceeded to set a new record for running the entire hill climb on two wheels in 2 minutes 55 seconds – Wait, what? You read that right. On two wheels. With FOUR people in the car. The Nissan Leaf was set to perform its record attempt by running the course backward but officials determined it was too dangerous at the time. Also at the event was the Nissan Leaf NISMO RC which ran multiple passes with a best time of 66.33 seconds.
What’s Next?
Nissan has claimed they want to set more records and really show what their little electric car can do. So far, so good.
Article by: Matthew Moody

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