European-Built 2013 Nissan Leaf to Debut at the Geneva Motor Show

The new Note won't be the only European-built Nissan model making its debut at the Geneva International Auto Show next week, as the Japanese carmaker will also display the updated Leaf.

Up until now, the pure electric vehicle hatch has been built solely in Japan, but Nissan is rolling out locally built versions of the Leaf for Europe and North America. In Europe, series production will begin at the company's UK plant in Sunderland alongside the Qashqai, Note and Juke. The Leaf's lithium-ion batteries are already being manufactured at a new facility nearby on the Sunderland site.

"By sourcing Nissan LEAF and its batteries in Europe, we are underlining our faith not just in the ability of the Sunderland facility to build our most technically advanced car, but also in the fact that electric vehicles can be considered a genuine alternative to conventionally powered vehicles," said Paul Willcox, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Nissan Europe.

Like its Japanese and American counterparts, the European-built 2013 Leaf comes with more than 100 changes, including some subtle design updates to improve aerodynamics, a faster charging option, a wider range of regenerative braking and enhanced energy management, while Nissan has also dropped pricing by €3,000 (roughly $4,000).

In Geneva, Nissan will also display the 370Z Nismo, 2013MY GT-R, Juke Nismo and the Resonance concept, next to the new Leaf and Note.

Articles Source : Carscoop

Category › 2013 , Geneva Motor Show , News , Nissan , Nissan Leaf

Latest Nissan Altima Becomes the New Teana for China

Nissan and its Chinese partner Dongfeng Motors lifted the veils off their new local market Teana sedan during a press conference in China on Tuesday in front of more than 1,000 (!) journalists and dealers from all over the country.

If the mid-size sedan looks eerily familiar, it's because the Teana is the same car as the North American Altima with some barely noticeable changes such as the added chrome strips on the lower sections of the doors and rear bumper, and the front grilles, the white markers on the headlamps and the revised tail light graphics.

The Teana will be manufactured at Dongfeng Nissan’s plant in Xiangyang, Hubei province, and is set to go on sale in the country in late March. It will be offered with Nissan's latest 182hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine matched to an Xtronic CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission).

According Nissan, the previous generations of the Teana achieved more than 700,000 sales in China since its introduction locally in 2004, a success the company believes will continue with the new model.

“It doesn’t get any more important than this. This is the flagship of the Nissan range in China. This represents everything that we are about,” said Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer, at the launch in Guangzhou.

“We are confident because the new generation Teana is a stronger product," said Dongfeng Nissan Vice President Ren Yong. "It contains even more of our efforts and we’ve done thorough preparations for it. We hope that with the launch the new Teana, it will bring momentum to dealers and for our sales. It will also allow customers to experience the benefits of the new Teana and return us to a position of strength.”

Articles Source : Carscoop

Category › News , Nissan

Datsun Brand to Sell Cars in South Africa as Well Starting from 2014, First Teaser Rendering

At a press conference at Nissan's Yokohama plant on Monday, the Japanese carmaker announced that the re-born Datsun Brand is set to return to South Africa, with the first passenger car to be launched onto the market at the end of 2014.

The announcement follows a global decision in 2010 to re-introduce the Datsun brand as part of the Japanese company's "Nissan Power 88" mid-term plan, which calls for an 8 percent global market share and 8 percent operating profit by fiscal year 2016.

Currently, Datsun sales are planned for four major markets, including South Africa, India, Indonesia and Russia, during the course of 2014.

"Following Infiniti's launch last year, we are delighted that South Africa is also a destination of choice for Datsun vehicles," commented Mike Whitfield, managing director of Nissan South Africa (NSA).

"Datsun enjoyed a proud heritage in the country after the Bluebird made its debut at the Pretoria Show in 1958, the 120Y and SSS models were household names, before going on to become the number one brand between 1976 and 1978."

In addition to the announcement, we also found a teaser rendering showing the front end of Datsun's first production model that will be a compact passenger car. We're not sure if this image has gone public before, but this is the first time we've seen it.

