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Renault Samsung SM7 Concept – 2nd-gen on the cards

April 4, 2011 at 6:24 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Nissan, Renault


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The unveiling of the Renault Samsung SM7 Concept at the Seoul Motor Show means only one thing – the replacement for the first-generation SM7, which was introduced in 2004 in the Korean market, is due.


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The upcoming replacement is set to be introduced in the latter half of 2011. The original sat on a Nissan Teana/Maxima FF-L platform, and the second-generation offering will be no different, underpinned by a D platform meant for the Teana/Maxima.


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No specifications have yet been announced for the vehicle, which features a design concept called “Man in Tuxedo,” but engine options won’t run far from that offered for the Nissans wearing the same legs, undoubtedly – the current SM7, built in Busan, comes in 3.5 V6 and 2.3 Neo VQ versions.

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Next generation Nissan Tiida (Latio) hatchback spotted in China, and it looks good!

March 28, 2011 at 3:48 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, China, Nissan

It looks like China is the country to look at when it comes to checking out the latest and greatest stuff from Nissan for the average layman (not the expensive stuff like the 370Z, GT-R, etc). The new Nissan Sunny made its world debut in China, and we also saw a revised design for the Nissan Teana. And now we have this, an all-new Nissan Tiida, known as the Nissan Latio in Malaysia.

These images from Chinese website Auto Sohu show a very attractive looking new Nissan Tiida hatchback, whichh has now become a full fledged C-segment vehicle rather the B/C segment car that was the current generation Tiida. Nissan’s B-segment sedan and hatch offerings are now officially the March and the Sunny.

According to Auto Sohu, wheelbase for the new Tiida is now a Sylphy-matching 2,700mm, one of the longest in the C segment, which should translate into decent interior space. I wonder if this look will translate well onto a sedan body. A sedan based on this platform and wheelbase length can be used to replace the Bluebird Sylphy.

Apparently the Latio will also get a hot hatch version powered by the 1.6 litre turbo engine that you can currently find in the Nissan Juke. The MR16DDT makes 188 horsepower and 240Nm of torque, which will transform the new Tiida into an interesting competitor for the likes of the Golf GTI and the Mazda 3 MPS.
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SPOTTED: New Nissan March with manual transmission, but it doesn’t belong to Tan Chong!

March 20, 2011 at 5:53 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Nissan, Spyshots

How apt for this to have happened in the month of March – this Nissan March in the hero orange colour was spotted by reader Kai Lit in Kota Damansara this afternoon.

A peek into the interior reveals that this particular car has a 5-speed manual transmission, which if Tan Chong decides to bring into Malaysia will be the most affordable offering. The question is, how affordable will affordable be? In Thailand, the price range is from 375,000 baht (RM38k) to 537,000 baht (RM54k).

As the March is built in Thailand, it will probably already be acclimatized to this region’s weather. We also think the March will more likely be a CBU import from Thailand instead of assembled in Tan Chong’s plants.

This PURE DRIVE badge on the rear made its debut on this model, which for Nissan signifies cars that focus on eco-friendliness and efficiency. The March is also classified as a Thai Eco Car, which means it achieves at least 20 km/l and emit less than 120g/km of CO2. Engine capacity must not exceed 1.3 litres if petrol-powered and 1.4 litres for diesels.

If a car is a Thai Eco Car, the manufacturer is rewarded by the Thai government with a 50% cut in excise duty, no income tax for eight years and no import duty for factory machinery imports.

UPDATE: Sharp-eyed reader Kent pointed out that the number plate on this car has been previously spotted on a Japanese Domestic Market Toyota Passo Sette. Follow the link to see which car we’re talking about – we know that’s a Passo Sette and not an Alza because it’s a JDM car with black tinted rear windows. In addition, the CKD Nissan Teana which had been undergoing testing prior to launch featured trade plates that began with the letter W (Wilayah), instead of B (Selangor).

