Info on Nissan and Porsche

Vikram Kumar asked:


 

 

Nissan is one of the most respected names in all the imported brands available with Prestige Motorsport P/L. The success of Nissan can be estimated from the fact that the auto parts of this brand have been shopped by the people online through out 24 hours. A large variety available in Nissan is one of the reasons why people give more precedence to it. In successful ranking of Prestige Motorsport the importation of Nissan has a very big hand.

 

No one can deny the fact that, today the Nissan parts are believed to be the symbol of guarantee. They can conveniently be purchased via online from prestige Motorsport’s official web site. The great advantage of purchasing Nissan auto parts online is that there will be no role of any intermediate broker in the whole transaction. You can directly contact and deal with the company within a short period of time. Ordered products are supplied immediately through the warehouses that are available in all the parts of the country. Car parts and accessories are supplied from the ware house that is situated at the shortest distance from the ordered site. If you import the Nissan brand and Nissan parts from the Prestige Motorsport P/L then you can have sufficient discount on the ordered consignment. You can compare the price from anywhere but you will never get Nissan auto parts along with the vehicle importation at such an affordable price as offered by Prestige Motorsport.   

 

With the Prestige Motorsport P/L, you can easily locate Nissan parts along with the most demandable models available with this brand.  Some of the models of Nissan that are available with Prestige include Nissan Skyline V35 (2003), Nissan Skyline PV35 (2005), Nissan Skyline V35 (2002), Nissan Skyline V35 (2001), and Nissan Skyline R34. Here, you can receive most of the Nissan auto parts at a lower rate with a vast range in comparison to the parts available with Mitsubishi models like Mitsubishi Legnum and Mitsubishi lancer. For getting such a deal it is quite difficult to find any other place.

 

If you are going to order Nissan parts with the model that you are going to import from outside then it is important to understand why dealing with prestige can be highly fruitful to you. Some of the Nissan auto parts that you can easily receive with the available motorcar stock includes Nissan alternator, Air filter, Nissan axle, Nissan ball joints, Nissan brake booster, Nissan brake caliper, Nissan brake rotors, Nissan brake pads, Nissan CV boots, Nissan clutch disc, Control arm, Nissan distributor cap, Nissan fan clutch, Engine parts, Nissan distributor rotor, Nissan fuel injectors, Nissan fuel filter, Nissan fuel pressure regulator, Nissan heater core, Nissan ignition coil, Oxygen sensor, Nissan oil filter,  Nissan pressure plate, Power steering pump, Nissan radiator, Nissan spark plugs and starter, Nissan thermostat, timing belt, Nissan tie rods, Nissan transmission mount, Water pump, Nissan valve cover gasket, Nissan window motor and Nissan wheel bearing.

 

This mostly completes all the car parts and accessories. The Nissan parts available here include both common and rare accessories. If you are importing vehicle from outside then some of the parts can be difficult for you to find out again. If you go for the wide range of Nissan auto parts available with Prestige Motorsport P/L then you can save your both time and money and can also prevent crises in future.

 

 

Katherine Hooper asked:


“Love car, love people, love life.” This has been Nissan’s guiding principle in carving its niche in the automotive industry. With their dedication to the people as well as their zest for everything that life has to offer, Nissan has manifested such values in designing superior cars that are tailor-made for the needs of the public. Today, Nissan vehicles are lauded for its main attributes of being reasonably priced, reliable, and technologically advanced.

Contrary to popular belief amongst car consumers that Nissan is a relatively new player in the industry, Nissan actually traces its origins back as early as 1911. The brand recognition may only seem recent, as it was previously operating under different names and in a foreign country unlike the typical pioneering American and European automakers. Originating in Japan, Nissan was initially called as the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Works, then Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co., and again renamed to DAT Motorcar Company. Further corporate mergings triggered another set of name alterations to DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co. Limited, to Jidosha-Seizo Co. Limited. The term ‘Nissan’ only came into the company’s history in 1934 through the Nissan Motor Company. Fickle as though Nissan may appear in terms of company name, there is nothing inconsistent in their vision to provide quality cars to the market. Intent to excel on its craft, Nissan even partnered with a European corporation to gain access to automobile and engine designs. With much engineering genius, it was in the 1950s that Nissan found itself entering American soil with its unique Datsun sedans and compact trucks. And with that, Nissan never looked back since.