In December, it was revealed that the Datsun's new low-cost family cars will share their underpinnings with Russia's Lada, which in mid-2014, will pass into the ownership of the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

Articles Source : Carscoop

Category › Datsun , News , Nissan

Nissan Leaf tops 50,000 sales worldwide

Nissan says that its all-electric Leaf has broken the 50,000-units-sold threshold, as the Japanese automaker looks accelerate demand with the start of US Leaf production in Tennessee this year.

Nissan has sold about 7,000 Leafs across Europe, where the EV is sold in 17 countries. About 19,500 of those Leafs were sold in the US in 2011 and 2012.

In all, Nissan Leaf drivers have put more than 260 million kilometers (162 million miles) on their cars, with one Japanese owner clocking in about 110,000 miles.

The company last month dropped the price of its 2013 Leaf by $6,400 to a base of $28,800. Nissan's January US Leaf sales fell 3.8 percent from a year earlier to just 650 units, as the company looked to unload its 2012 model-year inventory. Read Nissan's press release below.

Nissan LEAF Smashes 50,000 Global Sales Milestone

More than 50 000 units sold globally since launch in 2010

Nissan LEAF now sold across 17 countries in Europe

Globally Nissan LEAFs have done over 260m emission free kilometers

ROLLE, Switzerland – Today the 100% electric Nissan LEAF marked another milestone in the history of EVs as it passed the 50,000 sales mark, reinforcing its position as the best selling electric vehicle of all time.

The owners of Nissan LEAF around the world have now covered a total distance of more than 260 million km*, greater than the distance from the earth to the sun. All of these kilometers were covered with zero tailpipe emissions, contributing to government's efforts to reduce levels of harmful NOx and particulate matter in cities. The highest mileage LEAF globally has been revealed as a Japanese customer who has covered more than 175,000 km, in a car that has only been on sale for two years.

In 17 European countries, 7,000 cars are being driven every day, with one customer in Spain has already clocked up over 43,000 km in one year. This is far beyond an average annual mileage and the rapid build up of mileage is testament to the reliability of the award winning EV. This is further demonstrated by its extraordinary customer satisfaction rating of over 95%, the highest of any Nissan vehicle.

In the last 12 months Europe registered significant growth of the CHAdeMO quick charging infrastructure. The number of these chargers which allow batteries to be recharged from empty to 80% battery capacity in around 30 minutes has rocketed from 158 to 601 in the last 12 months. The plans already in place are to more than double by the end of this year the number of installed quick charging installations. These units are being installed at strategic locations such as shopping center car parks or highway service stations, allowing the 50,000 Nissan LEAF owners to push the electric vehicle revolution even further.

*Figures are based on all LEAFs registered with the Carwings telemetry system, which is not mandatory and not all vehicles are registered.

About the Nissan LEAF

The Nissan LEAF was the first mass produced EV winning the European, World and Japanese car of the year 2011. More than 50,000 units have been sold globally since its introduction in December 2010, making Nissan LEAF the world's most selling electric vehicle. The AC motor develops 80 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of 145 km/h. The electric motor is powered by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery with an output of more than 90 kW. Recharging from empty to 100% takes eight hours with a normal charger and just 30 minutes from empty to 80% using a quick charger in optimal conditions. Nissan LEAF has been awarded five stars in the tough Euro NCAP tests, making it one of the safest cars on the road. Nissan LEAF comes fully equipped with air conditioning, satellite navigation, rear-view parking camera. European production of the Nissan LEAF will start at Sunderland in 2013.

About Nissan in Europe

Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 14,500 staff across locally based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 695,000 vehicles including mini-MPVs, award-winning crossovers, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Nissan now offers 24 diverse and innovative products for sale in Europe today, and is positioned to become the number one Asian brand in Europe.

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 248,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4.8 million vehicles in 2011, generating revenue of 9.4 trillion yen ($US118.95 billion). With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of 64 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero-emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades, including the prestigious 2011-2012 Car of the Year Japan and 2011 World Car of the Year awards.

Articles Source : Autoblog

Category › News , Nissan