2007 Nismo Festival

New cars raising new gas mileage levels

Source : the STAR online

New vehicles are expected to set records for average gas mileage in 2007, driven by improved technology and demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, the US government reported.

Vehicles from the 2007 model year are projected to average 26.4 miles per gallon overall (11.2km per litre; 1 US gallon being equal to 3.79l), a gain of 1mpg over the previous year and above the previous record of 26.2mpg in 1987.

The increases are attributed to higher demand for hybrids and more fuel-efficient vehicles with gas prices hovering around US$3 for much of the year.

Sales of hybrid vehicles and small cars are expected to set new sales records this year despite a sluggish US auto market. Sales of pickup trucks and SUVs have largely declined due to high gasoline prices and the slump in the homebuilding industry.

Honda Motor Co was estimated to lead the way, averaging 39.9mpg for its imported vehicles and 33.7mpg for vehicles built in the United States. Toyota Motor Corp is second with 38.5mpg for imported vehicles and 31.7mpg for cars and trucks produced in North America.

David Friedman, a researcher with the Union of Concerned Scientists, called the estimates for Toyota discouraging. Toyota's domestic vehicles are projected to fall 3mpg in 2007 and the Japanese company is the only large automaker expected to decline in truck fuel economy.

"At the same time Toyota's producing ads with hybrids driving through green fields, it's making less fuel-efficient vehicles," Friedman said.

Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said the automaker did not have an immediate comment.

The data, based on a Transportation Department analysis of sales estimates released earlier this month, was first reported in last Friday's editions of the Detroit Free Press. The projections will be updated once automakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration receive sales data for 2007 vehicles.

The difference in mileage between continents comes from the different models that are produced at each location.

Detroit-based automakers are all projected to make progress. General Motors Corp and Ford Motor Co improved to 29.6mpg and 28.8mpg, respectively, in domestic production.

DaimlerChrysler AG also showed gains. The automaker, which sold an 80.1% stake in Chrysler - now called Chrysler LLC - to Cerberus Capital Management LP, climbed about 3mpg to 28.6mpg in its domestic production.

Nissan Motor Co's domestically-produced vehicles averaged 33.4mpg while its imported vehicles were estimated at 25.9mpg.

Overall, passenger cars are expected to average 31mpg, an increase of 1.2mpg, while pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans are expected to increase to 22.9mpg, up 0.7mpg from 2006.

Charles Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said the data reflected the industry's push to develop more fuel-efficient models, but much of the progress was dependent upon what consumers buy.

"While we're pleased that fuel economy has increased, we also are well aware that shifts in the marketplace could very easily negate those gains," he said.

In June, the Senate approved legislation requiring the auto industry to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles and negotiators in the House and Senate are expected to consider the upgrades.

Under the Senate bill, the industry would need to meet fuel economy requirements of 35mpg by 2020, up from the current standards of 27.5mpg for cars and 22.2mpg for SUVs and pickup trucks.

Automakers have pushed more modest standards, contending the Senate bill would be extremely costly and limit the consumer's choice of vehicles. - AP

Tan Chong to roll out Nissan Grand Livina in Malaysia by year-end

By Yantoultra Ngui Yichen

SHAH ALAM: Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM), distributor of Nissan vehicles in Malaysia, will launch the “mid-size” multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) Nissan Grand Livina in the fourth quarter this year.

Its executive director Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng said on Aug 3 the locally-assembled Grand Livina with engine capacities of 1.6 litre and 1.8 litre would cost below RM100,000.

The MPV would target the middle-income customers and compete in the lower segment of the MPV market in the country, he said after a company function.

“The response for Levina in Indonesia has been very encouraging. We hope to achieve the same success here,” he said, adding more than 5,000 units were sold in three months after its launch in Indonesia in April.

Meanwhile, ETCM and Nissan Motor Co Ltd, for the first time ever, shared the behind-the-scene of the automotive design processes with Malaysian undergraduates at the launch of its “Imagination Factory” at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

“ETCM is the first major automotive player to hold such a dedicated event in the country,” he said, adding its three-day Nissan Design Forum was also part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.

