Nissan Elgrand 3.5 V6– ETCM officially launches the E52 and Nissan Murano – ETCM introduces facelifted 2nd gen SUV

If the introduction of the third-generation Nissan Elgrand you’re about to read sounds rather familiar, well, we’ve written about it before – the vehicle was spotted by Danny at the Renault Clio RS 200 Cup launch back in February, though at that point the seven-seater MPV hadn’t made its “official” debut.
It has now. Edaran Tan Chong Motor has launched the E52 Elgrand, and everything is pretty much the same as that reported earlier – the Highway Star version wears a VQ35DE 3.5 litre V6 engine offering 280 PS at 6,400 rpm and 344 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm, and the mill is mated to a Xtronic CVT gearbox.

In the kitbag are automatic rear door slides, a separate dual-zone automatic climate control for front and rear cabin, a private theatre entertainment system and an advance Around View Monitor parking camera.
Also, as previously mentioned, the Elgrand features three ottoman seats, for the front passenger and the two second row captain seats, offering seating in business-class fashion.

Elsewhere, the Elgrand features an interior dressed in dark espresso leather, with gradation wood-tone on panels to offer contrast, as well as chrome-coated, polished 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.
Four exterior colours are available, these being White Pearl, Brilliant Silver, Dark Purple and Black.



The Elgrand in the previous post isn’t the only Nissan arrival being announced today – ETCM has also introduced the facelifted second-generation Murano SUV. Like the Elgrand, the Murano 3.5L is fully imported from Japan. The all-wheel drive vehicle features the familiar 3.5 litre V6 unit, here producing 260 PS at 6,000 rpm and 336 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm, partnered to a Xtronic CVT transmission.

Cosmetic changes include a refreshed front grille and a redesigned front bumper, while the rear is enhanced with newly designed LED tail lights and integrated dual exhaust outlets. Rounding things off are new 5-Y spoke 18-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, revisions include a redesigned centre console with improved rotary controls and a newly positioned central display that provides a greater visibility.
New too are a ‘Fine Vision Meter’ instrument cluster, double stitching design leather seats and the addition of a USB port.

Nissan NV200 Taxi – New York City’s Taxi of Tomorrow

The iconic Ford Crown Victoria New York yellow cabs are on their way out, to be replaced a Nissan van beginning in late 2013. The 2014 Nissan NV200 Taxi recently made its global debut at a special event in SoHo. The Taxi of Tomorrow then made its way to the New York International Auto Show, which is still ongoing at the Jacob Javits Center.
If you remember, Nissan won NYC’s Taxi of Tomorrow competition, which gives it exclusive rights to provide the replacement for the over 13,000 yellow cabs that criss cross the Big Apple.

It was a rigorous, two-year selection process by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the Design Trust for Public Space and Smart Design also engaged with Nissan/TLC in the cab’s design.
“The Nissan NV200 unveiled today will be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient taxi the City has ever had. New York City cabs have always been iconic, and now they will set a new standard. The 600,000 passengers who use taxis to get around every day deserve the cutting-edge technology and top-of-the-line safety features that this model delivers,” said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder powered NV200 Taxi has ample room for four passengers and their luggage, and is obviously a big improvement over the Crown Vic. Access is via sliding doors, aided by an entry step and grab handles. The rear air con is independently controlled and the headliner is infused with active carbon to neutralise odour. The leather-like seat fabric is breathable, antimicrobial, durable and easy-to-clean.
New Yorkers will also enjoy overhead reading lights and floor lighting to help locate belongings. A mobile charging station for passengers, including a 12-volt electrical outlet and two USB ports will be extremely useful for the exec on the go. Safety is not forgotten with front and rear-seat occupant curtain airbags.

But the part that interests me most as a potential tourist will be the NV200′s transparent roof panel, especially nice in a skyscraper dominated city like New York. One day, one day…

New Datsun logo revealed, no more red rising sun

This is the new logo of the reborn Datsun brand. If you haven’t already heard, which details the relaunch of the brand by Nissan. Out goes the red rising sun in the background, and that’s logical, since today’s Datsun is not going to be sold in Japan, or developed markets, but high-growth emerging ones.
“Datsun will provide sustainable motoring experience to optimistic up-and-coming customers in high-growth markets. Datsun represents 80 years of accumulated Japanese carmaking expertise and is a important part of Nissan’s DNA. Datsun vehicles will start sales in India, Indonesia, and Russia from 2014,” Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said.
Indonesia is a major part of Datsun’s plans. “Nissan is bringing new jobs and new vehicles to Indonesia. We are going to expand our production capability and offer a new and exciting product line here,” Ghosn added in a statement.

