Nissan has produced a promotional video for the new smaller but faster Nissan 370Z aimed at the Japanese market. Look at the video after the jump to check out the techno-ish video that shows the new 370Z in action as well as some footage of interior details like the meter panels in action. Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Japanese market Nissan 370Z Promo
Nissan’s new 2009 370Z Coupe has arrived, having being just unveiled at the LA Auto Show last week, though we’ve already previously seen leaked product shots on the net before the show.
They’ve intentionally given the new Z a more retro-ish styling that they say pays homage to the original 240Z from the 70s, though there’s nothing retro about that odd headlamp design (that debuted on the new Maxima) that comes with a matching taillamp design. Unlike other cars which seem to grow larger with each generation, the new Nissan 370Z is actually smaller than the Nissan 350Z.
The new car’s wheelbase is a whole 99mm shorter than the 350Z - 2550mm versus 2649mm and its also shorter by about 2.7 inches and lower by 0.3 inches. However it’s wider by 1.3 inches and the rear track also increases by 2.2 inches.
The chassis has also been strengthened, with the front torsion rigidity up by 30% and rear torsion rigidity up by 22%. Rear body vertical bending rigidity is also up by 30%. A new front suspension crade reduces front body lateral bending, while an underbody V bar reduces rear lateral bending. Also, don’t forget the new radiator housing which uses carbon fiber composite.
More aluminium has been used on the 370Z than ever on a Z car before this - for the first time the Z car has aluminum door panels, along with an all-aluminum hood and an aluminium hatch. The front double wishbones also use aluminium and are lighter, while the 4-link rear supension is also stiffer and lighter with the cradle now made of a single piece with no welding.
The engine is the VQ37VHR that debuted in the Infiniti G37 with 332 horses at 7,000rpm and 366Nm of torque at 5,200rpm, but what’s interesting is the transmissions that are mated to this motor. The automatic choice has 7 cogs, a quick lock-up function, automatic throttle blipping on downshifts, and paddle shifts for a closer resemblance to what a manual feels. In manual mode, a quick-shifting mode is activated allowing 0.5 second shifts.
The manual option is a 6-speed manual with what Nissan calls a “SynchroRev Match” feature (it’s an option with the Sport Package, not standard), which automatically rev-matches your engine speed for downshifts. You still operate the clutch and the gear lever normally, its just that the transmission automatically blips and rev-matches for the downshift. Yes, heel and toe is no longer necessary, though you can still do it yourself if you want to by disabling the SynchroRev Match feature.
There are also some differences with the pedals. For one, the aluminium pedals use a new rubber insert material for better grip. The accelerator pedal is now floor mounted like BMWs or the new Honda Civic, while the brake pedal now has a new variable ratio design for easier operation.
The standard wheels are 18 inchers with Yokohama Advan Sport 225/50R18 tyres at the front and a wider 245/45R18 size at the rear. Optional are 19 inch RAYS forged aluminium-alloy wheels wrapped with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A rubber in 245/40R19 and 275/35R19 sizes for the front and rear respectively.
The roadster model will debut sometime in 2009 for the 2010 model year. Look after the jump for a hi-res photo gallery of the new 2009 Nissan 370Z. Click here to read the rest of 2010 Nissan 370Z: Official Details and Photos
Between 30% to 50% of the world’s platinum output is used in automobile catalytic converters, and automobile-based usage are set to become even higher of fuel cell cars become more popular in the future, as platinum catalysts are also used in fuel cells.
Platinum is called a precious metal for a reason. Some keywords found in the definition of a precious metal include rare, and high in economic value. Thus it would make sense for an automaker to try to reduce the usage of such precious metals in their vehicles.
Nissan has developed a new ultra-low precious metal catalyst that will debut on the new Nissan Cube, set to be launched this week on the 19th of November 2008. They claim it uses half the amount of precious metals (rhodium and platinum) compared with regular catalysts - 1.3 grams versus 0.65 grams.
