Nissan will start building Rogue in Korea to meet U.S. demand

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Nissan, South Korea

Nissan already announced that production of the next-generation Rogue crossover will shift to its Smyrna, Tennessee facility, but apparently, that won't be enough. In a new statement, the Renault-Nissan Alliance confirms that Rogue models will also be built at the Renault Samsung facility in Busan, South Korea.

The current Rogue, pictured above, is built in Japan. The next-generation Rogue is set to launch sometime in the next year as part of Nissan's new-product onslaught.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance plans to invest $160 million in its Busan facility to accommodate production of the new Rogue. According to the company, Busan will produce around 80,000 Rogues annually - that's in addition to the estimated 100,000 to 120,000 Rogues that will come out of Tennessee.

Rogue production in Korea is scheduled to start in 2014, while Smyrna starts building the new crossover next year. The company's official statement is posted below.

Continue reading Nissan will start building Rogue in Korea to meet U.S. demand

Nissan will start building Rogue in Korea to meet U.S. demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Nissan Z will be smaller, lighter

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Nissan, Design/Style

Nissan is reportedly hard at work on its next-generation Z. According to Inside Line, designers are already churning away on a concept version of the 2015 Z that may bow at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. The report notes that Shiro Nakamura, head of design for Nissan, says the new Z will be both smaller and lighter than the current 370Z.

The model will also be geared toward a wider audience, and Nissan may be investigating the possibility of ditching the tried-and-true 3.7-liter VQ V6 for a turbocharged four-cylinder, a move that would almost certainly help fuel efficiency. The current Z is saddled with a lackluster 26 mpg highway, and strong early sales of cars like the Scion FR-S certainly indicate certain buyers are willing to drop a few ponies for a machine that's engaging to drive and at least somewhat fuel efficient.

Blasphemy? Maybe, but the thought of an engaging, lightweight turbo four sports car is the stuff dreams are made of - it's the "wider audience" part of the discussion that has us concerned as enthusiasts. A smaller Z would likely mean abandoning the Z's FM platform which also underpins machines like the Infiniti G Coupe and Sedan as well as the FX softroader. Inside Line says Nissan may turn to its corporate partner Daimler for some help in the chassis department.

Next Nissan Z will be smaller, lighter originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/12/next-nissan-z-will-be-smaller-lighter/

Nissan Leaf gets badged for police duty in Portugal

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Hatchback, Nissan, Electric

Plug-in vehicles perform police duties for Scotland Yard (Vauxhall Ampera) and the NYPD (Chevrolet Volt) and we've all seen the little EV parking-enforcement vehicles, so today's announcement that the Nissan Leaf will be used as a police vehicle in Portugal isn't surprising. What's interesting is that the eight patrol EVs are touted as a way for the fuzz to "arrive at the scene of a crime in near silence."

Portugal's PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública) will use the all-electric hatchbacks mostly for the Safe School Program, Nissan said in a statement, but they are decked out and ready "to perform other police duties at any time" should the need arise. We'd assume chases won't be part of the mission, but other than that, we don't see any reason the eight electric Nissans will be treated much differently than the other 5,000 cars in the PSP fleet, especially since Portugal has been implementing a network of EV chargers, Level 2 and quick chargers among them.

Continue reading Nissan Leaf gets badged for police duty in Portugal

Nissan Leaf gets badged for police duty in Portugal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/14/nissan-leaf-gets-badged-for-police-duty-in-portugal/

2013 Nissan Altima: Wouldn't It Be Cool?

	2013 Nissan Altima: Wouldn't It Be Cool? Wouldn't it be cool if someone took mid-sized sedans and broke the mold? We took our best selling Altima back to its essence and re-imagined it completely.The 2013 Nissan Altima offers greater horsepower, best in class 38 MPG and is equipped with a lighter and stronger body. It has improved headlight technology for better visibility and NASA-inspired zero gravity seats that reduce fatigue. It's our most innovative Altima ever. Join the conversation at http://www.facebook.com/nissanaltima	From:nissanusa Views:138 8ratings
	Time:00:16	More inAutos & Vehicles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hwRJbeqHFk&feature=youtube_gdata

Nissan Trucks: Strip Away

	Nissan Trucks: Strip Away This latest commercial from Nissan proves that when it comes to the ruggedly capable Frontier, Titan and NV Series, it's what's inside that counts.	From:nissanusa Views:123 10ratings
	Time:00:31	More inAutos & Vehicles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtaDtFmWgnA&feature=youtube_gdata

AMS Alpha 12 GT-R [w/video]

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Nissan, First Drives, Specialty

How About a Spin in the World's Quickest Street-Legal Automobile?



Horsepower is highly addictive. As automotive enthusiasts, we crave it insatiably.

Each time we place ourselves behind the wheel of a vehicle, a brief moment arrives when we wish for just a little more potency. Whether driving a 138-horsepower Kia Rio or a 638-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, there is always an instant when the initial rush begins to slow and we ache for just a little bit more.

But what if it were possible to have too much power? What if there were a vehicle that satisfied our desire so completely, to the point where we were overwhelmed (think along the lines of sweet-tooth Augustus Gloop swimming in Willy Wonka's river of chocolate)? Would we finally stop thirsting for more?

To solve the riddle, we tracked down the fiendish Alpha 12 GT-R by AMS Performance. It is not just the quickest accelerating street-legal car that Autoblog has ever driven. With a quarter-mile time of 8.975 seconds at 169.49 miles per hour, it is likely the quickest street-legal production vehicle on the planet.

Continue reading AMS Alpha 12 GT-R [w/video]

AMS Alpha 12 GT-R [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/20/ams-alpha-12-gt-r-first-drive-review-video/

Nissan debuts first barrage of Altima ads

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Nissan

Nissan has plenty to be proud of with its all-new 2013 Altima. The sedan promises to average 38 miles per gallon on the highway, which is best-in-class for a non-hybrid. The new Altima also boasts a lighter and stronger frame, increased power and quicker acceleration among its many improvements.

As you'll see below, crafting an ad campaign is that much easier when you have so much to be proud of. Scroll down to watch the first four commercials that Nissan has lined up to introduce its new Altima to America.

In the first two, Nissan plays it straight with a raft of back-patting and a couple of jabs at the competition from Honda and Toyota. The second two spots aim for the funny bone while also pointing out new technology and hammering away at those all-important fuel economy numbers.

We're especially fond of the last commercial, which cleverly points out that the horn will honk when the tires have been filled to the optimum level. Funny stuff.

Continue reading Nissan debuts first barrage of Altima ads

Nissan debuts first barrage of Altima ads originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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