Best New-Car Leftovers for 2012 for Nissan!

Most savvy car shoppers know that September — the traditional end of the model year — means great bargains on car lots. But the truly advanced shopper knows that even better deals are available for those who are willing to buy a model that is about to be discontinued or redesigned.

Why are these vehicles so cheap? Well, if you buy a model that will be redesigned or dropped for the next model year, you will be driving a car that's visibly outdated. It's like buying a dress or suit that was hot last year, but has been eclipsed by newer styles. But even if you're the pragmatic type whose decisions aren't driven by fashion, this is your chance to score a new set of wheels at a low price.

Besides good, old-fashioned discounts, the cars featured in the list below are likely to carry hefty incentives and rebates to sweeten the deal. Check to see what is available in your area — many such offers are regional. To correctly apply incentives, remember to negotiate your lowest price first and then deduct any rebate. And if there is a choice between low-interest financing and cash back, run the numbers to see which will save you the most.

One note of caution for bargain hunters, though. When car makers introduce a model redesign, the prior model depreciates more quickly and reselling it might be more difficult. However, if you're going to keep the car for a long time, depreciation will have little effect on you.

These are vehicles that are just about to be replaced by new-generation models, yet represent excellent value and performance:

2012 Nissan Altima
Nissan is rolling out the first redesign of its Altima sedan in six years for 2013, making the still-attractive 2012 a sweet deal. Check incentives, particularly leasing specials.

2012 Nissan Pathfinder
The Pathfinder has long been a hit for Nissan, but the 2013 model year brings the introduction of an all-new generation with better mileage. Anyone willing to buy the 2012 can leverage incentives such as rebates, low-interest financing and lease specials on all trim levels.

Nissan Creates More Than 800 New Tennessee Manufacturing Jobs

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - During a luncheon today, alongside Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Nissan Americas Vice Chairman Bill Krueger announced the addition of 810 new Nissan manufacturing jobs in Tennessee in support of the company's aggressive growth and demand for its products in the marketplace. The new workforce will support a recently added third shift at the Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant: the first time the plant has had a third vehicle assembly shift in its nearly 30-year history.
To remain competitive in the global economy, the State of Tennessee partnered with Nissan to identify and develop a workforce to meet the company's growing manufacturing needs. Nissan has now added over 2,000 manufacturing jobs in Tennessee since mid-2011.
"Our investment in creating hundreds of new jobs demonstrates Nissan's long-time commitment to our employees, Smyrna and the State of Tennessee," said Vice Chairman Bill Krueger. "The dedicated workforce in Tennessee continues to build high-quality vehicles that compete and win globally, and we're committed to ensuring this doesn't change."
The recent addition of a third vehicle assembly shift at the Smyrna plant is part of Nissan's strategy to localize core-model production. By 2015, Nissan aims to have 85 percent of all Nissan and Infiniti products that are sold in the United States produced in North America.
"Nissan and Tennessee have enjoyed a long and successful partnership for more than 30 years, and this announcement shows the strength of the company and the market demand for its products," Haslam said. "Nissan and our existing industries are very important to the state's economy and the citizens they employ, and I want to congratulate and thank Nissan on today's announcement and the new jobs it means for Tennessee."
Production at Nissan's Smyrna Plant began in June 1983. The vehicle assembly plant has an annual production capacity of 550,000 vehicles and represents a capital investment of $2.5 billion. The plant produces the Nissan Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder and Infiniti JX. In late 2012, Nissan will welcome production of the 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF and the batteries that power it, as well as the next-generation Nissan Rogue in 2013. With recent growth, employment at Nissan's Smyrna manufacturing facility exceeds 6,000 employees.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com.

