1970 Nissan Skyline GT-R Microcar Replica

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. 

Gallery

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Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet 2011

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.

It's a crossover...convertible

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.

The Murano CC on the road 

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?

What's the point? 

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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Nissan Updates 2011 370Z in Europe

With all the attention (rightfully) focused on the new Esflow pure-electric sports coupe concept at the Geneva Motor Show, Nissan�s announcement on the presentation of the updated for European market 370Z Coupe slipped by almost unnoticed. For the new model year, Nissan introduces a number of suspension, transmission and equipment improvements for the entire 370Z Coupe range while also adding a new trim level to the range called the GT Edition. 

Starting with the performance upgrades, the 370Z Coupe benefits from retuned dampers which promise to provide a better balance between ride comfort and high-speed handling. Nissan said that due to the higher average speeds regularly enjoyed in Europe, technicians from Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) engineered these changes.
For 2011, refinement is also enhanced through revisions to underbody insulation to reduce road noise.
The optionally available seven-speed automatic transmission gains a snow mode which, when applied, starts the car off in second gear and controls engine revs to prevent wheel spin on ice or snow.
Equipment upgrades come in the form of a new rear view-parking camera as part of the Nissan Premium Connect satellite navigation option and the standard fitment of a tire pressure monitoring system.
Wrapping up the changes for 2011, is the introduction of a GT Edition for the Coupe model. Buyers can choose from three different body colors - metallic black, pearl white and Black Rose, the latter shade being exclusive to the GT Edition, with each featuring contrasting stripes running along the flanks of the car. The exterior is set off by the standard 19inch RAYS forged alloy wheels, which are finished in a dramatic anthracite color and replace the standard 18-inch rims. 

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Nissan Esflow at Geneva Motor Show

Nissan released one of its superfast electric models in the Geneva Motor Show. This is one purely electric concept embedded with rear wheels. The automobile Informedly uses dual 80-kW (107-hp / 109-PS) motors to propel a appurtenance to 100 km/h in underneath 5 seconds which puts in on par the top most sport car in the market.After the super Nissan creation which

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Nissan 370Z rebaixado rodas BBS

Nissan 370Z rebaixado rodas BBS

A voca��o esportiva e jovial do Nissan 370Z ficou ainda mais pronunciada com algumas altera��es no b�lido jap�nes.
Entre as principais altera��es no Nissan 370Z, est� o leve rebaixamento de sua suspens�o aliado ao seu novo jogo de rodas BBS aro 20.

Nissan 370Z rebaixado rodas BBS

Nissan 370Z rebaixado rodas BBS

Nissan 370Z rebaixado rodas BBS

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Nissan GT-R 2011 Tambah Dua Varian

Nissan Motor Company, Ltd, akhirnya merilis detail GT-R 2011 yang diluncurkan di Jepang pada 17 November mendatang. Mobil sport generasi terbaru kebanggaan Nissan ini tampil lebih segar dengan performa yang juga makin yahud.

GT-R kini terdiri dari enam varian dengan tambahan khusus untuk dijajal di sirkuit, yaitu Club Track dan paling eksklusif, EGOIST. Varian lainnya adalah Pure Edition,

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Nissan GT-R 2011 Tambah Dua Varian

Nissan Motor Company, Ltd, akhirnya merilis detail GT-R 2011 yang diluncurkan di Jepang pada 17 November mendatang. Mobil sport generasi terbaru kebanggaan Nissan ini tampil lebih segar dengan performa yang juga makin yahud.

GT-R kini terdiri dari enam varian dengan tambahan khusus untuk dijajal di sirkuit, yaitu Club Track dan paling eksklusif, EGOIST. Varian lainnya adalah Pure Edition,

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New Cars 2011 Nissan Leaf, Electric Vehicles, Fun Cars,

New Cars 2011 Nissan Leaf, Electric Vehicles, Fun Cars.

Leaf upcoming Nissan hatchback electric car will move closer to the real world, and far beyond the few boutique electric vehicles available to consumers today. Leaves will almost certainly be first in the next generation of pure electric cars from a large volume, a major producer of cars. It runs on batteries without any combustion engine or electric motor to supplement the electricity produced, and designed for specific drivers for everyday use. Leaves should be available to consumers in the United States before the end of 2010, according to Nissan.

Slightly larger than the subcompact Nissan Versa familiar, the zero-emission cars Leaf is excited with room for five and the cargo space is good. Its 100-mile range beyond the everyday needs of all but the farthest trip passengers, and it's loaded with things that are meant to make ownership easier.

New Cars 2011 Nissan Leaf, Electric Vehicles, Fun Cars.

Secret Leaves, and probably the closest thing to a breakthrough, which was hidden in the battery pack. Except widely praised beats hybrid Chevy Volt to the market, Leaf will be volume-produced car first with a lithium-ion batteries. Now familiar in laptops, mobile phones and other small devices, Li-ion batteries has long been considered not suitable for automotive applications. Nissan, though, they have developed for that purpose together with NEC since 1992 electronic.

Leaf battery is actually an array sheets laminated lithium-ion batteries made of manganese. Each rectangular sheet 12-by-10 inches, about half an inch thick, arranged in modules of heavy metal-encased total 395 pounds. Nissan says Li-ion battery has twice the storage capacity of any battery used in automotive applications today. They are in charge of and operate at a lower temperature than lead-acid or ni-cad battery, according to the engineer, and after five years of daily drain cycle, they remain 80 percent of its original capacity.

The value of Li-ion battery is quite simple: It gives Leaves various plug-160 kilometers per charge, or check under 100 miles, in a typical urban driving cycle. According to Transportation Department data, 98 percent of all drivers Americans drive less than 100 miles per day.

New Cars 2011 Nissan Leaf, Electric Vehicles, Fun Cars.

Li-ion battery compact modules give designers great flexibility in creating Leaf. Batteries according to the purpose-designed electric vehicle frame, stacked between the wheels beneath the interior floor. The leaf design adds to the overall stiffness, and it makes weight evenly on all four wheels. Most importantly, the battery takes almost no volume than a conventional cabin space.

They remind the battery packed in five-door swoopy from Versa, only prettier and more aero fine. Nissan has been shown by the Leafs were very close to production trim, with a neatly designed interior centered on the Scandinavian-looking pile of touch switches. Leaves have slightly more interior volume than the Versa, with a comfortable room for four adults. The dips in the trunk area behind the battery, so there's plenty of room for gear even when the folding rear seats occupied.

Nissan is still a bit vague about the launch plans for the leaf, if it is called a leaf when it went on sale in the United States. The company says the car must be available to fleet customers in the second half of 2010, with general retail sales in key markets like California shortly thereafter. Nissan's next generation Li-ion battery, which is maybe twice the reach of the car, according to the company, could be ready by the year 2012, when the leaves should be available in dealerships nationwide.

Guessing by placing a retail price between $ 24,000 and $ 30,000. The battery alone currently costs $ 10,000 to produce, according to one Nissan engineer. At the retail level, the batteries may be leased to the buyer leaves, so the cost is not necessarily reflected in the price of the car.

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