At present, Nissan already has numerous high-powered vehicles tucked under its belt. It has fully exercised its expertise in creating a range of trucks, sport-utility vehicles, minivans, economical cars and luxury sedans. Its popular trucks are the Nissan Titan and Nissan Frontier. Its line of SUVs and minivans, on the other hand, would include the Nissan Quest, Pathfinder, Armada, and Murano. In addition, the car lineup boasts of the Nissan Sentra, Maxima, and Altima, to name a few. Nissan also offers a range of world-class luxury sedans under the Infiniti badge.

However, more than its top-of-the-line vehicles, Nissan has elevated its capabilities into new heights, what with its continuous clientèle assistance through the availability of the Nissan aftermarket parts. Each of these Nissan parts is stamped with the innovative and powerful performance intended for the vehicle’s smooth running. Nissan parts can be categorized for specific Nissan models such as the Nissan Pathfinder parts or Nissan Auto Parts. It can also be available in individual and general kinds, such as the Nissan fenders, spoilers, fuel tanks, alternators, condensers, coolant tanks, and a long list of others. Its Nissan engine parts, for instance, are considered industry marvels. The VQ35DE, Nissan’s all aluminum 3.5L V6 engine, is remarkably good for 245 horsepower at 5,800 rpm. While Nissan’s continuously variable transmission (CVT), dubbed as the Xtronic, is specifically designed to handle the power of the VQ35DE.

With all things considered, Nissan is a brand that reeks of style, innovation, and consumer commitment. Nissan doesn’t just rely on tried-and-tested products, it continuously engineers superior parts that would provide its car’s maximum performance.

RyanThomas asked:


As the struggling Japanese brand Nissan suffered its first setback since Carlos Ghosn took over the company, it looks to increase its operations in India. Nissan’s outing in the Indian auto market is supported by its alliance partner Renault. Recently, the Alliance introduced the Logan in the growing Indian auto market. In the planned operation expansion that Nissan is set out to do, there are issues concerning their relationship with French partner Renault.

As part of Nissan’s expansion in India, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn revealed that they are planning to turn India into a supply base. He explained the role that India will play in the future of Nissan’s supply base. “During 2006, we made tangible progress towards the four key breakthroughs that are central to the Nissan Value-Up programme. One of these involves developing new sources for parts, machinery and equipment, vendor tooling and services in what we call leading competitive countries,” says Ghosn. “Sourcing bases are now established in China and Asean for Japan, in Mexico for North America, in Eastern Europe for Europe. To accelerate the progress, the next step will be to develop a new sourcing base in India. In fiscal 06, for Japan, North America and Europe, 15 per cent of our purchasing by value was sourced from LCCs. In 2007 we will take this to 24 per cent,” he further explains.

Ghosn also said that they are not only going to increase their presence in the Indian auto market but they will also look for suppliers which will provide them with high quality parts. Auto motive components such as Nissan bug shields are what Nissan needs to deliver high quality vehicles to their consumers. “We are going to India not only to contribute to the development of the Indian market but also to tap suppliers who are very efficient,” said Ghosn. “Renault is already sourcing from India with the Logan and Nissan will check with them and source locally for both Indian and global products.” He pointed out that they are already taking steps to select which suppliers they will be working with. “Already there is a common purchasing organization that is working on that called the Renault Nissan Purchasing Organization,” says the Nissan CEO.