Having Your Gas Car Serviced? Here, Borrow A Nissan Leaf

2011 Nissan Leaf SL

These days, most mainstream dealers and garages give you a courtesy , or loaner car while your own vehicle is being worked on. 
If you’re lucky, you’ll be given a reasonably new demo car, or perhaps even a car comparable with your own.  More often than not, you'll end up with the garage's oldest, and smelliest car.
But what if you could get your first experience behind the wheel of an all-electric 2012 Nissan Leaf? 
That’s the opportunity being given to Nissan customers in the U.K. right now, courtesy of a renewed push to sell the plug-in hatchback. 
In a letter to all its customers--hat-tip to the author’s big sister--Nissan explains that it is offering all of its customers the chance to borrow a Leaf the next time their car is in the shop. 
And it isn’t just Leaf customers, who some Nissan dealers offer electric loaner cars to. It’s anyone who brings a Nissan car in for a service.
“We’ve a few surprises lined up when you next service with your Nissan dealer--starting with an exclusive opportunity to experience the future of motoring first hand by having a Nissan Leaf, the world’s first 100% electric car, as your free courtesy car,” the letter explains. 
Just like the U.S., sales of the all-electric hatchback haven’t been as high in the U.K. as Nissan would like. Offering customers the chance to drive one while theirs is being worked on is a smart sales move.
After all, with the Leaf now rapidly approaching its second birthday, Nissan is no-longer selling to early-adopters. 
Instead, it has to sell the car to everyday car buyers, a much harder sales proposition than those who are already fans of electric car technology. 
And the best way to get people excited about electric car technology, as many advocates will agree, is to get people driving electric cars. 
Moreover, Nissan’s offer means that customers who would never willingly drive to a dealer to test-drive a Leaf get the option of time behind the wheel. 
Add the fact that there won’t be any pestering salesman sitting next to you as you drive the loaner car off the lot, and you have the perfect recipe for a real-world, unmoderated test-drive.

Borrow a Nissan Leaf while your car is in the shop.

But the automaker is keen emphasize it isn’t forcing customers to take a Leaf if they don’t want to.
“We’re happy to offer you another Nissan courtesy car if you prefer, but we thought the chance to drive the 100% Leaf might come as something of a pleasant surprise,” the letter continues. 
At present, the offer only appears to apply to customers in the U.K., but would you welcome a similar practice in the U.S.? 
Do you think regular, non-electric Nissan customers would take the opportunity? 
And what will their reaction be?

Nissan's New Safety Tech Knows When You Hit The Gas By Mistake

By  Richard Read

251 views Oct 12, 2012

Nissan's Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication technology

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You've probably heard of "Brake Assist", the in-car technology that automatically slows a vehicle when the onboard computer senses that a collision is imminent.
You've probably also heard of "Lane Assist", which lets drivers know when they've drifted out of their travel lane.
Now, Nissan has introduced something called "Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication". And yes, it's exactly what it sounds like: a high-tech tool that compensates when drivers accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake -- you know, like women often do. (We kid, we kid.)
According to Nissan, this new feature is specifically designed to cut back on accidents in "parking lots and other spaces where a car could collide with walls if a driver mistakenly depresses the accelerator instead of the brake pedal". We'd like to think that the technology will reduce potential run-ins with pedestrians and other vehicles, too, though it's not yet clear that it will.
The system makes use of four cameras on Nissan's "Around View Monitor", paired with sonar sensors. Together, these gadgets detect when a vehicle is in a parking space and if there are walls in its path of travel. Though it doesn't automatically park or un-park vehicles, it can take over the accelerator and the brake if necessary to avoid a collision.
The "Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication (with Carpark Detection Function)" is all part of Nissan's Vision Zero safety plan, which has the very lofty goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and injuries from accidents. The Vision Zero plan has led to the creation of a "Safety Shield" for Nissan vehicles, which works to address safety shortcomings on vehicles and counter them during accidents.
While this technology sounds interesting and very useful, leading us one step closer toward fully autonomous vehicles, it's not going to appear on U.S. cars -- at least not anytime soon. It's scheduled to debut on the Nissan Elgrand, a luxury van available only in Japan and key Asian markets. That's a logical choice, since the Elgrand has been the guinea pig for much of Nissan's new safety equipment, and since the Elgrand's well-heeled owners probably don't mind shelling out for this sort of technology.

