Car XxX Blog

The massive earthquake followed by the even more devastating tsunami that struck the north-east coasts of Japan last week has brought together the country’s biggest automakers including Honda, Nissan and Toyota, which announced today that they will donate $3.75 million each for relief and recovery efforts in communities affected by the disaster.
In addition to the contribution in money, Nissan said it is also studying further relief efforts including complimentary provision of vehicles, such as trucks and forklifts, donation of medical supplies and daily commodities including blankets, antiseptics and masks, gift matching donation from Nissan employees, promotion, and support of blood donation activities.
Honda announced that it will donate a total of 1,000 power generators along with 5,000 gas canisters to the people left without electricity, while Toyota is considering the provision of goods and services as needed.
The three automakers have also announced the closure of some of their factories in Japan. From March 14 through March 20, Honda will suspend all production activities at its plants in Sayama, Saitama, Ogawa, Tochigi, Hamamatsu and Suzuka, plus all facilities in the Tochigi area, where damage was more serious. From March 15 through 20, Honda will also suspend production at the Kumamoto factory.
Nissan announced that operations at the Tochigi and Iwaki plants are suspended until March 18, while the Oppama, Kyushu, Shatai and Yokohama plants will be closed until March 16. As for Toyota, officials announced that the Hokkaido, Tohoku, Miyagi and Iwate plants are closed, with all employees having been evacuated to safe areas. The factories will remain closed at least until March 16.
Other automakers affected by the earthquake include Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Suzuki, which have either suspended or slowed down production because of supply shortages.

We know what you’re thinking but stop right there. What you are looking at here isn’t the result of some crafty photoshop business - it’s the real deal; an actual factual microcar replica of a 1970 Nissan Skyline GT-R coupe that was created by Japanese tuning firm Liberty Walk Performance. The scaled down, single-seater clone of Nissan’s first-generation Skyline GT-R is based on a quad-bike and it’s perfectly drivable.
This is not the first time we’ve shown you a microcar replica from Liberty Walk Performance as some of you may remember the…Lambormini Murcielago snapped by our own Phil Alex at last year’s Tokyo Auto Salon.
The Japanese company has not yet added pricing info on the Skyline GT-R buggy on its website, but just to get an idea, the Lambormini starts from 1.88 million Yen, which comes to about US$23,250 or €16,750 at today’s exchange rates. Feast your eyes on the photo gallery and a couple of videos after the jump. 

Here we provide 2011 Nissan Murano specifications,features and overviews.You will have to get a full and detailed structure of 2011 Nissan Murano.TOP SPEED have been equipped with some rare and High resolution wallpapers of the 2011 Nissan Murano.2011 Nissan Murano price may be very with Addition of extra segments.Click each 2011 Nissan Murano wallpapers form gallery and get high quality-high resolution wallpapers.

The 2011 Nissan Murano arrangement gains a new sleek level as well as a convertible body style. This midsize SUV shares main component of its basic design with the Nissan Altima sedan. Murano's roster embrace S, new-for-2011 SV, SL, and LE. Also new for 2011 is the Murano Cross Cabriolet, a 2-door convertible with a power soft top. It comes in a single trim level with features similar to a fully furnished LE. Wagon models have 5-passenger seating while the convertible seats 4. All use a 265-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine and a ceaselessly variable transmission that behaves much like an automatic. Maximum drag capacity is 3,500 pounds.

All wagons offer front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The Cross Cabriolet is AWD only. Available safety describe include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front-side airbags, and curtain-side airbags. Keyless entry/engine start are standard on all. Standard on the SL and LE are leather upholstery and warmed front seats. A rearview camera is standard on all but the S. A hard drive for storing digital-music files is standard on the SL and LE; its capacity is 2 gigabytes without navigation and 9.3 gigabytes with it. The navigation system is optional on the SL and LE and standard on the Cross Cabriolet.

Model Prices

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge
2WD 4dr S	$28,520	$26,277	$810
2WD 4dr LE	$37,560	$34,591	$810
2WD 4dr SL	$35,470	$32,668	$810
2WD 4dr SV	$31,930	$29,412	$810
AWD 4dr LE	$39,160	$36,062	$810
AWD 4dr S	$30,120	$27,749	$810
AWD 4dr SL	$37,070	$34,140	$810
AWD 4dr SV	$33,530	$30,884	$810

Having been invited out to the seaside town of Del Mar in California for the presentation of the new Murano CrossCabriolet, we were intrigued at the chance to take Nissan's polarizing convertible out for a spin. That's right, the Murano convertible. How did things play out in California? Interesting, to say the least. 
With the Murano CC, Nissan has gone outside the box to create its own niche. Looks aside, the Murano CC has done what it set out to do: garner interest, spur conversation, expand the model range, and change (not necessarily raise) the bar for mid-size crossovers. For all the ups and downs, read on.