“We aim to promote the automotive design vocation in the country and bring design and art educational opportunities to our future Malaysian designers,” he said.

Malaysia is the fourth country to hold the Nissan design forum. The forum started in Singapore in August last year, followed by Taiwan and China. It will be held in the Philippines in September.

"Godzilla" - Fast yet Pedestrian friendly.

By: MeraBoy
Everyone’s eagerly waiting for Nissan to release the new GT-R later this year. The car affectionately dubbed ‘Godzilla’ is expected to bring us Porsche 911 performance at Boxster prices and will revive the famous nameplate that’s been gone for too long. One little-known aspect of the GT-R is that it will also be one of the safest cars on the road thanks to a bevy of airbags and a tougher passenger cell.


A new feature Nissan will be introducing to this model is a bonnet that will reduce head injuries in the event you run into a pedestrian. The technology, which was first pioneered by Jaguar in the XK (pictured above), involves the use of a small explosive charge that will cause the hood to pop-up and increase the protective buffer between it and the engine below.

The pop-up bonnet was necessary because of increased pedestrian safety legislation around the globe. Use of this technology has helped the designers behind the GT-R to retain the aggressive look the car is famous for.

New Mitsubishi Lancer on the roads of Singapore

Believe it or not, this is what it will look like on our roads. The new model, soon to be dubbed the Lancer EX, will be launched by Cycle and Carriage on the 10th of August. Of course, we brought it out for a short spin prior to the launch. What’s even more startling, is that the new EX has its roots set deep in the platform of the Mitsubishi Outlander. A whole lot bigger and terribly spacious by Lancer standards, the new car is greatly refined to almost European standards.

The cabin is quiet, comfortable and much more sophisticated – a big jump for Mitsubishi!

The top of the line variant, the Lancer GT, will get sportier styling, sharper lines, wider fenders and it will sit lower down on the ground. Going for $77,988, the GT also features a 5 speed manual to suit those who are game for an engaging drive.

The GT we sampled featured wonderfully precise and well weighted gear shift mechanisms. Even the steering was nicely weighted, totally eliminating any of that “Japanese lightness” that previous Lancers, or even Toyotas for that matter, are known for.

The engine was extremely willing to rev, and the smoothness of it all was again, mind boggling. One recalls the K20A engine of the Euro R Accord.

This 2 litre Lancer, equipped with the 4B-11 that shares its character with a Dodge Caliber, will also be available with a Continuously Variable Transmission, and will retail for $79,988.

If 2.0 4 pot engines are too much for you to swallow, then you’ll be happy to know that the new Lancer EX comes in 1.5 litre variants that go for $62,988 (Elegance model), and $64,888 for the sportier variant.

While the current Lancer GLX is only available as a 1.6-litre model, it will continue to sell for at least another 3 more years.

This decision was taken in a bid to direct the Lance EX in the face of the Nissan Sylphy, Mazda 3, Honda Civic, and other cars in this class. It will also fill the gap between the entry level Lancer and the bigger, more expensive Outlander, effectively replacing the long extinct Galant (after all, it is called the Galant Fortis in Japan) in the process.

Here are some photos:

Skyline GTR34 and tthe chaser is a Toyota Supra

Nissan Moco

Nissan latest compact release? This has not been official yet but these pics are circulating around the world of email and just post here to share with you.



Need someone to translate into English please...



The rear look merely like Hyundai Atos?



Nice to see GPS Navigation system is available.



This car designed for lifestyle users.









This car seems to be designed to suite female driver?


No RPM meter?


Powered by K6A DOHC VVT technology with 40kW(54ps)/6500rpm output and 63N.m(6.4kg-m)/3500rpm torque.

Nissan Latio and Latio Sport

It’s been a long and challenging past few years for Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) while their principal। Nissan Motor, was busy regaining its strength and position in larger markets. After the formation of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the focus was on markets which could generate large revenue streams quickly and these were the USA and Japan, followed by Europe. The rest of the world (or ‘General Overseas Markets’, in Nissan-speak) had to wait and distributors like ETCM have been putting in efforts to hold market share in spite of not getting fresh new models.

