Nik J Miles

Archive for March, 2010

When the Kia Forté sedan came out last summer, it was a revelation that the budget Korean automaker was committed to moving upscale and competing with Honda and Toyota for small car buyers. The sturdy Forté was well-liked by the press and the market alike. And right at the end of the press introduction, Kia gave us a sneak peak at the 2010 Kia Forté Koup. The two-door version of the Forté had a generally sportier look to it, a more powerful engine, and generally represented more of everything I liked about the Forté sedan.

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With the introduction of the all-new second generation QX, Infiniti believes there still a market of full-size luxury SUVs.  Designed to carry eight adults and their belongings in luxury or tow up to 8,500 pounds the QX has the appointments similar to those found in the an opulent business jet.

New technology includes a new Hydraulic Body Motion Control system as part of the Deluxe Touring Package.  The system helps reduce body lean by using hydraulic cylinders to adjust roll stiffness by transferring fluid between the left and right sides of the vehicle through passive weight transfer. Read the rest of this entry »

With the introduction of the 2011 MKZ Hybrid, Lincoln expects to have the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America. Unveiled at the New York Auto Show, Lincoln’s first-ever hybrid is expected to deliver at least 41 miles per gallon in the city when it goes on sale this fall.

“Lincoln’s hallmarks are design, technology and comfort. Now, Lincoln also delivers the best fuel efficiency of any luxury sedan in America,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. Read the rest of this entry »

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class, a four-door hatchback currently being sold in Europe, is expected to arrive in the U.S. sometime in 2011 as a 2012 model.  The premium compact is designed to compete with cars like the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series, but Mercedes has even more exciting plans in the works.  Watch for a AMG version within a year of the initial launch.

Presently all AMG models are powered by big, powerful V-8 engines, but the B-Class will likely get a modified four-cylinder along with upgraded suspension, brakes and some sporty body work.  The B-Class AMG should be a strong competitor for cars like the Volkswagen Golf R32 and Audi S3, which are not presently imported into the U.S.

Nissan is taking an aggressive position offering the first mass market electric car in the United States starting in December.  With prices starting as low as $32,780 before an extensive federal tax credit, along with other possible state and local incentives, the Nissan Leaf promises to be a bargain.
Including the $7,500 federal tax credit for which the Nissan Leaf will be fully eligible, the consumer’s after-tax net value of the vehicle will be $25,280. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price *(MSRP) for the 2011 all-electric, zero-emission Nissan Leaf is $32,780, which includes three years of roadside assistance. Read the rest of this entry »

Japanese automakers have formed a coalition of auto manufacturers, including Nissan and Toyota, Tokyo Electric Power Co. and the Japanese government to create a world standard for electric vehicle (EV) charging.

With a standard charging technology in place, it will be easier for companies to gain acceptance for electric vehicles. Charging locations would be much the equivalent of gasoline stations where drivers will be able to recharge quickly and keep driving after batteries start to run low. Read the rest of this entry »

When the fog rolls in choking off your view of the road ahead it is often impossible to drive safety, but that might not be the case in the near future if researchers at General Motors and several universities have their way.

“We’re looking to create enhanced vision systems,” says Thomas Seder, group lab manager-GM R&D.  His team is working with Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Southern California, as well as other institutions, to create a full windshield head-up system leveraging night vision, navigation and camera-based sensor technologies to improve driver visibility and object detection ability. Read the rest of this entry »

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost has received the prestigious “red dot: best of the best” award for the very highest level of design. The red dot award recognises unusually high quality and groundbreaking design. The Rolls-Royce Ghost has a unique character expressed by an exclusive, unmistakable appearance whose design reinterprets the classic values of the brand in a modern style for the 21st century

For 2011, its third year of availability in the North American market, the Nissan GT-R features a number of enhancements and a simplified model lineup. The previous GT-R base model has been eliminated, leaving the GT-R Premium as the only available 2011 model.

Changes include slightly darker wheel center caps, double clear coat on the front and rear fascias and the addition of rear cooling ducts to improve cooling performance around the rear floor area.  The suspension has been retuned and the rear bushing strengthened to enhance ride comfort while still maintaining the GT-R’s outstanding handling. In addition, auto on/off headlights and speed-sensitive windshield wipers are now standard, along with a USB iPod® interface, Streaming Audio via Bluetooth® and DVD playback. The navigation system now includes XM NavTraffic® and NavWeather™ capability. Read the rest of this entry »

The culmination of 75 years of commercial vehicle building experience and months of customer research are all coming together later this year as Nissan rolls out its all-new commercial van.

“The new kid on the block, as it turns out, is also a long-time player in the global commercial vehicle market. As the first non-domestic nameplate to design, manufacture and sell CVs in the United States, we bring a more than seven-decade tradition of durability, quality and reliability to our products,” said Joe Castelli, vice president, Commercial Vehicles and Fleet, Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA). “At the same time, we’ve taken a fresh look at every aspect of the CV business – including styling, powertrain, interiors, cost of operation and ownership, dealership sales and service operations and, most importantly, real world customer needs.” Read the rest of this entry »