Nissan Altima News

Nissan will turn back the clock at the Bathurst 1000 with Michael Caruso set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the manufacturer's first Mount Panorama win by sporting the famous livery of the 1990 Skyline.The Holden Racing Team struck the first blow in the "livery wars" this week when the fully factory-backed team took the covers off a Star Wars-themed Commodore to be driven by Garth Tander in car No.22.Nissan struck back yesterday when the Japanese giant leaked pictures of the new-look Skyline that it hopes will replicate the feats of Jim Richards in 1990 when the V8 legend blitzed the field to put the company on the Mount Panorama map.Caruso and Dean Fiore will partner in the No.23 Altima from October 8 as they try to bring down Ford and Holden in the Richards-inspired beast."It is always cool to get to drive around with this special livery," Caruso said."Jim Richards was a hero of mine and that car from 1990 is just legendary. It is very special to think that I will get the opportunity to honour that drive and that car at this year's Bathurst 1000."Obviously it would be even more special if we could do what he did and win the race.'V8 legend Richards posed with the famous car he now owns in a photo shoot with Caruso to mark the occasion."I liked the car so much that I bought it," Richards said."It is a piece of history and hopefully Michael can create a piece of his own this year."The move follows last year's well-received Nissan heritage campaign at the Bathurst 1000, where Caruso and Fiore raced in the colours of George Fury's famous Nissan Bluebird Turbo, which earned the first Nissan pole at Mount Panorama in 1984.

While Holden are set to start a V6 revolution by strapping a six-cylinder turbo into a Commodore when the "Gen 2" era begins, it appears Nissan will resist calls to put a Skyline GT-R on the grid and extend the reign of the Altima.News Corp Australia has been told Nissan, who come off-contract at the end of next year, will soon recommit to the sport and continue its four-car assault beyond 2017 by signing a new multi-year deal with Nissan Motorsport Australia.But despite popular demand and a new set of rules that have made a return possible, Nissan will not unleash the GT-R — the giant-killing car known as "Godzilla" that dominated the early 1990s.The 90-page "Gen 2" document has been sent to Nissan HQNissan will stick with the four-door Altima sedan.The 90-page "Gen 2" document has been sent to Nissan HQ in Japan with NISMO bosses set to examine the document."Nissan has been in discussion with V8 Supercars for some time regarding the technical regulations for 2017 and beyond," Nissan said in a statement."The next major step in our decision-making process is to work with NISMO in Japan on closely examining the Gen2 V8SC Technical Regulations so that we can evaluate our options."

Japanese brands are bringing down prices before the end of March - and the Koreans are in step with them.

The road-going version of the Nissan Altima that has been storming around racetracks as a V8 Supercar all year will finally hit local showrooms next month, replacing the previous Maxima nameplate after five generations in Australia. Going head to head with the Toyota Camry and Aurion, Mazda 6, Ford Mondeo and the Honda Accord mid-sized models, the Altima lineup is split into the familiar ST, ST-L, Ti, and Ti-S grades. The range kicks off at $29,990 for the ST, with the ST-L at $35,890, the Ti at $40,190, and the range-topping Ti-S at $45,390.   The lower three grades come equipped with a 127kW/230Nm version of the 2.5-litre petrol four found in the X-Trail,  while the Ti-S comes exclusively with a 183kW/312Nm version of the VQ35-DE 3.5-litre petrol V6 used in several other Nissan models.   Both engines send power to the front wheels via a CVT automatic transmission with economy and sport shift modes, and the V6 adds a manual function with paddle shifters. Combined fuel figures are 7.5L/100km for the four cylinder models and 9.3L/100km for the V6 – both using 91 RON standard unleaded.  The $29,990 ST comes equipped with dual-zone climate control, a five inch multimedia display with six speakers and USB/iPod and 3.5mm connectivity, Bluetooth phone connection, six-way adjustable driver’s seat, automatic headlights, folding door mirrors, LED tail lights, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, 488 litre boot capacity, and 16 inch alloys with a full-size steel spare. The $35,890 ST-L adds partial leather trim and steering wheel, satnav, a reversing camera with front and rear sensors, a seven inch multimedia screen with nine speaker Bose audio and Bluetooth audio streaming, eight way adjustable driver’s seat, and 17 inch alloys (including spare). The $40,190 Ti and $45,390 Ti-S models differ only in their cylinder count and transmission spec, and add power adjustment to the driver’s seat with two memory settings, Nissan’s Around View Monitor camera system, Xenon headlights, auto-dimming interior mirror, a power rear sunshade and rear privacy glass, and 18 inch alloys (with 17 inch alloy spare). All Altima variants feature front seats that use NASA technology to encourage a neutral posture for occupants, in an effort to reduce fatigue over long journeys. Standard safety features include dual front and side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake-assist, and ISOFIX child-seat anchorage points. The Ti and Ti-S models add blind-spot and lane departure warnings, and moving object detection. The Nissan Altima will go on sale in the first week of December. Pricing Nissan Altima ST - $29,990 Nissan Altima ST-L - $35,890 Nissan Altima Ti - $40,190 Nissan Altima Ti-S V6 - $45,390 This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn  