Aside from being a supply base, Nissan and Renault are also planning to exploit India’s IT capabilities. “As for IT and engineering services, India is being considered for that too,” Ghosn said. “Nissan has an office which employs 800 engineers in Vietnam which supports its technical centre in Japan. We will have the same thing in India. The engineering talent in India remarkable and we want to tap into that.” The fiery CEO of Renault and Nissan also explained what they are planning to do in India in terms of developing new vehicles. “Nissan has an office which employs 800 engineers in Vietnam which supports its technical centre in Japan. We will have the same thing in India. The engineering talent in India remarkable and we want to tap into that,” explained Ghosn. “So any small car platform for the Indian market or the BRIC markets will include either Indian engineering inputs or will be developed in India. You can expect a lot of hiring in India.” This will surely help the country’s economy which will ten enable more citizens of the country to afford their vehicles. It is indeed a win-win situation for both the company and the country.

One issue that surfaced when Nissan and Renault announced their operation expansion in India is which company will be having control of the engine plant that the alliance has in India. To this, Ghosn said that: “That issue is entirely open. Certainly the alliance between Nissan and Renault will use that facility. But we haven’t decided whether it should be divided between Nissan and Renault or one should run it and deliver the engines to the other.” Ghosn also explained how Nissan and Renault will be working in terms of developing new platforms for vehicles to be released in India. “We don’t believe in joint product development but repatriation. That means either company does work for both,” says Ghosn. “If there’s a new technology, then either one of the two companies will develop it for both. But frankly if we want to develop a platform or products for India, we will do it with an Indian partner. That will ensure Indian input which is very important for the project to be cost effective. It has to be an alliance to work.”

There are talks that Nissan will be offering a vehicle similar to the Logan that Renault introduced to the Indian market recently. Ghosn also extolled the virtues why the Logan is well received in India. “Logan works because it is cheap,” explains Ghosn. “And no! Nissan won’t have a Logan. It is important to develop a specific platform to compete at a much lower price band. All B-seg platforms don’t contribute to the bottom line. And thanks to the growth in developing markets, you need cheap cars that are also profitable for the bottom line. People in these markets want cars that offer big space but at an attractive price. The Logan is very spacious, very robust, comes with an AC and other essential features but it is still cheap.”

With Nissan and Renault increasing their presence in India, it would be just a matter of time before Nissan get back to its winning ways. The Japanese company needs the expansion to upset the losses they have suffered in recent times.

RyanThomas asked:


The auto industry has seen some of the coolest looking vehicles in the form of concept cars. These vehicles are not only made to catch the attention of auto enthusiasts but also show the direction that a company is going in terms of design, features, and performance. These vehicles are often found on motor shows where they can be viewed by car enthusiasts.

Nissan is one company which has taken inspiration from other industries and fused them with their concept vehicles. While these vehicles may not be available to the public, it is evidence that Nissan can design and manufacture such advanced cars. Two of their most notable concept vehicles are inspired by the Xbox 360 and Adidas. The Xbox 360 inspired concept vehicle is the Nissan Urge while the Adidas-inspired one is named the Nissan Note.

The Urge is a roadster which according to Nissan is “motorcycle-inspired”. This futuristic vehicle combines futuristic driving and realistic gaming. This is because the Urge concept can be used to play “Project Gotham Racing 3”. The concept car is the result of the partnership between Microsoft and the Nissan Design America Inc. The Nissan Urge truly combines gaming with driving since a person can play PGR 3 using the steering wheel, accelerator, and brake pedals of the vehicle. This is made possible by the hard work put into the design and construction of the vehicle by Nissan designers and Microsoft engineers.

The vehicle is equipped with the “Xbox 360™ next-generation video game and entertainment system from Microsoft” according to Nissan. The player can use the controls of the car while viewing the action through the 7-inch LCD screen that doubles as a rear view mirror when the car is used for actual driving.

This concept gaming car was unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. While this particular car is years away from production, it shows how car manufacturers are tuned to the ongoing trend among the new generation of car buyers. If this car is fitted with the same powerful engine used in the Nissan Z car and all its components such as Nissan distributor caps, spark plugs, and the like, one can experience an exhilarating driving experience both in the virtual and the real world.

