Nissan Sylphy and Livina X-Gear Tuned by Impul unveiled at Super GT Round 3 in SIC

Looks like this is becoming a tradition. During last year’s Super GT in Sepang, Nissan launched the Grand Livina tuned by Impul. This year, Nissan has thrown the covers off the Sylphy and Livina X-Gear Tuned by Impul.
As the name of the cars suggest, Impul have lend their customisation expertise and added something extra in these everyday cars. The changes are just cosmetic, which leave the engine untouched.

The extra kit that comes with the Sylphy and Livina X-Gear Tuned by Impul includes the Impul Blast 2 Exhaust Muffler, Impul Aura SX-20 17 inch alloy wheels and Impul Complete Aerokit Rear Wing Spoiler. The cars also come with Impul Sports Suspension System that lowers ride height and delivers a sportier handling.
The X-Gear comes at a price of RM90,800 and the Sylphy is yours for RM125,988. Both prices are on-the-road with insurance. All Impul parts comes with a three-year or 100,000 km warranty on manufacturing defects if they are purchased and fitted by ETCM on a brand new X-Gear or Sylphy.

Nissan Urvan – ETCM initiates a service campaign

If you own a Nissan Urvan, this will definitely be of interest. Edaran Tan Chong Motor has been officially notified by Nissan that certain units of the Urvan produced and sold by ETCM may need rectification work on a couple of affected parts, and a recall has been issued to fix the issue.
The affected parts are the front hub bearing (assembled by ETCM from May 2007 to March 2011) and the clutch pedal bracket (produced in Japan from May 7, 2001 to January 25, 2007).
As a preventive measure, owners will be asked to send their Urvans in to check the front hub bearing as well as the clutch pedal bracket and, where necessary, the affected part(s) will be replaced for the model. Tan Chong Express Auto Service Centre will contact affected Urvan owners, and all labour and replacement parts for the service will be conducted free-of-charge.

ETCM forms First Energy Networks – subsidiary to build and operate charging infrastructure and system for EVs

Nissan looks like its ready to up its EV game here, what with Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s recent announcement of the incorporation of a wholly-owned subsidiary called First Energy Networks. The start-up’s principal activity, according to the statement made in its filing to the Bursa, will be to build and operate the charging infrastructure and system for electric vehicles and any related facilities.
The company already has the Nissan Leaf about, though the EV isn’t running commercially, but as part of a pilot programme to create public awareness of the car and the tech. Still, the move beyond just that now looks certain, and with the formation of the new subsidiary, ETCM looks like it’s planning early for the future.
Perhaps it’s all spurred by the suggestion that the Government may pile on more incentives for hybrid and EVs. Reports indicate that the Government is looking at various avenues to help spur the uptake of such vehicles, and the incentives will supposedly be revealed when the second revision of National Automotive Policy is announced sometime this year.

Nissan achieves record sales, first quarter profit doubles

Nissan is doing well compared to its Japanese peers. It was announced that profits made a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2012 on the back of an aggressive push in fast-growing markets. The Yokohama-based company reported a net profit of 75.3 billion yen (US$943 million), up from 30.8 billion yen from 2011.
Global sales hit 4.8 million units in its 2011 financial year, a company record. For the full FY ending in March 2012, Nissan reported net income of 341.4 billion yen, a 7% rise on the previous year. Japan’s second-biggest carmaker outperformed rivals Honda and Toyota, both of which reported lower profits.

The past 12 months have been a tough one for Japanese carmakers. The tsunami and earthquake disaster in Japan disrupted production lines and caused power shortages. And just when they were back on steam, the massive floods that covered Thailand – a regional base for most Japanese brands – bogged them down again. Nissan bounced back faster from these setbacks to create today’s headline.
In addition to the natural disasters, a strong currency has hurt Japanese exporters as it makes their goods more expensive overseas and eats into the profits they bring back. “It is an even more encouraging performance given the headwinds created by natural disasters, an over-valued yen and uncertain global economic conditions,” underlined Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn.
No resting on laurels – Nissan is predicting an even better showing for the current financial year. Global sales is forecasted at 5.35 million units, an increase of more than 10%, while net profits are predicted to hit 400 billion yen.

Nissan Juke-R goes into production, very limited run

Good news. The Nissan Juke-R will go into production. The bad news: Juke-R will be made in limited numbers on built-to-order basis. The price remains undisclosed but as my ex-Creative Director once told me, “If you need to ask for the price, you cannot afford it.”
There are three reasons why the Juke-R will be made; two of the reasons are high-profile and well-respected members of Dubai society. No hint on who the third person is. You see, the Juke-R made its debut in Dubai in January and have without a doubt caught the eye of some the nation’s elites.

Gareth Dunsmore, Marketing Product Manager for the Juke, said: “With such a strong reaction, and with three genuine offers on the table, we decided we had to make the car a reality. We can’t let down enthusiasts who are this keen to add to their collection of cars. The Juke-R has become something of a phenomenon and I’m enormously proud of the impact it has had. There will be more news to come on Juke later in the year.”
While the original Juke-R was based on the MY10 GT-R running gear, the production Juke-R will get the drivetrain and chassis of the MY12 GT-R. As a recap, the Juke-R has a 3.8 litre engine that produces 545 bhp and can reach a top speed of 160 mph, or about 257.5 km/h.

Nissan will be taking orders in the coming four weeks before officially starting production. The first three owners will get their cars in late summer.