Volvo is getting ready to join the V8 Supercars next year – fielding two S60 sedans under the banner of Volvo Polestar Racing in partnership with Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM).However the Swedish brand is already thinking about increasing the number of cars the following year. In 2014, Volvo’s racers -- Scott McLaughlin and a second one yet to be named – will pilot their two cars Holden’s 13 Commodores, Ford's six Falcons, four Nissan Altimas and three Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGS.But Volvo's global motorsport boss Derek Crabb said the prospect of having more S60s appealed to him. "Clearly, the more cars on the grid, the more exposure Volvo gets and the more chances Volvo has of getting a win, which we need," Crabb said. "But then you have to put the cost back into it. So yeah, we dream about year two and year three but let's get through year one first."Polestar Racing owner Christian Dahl agreed. "I think if you are going to fight for the championship in the long term, you need more cars out there because there are a lot of Holdens and only two Volvos," Dahl said. "But that is a question for the future." But for the moment Volvo is dealing with GRM’s sponsor since 2010, Fujitsu, announcing yesterday it would not renew its association with the team next year due to a shift in their "commercial focus".However Garry Rogers is optimistic about finding a new sponsor. "Next year's program has generated a lot of interest and we will now be following up all avenues so as to secure suitable commercial business partners to join the GRM team," he said.

With a botched aerodynamics test ruining their history-making year, the powerful Japanese manufacturer has demanded a new test on their aerodynamics package with drivers claiming the cars feel as if they are being held back by a parachute. Privately they call their Nissan V8 a 'flying fridge'.Nissan global motorsport boss Darren Cox fronted V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton and was given the go-ahead to redesign the car in a move that will see Kelly Brothers Racing hit the grid with four new-look Nissan Altimas next year.New V8 Supercars commissioner Steve Horne admitted to Cox the aerodynamics test run on the Nissans before their landmark re-entry to the sport was not up to scratch. It was agreed to retest the cars with state of the art computer software as well as include them in all the testing that the new Volvo will undertake ahead of its entry into the sport.Nissan have been on the warpath since learning the aero package on their car was to blame for their poor performance - not the engine as previously thought. The team suspected their aero package - which determines how much drag the car is held back by and which influences speed - was inferior to the mainstay Holdens and Fords. It was confirmed beyond doubt at Bathurst when the car dramatically bogged down at speeds above 220km/h."We were down on engine speed and straight line speed at the beginning of the year," said Kelly Brothers racing co-owner and driver Rick Kelly.”We suspected the engine was to blame for both. As we improved the engine the straight line speed was still down. At Bathurst we were 10km/h off the rest of the field."We knew it was an aero problem then - and while frustrating, it is great that we know what is wrong and have been given permission to do something about it." The data gathered by the team has convinced V8 Supercars to conduct new tests which will see the manufacturer enter next year's series with a superior model car.Kelly Brothers Racing were forced to add drag to their car before the beginning of the season with the Altima described as a 'slippery' car with a formidable aero package. Todd Kelly wanted the sport to conduct their aero testing at a two-car wind tunnel in the US. The sport declined and instead tested the cars on a drag-strip, pushing the cars to top speed before turning them off and looking at how far they rolled.Many have been critical of the low-tech test, which was also conducted on a windy day. Nissan are pleased with the response from the sport's governing body and will fly in an aerodynamics guru of Le Mans fame to help them redesign their aerodynamic package. Ben Bowlby, who designed the famous Delta wing, will oversee the testing and design. Nissan representatives have privately declared the season a $5 million waste because of the bungle. 