The impact of the younger generation on the future design of Nissan vehicles is explained by Bruce Campbell, the Vice-President of Nissan Design America. “Nissan conducted an Internet survey of 2,000 eco boomers, a majority of which said technology and gaming are among the most important attributes in their first car,” Campbell said. “Xbox 360 offered the latest in technology and was already a favorite among this audience,” he added. According to the company: “A Nissan URGE driver can, for example, maneuver through the streets of New York, park the car and fire up the Xbox 360, then virtually race through the same streets using the same steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal - blurring fantasy and reality in a way that the automotive world has never before seen.”

Another Nissan concept vehicle is based on the mini MPV produced by Nissan for the Japanese and European market - the Nissan Note. The concept vehicle is inspired by German sports apparel manufacturer Adidas. The decision to design a vehicle inspired by Nissan is aimed to catch the attention of the younger generation of car buyers. The current fashion tend being sportswear like those created by Adidas, Nissan developed a vehicle that will embody the same traits that Adidas products posses.

One of the most notable characteristic of these products is the color that is why Nissan created the Adidas inspired Note with youth-oriented colors. To make the concept Note standout, Nissan designed “wearable” items for the vehicle. Of these, the seats are the most notable since consumers have the power to change the covers to match their preference or mood. Aside from this, materials used on sportswear like rubber are used on the vehicle’s interior.

While the Adidas inspired Note and the Urge Concept are just what they are, concept cars, their development shows what Nissan is capable of. Whether they will be mass produced is another story. But for those who love gaming, individuality and driving, there is reason to hope for a brighter future in terms of automobile development.

RyanThomas asked:


It is widely known that Nissan is in the auto industry a long time and through the years, Nissan has introduced some of the most memorable auto models. These vehicles are now being showcased at the company’s auto museum in Tokyo.

The Ginza Gallery as it is called is located right in the middle of Tokyo’s shopping and business district. It combines the heritage of Nissan and the new auto models in its showroom. Unlike many auto museums, the Ginza Gallery is open to the public and is conveniently located in front of Nissan’s headquarters in the said city.

One of the vehicles on the gallery is the Nissan X-Trail - the compact crossover SUV that Nissan sells in the United States auto market. Its presence at the museum is proof that the gallery not only displays classic cars but also the new vehicles that Nissan produces. The X-Trail’s direct competitors are the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. The X-Trail is assembled at Nissan’s facility in the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan.

A classic Nissan car displayed at the museum is the Fairlady. The roadster is considered as one of the best looking convertibles of its time. The Fairlady is the direct ancestor of the Z car which Nissan is known for. It was first produced by the car manufacturer in 1959 and was discontinued in 1970. Throughout its stint in the market, Nissan produced 40,000 units of the roadster. The Fairlady badge though is not used in other markets. Instead, it was marketed under the Datsun Sports name. The popularity of the Fairlady is due to the fact that they are a cheaper alternative to European sports cars.

Another classic Nissan car at the Ginza gallery is the 2000 GTX. The Skyline 2000 GTX benefited from the success of the Fairlady in the sense that the capability of the company to produce high performance vehicles is already made known to the car buying public. The 2000 GTX is rated to have a top speed of 120 miles per hour. The reputation and the power of the 2000 GTX made it a big success since like the Fairlady, it is competitively priced. In fact, the 2000 GTX is used by celebrity racing enthusiasts.

Another classic model showcased at Nissan’s auto museum is the Nissan Silvia introduced in 1964. The sport coupe debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show that year and is known to be hand-built and based on the Fairlady. The fact that every Nissan Silvia was hand-built made the coupe an expensive one. From 1964 to 1968 when production was discontinued, there were 554 units of this car that was produced. Most of these cars were sold in Japan while 49 units where exported to Australia and ten more were sent to other parts of the world.