In regular catalysts, the high exhaust gas temperatures cause the precious metals to cluster together, thus reducing exposed metal surface. To counter this, catalysts typically contain more precious metals. Nissan’s catalyst adds a “wall” which prevents the clustering of the precious metals.
While we wait patiently for the even faster GT-R V-Spec to roll out of Nissan’s garages, they’ve gone ahead and performed a few minor updates on the “baseline” GT-R. New for the 2009 model year is an extra 5 PS from the engine, bringing the peak power up to 485 PS. It is however more economical, rated at 8.5km/l instead of the previous 8.2km/l. You can also go further per tank of fuel as the fuel tank size has been increased from 71 liters to 73.8 liters. The white paint is now a new shade called Storm White. Other minor changes include the Brembo brake calipers in front losing their Brembo logo and replaced with Nissan wordings, and the removal of the front license plate holder base.
Nissan has partnered up with the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to develop a new neutron imaging system which can be used to precisely visualize oil flow in an engine operating at high speed, allowing the car manufacturer to study the behaviour of lubricant in an engine and pin-point precisely where frictional losses are happening so that fuel consumption and CO2 emissions can be reduced. This is a project under the Nissan Green Program 2010.
The system uses neutron radiography and high-speed imaging to look at the oil flow through the engine block to each component, oil splash from the crankshaft and oil delivery to the final drive gear.
Siam Nissan Automobile launched the new Nissan Frontier Navara Calibre in Thailand yesterday in both King Cab (639,000 Thai baht) and Double Cab (715,000 Thai baht) bodies only with a 6-speed manual transmission. The Calibre is a 4X2 truck but features 4X4 styling upgrades such as a more muscular wheel arch, a raised ride height, tubular side steps, and a new rear bumper.
Under its hood is a version of the 2.5 liter YD25DDTi turbodiesel engine with a variable geometry turbocharger that has been detuned compared to the High Power version, producing 144 PS at 4,000rpm and 356Nm of torque at 2,000rpm.
The Nissan Navara was launched today and is now available for sale at all Nissan dealers. The Navara does not replace the Frontier but is positioned as a new offering above the Frontier, priced at RM103,721.90 for the sole 2.5 liter automatic model in Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak prices are both RM104,800.00. Nissan has been offering both models in alot of countries now, with the old Frontier renamed as the D22 or the NP300 but sold in limited quantities.
Look after the jump to find out more about the new Nissan Navara. Click here to read the rest of Nissan Navara with 174 PS launched in Malaysia!
These are the first uncovered and undisguised official photos of the new Nissan 370Z, and it looks like Nissan has gone all retro on this new installment in the Z car series, probably trying to emulate the success of American car companies in producing modern versions of their musclecar classics.
On the interior, Japanese sports car lovers who typically love to adorn their car with a triplet of Defi gauges will find that Nissan has already done this for you, though they’re probably not from Defi. If you wish to add your own Defi gauges you’ll have to use A-pillar mounts as the area above the center dash is already taken.
Like its name indicates, though we are not 100% sure as no official spec sheets have been released, the new 370Z is most likely going to feature the new 3.7 liter V6 VQ37 engine, producing roughly 330 horsepower. This means even more road tax to pay for the first Malaysians who snap this one up.
Look for two more shots after the jump. Click here to read the rest of Nissan 370Z photos: Z car goes retro?
UPDATE: Nissan Navara with 174 PS launched in Malaysia! - follow the link for full information on prices, specifications and photos!
The most powerful pick-up truck in Malaysia is coming soon - the Nissan Navara! Edaran Tan Chong Motor has launched a teaser microsite for the upcoming Nissan Navara, and they call it one big mother trucker!
Specs on the microsite confirms that we will not be getting any detuned or lame version of the Navara’s 2.5 liter engine, we will be getting the powerful common rail intercooled direct injected version with a Variable Nozzle Turbo (VGT) producing a powerful 174 PS at 4,000rpm and 403Nm of torque at 2,000rpm.
