Category: Nissan

The British weekly car magazine Autocar has released close-up pictures of the long-awaited Nissan GT-R that will be officially launched at the next Tokyo motor show in October. Nissan had the audacity to show a disguised GT-R at Goodwood Festival of Speed officialy sponsored by none other than Toyota.

Thanks to Autocar we can have a look on the inside. Do not expect any fun from this interior. Like its predecessors, the GT-R is best described as a body around a terrific engine sitting on a very efficient platform. The only thing unusual about the car’s interior is the speedometer’s needle, which starts on the right. On it, the speed limit is displayed as 211mph/340 km/h. Like its target competitor, the Porsche 911 Turbo, a large rev counter dominates the instrument panel.

According to the Japanese car magazine Best Car, customers will have a choice of three versions which will all share the same engine: a turbocharged version of Nissan’s new 3.7-litre V6. The standard version will have around 450 bhp and will cost £27,700/€41,000/$56,000 on the Japanese market; the V Spec will get 480 bhp and will cost around £33,800/€50,000/$68,000; the most powerful, called Evolution, will be sold at £50,700/€75,000/$102,300 and will offer 530 bhp like the Porsche 911 GT2.

Click here to see all the pictures

On the occasion of the 4 millionth car produced in Sunderland, Nissan unveils the new Micra line-up. It includes the 160SR and the Coupe-Cabriolet C+C. The latter has been co-developed with german famous coachbuilder Karmann. Having invested € 146 million in it, Nissan intends to sell 20,000 Micra C+C a year. This new cabriolet rivals the 206 CC and has a major advantage on it: its roof is made of glass. 9cm longer and 11cm wider than a normal Micra, the C+C needs space to store its roof (foldable in 22 seconds). When the roof is folded, the boot capacity is reduced from 426 to 221 litres, which remains an excellent value for such a small cabriolet. On the other hand, the rear seats are really minute.
Available with either a 1.4 88bhp or a 1.6 110bhp unit, the Micra C+C should cost less than the ageing Peugeot 206 CC.

Launched in Japan last January, the Nissan Note should arrive in Europe by the end of 2005. This 399cm long MAV shares its platform with the Nissan Micra, the Renault Modus and Clio III, with a wheelbase stretched to 260cm though.
In the boot, we notice a 25cm deep underfloor cavity. Besides, the cockpit is sprawn with storage spaces, which somewhat compensates its lack of flexibility , if compared to the Meriva’s.
Under the short bonnet, we find a 1.5 petrol engine combined with a CVT transmission. In Europe, a diesel dCi unit coupled with a manual gearbox should be available, as opposite to the 4WD transmission.

Nissan promises the Note will be a very dynamic car: it might become a tough competitor for the Vauxhall Meriva, the Renault Modus and the Fiat Idea.

The cute Nissan Micra gets more power at last, 3 years after its launch. Don’t be fooled by the 160 SR badge: this new Micra develops 110bhp ‘only’ and not 160, this figure recalling the engine capacity, 1600cc.

The SR letters standing for Street Racing, the sporty Micra will find serious competitors on its way: the Citroen C2 VTS, Mini Cooper, Toyota Yaris 1.5 T-Sport and Ford Fiesta Zetec-S.

The Nissan seems very good -but not class leading- on performance, accelerating from 0 to 60mph in 9.8 seconds and reaching 112mph. It returns 42.8mpg on the combined cycle.

Along with the power increase, the Micra 160SR gets stiffer suspensions, an ESP stability system, a new front spoiler, dark tinted headlamps, graphite finished 16’’alloys, aluminium pedals, white dials, side curtain airbags, a 6-speaker CD system and an air-conditionning.

Priced £9,995, the 3-door Micra 160SR is even cheaper than the Yaris T-Sport. The 5-door version costs £10,645. With an extra £375, you can get a sunroof, while the heated 2-tone leather seats are charged £850. A real bargain.