While production for the vehicle was discontinued in 1968, the Silvia will return once again to Nissan’s lineup in 1974 and was once again discontinued in 2002. In its first stint in the market, the Silvia did not attract much attention from car buyers, but in its revival in the 1970s, its popularity took off giving Nissan’s S chassis its place in the annals of the auto industry.

Another classic car displayed at the museum is the Datsun Cherry. The car family is the first Nissan vehicle to use a front-wheel drive configuration. The subcompact car is later named as the Nissan Pulsar although in some markets, it is still called the Cherry. Like its contemporaries in Datsun’s lineup, it is also engineered to be a fast car. In fact, a coupe version of the Cherry made appearances in the Japanese race circuit in the early 1970s.

Another classic model in display at the museum is the Nissan Laurel which was introduced by the company in 1968. It was intended to fill the gap between the Bluebird and the Nissan Cedric during that time. The Laurel is only marketed in select Asian and European car markets. Through its stint in Nissan’s lineup, the Laurel underwent ten generation of redesigns. Unlike the Cherry, the Laurel used the rear-wheel drive configuration.

The last vehicle on display at the museum is the Nissan Cedric. The Cedric was first introduced in 1960 and remains in Nissan’s lineup to this day making it one of Nissan’s longest running models. The Cedric is a large luxury car and is easily recognizable as a Nissan car. Its present model uses the same design concepts used by other Nissan cars from the nose, fender, Nissan door handles, and rear bumper.

RyanThomas asked:


The Japanese carmaker Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. said last Tuesday that it will invest some $750 million in a new research and development centre to catch up with rivals in environmental and safety technology.

New technology center

Japan’s third largest automaker inaugurated the Nissan Advanced Technology Centre (NATC) on Tuesday in Atsugi, west of Tokyo, with some 2000 employees and laboratories for advanced vehicles, electric powertrains and other equipment.

The opening of the new facility underlines the determination of the automaker to develop environmental and safety technologies that are increasingly critical for riding out the tough competition in the auto industry. “Whether products with technology that appeals to consumers can be offered in a timely manner will determine the winners and the losers,” Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said in Japanese at the opening in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture.

“NATC has been established to accelerate the research and advanced engineering of breakthrough technologies for Nissan’s next generation products,” Nissan executive vice president Mitsuhiko Yamashita said. “Future technologies being developed are aimed at environmental sustainability and towards creating a safer mobile society,” he added.

The investment will cover renovations to a powertrain development center and a global design studio, both in Atsugi, said the company in a statement. At the NATC, Nissan’s pool of engineers will pursue a range of eco-friendly technologies to limit the dangerous carbon dioxide emissions, including electric vehicles and hybrids, the statement went further. The Japanese automaker will also develop an “intelligent transportation system” in which data received from traffic beacons is used to alert drivers and aid slash reduce potential road accidents.

NATC is located in Kanagawa prefecture and that is adjacent to Tokyo. Nissan has two other major facilities in the prefecture for product planning, research and development and advanced development: the Nissan Technical Centre in Atsugi and the Nissan Research Center in Yokosuka.

The injury

The Japanese automaker was hit by a business slump in the late 1990s. Since then, it has lagged behind the Toyota Motor Corp. and the Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in the development of new-generation vehicles. Honda has intimated its plan to build a new laboratory in Japan in 2009. Last month, Nissan reported the first drop in annual profits since 1999 under its legendary chief, a Brazilian-born Frenchman who is also the Renault CEO.

Nissan officials acknowledged the company’s near collapse before its dramatic revival under a 1999 alliance with Renault SA of France meant they could not invest in technology to the degree they would have liked. But for the past several years, Nissan has been investing more in technology, they said.

The aim

Nissan Senior Vice President Minoru Shinohara said the carmaker is not preoccupied with what rivals may be doing and is focused on its own goals, such as perfecting its original hybrid system that he said will outperform the competition.

