Nissan Introduces Low-cost EV Quick Charger

 

"To provide a low-cost, high-quality charging solution for faster EV “refills,” Nissan and Sumitomo are collaborating to launch a new EV quick charger for the U.S. market. And not only will the innovative quick charger cost about one third the price of traditional units, but it also will be able to support all plug-in vehicles capable of quick charging on the increasingly-used CHAdeMO standard—including the Nissan LEAF. The only 100 percent electric car designed for the mass market, the LEAF can be refilled from a fully depleted state to an 80 percent charge in less than 30 minutes using this new charger.

The Nissan/Sumitomo charging system was designed primarily for fleet and commercial applications—including public charging points, rental fleets, corporate and educational campuses, and even shopping malls—and it will be available in two different configurations: One specifically for outdoor use, one for indoor locations.

Other fast facts about the quick charger:" [Continue reading...]

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Chrysler Invests $1.7 Billion To Build 2013 Jeep Liberty Replacement

 

"Chrysler said it will invest $1.7 billion to develop and build a successor to the Jeep Liberty, including $500 million to retool and expand the Jeep assembly plant here.

Chrysler confirmed the Liberty will be replaced in model year 2013 by a new D-segment model that will be exported to markets around the world.

It said the remainder of the $1.7-billion investment will be spent on other Chrysler facilities in the U.S. as well as supplier tooling and related development costs for the new model.

The Toledo North Assembly Plant builds the 2012 Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro. The Toledo announcement suggested there is no replacement planned for the Nitro." [Continue reading...]

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Volkswagen Passat Named Motor Trend 2012 Car of the Year

 

"They grow up so fast. It seems like just yesterday that the first Volkswagen Passat rolled off the production line at our state-of-the art factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We’ve always thought highly of the Passat, and as it turns out, we’re not alone: no less an automotive authority than Motor Trend named the Passat the 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year. In a field of 35 vehicles, the American-made midsize sedan took top honors. The award was presented to Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen of America, by Motor Trend Editor-in-Chief Angus Mackenzie during a press conference at the 2011 LA Auto Show. Needless to say, we’re thrilled. 

Not only did Motor Trend designate the Passat as the best new car for 2012, but they also said think that it outclasses the current segment leaders: The Passat SE, TDI SE and VR6 SEL each came out on top in comparisons against comparable models of the 2011 and 2012 Hyundai Sonata and 2012 Toyota Camry.

The German-engineered and designed Passat delivers the complete Volkswagen driving experience. Make that experience last as long as possible in the Passat TDI Clean Diesel model, which gets an estimated 43 MPG* and can go up to 795 miles before refueling. Tell your passengers to feel free to stretch out in its tastefully designed interior and get comfy for that long drive, because the Passat also offers class-leading rear-seat legroom, automatic dual-zone climate control and standard Bluetooth®. Even when you reach your destination, you and your passengers may not want to get out of the car, thanks to the crisp, booming sound provided by the optional Fender Premium Audio System, designed exclusively for Volkswagen." [Continue reading...]

LaCrosse GL Concept Refines Buick’s Signature Style

 

"When designers set out to capture the essence of Buick luxury for the LaCrosse GL concept vehicle, they looked to the fine cuisine, heirloom objects and enriching experiences the brand’s customers savor. The design study is on display at the L.A. Auto Show through Nov. 17.

Buick’s color and trim designers worked from a palette of cabernet red, dark cocoa brown and caramel choccachino. They took inspiration from the burnished metal of antique jewelry, ombré patina on vintage guitars and flocked lining of keepsake boxes. For GL’s French-stitched premium leather seats, the designers looked to the understated elegance of classic club chairs and contours of windswept sand dunes. And their use of smooth suede for the headliner is designed to invite one’s touch like a favorite pair of gloves.

“The LaCrosse GL concept expresses Buick’s distinctly human kind of luxury – one that is as warmly inviting as it is elegant and refined,” said David Lyon, executive director of design. “The design cues that already distinguish the production LaCrosse – such as the premium leather-upholstered seats, ice blue ambient lighting and soft touch surfaces – are amplified in the GL and serve as inspiration for future Buick models.”

LaCrosse GL’s cabernet red exterior paint is complemented by brushed and tinted chrome accents on the grille, door handles and deck lid, as well as around the windows, taillights and headlights. Machine-face, satin-finish 20-inch rims fill the wheel wells for a firmly planted appearance.

“The brushed-and-tinted chrome trim gives the GL a more subdued appearance than if we had used bright chrome. The overall effect is more in keeping with Buick’s quietly confident aesthetic,” said Magdalena Kokoszynska, creative designer on LaCrosse GL.

Open the GL’s doors and backlit Buick-emblazoned sill plates invite one to enter like illuminated welcome mats.

Take a seat and one is ensconced in luxury, enveloped by flowing sculptural surfaces finished in a rich blend of warm-hued materials. They offer soft-touch refinement and surprise-and-delight details. The seats, doors and instrument panel surfaces are finished in contrasting dark cocoa brown and caramel choccachino leather. The seat cushions’ pillowed surfaces evoke windswept sand dunes, and the ice-blue French stitching along their seams harmonize with Buick’s signature ambient lighting." [Continue reading...]

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Ryan Hall Joins Nissan At ING New York City Marathon 2011

 

"Olympic Marathoner Ryan Hall will help runners take performance to the next level at the ING New York City Marathon 2011 as part of the Innovation for Endurance program with Rodale, Inc and Nissan North America. As official automotive partner for the second year, Nissan will provide the official vehicles on the course and display vehicles throughout the event. The new 100% electric Nissan LEAF will be pace vehicle for the marathon on Sunday, November 6.

Hall will have prominent involvement in the New York City Marathon but won’t compete. In addition to training videos and running tips, he’ll greet runners at the Innovation for Endurance display at the ING New York City Marathon Health and Fitness Expo at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on November 4 from 1-2pm, and on November 5 from 12-1pm.

In addition to being the marathon pace car, the Nissan LEAF will be on a “Breathe Easy Tour” of New York City from October 24- Nov.5, making stops at various high-traffic locations including Times Square, Battery Park, and the New York City Marathon finish line. At each stop consumers can enter a sweepstakes to win a new LEAF." [Continue reading...]

Chrysler Prices 2012 Jeep Wrangler 'Call of Duty: MW3' Special Edition at $36,495

 

"Chrysler Group LLC is taking its Jeep partnership with video game publisher Activision to a whole new level with"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3,"according to officials.

In preparation for the game’s midnight release, the Auburn Hills-based automaker Monday launched a “groundbreaking campaign for the 2012 Wrangler Call of Duty: MW3 Special Edition.”

“This is more than an advertising campaign, this is a true experience that captures the excitement one feels when playing ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’ and when driving the all-new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: MW3 Special Edition,” said Olivier Francois, Chrysler chief marketing officer.

The campaign dubs the Wrangler as, “The toughest vehicle in the world. Any world.” Ads will introduce the new tagline, as well as the soon-to-be released special edition version of the brand’s popular vehicle." [Continue reading...]

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