This year, the challenging period comes to an end as a number of brand new models will be launched in Malaysia। We’ve already seen the Teana flagship last month and also the new Urvan and towards the end of next month comes the new Latio which is intended to do battle in a broad segment stretching from the Honda City/Toyota Vios up to the Toyota Corolla Altis (but not the Honda Civic, though).


Available in two bodystyles – sedan and hatchback – the Latio (pronounced ‘la-she-o’ and not ‘la-tee-o’) uses the Nissan B platform which is also shared with some Renault models like the new Clio. It will be offered with a choice of two engine sizes – 1.6 litres and 1.8 litres – and both 4-cylinder engines were developed jointly with Renault. Besides having DOHC 16-valve cylinder heads, the all-aluminium engines have Nissan’s Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control (CVTC) and Drive-By-Wire throttle control for quicker response.
The performance claims for the engines are as follow:HR16DE 1598 cc: 109 ps at 6000 rpm, 153 Nm at 4400 rpm, 13।9 kms/litre consumptionMR18DE 1798 cc: 126 ps at 5200 rpm, 174 Nm at 4800 rpm, 13.0 kms/litre consumptionAn interesting difference in the dimensions of the two engines is that the smaller engine is undersquare (longer stroke) while the larger one is overquare (shorter stroke).

The Latio Sedan will be available with both the engines in four versions: Latio 1।6ST Manual; Latio 1.6 ST Auto; Latio 1.6ST-L Auto; and Latio 1.8Ti Auto. The Latio Hatchback will be known as the Latio Sport and have only the 1.6-litre engine and automatic transmission. Besides a half dozen colour choices, the Latio Sport will also have one exclusive colour – Harvest Yellow.

The suspension layout comprises independent MacPherson struts in front and a simple H-shaped torsion beam axle with stabilizer at the rear. A notable feature in the front suspension is the provision of internal rebound springs and also the use of ripple control telescopic dampers which are said to enhance ride and handling.
Front suspension
Rear suspension
With the Latio, Nissan is pushing the standards for the 1.6-litre segment higher and introducing quality levels which should be class-leading (and certainly a big leap from the Sentra which incidentally, will remain in production for the foreseeable future).
Interior roominess is also a strong point and Nissan-supplied data indicates that the Latio Sedan’s interior length is 2035 mm long whereas a certain 1.6-litre ‘Competitor T’ has a length of 1925 mm (the identity of ‘Competitor T’ was not provided…). The cabin width is also 10 mm more for the Latio with more generous gaps between the occupants’ heads and the ceiling.
“The interior length is the best in its class and the materials used as well as high-quality finishing give the Latios a quality level not commonly found in cars of this segment,” said T. Nose, Vice-President of Product Planning of Nissan Asia-Pacific, at the press preview tonight.
The somewhat blunt rear end of the sedan contains a huge volume of luggage space – 467 litres – which is said to be greater than Competitor T and even a Competitor H which has a 1.8-litre engine. The floor is set lower down, allowing for more volume. Also noticed on the car was an electro-magnetic latch for the bootlid – just press it gently and the bootlid pops open.
The Latio Sport is equally spacious within and is appointed with a sportier ambience using dark materials. The rear seats can slide forward by 240 mm to increase boot volume. Both the sedan and hatchback have rear centre armrests which incorporate cupholders.
Full specs for the Latio are not available just yet but from the display cars, it was evident that the interior trim for the most expensive versions will include wood finish and bi-xenon headlights will be fitted on some versions. The Latio will also be the first model in its class (assembled locally) to have true keyless entry and starting using the Nissan Intelligent Key System. ETCM’s NISMO division is also looking at the possibility of a NISMO Latio later on.
Bootlid has electro-magnetic latch - just press the switch and it opens
Engine can be started without inserting a key, just twist the tab at the ignition key position
The prices for the Latio will only be announced next month but a ETCM source hinted that the range would be between RM80,000 and RM110,000. The company expects to sell between 500 and 600 units a month, all of which will come from its new RM230 million state-of-the-art assembly plant in Serendah, outside Rawang, Selangor.