Just like how some of us suspected that that Toyota Passo Sette was not being tested by Perodua but instead could be a benchmark exercise by Proton, we suspect this Nissan March might just be owned by Proton. This Nissan March and the JDM Toyota Passo Sette’s number plate is B2368A, and we’ve seen B2367A in the past on a Proton Waja CPS being tested.

This makes sense – after all, Proton is officially in talks with Nissan on a technical collaboration, as revealed by a signed MoU recently. There was word in the past that Proton was interested in using Nissan’s V platform, which so happens to underpin this Nissan March, to engineer the Proton EMAS.

Look after the jump for the rest of the spyshots as well as image galleries of the Nissan March, or Micra as it is called in some markets.
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GALLERY: Nissan Teana facelift in China, changes detailed

March 15, 2011 at 3:31 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, China, Nissan

We headed to the Guangzhou Motor Show in China last December to see the new Nissan Sunny, other world debuts and the hot stuff on display, but also encountered some unexpected new metal like the facelifted Chinese market Nissan Teana.

As you’ve read in our D-segment triple test, the Teana is a great all rounder that delivers good comfort and decent driving ability. This refreshed Teana sees revisions and/or differences compared to the CKD model sold by Edaran Tan Chong – let’s compare and see which do you prefer.

The headlamps are most obviously changed. From the rather plain looking units on our car, the Chinese Teana adds on projector headlamps and an LED strip for more flash. The elements have also been rearranged. Next up is the grille. From the five strips of chrome, Nissan has framed up the grille and gave the inside bars a different colour.

Rounding up the facelift is the reprofiled bumper from a ‘V shape’ to an ‘X shape’, a trick Toyota used for the current Camry. Also notice the disjointed lip to make the air intake more prominent. The result is a more aggressive and ‘sporty’ outlook.

There’s less change at the rear. The taillamps, which already have LEDs arranged in a ‘C shape’, are made more prominent as the ring of diodes are now behind a clear lense.

In our shootout, you may have noticed comments about the Teana’s dash looking a bit sparse, but this isn’t the case with the Guangzhou show car, which has a navigation system. The GPS controls occupy the panel just below the central screen, pushing the climate controls down below the stereo, a position most are used to.

In this Chinese Teana, the dominant cabin colour is still beige, but the main dash panel and the upper door panels are in a darker shade of brown. The wood grain trim is in a lighter hue. I prefer this colour combination over our local car, how about you? The push start button in this left hand drive car is nestled between the steering column and centre stack.

Exclusive hi-res live gallery from Guangzhou after the jump.
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The Japanese D-segment trinity shootout: Honda Accord vs Nissan Teana vs Toyota Camry

March 15, 2011 at 1:36 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Honda, Nissan, Test Drive Reviews, Toyota

We’re a busy lot manning this website. Unlike monthly magazines or newspaper pullouts, daily updates mean that there isn’t much time to organise shootouts. But when the Nissan Teana came along, it was a great opportunity to test the newcomer and compare it with the Japanese D-segment stalwarts – the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

Here’s a slightly different take on the good old triple test: one weekend, three drivers, three opinions. In this 3-in-1, we look at various aspects of the competing cars with the aim of pointing out more than what a solo reviewer normally can.

Read the full report after the jump. Enjoy!
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2011 Nissan Teana facelift in China gets sportier design

March 15, 2011 at 1:12 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, China, International News, Nissan

We spotted this Nissan Teana on Dongfeng Nissan China’s website sporting a revised look, which leads us to believe this is either the Nissan Teana facelift or perhaps some kind of styling update exclusively for the China market.

The front end gets a big update that seems to focus on making the Teana look sportier – and check out those complicated headlamps, which now feature projector lenses instead of the current generation Teana’s reflector lenses.

The tail lamp also gets updated to this design. Frankly, I think the current look suits the character of the Teana more – this one looks a little like an elderly man having a mid-life crisis. I wonder if this is a global update.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the China market 2011 Nissan Teana.
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And now, an electrifying way to learn how to drive …

March 9, 2011 at 12:56 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Nissan

Well, seems that some novice Japanese drivers are going to get to grips with EVs very early on. According to a report from Yahoo Japan, the nation’s top auto leasing firm, Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service, has leased 20 Nissan Leaf all-electric vehicles to the Safety Driving System (SDS) driving school group, which operates 21 schools in eight areas in Okayama prefecture.

