Merry Christmas!

 

All of us at Ancira Nissan join in sending you best wishes for the holiday and the new year!

Detroit Bound 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Teased

 

"Another teaser image rolls of the company’s table and hits the interwebs today. The Japanese automotive multinational Nissan has released a teaser shot of its very new seven-seater model, the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder.

Offering a preview of Nissan’s next generation production SUV, the 2013 Pathfinder, according to the company will club together its predecessors’ traditional SUV hallmarks with a new platform and “dramatic new aerodynamic body.” With sophisticated and intelligent technology, comfortable seating for seven and ample cargo room, the 4-wheel drive Pathfinder Concept features an impressive curvaceous body and sleek lines.

The car will make its first public debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in January. Nissan confirms that 2013 Pathfinder will go on sale next fall." [Continue reading...]

FedEx Trials Nissan Pure-Electric Van in London

 

"Nissan has supplied FedEx a pure electric NV200 van for a two-month trial in London. The idea is to see whether the prototype EV can handle the mean streets of the capital. It’s part of a larger global FedEx trial involving 43 pure-electric vehicles operating in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Memphis.

Earlier this year, the Japan Post Service ran an NV200 EV on routine delivery and collection duties in Japan, and New York City will be testing six electric versions of the NV200, which the city chose as its new yellow cab, with a view to introducing them in 2017.

The NV200 uses the same powertrain and battery deployed in the Nissan LEAF five-door hatchback pure-electric. We’re guessing that the van – especially when loaded for business – will be considerably heavier than the LEAF, so performance and range aren’t likely to match the car’s.

Central London’s heavily congested streets, where poor air quality is an issue, are viewed as an ideal challenge for the NV200 EV – the van will be at its most efficient in stop/start traffic with its regenerative braking scoring back energy that would otherwise be lost." [Continue reading...]

Nissan Bonds to Fund Upgrades in Smyrna

"The Rutherford County Industrial Development Board approved the issuance of $35.7 million in bonds Wednesday to finance Nissan's auto factory upgrades.


This is the 18th time Nissan has requested bonds since it established its arrangement in 1982 with the IDB, which leases the factory to the Japanese automaker in exchange for the company paying property taxes at a reduced rate.


"It's been a long and productive relationship," said Steve Miller, a Nissan tax manager who works at the company's American headquarters in Franklin.


Nissan every year or two needs to request bonds to reflect the company's investments to update the factory, Miller said.


"The Smyrna plant is a dynamic operation," said Miller, who is a 25-year Murfreesboro resident who previously worked at the local factory before Nissan moved its headquarters to Tennessee in 2005. "We are constantly changing operations."


In 2012, Nissan will be adjusting its assembly line operation in Smyrna to add the Infiniti JX in February. By December, the company will launch production of the Leaf electric car, and a new Nissan battery factory at the Smyrna campus will produce what's needed to operate the Leaf. The battery factory is about built, and the company will be adding the needed equipment to make the batteries, Miller said.


The latest models of the Pathfinder and Altima will continue coming off the line as well, Miller said.


By 2013, the Smyrna factory will start producing the Rogue, which is a cross between an SUV and a sedan.


While adding new lines here, Nissan plans to relocate production of the Xterra SUV and Frontier pick up trucks to the factory in Canton, Miss.


Miller said Nissan and its contractors are doing a lot of hiring to get ready to produce new cars and batteries.


"Things look good," Miller said. "We're proud to be part of the local community."


Miller said Nissan has a global presence, such as plans to manufacture the Leaf in Japan, Spain and Smyrna." [Continue reading...]

Nissan Unveils Technology Enabling Electric Leaf Car to Power Family Home

 

"It sounds far-fetched but your car could be making your toast for you in a few years. And boiling your kettle. And doing your washing. Nissan has just unveiled new technology that it thinks will revolutionize the way we power our homes, our cars and our lives. 

It has developed a system in which its new electric car, the Leaf, can be plugged into a house to provide it with another source of energy. The company’s Smart Home Charging technology is designed to encourage consumers to move away from using electricity provided by the main grid and use their car for more than just motoring. 

At the heart of this energy drive is the Nissan Leaf (Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car). In a recent demonstration at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan showed how the car can power a home by being connected to a power control system box (PCS) that is hooked up to the property. 