Hybrids now available from Toyota and Honda use nickel-metal hydride batteries, although all major automakers, including the General Motors Corp. of the U.S., are working on lithium-ion batteries for vehicles. Breakthroughs may be exactly what Nissan needs if it hopes to narrow the gap in hybrids with industry leaders like Toyota and Honda, analysts added.

Analysts’ say

Some analysts said Nissan has fallen behind rivals Toyota and Honda in developing gas-and-electric hybrid cars and other technologies that reduce gas emissions blamed for global warming.

Yasuaki Iwamoto, an auto analyst with Okasan Securities Co. in Tokyo, said investing in the Nissan Advanced Technology Center is a step in the right direction. “Otherwise, Nissan has no chance of surviving the competition,” he said. “Catching up won’t be that easy for Nissan. It’s not as though Toyota and Honda are going to sit still and do nothing.”

Maintaining the standing under such unfavorable conditions is a key impediment researchers must overcome to make ecologically friendly vehicles. Nissan’s lithium-ion batteries, expected to have the major benefit of smaller size compared to the current systems, were being tested to to lift the standing of the automaker in the automotive battle arena.

Improving product lines

Nissan introduced a hybrid last year, but now licenses the technology from Toyota. The automaker is working on an original hybrid, set to be launched by 2010, using what it says is a superior kind of battery technology, the lithium-ion battery to be mated to Nissan engines. The batteries are commonly used in gadgets such as laptops and cell phones but have yet to be completely adapted to the more meticulous demands of a car engine.

At the automaker’s new complex for technology, experimental car batteries are stored in freezing temperatures, cooked in giant metal boxes and rattled to improve driving. The batteries are anticipated to play a critical part in Nissan’s effort to catch up in the race to develop green vehicles. The lithium-ion batteries were being tested at the center that opened Tuesday in Atsugi, just west of Tokyo.

“Whether products with technology that appeals to consumers can be offered in a timely manner will determine the winners and the losers,” Ghosn noted.

Nissan is also developing a “three-liter car” capable of traveling 100 kilometers, or 60 miles, on just three liters, or about three quarts, of gasoline. The company hopes to unveil a new model in Japan in 2010.

On alliance

The Japanese automaker is also confident in competing without additional alliance. Ghosn said last Tuesday that Nissan is under no pressure to find a new alliance partner and is not in talks with anybody despite news that a private equity firm will buy U.S.-based automaker Chrysler. “We’re not talking with anybody. I don’t think it’s the right timing today,” Ghosn said while commemorating the opening of its new technology center.

In 2006, Nissan and its French partner Renault entered months of tie-up negotiations with Detroit’s General Motors Corp. in an attempt to create an auto juggernaut across Asia, Europe and North America. The talks ended with no agreement.

Ghosn has since held open the possibility of a further merger, adding that a North American link would be a natural extension. But he has said he is currently satisfied with the scale of the Nissan-Renault partnership. “There’s no change,” he said.

Joe Thompson asked:


The Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is now ready to take on the coming year. It has already set out a list of vehicles that it would be setting off in the auto market. And the whole Nissan line up of vehicles is sure quite something to look through. With auto parts for a Nissan vehicle quite plenty in the market, interested parties need not worry about any replacement parts or Nissan accessories if they are going to purchase a Nissan car, truck, or SUV for their own.

For 2007, the Nissan line of vehicles includes the new Nissan Versa. Aside from this, you would find other Nissan vehicles like the Nissan Altima and Sentra in the line up. You can also find the Nissan Maxima, and Quest in the list.

The Nissan Altima would be available for 2007 and this time around, it would already be in its fourth generation. The 2007 Nissan Altima has been redesigned and it comes available with the new Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission, or CVT. This would also be having a new and restyled platform for better and improved body rigidity.

Entering the sixth generation, the 2007 Nissan Maxima would now be sporting off a restyled exterior. As per its interior, you can most certainly find it very refined. A pack of high technology made for the next generation has also been added in the vehicle. What makes the 2007 Nissan Maxima quite different this year is that it is much more sporty and luxurious at the same time.