The vehicles, which will be deployed in 13 locations, will help expand operational capability as well as provide the perfect means for new drivers to experience the different characteristics of EVs right from the start and gain a better awareness about the new tech. The report adds that Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service will continue looking at expanding deployment of EVs on a wider scale.

Brings new meaning to run silent, run deep – you won’t hear those L-drivers coming. Good or bad, well, you decide.

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Proton signs MoU with Nissan Motor Co Ltd on collaboration and platform/powertrain licensing

March 1, 2011 at 11:47 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Nissan, Proton

Proton has announced to Bursa Malaysia that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Nissan Motor Co Ltd of Japan to conduct feasibility studies on specific areas of cooperation between the two parties, including the potential use of Nissan platforms and powertrains. Feasibility studies will begin today and are expected to end by the 30th of April 2011 – about 2 months time.

This is the first time we’ve heard officially of Proton and the Renault-Nissan Alliance working together since they tied up in a three way relationship of sorts with Genii capital in F1. We’ve heard talks in the past about Proton looking into Nissan platforms and powertrains for its new global compact car, previewed as the Proton EMAS some time ago. Two versions of the Proton EMAS are planned – an everyday car under the Proton badge and another sportier, more powerful and premium version under the Lotus badge.

We also hear that Proton will also be using the Nissan Fuga as a Perdana replacement model for senior government personnel usage only, and the Nissan Fuga has been spotted in the Proton COE carpark in the last few months.

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Nissan March gets new supercharged three-pot engine

February 22, 2011 at 3:38 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Nissan

A supercharger to boost efficiency and emissions in a small car isn’t a very common solution, but Nissan has chosen this path for its March (Micra in some markets) supermini. The word ‘supercharger’ itself hints at performance, but the headline figure here is emissions of just 95 g/km, among the lowest in the world. Cars producing less tan 100 g/km incur no road tax and are exempt from London’s daily congestion charge.

Known as the DIG-S (Direct Injection Gasoline-Supercharger), this 1,198 cc three-cylinder engine is said to provide power expected from a conventional 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine plus diesel beating economy and exceptionally low cost of ownership. DIG-S uses the Miller cycle and direct petrol injection to raise the compression ratio to 13 to 1 for greater combustion efficiency. Start/Stop and energy regeneration are also recruited.

The results are great for such a small engine: 98 PS and 142 Nm, CO2 emissions of 95 g/km for the manual and 115 g/km for the CVT. Maximum speed is 180 km/h for the stick shift while combined cycle fuel economy is 24.4 km/l. Very impressive!

“Ultra low emissions with no compromise when it comes to drivability means the Micra DIG-S sets new standards for the current generation of city cars. No other petrol-powered compact hatchback can beat its overall efficiency and it is more than a match for an equivalent diesel,” said Pierre Loing, VP of Product Strategy and Planning, Nissan International SA.

“We have been able to achieve this ultra low CO2 figure in a cost effective package and without the complication of particulate filters needed to clean up diesel engine emissions and which are not entirely compatible with a car that spends much of its life in the city,” Loing added.

The March/Micra DIG-S will be shown at the Geneva show with sales starting over the summer. We hear that this cute car will be arriving on our shores from Thailand this year; stay tuned. Gallery after the jump.
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VIDEOS: Nissan Juke vs Sports Illustrated model?

February 17, 2011 at 12:47 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Nissan, Videos

Looks like Lexus isn’t the only one doing promotional videos by putting one of their models next to a different kind of model. Here’s a series of videos comparing the Nissan Juke to “Amber”, a model from Sports Illustrated in various areas like agility, acceleration, and even aerodynamics. None of them make much sense but we both know you know you’re still going to watch the videos! ;)




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