Nissan's Murano CC is a two-door convertible crossover that sits at the top of the Murano heap, creating a unique halo vehicle for the brand's crossover segment. While the CC's design is a love-it or hate-it affair, there's no doubt that we can all agree on one aspect: it doesn't come off nearly as badly as those photoshops which alluded to an aftermarket convertible conversion.
This proper execution is thanks to a significant redesign of everything from the windscreen / A-pillar back, while keeping external dimensions similar to that of its hardtop counterpart. Nissan has also found a way to retain the Murano's "J-Motion" belt line that, with the top down, adds a sense of continuity when following the invisible roofline back from the A-pillar.
Revisions to the standard Murano include cutting out the rear doors while infusing the front units with a healthy dose of Enzyte to the tune of 7.9 inches. Surprisingly, ingress and egress weren't too hampered even with more than half a foot of metal added on (although that may have simply been due to this writer’s lankiness). Losing all that rigidity meant that Nissan had to reinforce the body architecture...a lot. Locations deemed essential bracing points were the area formerly known as B-pillar, the floor, and the sills.
The fully automatic top, available in black or beige, drops in approximately 25 seconds; however, unlike many modern drop-tops, it can only be operated when the vehicle is parked. That means no slow-rolling raising/lowering should rain decide to ruin your day while puttering in traffic.


Under all the new fuss is Nissan's familiar 3.5-liter V6 - now rated at 265 horsepower and 248 lb-ft - and an Xtronic CVT, both of which do their part to scuttle the all-wheel drive CC around with relative ease. It's no rocket, but then again it's not supposed to be.
Under normal driving conditions, the CVT works like a dream, still prompting a grin at mankind's technological advances; unless putting the pedal to the proverbial metal, acceleration is smooth and uninterrupted.
Ride quality may have been a tad fluttery when rolling over some of San Diego's not-so-well-paved roads in a convertible crossover on 20-inch alloys, but this is to be expected when lobbing off a vehicle's roof, B-, and C-pillars. On the boulevard, however, the ride was smooth and relaxing as expected.
Top-up motoring is fairly standard for a convertible, meaning there are compromises to be made in sound quality due to the soft top and lack of bulletproof glass. With the top down, all that has to be said is this: turbulence mitigation is lacking. One cohort expressed that she was "swimming in [her] hair", but the most noticeable issue was the lack of rear seat belt retainers, which led to an unsophisticated flapping at highway speeds. Other than a bit of buffeting, though, sky-filled driving was a pleasure.
Steering feedback is a different story. Even in the premium market, where ease of use and lack of effort are lauded incessantly, the electronically assisted steering of the CC was beyond feather-light. TOO beyond feather-light. When maneuvering around a parking lot, it was almost impossible to feel any communication between the driver and the tarmac. Not until reaching cruising speeds did it feel like anything was actually happening. Some would say that's the point, but what's steering without feedback?


As Nissan puts it, the Murano is a car for empty-nesters. With the Murano CrossCabriolet, the brand hopes to appeal to higher income ($125,000+ / year) Murano-esque consumers who are slightly younger, "savvy" and adventurous, but with kids in high school.
The CC is a crossover convertible, meaning this Murano looks to kill two birds with one stone: owning a convertible and maintaining utility, meaning offering a usable convertible as a second household car instead of a third. Whether or not that is truly the case, only time will tell.
Either way, with over 900 pre-orders and significant interest, the response is there. As for whether or not we'll see another generation, well, that depends on if there are enough Beetle convertible owners and middle-age moms out there who want to keep their car, possibly get some sun, and increase utility.
At $46,390 (plus $810 D&H) is it the car for me? No, but it could be for some people. The bottom line is this: nit-pickery and little flubs aside, kudos to Nissan for being brave enough to break the mold and then put the result into production. 


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Europe's best selling pick-up and its SUV sibling since its launch - the Nissan Navara and Nissan Pathfinder - have been given a mid-term boost with a number of significant enhancements designed to keep them at the top.

New V6 diesel engine
The new direct injection V6 turbodiesel has been developed by the Renault Nissan Alliance to deliver high levels of performance with strong economy, competitive emissions and class-leading refinement.

The key element of the new V6 - with an unusual vee angle of 65 degrees - is the material chosen for the engine block. Alliance development engineers chose Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI), a material that offers all the benefits of cast iron, including high levels of stiffness and noise absorption, without the weight penalty. And while CGI is heavier than a pure alloy block there is no need to add stiffening ribs or extra sound deadening material so the weight gain is comparatively modest.