Usain Bolt and Nissan collaborate on a hot GT-R

• Usain Bolt and Nissan collaborate on a hot GT-R
• October 11, 2012
• By: Ruth Manuel-Logan

Vrooom!

Credits: 

Nissan

Nissan has collaborated with the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, to produce a one-off "Bolt performance GT-R" for charity.

Bolt, who has now been deemed the brand's "Director of Excitement" helped to develop a riveting gold GT-R with bits of actual gold interior fittings that will be auctioned off for the Usain Bolt Foundation. Proceeds from the auction will help to further the foundation's mission which is to create educational and cultural opportunities for children in Bolt's homeland of Jamaica.

"Racing is my inspiration, and I want to help Nissan become an even more exciting brand for everyone," the sprinter said about the specialized sports car in a press release.

Bolt, who is one of 21,000 Nissan GT-R owners was featured in the automaker's "What_ If" global brand campaign which was launched earlier this year to highlight the iconic products and technologies, invigorate consumers and boost the company's positioning in the marketplace. In the ads, Bolt's enthusiasm about why he loves the GT-R product is certainly apparent. and he plans on continuing to contribute further to the campaign.

Expected down the pike will be a limited-edition 545 horsepower Nissan GT-R which Bolt will also help to develop but thus far, mums the word with regards to any more specifics. Bolt has completed test-driving the GT-R's at the company's proving grounds to help build his vehicle namesake and the automaker will reportedly take into consideration all of Bolt's feedback, based on his own reaction times with regards to the creation of the car.

--Car Chick

2013 Nissan GT-R is a 10 Second Car!

545-hp Godzilla Needs Just 2.7 Seconds to hit 60 mph!

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2011/1111_2013_nissan_gt_r_10_second_car/#ixzz28NFApQPv

 

Back when the Nissan GT-R was first unveiled in late 2007, chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno said that not only had he built an "everyday supercar" that could jump to 60mph in 3.5 seconds and circle the Nurburgring in 7 minutes 38 seconds, but that he would continue to develop the car and announce new revisions every year. Well, Mizuno-san has been hard at work to make the latest version of Godzilla -- though called a 2012 in Japan, it will be called a 2013 once it hits our shores early next year -- even better. Not only did it reach 60 mph in 2.7 seconds in Nissan's testing, but it made the sprint through the quarter mile in 10.8 seconds, a full 0.4 seconds faster than the 2012 model we tested in February, using 100 RON octane gas (96 octane using the U.S.' AKI ratings).

 Click to view Gallery

How is the the 2013 Nissan GT-R so quick? Partially thanks to the addition of even more power. The engine now generates 545 horsepower and 463 lb-ft of torque -- both going up by 15 from the 2012's 530 and 448 -- and produces beefier top end torque response right up to the 7000rpm redline. The 2013 revision also incorporates more efficient cooling ducts for the front brakes, slip-resistant seats, and a Track-Pack option that shaves over 200 pound in weight. Mizuno also stressed that his car generates these neck-snapping numbers by using an even leaner mixture of fuel than before.

The right-hand drive version sold in Japan also employs a world-first asymmetrical suspension system that uses a higher spring rate on the front left wheel and a slightly softer spring rate on the rear right wheel to counteract the extra weight (from the transfer case and propeller shaft) carried on the right hand side of the right-hand drive version. It allows the GT-R to corner flatter at the limit and maintain maximum grip. The US-spec left-hand drive version does not need this technology.

 Click to view Gallery

What of 'Ring times? "While we were not able to get our hot lap in at the Nurburgring with our latest GT-R update, we will try again next spring and are more than confident that we will break the 7 minute 20 second barrier," said Mizuno.

We can't wait to see how well this latest and greatest GT-R does on the famous German circuit, but more importantly, we can't wait to test one ourselves and see what it can do using California's 91 'premium' octane.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2011/1111_2013_nissan_gt_r_10_second_car/#ixzz28NF8aW51