Unlike the Frontier which came with a 5-speed manual only, the new Nissan Navara will come with a 5-speed automatic transmission with an easy rotary switch for shifting between 2WD and 4WD modes. 2H and 4H modes can be shifted on the fly at speeds of under 100km/h. You will likely have to stop to switch into the low-ratio 4L mode, but the rotary switch makes it easier than a shift lever.
This is probably also the first pick-up truck in Malaysia equipped with Xenon HID headlamps, which ETCM carefully states on the site is fully JPJ-compliant. The vehicle also has dual SRS airbags for the front passenger and driver. A version with leather seats will also be available, while in-car audio is served by a 2-DIN audio system with 4 speakers and 2 tweeters.
The specs of the Navara indicates a rather premium positioning - leather seats, the powerful engine and the xenon headlamps are proof of that. The microsite does not indicate a price and I’m not sure whether a cheaper version with less specs but retaining the powerful engine (or a manual version) will be available either, so we will just have to wait and see whether an indicated launch date appears anywhere on the internet.
That ad tussle between BMW and Audi in South Africa back in 2006 is nothing compared to this latest feud, this time between Porsche and Nissan. What Porsche is doing right now is basically accusing the makers of the Nissan GT-R of cheating with the infamous 7 minutes 29 seconds lap time around the Nurburgring earlier this year.
Porsche purchased a Nissan GT-R and tried it out on the Nurburgring driven by one of Porsche’s chassis development engineers who they claim is an expert with the Nurburgring. According to Porsche, they only managed to get a lap time of 7 minutes and 54 seconds. On the same day, Porsche says the 911 Turbo managed 7 minutes and 38 seconds while the 911 GT2 managed 7 minutes and 34 seconds.
“This wonder car with 7:29 could not have been a regular series production car. For us, it’s not clear how this time is possible. What we can imagine with this Nissan is they used other tyres such as a semi-slick race-style tyre and not standard road tyres. The Nissan is a good car. I don’t want to make anything bad with my words. It’s a very consistent car. But this car is about 20 kilos heavier than the Turbo. For us it has been clearly the result. This technical puzzle now fits together. With the other (Nissan’s) numbers we had problems understanding it,” said Porsche’s product chief for the 911, August Achleitner.
Nissan has come out to defend itself, in a cheeky manner too! They say the tyres used during the Nissan GT-R’s 7 minute and 29 seconds lap driven by former F1 driver Toshio Suzuki are the standard Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST CTT tyres that come with the car. In fact, the company still has the very same tyres used on the run and will be happy to exhibit the tyres along with the lap footage shot by the Japanese magazine Best Motoring.
But it’s worthwhile to note that in certain regions the car also comes with Bridgestone Potenza RE070R tyres, which so happens to be the tyres fitted on the GT-R that Porsche bought. Based on this, can we conclude that the Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST CTT are better tyres than the Bridgestone Potenza RE070R?
The Japanese automaker added that it was pointless for Nissan to conduct tests using non-standard equipment as the GT-R was designed from the start to be a supercar that could be driven anywhere, anytime and by anyone so it is much more relevant and meaningful to test the car using standard production specification. In fact, the lap car was carrying an additional 50kg of equipment that was used for lap data logging and could have gone even faster without that equipment.
Nissan said Porsche’s inability to match their lap times could be because of improper run-in procedures and cheekily, “lack of driver skill”.
“We are aware that several auto makers have purchased the GT-R for their own testing and evaluation. Like all GT-R customers, we recommend that any auto maker buying a GT-R should follow the recommended run-in procedures, service schedules and maintenance to ensure the maximum performance from their car. In addition, we offer performance driving courses for prospective and current GT-R owners to help them get the best performance from their car. We would welcome the opportunity to help any auto manufacturer with understanding the full capabilities of the GT-R,” they said, probably while trying hard to suppress a snigger.
