The Nissan Pathfinder entered the market in 1986 and is currently only in its third generation (which began in 2005). With seven years under its belt, it’s high time for this SUV to enter the next chapter of its life and Nissan is prepping that with its first concept version unveiled at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January.
The concept’s exterior will mostly be remained untouched in the production version and includes a wide chrome grille and large aerodynamic headlights, recessed front windshield wipers, chrome door handles and large rear combination lights.
The new Pathfinder Concept is powered by a refined V6 engine and next-generation Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) that ensure a fuel economy increase of over 25%.
"Nissan is in a great position today. Sales are up, market share is increasing and our dealers have a great selection of 2012 Nissan cars, trucks and SUVs in inventory," said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc. "This new Pathfinder Concept is just the beginning of a far-reaching wave of new products on the horizon for Nissan. By the end of 2012, more than 70 percent of our sales volume will be all-new or redesigned."
UPDATE 01/09/12: This review has been updated with the official details and images.
2013 Nissan 370Z Facelift
As we previously reported, Nissan will be bringing a facelift version of their 370Z sports car to the 2012 Chicago Auto Show and since the show is only a few hours away, the first details of the vehicle have been released. The new 370Z will be offered in Coupe, Roadster, and NISMO Z configurations and will go on sale in June 2012.
Updates for the refreshed 370Z include a revised front fascia with vertical LED daytime running lights, the addition of a red reflector to the rear fascia, revised 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, and a new set of 18" wheels for the Coupe version. The models equipped with the Sport Package will receive red-finished brake calipers and Euro-tuned shock absorbers. Nissan will also offer two new exterior colors – Magma Red and Midnight Blue - and will combine them with a dark-finish fuel gauge trim.
The list of standard equipment will include a new Bose Premium Audio Package with two additional speakers and two subwoofers, premium gun metallic dark-finish 19-inch wheels, and Nissan GT-R style high-rigidity brake hoses and performance brake fluid.
Under the hood, Nissan has kept the usual 332 HP 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine and the choice of either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed automatic transmission.
More details will be revealed tomorrow when the 2013 Nissan 370Z makes its debut in Chicago, so stay tuned!
Nissan will be unveiling a preview version of a new addition to the B-segment at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The Invitation concept will be introduced next to the Micra city car and the Juke crossover. The production version of the Invitation will follow sometime in 2013.
The first details of the Invitation offered by Nissan state that the concept will combine "fresh style, innovation, and excitement." The concept’s sides are dominated by a distinctive character line, known internally as the "Squash Line," which adds a powerful dynamism to its profile with distinctive sculpted front and rear wings. The interior combines the latest technologies with high quality materials.
At this point, Nissan hasn’t revealed what engine will be used for the Invitation, but they have confirmed that it will offer an ultra-low CO2 emission target of under 100g/km. This tells us that we should expect to see the supercharged 1.0-litre engine already used in the Micra. However, whichever engine ends up underneath that hood, Nissan has promised class-leading levels of fuel efficiency and emissions.
This news may come as a surprise considering that, before this, we have never heard about an updated version of the 370Z nor have we seen spy shots to indicate its existence. However, it has now been reported that Nissan will be bringing an updated version of the 370Z, both coupe and roadster models, to next week’s Chicago Auto Show.
With an announcement like this, no other information was necessary to create a buzz, so no other details were provided. But since the updated sports car has kept its "370Z" nomenclature, don’t expect any major changes under the hood. We expect it to keep its usual 3.7-liter V6 engine with an output of 332 HP at 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. However, we do expect changes in terms of fuel economy because it’s what many, if not all, automakers are focusing on.
Changes will also be made to both the exterior and interior, but considering the model was just launched in 2009, nothing major is expected.
More details will be revealed next week at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, so stay tuned!
Japanese automaker Nissan is introducing a new, state-of-the-art technology that promises "self-healing" capabilities. We’d love to tell you that this is some kind of joke, but the truth is, it’s not.
In all seriousness, Nissan is unveiling a cell phone accessory that features their new Scratch Shield paint technology. According to Nissan, the Scratch Shield paint technology promises to heal small scratches within an hour for less-serious instances, and up to a week’s time in more serious occurrences.
The technology was developed by Nissan in collaboration with University of Tokyo and Advanced Softmaterials Inc. This material is expected to be used in a number of future Nissan and Infiniti models, but will make its debut as an protective accessory for the iPhone 4 and 4S models.
The case is made out of ABS plastic, a material that’s stronger and tougher than any other kind of plastic and, when combined with their new Scratch Shield technology, promises to be a revolutionary new safety accessory to protect our beloved iPhones.
We’ve seen some pretty crazy things being invented the past couple of years, but a cell phone case that heals itself?
That’s something we’d love to take a look at.