In the demonstration, the Leaf was powering a specially-designed Smart House but Nissan is confident the technology could be used with existing homes. The power control system box will go on sale at the end of March next year in Japan, where more than 8,000 Leafs have been sold since the car launched in December 2010. The box will cost more than £4,000. 

According to Nissan, the Leaf’s 24kW per hour battery is enough to power a home’s lights, fan, television, fridge and other appliances for two days.

In an ideal world, the technology would operate in a smart home fitted with solar panels and fuel cells, thus free from the electrical grid. 

However, until those types of homes are the norm, it could still be used to reduce a household’s electricity bills. The car would be charged at night through the electrical grid but homeowners might use the vehicle’s battery to power certain appliances and devices during peak times to save money. It could also be used to power the home during blackouts. 

Energy expert Alastair Ramsay is the sustainable development manager at Legrand, which specialises in electrical installation. He described how it might work." [Continue reading...]

Happy Birthday to the Nissan LEAF

Nissan Pathfinder Prepares to Cross Over

 

"If automakers have learned anything from the 2011 Ford Explorer, it's that changing a popular SUV nameplate to a crossover platform won't necessarily hurt the vehicle's image (or sales numbers). Nissan is hoping to capture that same sort of magic with its Pathfinder – judging by these spy shots, the traditionally body-on-frame SUV stalwart appears to be crossing over for its next generation.

The next-gen Pathfinder will likely be based on Nissan's FF-L platform that currently underpins vehicles like the Murano crossover and Quest minivan. Our best guess is that this Pathfinder, which will still remain a seven-passenger vehicle, could share many of its bits with the recently revealed Infiniti JX. Either way, whatever Nissan has planned for the new Pathfinder will surely be better than the aging, Titan-based model that's currently on sale." [Continue reading...]

Nissan Expands Leaf Availability into New U.S. Markets

 

"Days before the one-year anniversary of the world’s first Nissan LEAF delivery on Dec. 11, Nissan North America Inc. (NNA) expands availability of the all-electric LEAF into new U.S. markets. After one year and 20,000 global deliveries, the Nissan LEAF remains the world’s first and only all-electric car for the mass market. 

Today, Nissan has re-opened reservations and has begun taking orders from the general public for the 2012 Nissan LEAF in Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Deliveries of the LEAF, enriched for the 2012 model year with additional standard equipment including quick charging and cold-weather features, will take place in these key markets beginning in spring 2012. 

“Nissan LEAFs have been on the U.S. roads for one year now, and thousands of drivers have become living proof that a 100-percent electric, zero-emissions vehicle fulfills the daily needs of drivers from all walks of life,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, NNA. “We are seeing already-strong interest in the LEAF continue to grow across the country. This market expansion brings us one step closer to true, nationwide availability.”

With this new wave of availability, Nissan LEAF is now available for order in 30 states, including Washington, D.C. Nationwide, 50-state ordering will be available by March 2012." [Continue reading...]

Nissan Now Offering Ready-to-Race 370Z

 

"Nissan’s iconic “Z” cars boast a long and storied tradition of motorsports success, but this year, the plot thickens—and the Z quickens: The automaker is now selling the 370Z NISMO RC, designed specifically for racing. The new racer is configured to meet FIA GT4 and World Challenge GTS class specs right out of the box, and can be adapted to compete in the GS class of the Grand Am Continental Tire Challenge. (Note: NISMO is Nissan’s racing and performance division, and gets its name from an abbreviation of Nissan Motorsport International Limited.) 

The 370Z NISMO RC is based on the entirely street-legal 370Z—itself no slouch in the performance department—but has been reinvented specifically for track-only competition. As a result, it now boasts an FIA-compliant roll cage, onboard fire extinguisher, Recaro racing seat, Sparco competition steering wheel, carbon-fiber switch panel, and a full complement of NISMO enhancements, including a specially tuned ECM and race-ready high-capacity clutch, flywheel, engine oil, and transmission and differential coolers, as well as a wide range of hose and connector upgrades. The 370Z NISMO RC also went on a significant diet to get into racing condition, with Nissan experts slicing more than 350 lbs. off the curb weight of the highest-preforming production Z." [Continue reading...]