Dakar Vets Bring New Electric Tesla To Pike's Peak...

After finishing the '12 Dakar and becoming the first electric (at least in part) vehicle to do so the OSCar eO team turned its attention to North America.  In '13 they brought a custom electric hillclimb car and did not have the best of luck...You can see the recovery of the vehicle in the video below:



Not willing to give up on finishing Pike's Peak, they have returned in '14 with a new vehicle.  This time the platform is that of a Tesla Roadster--a car known more for looking incredible than performing incredibly.  The OScar eO team has replaced the stock Tesla driveline with a more powerful, liquid cooled, electric motor but remains RWD and is now motivated by a 360kW twin motor system (equating to 500 HP) and a 40 kWh battery pack and an overall weight of 1060 kg.

This will be the Tesla platform's major motorsports debut though it is not likely to take a win within its electric vehicle division as it will be running in what is essentially an unlimited class due to the drivetrain change. The class itself seems to be growing annually and now is up to seven entries including two production models (Honda Fit EV and Toyota Rav4 EV) and multi time Pike's champion Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima.  The team website can be found here: http://driveeo.com/

2016 Nissan GT-R Rendering Leaked...

Looks like a Japanese magazine has leaked an early rendering of the 2016 Nissan GT-R which is reportedly to be the first major reworking of the supercar since its introduction a few years back.  Receiving a hybrid powerplant though still containing a twin turbo V6 the new GT-R will retain its sub 3 second 0-60 time and its off the line torque should be incredible given the now part time electric powertrain.

That said, if this a true depiction of the next GT-R, it has gotten REALLY ugly in my mind...looking a bit like an elongated Mitsubishi Eclipse, all its little wiggles and bumps are not appealing.  Here's hoping they flatten some of this out...

IDx Video and Audio!

Certainly does NOT sound like a three or four cylinder under there....nor does it sound like a turbo either...but what do I know??

Next Nissan Frontier to be a Diesel?? Or a Hybrid??

Sure sounds like it according to Fred Diaz who is head of US sales.  All powertrains are under consideration and given that Nissan has moved to put a diesel in the 2016 Titan would it surprise anyone if a smaller diesel ended up in the next generation Frontier?

Unchanged in terms of basic body design and powertrain options since its introduction as a 2005 model, the Nissan Frontier saw one of its best years of sales in 2013 with over 60,000 units sold in the US.  Worldwide the Navara is also a successful model but one that comes with a turbo diesel engine not available here.  Though the Truck Trend article mentions that they test drove just such a model at the Nissan 360 event in California in 2013, I wouldn't anticipate that this exact engine would end up in a US version of the next Frontier.  This engine has been in use for these past near 10 years and any updated Frontier would likely receive an updated and more efficient engine as well.  The suggestion of a small Cummins diesel is an exciting proposition

The more interesting possibility is that of a hybrid option.  Nissan likes to be seen as an innovative company on the cutting edge of automotive options--the first mini-pickup in the US, first truck with a crew cab option, first mass market all electric with the Leaf, etc.  So it wouldn't shock me to see Nissan be the first to offer a hybrid small pickup or perhaps a hybrid turbo diesel?  Or perhaps the "First Manufacturer to offer a Cummins diesel in a Mid-Size truck"??

In any case, the next Frontier is likely to stay "about" the same size as it is today given it will still need to differentiate itself from the new Titan though, as with the current version, the two models will see a number of identical parts--axles, hubs, frame, etc. to curb costs.  With the Titan rounding into its final form before its introduction to the world in less than a year, the next Frontier is definitely entering the design phase as we speak.

Nissan Frontier--Diesel? Hybrid? Cummins?

Cummins Confirms Diesel Engine for Nissan Titan

Confirming what has long been suspected/rumored, Cummins is announcing today their agreement to produce diesel engines for the next generation Nissan Titan.  Rumored to be a 4 cyl. turbo diesel we may get more details later today and perhaps they will be producing a large mill as well.  This is big news as Nissan will have beaten Toyota to the punch to being the first foreign manufacturer to embrace the torque, towing and mpg possibilities that oil burners provide.

Given the way public companies work I would envision that this announcement means that the  Nissan bound diesels will be rolling off the assembly line within the next 12 months, indicating that the '15 Titan should be on dealership floors in Q3/Q4 '14.  More details to follow as they become available.

Gimme my Nissan Titan diesel NOW!!

Cummins confirms production of diesel engines for Nissan...

2014 Nissan Rogue Spotted!!

 Heavily camouflaged but still exhibiting a sleeker, lower form--much like the Infiniti crossovers, the next gen Rogue also looks a bit longer as well.  The Rogue has been a big seller for Nissan in the US and this looks to continue with this model giving consumers more of what they like about it as a small-ish, inexpensive-ish wagon without wagon looks.

In Canada and elsewhere this will likely be dubbed the "X-Trail" or "Dualis" replacing a more rugged model in those markets and streamlining another section of Nissan's product line.  These photos were taken in Death Valley during hot weather testing--thus the need for the Uhaul trailer to put additional stress on the vehicle in real world conditions.  Additionally, the next generation Rogue will reportedly have a hybrid gas/electric drive option--a first for a Nissan SUV/crossover I believe.

2014 or 2015 Nissan Titan to Go Hybrid?

Nah, I doubt it at this point--at least not in the first versions to be released but there is now speculation out there as to the next generation Titan getting a hybrid powerplant at some point in its lifetime.

To me there are too many drawbacks (high cost, unproven design, market desire, etc., etc.) for Nissan to step into this area with its next Titan.  Given the minuscule portion of the market Nissan currently grabs in the truck market, stepping full into this arena seems a tad risky.  The market hasn't even shown that they want/trust Nissan with their truck buying dollars so why go way off the deep end with a hybrid/electric full size truck.

The article that drives such speculation can be found here: http://www.tflcar.com/2013/05/what-engines-will-power-the-next-2015-nissan-titan/ and comes from the same source as got the original spy shots that have been seen here and elsewhere.  The benefits of having the electric driveline (MPG, instant torque, something new in the market, etc.) are certainly there but I'd prefer an efficient and less expensive diesel option to any hybrid.  Nissan does have a hybrid Pathfinder coming as well as a hybrid M35h but both are "car" based applications and not exactly heavy duty platforms.  As we get ever closer, I am hoping for more and more tidbits to be revealed.  So far, Nissan hasn't tipped their hand.