BREAKING: Datsun brand comeback is confirmed

It’s confirmed. Datsun is back. That’s right. The brand that Nissan discontinued in order to unify all of its products under one roof will be back on the road in the very near future. The news isn’t a surprising one. Nissan was earlier reported to be ready to revive the brand.
Reports suggest that Datsun will be an affordable car brand, with vehicles bearing a small displacement engine and fitted with high local content. Carlos Ghosn was quoted as saying that the Datsuns would be green cars, no doubt supporting the Indonesian government’s plans to introduce a Green Car plan in the near future.
So, in the grand scheme of things, Datsun will conveniently take its place under its parent, Nissan, and placed well away from the top-shelf Infiniti marque. The target market for each brand cannot be more obvious.
The rejuvenated sub-brand has a whole new market to tackle, of course. Ghosn, while talking to the media, said that Datsun ‘will provide sustainable motoring experience to optimistic up-and-coming customers in high-growth markets’. And it will all start in Indonesia.

Nostalgia – the B110 from 1970-73. Click to enlarge.
Which is why Nissan will be upping its production base and sales presence in the country. The total production capacity in Nissan’s Cikampek site will increase to 250,000 annually by 2014, with the workforce expanding to 3,300. This makes this factory one of the largest in the ASEAN region for Nissan. There are also plans to add 150 more dealerships by 2015.
Reports states that Datsun vehicles will start sales in India, Indonesia and Russia from 2014, but Indonesia remains the priority market for the brand, Ghosn said. “If there is any room for more capacity it will be located for the domestic (market) rather than for exports,” he told reporters. The reports also indicate an initial target figure of 60,000 units annually, with a growth rate of 7% each year.
To put more meat on the bones: there were 800,000 vehicles sold in Indonesia in 2011 alone. That makes the island-nation ASEAN’s largest car market. The total is estimated to increase almost double by 2017. And it looks like Nissan would love to be in the thick of things.

And this is the B210 from 1973-77.
Demarcation is always a good thing, especially if you’re looking to define your products and their intended target market, without affecting clout and the perception of your consumer base. In this regard, the Renault-Nissan alliance has set up its stall with clear intent and purpose as far as separation goes – Renault has Dacia, and Nissan, Datsun and Infiniti.
Going the Dacia route wouldn’t work, at least not in the region. The brand is an unknown entity in these parts, and besides, it has Renault spelt all over it. Datsun has far better ‘heritage’ (well, it does!) and association as a name, and the reintroduction route is a simpler option to plonk for. In any case, offering a clear sub-brand should work far better than going say, the IMV route chosen by Toyota.
Still, there’s the odd, inevitable question. I wonder how much money is being spent to reintroduce the name. To the average teen on the street, the name Datsun could very well mean a new line of shoes. And it is this same group of teenagers that will possibly own a Datsun as their first car; Datsun is a brand that’s unheard of where the current generation is concerned. It could probably be a new brand of smartphones, for all they know.

Now, who can forget the B310 – known as the 120Y here – from 1977-81?
It might not matter, really, because if it’s all priced right and meets the requirements of the intended market, it’ll be lapped up.
Malaysia isn’t on the Datsun radar, at least not at the moment, and in all likelihood the brand might not come. The cheapest Nissan in the market is now the Sentra 1.6 manual, at around RM85,000. Price the car any lower, which the Datsun must absolutely be, and it will invade into national car territory. Price it higher, which is the likely scenario, and it simply doesn’t make sense.
In spite of these speculative hurdles, I do hope Datsun makes it back here and I do hope it re-establishes itself, more for nostalgic reasons than any other. For the older generation of drivers, it was with Datsun cars that they first cut their motoring teeth. Me, I cut mine in a B11 130Y, the initial batch of which bore Datsun badging.