Nissan Cube News

Newcomers may include Nissan's first commercial all-electric vehicle which goes on sale in California in 2010. Nissan Australia boss Dan Thompson says other world markets including Portugal and Israel will get it in 2012. Nissan Australia is keen on selling it, but Thompson says this will require a strong business case to its Japanese parent.For that to happen Nissan will need a partnership deal with the Federal Government, power companies or the commercial sector.Lithium batteries will power the electric car, with Nissan by-passing conventional hybrid technology with batteries and a small fuel motor.Nissan has been showing several electric concept cars, including the Cube, for some time.The model influx will see long-awaited replacements for two of Nissan's oldest models in service, the Patrol and 350Z. Nissan in Japan wants to launch 60 new vehicles and introduce 15 new technologies within five years.Thompson says it will be at least a year before the company completes a business study into the viability of selling Nissan-branded, Renault-supplied vans in this country.Meanwhile, Nissan has expanded its four-wheel-drive Navara long-bed ute range, adding three king cabs and a single cab chassis.The king cab utes are powered by Nissan's 2.5-litre turbo diesel (126kW, 403Nm) with a choice of standard six-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic. The manuals have an extra long overdrive top gear to improve fuel economy.The king cabs seat four — just — with seats that can be folded away when not in use to improve luggage space behind the front seats. Access to the rear is improved by doing away with the B-pillar and adding hinged back doors.The four-wheel-drive single cab, with a 2.5-litre turbo diesel (106kW, 356Nm) only comes with a manual gearbox. King cabs are priced from $38,160, the single cab from $33,660. 

 The reason is simple. Godzilla says everything about Nissan and where it is going. It reflects a bold take on design, a commitment to technology, smart financial planning, global sales success and the ability to produce cars that are uniquely Nissan.But there is much more to Nissan than a limited-edition supercar capable of cranking out the all-time quickest lap around the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. Nissan 360 is a deep-dip immersion in the world of Nissan that is run for the world's motoring press every four years. There are workshops on future technology, the chance to drive everything in the Nissan family – from the smallest and cheapest to the biggest and most expensive – interviews with senior executives and much, much more on every technical and business front.Nissan had 60-something cars in Portugal for test drives – in all sorts of conditions – from a short city loop to a country run, a four-wheel drive torture track and hot laps at the Estoril circuit.The vehicles ran all the way from the tiny Pino and Otto minicars to the stonking GT-R, but there was also a full family of Infiniti models, a Clipper truck and an LPG-powered Tokyo taxi. With so much choice, we picked a few to see how they are likely to shape up for Australia: 2009 MuranoThis is the bigger new Murano, already out and about in America, and the signs are good.It looks much the same, with the same basic body shape, but is far roomier inside with better quality finishing. It also drives sharper and has a plusher ride, both worthwhile improvements resulting from what Nissan calls its “D-platform” mechanical package.But the Murano still only has five seats, which will hurt it against the Mazda CX-9 and its other rivals, and Nissan Australia still has to decide how to sell it here.Verdict: Uncertain Titan V8The giant Titan is a ripper, even if it was a tight fit through the narrow streets of Sintra, near Lisbon. The test truck was a giant dual-cab V8 easily capable of swallowing five adults and a couple of motorcycles, as well as to wing up to four tonnes.It had plenty of grunt from a 5.6-litre V8 with 236kW and 521Nm, a comfy cabin, surprisingly good handling and rode smoothly for a truck.Nissan Australia should get it here as soon as possible as it is better than an F-Series Ford and there is obvious opportunity Down Under.Verdict: Potential star Cube The boxy city car was designed for Gen-Yers but is surprisingly grown-up. The styling is five-year-old stuff and the front bench seat is retro and cramped, but the Cube drives far better than you would expect. It's not a rocket, but it gets along well enough and the ride is very good for the size. It doesn't take too much imagination to see the potential for Gen-Y buyers in Australia, as well as customisers who would go crazy on the car. But it needs to be cheaper than the predicted range of $28,000.Verdict: Winner X-Trail dieselIt has to come and it will, but the diesel engine in the X-er and Dualis was nothing special.It was noisy at idle, strong, but not outstanding, and way short of the refinement of a VW group turbodiesel. The test cars were fitted with a baby diesel, with 110kW instead of the 127 coming here, so we hope that the upgrade will make the X-Trail and Dualis more than just economy contenders.Verdict: Jury still out Infiniti EXWe expected them to drive like Japanese Buicks, but they didn't – with European-style quality and comfort. Infiniti has been focused on the US but with European sales starting soon, it has been turned into an impressively global luxury brand that, as we reported last week, might come to Australia – but not for about five years. The EX would be a headliner with good looks, comfy and classy cabin, punchy power and smooth ride.The wait, however, could seem like infinity.Verdict: Five years is too long to wait Altima hybridWhy can't the Toyota Prius look this good?The Altima running gear is a straight snitch from the Prius, as Nissan was desperate to have something to sell in hybrid-crazy California. It paid to play. The petrol-electric Altima will only run for a single generation but it's a good drive.Verdict: No chance for Oz GT-RTwo laps on a track does not tell you much about the GT-R. But the GT-R is instantly impressive with speed, speed, speed. Destined to be a sellout success in Australia, just like everywhere else it is sold.Verdict: The business 

Nissan's radical city car is there if Australia has the marketThe most successful of Japan's boxy Gen-Y city cars, the Nissan Cube, is finally firming for Australia.The compact Cube was previously rejected as too radical and too expensive for local buyers, but things could change — and fast — after a European preview last week.Nissan Australia now believes there could be a place for the car — and it could give the company an edge against Toyota, which is still struggling to find a Gen-Y niche for Australia.“It's an interesting car that would give us a unique proposition for Gen-Y. It's something I believe is lacking in the Australian market,” says Ross Booth, the new general manager of marketing at Nissan Australia.The Cube has an 80kW 1.5-litre engine, fuel consumption of 5.15 litres/km and a CVT automatic gearbox. Its boxy body has two rows of folding bench seats.Japan's twentysomethings love it and customise it to their individual preferences.Booth has been won over by the car. But he knows it will not be a straightforward sell to Australian customers or to Japanese management.To succeed, he says the car needs to be priced right and sell in enough volume to fund a proper launch.“It's the business equation of volume and price to do the job.”But he sounds a warning on the likely price, which will be much higher than Nissan's current Micra price leader at $14,990.“It's going to be closer to $30,000 than $20,000. Will Generation Y fork out that amount to be different?” Booth asks.He says final decisions will have to wait for the next-generation Cube, probably next year.The Cube has been a top-10 seller in Japan since 2003, but its appeal to Gen-Y is the reason Nissan wants it to get an edge on Toyota.Toyota has had nothing like the Cube since it canned its Daihatsu division in Australia, though it has created an all-new Scion brand in the US to lure younger buyers.“Scion works in the US, but would it work in Australia? We don't know,” Booth says. “And we'd have to establish the market.” Do you agree the Cube is the car for Aussie Gen-Y? Have your say below.