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Archive for March, 2010
Nissan teases next-generation Quest minivan
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
Filed under: Spy Photos, Minivan/Van, Nissan, Design/Style
Nissan Quest teaser image – Click above to enlarge
Earlier this year, we reported that Nissan would be dropping the Quest minivan from its lineup for the 2010 model year, but we noted that a replacement is in the works. Today, Nissan is showing off this teaser image of the next-generation model which will go on sale in early 2011.
Details are slim as of this writing, but what we can gather from this shadowy photo is that the new Quest will look substantially different than the odd-looking outgoing model. While many automakers have been abandoning the minivan segment, Japanese rivals at Toyota and Honda continue to duke it out – the former with their new Sienna and the latter with their soon-to-be all-new Odyssey. Whether because of its avante-garde styling or occasionally indifferent quality control, Nissan’s current Quest has never really found its sales groove here in North America. Will the new model change things? Only time will tell.
Hit the jump for Nissan’s brief statement about this Quest teaser, and click here to see the high-res version.
[Source: Nissan]
Continue reading Nissan teases next-generation Quest minivan
Nissan teases next-generation Quest minivan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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40 mpg and it’s not a hybrid?
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
A Cruze to better fuel economyThe Toyota Prius is rated at 48 mpg highway by the EPA, the Honda Insight 43 mpg.
According to GM, the Chevy Cruze should achieve about 40 mpg highway, prompting CNN’s Peter Valdes-Dapena yesterday to claim, “The automaker’s new Chevrolet Cruze ECO will get very high gas –mileage without relying on any hybrid technology.”
And what about the Cruze’s city fuel economy? That is largely the point of hybrid technology, right?
City fuel economy for the Prius is 51 mpg, and 40 mpg for the Insight. Yet, GM isn’t even releasing its estimates for the Cruze’s city fuel economy. I wonder why? Might it be that when overall fuel economy is compared, the Cruze simply won’t compare to hybrid vehicles? Won’t the Cruze be lucky to achieve even 30 mpg in the city?
The Cruze is a nice car, and it might be a great deal for highway commuters concerned with fuel economy, but if priced similarly to the Insight or the Prius, those concerned with fuel economy will do much better with a hybrid.
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Toyota on track to produce 1 million hybrids next year
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
1 of 10 upcoming new hybrids?Toyota is increasing its battery production as it increases its share in Panasonic EV Energy Co. from 60 percent to more than 80 percent. As a result Toyota will manufacture enough NiMH batteries next year to produce 1.1 million hybrids.
Within the next few years Toyota is preparing to launch as many as 10 new hybrid vehicles as the automaker seeks to become 30 percent hybrid by 2020.
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Nissan Leaf to cost less than $26,000 after tax credit
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
Can it really make money?The Nissan Leaf will cost $32,780 when it goes on sale at the end of the year. Thus, after the $7500 plug-in tax credit, the Leaf will sell for $25,280.
While the Leaf will sell for $40,000 in Japan, Nissan is lowering the cost for the US market to increase volume, yet the automaker claims it can still make money at this price.
Sounds like a pretty fair price after the tax credit, but it sure seems hard to believe Nissan can make money on this vehicle when similar EVs cost almost $50,000. Still, the key question is, what happens after the tax credit expires? At almost $33,000 Leaf sales will hit a serious wall without a big drop in price.
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Lincoln MKZ hybrid next for Ford?
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
Ford’s next hybridIt’s all just a rumor right now, but it seems highly probable that Ford will debut the Lincoln MKZ hybrid at the upcoming NY Auto Show. However, considering that the MKZ is built on the same platform as the Ford Fusion hybrid, such a rumor isn’t that hard to believe.
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Japan – 50 percent hybrid and EV by 2020
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
Japan set to go hybrid crazy?Bloomberg is reporting that Japan’s Office of Ministry is considering goals to make hybrid cars and plug-in vehicles 50 percent of new car sales by 2020 and 70 percent by 2030.
Sounds like a great way to ensure that Japanese automakers maintain their hybrid leadership on the way to plug-in domination.
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Could racing take hybrids to the next level?
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
A car even for gear heads?Yesterday, a Porsche GT3 R hybrid took 6th place in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring’s ADAC Westfalenfahrt qualifying event. According to InsideLine, of the 160 cars participating, the Porsche hybrid was one of two stand out entries.
Porsche hybrids? Whatever, right? Even if every Porsche were a hybrid little benefit to the world would be gained.
On the other hand, perhaps proving the capabilities of hybrid technology on the race track can make hybrid vehicles more appealing to a wider range of consumers?
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Mazda Prius coming soon
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
The Mazda Tribute hybridBack in July it was reported that by 2013, Mazda would begin licensing Toyota hybrid technology as part of its plan to sell 100,000 hybrid cars per year. Today, Mazda has confirmed that it will begin using the same hybrid technology in the Toyota Prius coupled with its next generation Sky engine to develop a new hybrid car that will go on sale in 2013.
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Cadillac Shows What They Have Up Their Sleeve
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
Cadillac gives us a peek at what’s to come prior to the upcoming New York Auto Show. The CTS-V Sport Wagon might be a show car at the moment, but when it hits your local dealership floor later this year it may just be worth a trip to go test drive this beast.
Sure, it [...]
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2011 Mustang Smokes the Competition
Author: adminMarch 31, 2010
At a recent Ford press event, the 2011 Mustang GT was pitted against a 2010 Camaro SS. The Stang ripped off an impressive 8.62 @ 86mph in the eighth while the Camaro turned in a slower 8.82 @ 83mph. That is estimated to be a 13.54 to a 13.85 in the quarter mile, respectively.
Apparently some [...]
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