As per the Nissan Sentra of 2007, this car offers style along with quality, and optimum performance. Owners would most surely find an abundance of space with this vehicle. Sure enough, Nissan has made certain that this popular car from the company would remain to be one of the topnotch choices of consumers in the auto market.

These are just a few of the vehicles that Nissan has to offer for 2007. The list of 2007 Nissan vehicles include the 2007 Nissan Versa which has been created so as to set standards and not compromise the features that it has with the norms of the auto world. You also can find the Nissan Quest, the Titan King Cab, Titan Crew Cab, Nissan Armada, Frontier King Cab, Frontier Crew Cab, the Pathfinder, the Xterra, Murano, and the 350Z coupe and roadster included in the list.

RyanThomas asked:


In the race to produce green vehicles, Nissan is lagging behind its fellow Japanese firms Honda and Toyota. These two car companies are already enjoying success in the United States auto market in terms of the sale of their hybrid vehicles. The Toyota Prius is a strong seller as well as the Honda Civic Hybrid.

For Nissan though, they are concentrating on producing vehicles equipped with the CVT or the continuously variable transmission. The use of the said gear box reduces the amount of fuel consumed by vehicles equipped with it. This means that greenhouse gas is also reduced. While Nissan’s use of the CVT protects the environment in its own way, car buyers are looking at hybrid vehicles as the better choice.

In response to this, Nissan is set to enter the fray of car manufacturers producing hybrid cars. In order to develop a green car that can be serious competition for the Prius and the Civic hybrid, Nissan built a technology center where developments of hybrid technology will be carried out. The new facility recently opened is located in Atsugi - a city in the Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. At this facility, Nissan is developing lithium-ion batteries which will be used on the production of a hybrid vehicle.

Currently, hybrid vehicles uses nickel-metal hydride battery packs. The lithium-ion batteries being developed by Nissan for automotive application is considered a better choice since it weighs less and packs more power. Some of the tests being carried out by technicians at the said facility is rattling the batteries to simulate driving. They are also being tested under extreme temperature. This is to make sure that they will not malfunction during cold winter drives or will not explode when the vehicle gets too hot.

The development of the batteries is a step toward the mass production of Nissan green vehicles which is seen as a way to bring the company closer to Honda and Toyota in terms of sales.

Present at the opening of the technology center is Nissan Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn. “Whether products with technology that appeals to consumers can be offered in a timely manner will determine the winners and the losers,” Ghosn said during the opening ceremonies. While the company has the resources to invest in the tech center, they are still hampered by their near-collapse during the previous decade. The company’s current CEO is given much if not all of the credit for turning around the company to what it is now today. Last year though, the company suffered its first setback since Ghosn took the reins.

The year 2006 also saw Honda overtaking Nissan to become the second largest Japanese car manufacturer. The reason for Nissan’s poor year is the lack of auto models in their lineup. They have also been criticized for not producing hybrid cars. While the company is being wrongfully accused of that since their CVT reduces greenhouse gas emissions, they have remained resilient by setting a goal of selling a large number of Nissan vehicles equipped with CVT. Aside from the CVT, Nissan also uses Nissan EGR valves to reduce the amount of nitrogen dioxide emissions.

At the opening of the new facility, Ghosn reiterated that they are not seeking to add a new member to the Nissan-Renault alliance. “We’re not talking with anybody,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the right timing today.” He said that while it is speculated that Nissan should partner with more car companies aside from Renault so that it can gain more technological advances, they will not be looking to do that since Nissan is developing its new technology. The new facility is concrete evidence that Nissan can develop technology on its own.