Following nearly a full season of V8 Supercar effort, Nissan's Altima sedan -- the replacement for the long-toothed Maxima -- will move from the track to hit local showrooms in November

Ford will not be lost to V8 Supercars — at least for another year — with the manufacturing giant set to extend its sponsorship of the Ford Performance Racing team for a further 12 months. In a move that will keep the fierce Holden versus Ford war alive, Ford is on the verge of handing a new set of keys to FPR.Ford has been in deep negotiations with the team and V8 Supercars for the past month with the manufacturer considering options in a tough car market. The decision to axe the Falcon and cease Australian operations at the end of 2016 led to widespread speculation Ford would end its association with the sport when its contract with FPR expired at the end of the year.But Ford is likely to sign on for another year with FPR and V8 Supercars, presenting a strong case for the manufacturer to stick around and take the fight to Holden, as well as new comers Nissan, Mercedes and soon Volvo. “A 12-month deal is looking likely,’’ a well-placed V8 source said.  “Negotiations look -encouraging and as of last week a new deal was looking imminent.”The new deal will leave Ford fans rejoicing and give the sport another year to convince the manufacturer there is a long-term future in V8s. The “Car of the Future’’ platform has enabled manufacturers easily to adapt many models for racing in the series, with Nissan this year bringing in the mid-size Altima and Volvo to unleash the S-60 on famous tracks such as Mount Panorama and Phillip Island.V8 officials have shown Ford their long-term plans and confirmed it would be able to race with a mid-size entry, with the sport aware of a shift towards smaller cars in the current economy. Depending on Ford’s plans, the Mustang may also be revived and is the preference of Ford drivers Mark Winterbottom and David Reynolds.Winterbottom yesterday said he hoped to see Ford remain in the sport for a long time, saying it was vital to the success of the category. “It is important for the sport that they stay,’” Winterbottom said yesterday. “Ford has such a long history in the sport and they have so many fans that would be shattered if they left.” 

Mark Skaife has declared incoming manufacturer Volvo is not a replacement for Ford in the , with the V8 Supercars commissioner set to do everything he can to make sure the famous brand remains in the

Not a wheel has yet turned in anger on Nissan's Altima but it has already claimed a scalp. The arrival of the V8 Supercar's road-going second cousin twice-removed on showroom floors in Australia spells certain doom for the long-serving Maxima nameplate.The new sedan's arrival in the last quarter of the year - following its debut series in the revamped V8 Supercar championship - will mark the end of the Maxima's 23-year run in Australia, as sales of the large sedan dwindle to a trickle.The passenger car flagship finished last year with 1454 - down almost 25 per cent on the 2011 tally - although it's January sales tally were up on the back of a sharp retail finance campaign.The demise of Maxima comes as the Japanese brand prepares to enter the V8 Supercar championship and bring to market a dozen new or facelifted models over the next two years."We have 12 new products over the next two years - the V8 Supercars is a great platform to seed the Altima, we're bringing that nameplate here to replace Maxima, we see that as a great segway in.""Maxima will be phased out over the next 6 to 8 months to give Altima a clean run," he says. The brand has to wait until near year's end for the Altima to make an impact in the sales columns.The triumphant return of the Pulsar nameplate to a market that remembers it fondly bodes well for Nissan, who don't feel left behind in the small car market despite Tiida's lacklustre performance."I don't know if we are behind, the last Pulsar was on offer in 2006, during that time we have maintained a 71 per cent awareness, Tiida after six years had 56 per cent, we believe Pulsar is the right product in the right segment at the right time," he says.The Japanese brand last year finished with 79,787 sales - a 17 per cent jump on 2011 and its highest tally since 1990. It has started the year with continued momentum, setting a January record with 7202 vehicles sold - a 34 per cent increase on January 2012."Nissan’s popularity in Australia is on the rise and there’s no stronger evidence of this than our latest sales results," Mr Peffer says.