The compression ratio has been lowered to 16:1 to benefit not just economy and emissions but also noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), while internal engine friction is reduced by the use of ultra smooth components such as the micro-finished forged steel used for the crankshaft.

Class leading levels of torque and highly competitive specific power outputs are delivered thanks to the adoption of a comparatively large single turbocharger, which is mounted within the vee of the engine, an intercooler, and the use of the latest generation of Bosch common-rail fuel injection. This system incorporates piezo injectors and operates at 1800 bar.

Power output is 170 kW (231PS) while the torque output of 550 Nm leads the class. Better still, peak torque is achieved from as low as 1,700 rpm and is available all the way to 2,500 rpm, while as much as 500 Nm is available from a mere 1,500 rpm. Idle speed is an exceptionally low 650 rpm with none of the vibrations and noise usually associated with a diesel.

The result is strong low-end performance with comfortably refined delivery and exemplary throttle response. In addition, the engine helps provide strong towing performance, the Nissan Pathfinder capable of towing a 3500 kg braked trailer with Nissan Navara having a 3000 kg limit.

Emissions and fuel efficiency targets included achieving Euro 5 compliance. In addition to the gains made by the changes to the combustion chamber, the V9X engine also incorporates a number of innovative features.

Among these is the adoption of an overcooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system which reduces NOx emissions. The system incorporates an integrated exhaust gas bypass in the EGR cooler which quickly helps to achieve the optimum temperature after start up so that the full cooling capacity can be used. This features a low temperature water circuit for the EGR cooler to reduce still further the temperature of the exhaust gas and lower carbon monoxide and hydro carbon emissions.

Equally significant is the treatment of the tailpipe emissions. The system comprises a metallic oxidation catalytic converter offering lower pressure loss compared to a ceramic system and an exothermic catalyst and a catalytic diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the same container. The latter arrangement works in conjunction with a seventh fuel injector which is positioned in the exhaust.

This is activated while the particulate filter is being regenerated - a process of which the driver is completely unaware - but significantly means the opportunity for unburnt fuel to pollute the engine oil is removed. It also allows the filter to be regenerated in low-load conditions, such as idling, and therefore achieves a high efficiency level under all driving conditions. It also helps stretch oil change intervals to 20,000 kms.

Improved 2.5 four-cylinder dCi
The existing 2.5 dCi four cylinder engine hasn't been forgotten, however, and significant improvements will cement its position as the most popular engine in the range with improvements to both overall refinement and all aspects of its performance.

Exterior changes
The revised models have been given a new look front and rear to differentiate them from their predecessors. Changes at the front include a new bonnet, revised grille and a new bumper assembly. Adding 80mm to the length of both models, the bumper is more rounded and lends a more sporting touch to the cars.

There's a new headlamp design with distinctive projector styling where Xenon lamps are fitted (Nissan Pathfinder only). Headlamps washers now pop-up from beneath body colour moulding in the bumpers. There's a new 18 inch alloy wheel to complement the existing range of 16 inch (steel and alloy) and 17 inch (alloy) designs. V6 models, meanwhile, are given a discreet V6 badge at the leading edge of both front doors while V6 Nissan Pathfinder also gain a new side moulding across the doors.

Changes at the rear of Nissan Pathfinder include a new bumper design with squared off edges to give a larger and lower mass for a more stable, tougher appearance.

The existing colour palette is changed to include two new metallic shades for Nissan Navara - Electric Blue and Blue Grey - while Blue Grey is added to Nissan Pathfinder's portfolio.

Interior changes
Most of the changes inside the cabin of both Nissan Navara and Pathfinder have been designed to boost quality and include new switchgear, revised door trims, new seat fabric, the addition of chrome highlights, revised dials and, depending on the model, the availability of Nissan Connect Premium with a new high resolution touch screen.

Typical of the attention to detail that has helped enhance quality are the door trims which have been changed to improve both the look and feel of the interior and its practicality. The armrests and door pads are more tactile to the touch and their shape has also been altered to make them more comfortable in use.

As well as improving fit and finish, the material used has also been enhanced. Practical touches mean the storage bins can now happily hold an A3 map book as well as a one-litre bottle. The rear door storage bins are now large enough to hold a standard Nissan First Aid kit.

Equipment improvements include a new Speed Limiter, which is incorporated into the existing cruise control system.
Active safety is improved with the availability of Nissan's Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) on Nissan Navara (already available on Pathfinder) which uses sensors to monitor the engine's ECU, wheel speed, steering angle, plus longitudinal and lateral G and yaw rates to anticipate and control wheel slippage.