While it is apparent that Nissan is taking steps to gain ground against Toyota and Honda, experts in the industry said that Nissan will be fighting a hard battle although it most certainly will not be a losing one. This is because Honda and Toyota are fueled by their competitiveness that they are constantly outdoing the other in terms of developing new automotive technologies. Toyota is known for its leadership in hybrid technology while Honda has the first U.S. government approved fuel-cell vehicle. For Nissan’s part, not only will they be producing more hybrid vehicles but they have also announced that they will be producing a diesel powered vehicle for the United States auto market.

The popularity of diesel engines in Europe and the fact the Renault is based in France means that Toyota will be able to seek the help of their alliance partner in developing the diesel-powered Nissan Maxima which is set to be released in 2010.

Correy Putton asked:


Japan’s Nissan Motor Company launched a new pickup truck called the Frontier Navada in Thailand. The truck was set forth with high hopes and with an aim: to increase sales in the country to 55,000 units in the 2007-2008 business year and help it catch up with rivals.

“Our strategy is to restore the Nissan brand to the Tier 1 market in Thailand by 2009 alongside Toyota and Honda, partly through the introduction of more new products,” Thierry Viadieu, the president of local unit Siam Nissan Automobile Co., told reporters in the Thai capital.

The automaker expects the new pickup truck to sell 40,000 units in the business year starting in April, exceeding its total sales that include passenger cars. Nissan, held 44 per cent by France’s Renault SA, intends to start exports of the locally produced Frontier Navara for the first time in the third quarter of this year. Nissan’s spokeswoman in Tokyo also divulged this information.

The Nissan Frontier Navara uses upgraded parts for Nissan to improve its performance and capabilities. The Navara’s existence could be traced since 1986. The automaker was the pioneer in the compact pickup truck segment and industry. Nissan has started truck manufacturing in 1959. The aftermath of the venture is the Nissan Frontier. The Frontier was introduced in 1997 for the 1998 model year as a replacement for the aging 1986. Toyota followed the truck manufacture in the 1960s.

Where Toyota Motor Corp. and Isuzu Motors Ltd. are profitably selling in Thailand, Nissan is deemed a laggard. In addition, Toyota and Isuzu seize approximately four-fifths of the pickup market. Nissan vehicles, on the other hand, accounted for just 4.5 per cent of the total Thai vehicle market in 2006.

Viadieu added that 2007 was a “critical” year in which Nissan hoped to raise its market share to 8 per cent in Thailand. He also said the automaker would beef up its Thai dealership network and offer better financing packages through its wholly-owned unit - Nissan Leasing Thailand. The latter started business ventures last year.

With the downturn in Thailand, Nissan intends to make better this year and in the next years to come. It is eager to put up a tough battle with auto giants in the territory to achieve its targets under a 3-year plan that runs until March 2008.

It can be recalled that the automaker in 2004, announced its plan to sell 130,000 units over the 2005-2007 business years, the launch of 8 to 9 new models, and a ramp-up in local production capacity to 200,000 units a year. Nissan is now powered to manufacture 46,000 vehicles every year. A new 3-year plan for 2008-2010 is due to be announced in July, the spokesperson of the automaker added.

From its very first truck manufacture, the automaker is famed for its notable Nissan truck parts. These advanced auto parts paved way for the introduction of Nissan’s firsts in the compact pickup truck market including the first extended cab bodystyle in the 1979 Nissan King Cab, and the first crew cab bodystyle compact pickup in the D22 Navara.

Since 1986, Nissan has created 3 generations of the Navara. The first generation was the D21, a small pickup. The second generation of the Nissan Navara came a decade after D21 existence. The Nissan Navara D22, a compact pickup, was manufactured from 1998 and went until 2005. The second generation Navara was replaced by bigger, taller, longer D40 – a midsize pickup truck.

Scott B asked:


I have a 1985 Porsche 911 Targa(not a turbo). The brake lights only come on when the brake pedal is pressed all the way to the floor, so you have to be pretty much stopped for the lights to come on. I have heard that there is a switch under the pedal(I think) that controls the lights. Anybody know anything? Can I adjust the pedal? Do I need to buy a new part? Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.