Renowned Japanese automaker Nissan is proud to announce that by 2010, it would have come up with a hybrid model of its own. The Japanese automaker’s goal for releasing a hybrid model is to provide vehicles with better acceleration but under a better fuel economy than what most hybrid vehicles offer nowadays. This information is according to he Nissan Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Mitsuhiko Yamashita.

Considering the lot of automakers offering hybrid vehicles today, Nissan is actually a late-comer when it comes to hybrid offerings. The Japanese automaker only started offering its hybrid last year, in 2007, in the form of its Nissan Altima Hybrid which makes use of the hybrid technology of Toyota Motor Corporation.

However, Yamashita assured that by 2010, Nissan Motor Corporation will be launching new hybrid models that will be equipped with its own hybrid technology. The Japanese automaker has not yet disclosed which of its model will be equipped with its own hybrid system but Yamashita did say that it will be a rear-wheel drive vehicle.

According to Yamashita, the hybrid system that Nissan will be offering will make use of more electric power in order to decrease the dependence on driving using a gas engine. While Toyota has been successful in launching and marketing its famous hybrid model, Toyota Prius, Yamashita believes that the competition is still far from being over. He said, This is just starting. We still don’t know who will be the winner eventually.”

Even though Toyota is already starting to promote the use of plug-in hybrid vehicles and General motors as well, Yamashita said that he doubts the technology of plug-in hybrids. He said that plug-ins require a lot more battery capacity which is the most expensive part of the hybrid system. He said, “Putting a more expensive battery on top of the battery … that’s not a good solution.”

Thanks to its being a reliable and well-performing vehicle, the Nissan QASHQAI has won the hearts of those in the Top Gear magazine and so recognized it as the Best SUV in their 2007 Awards issue.

However, those are not the only things that made the Nissan QASHQAI win the Best SUV Award from Top Gear magazine. Aside from quality Nissan parts equipped under its bonnet, it was more because of the sensible pricing and allowed height of visibility brought by its raised driving position. But of course, it is still a sports utility vehicle and so its performance needs to be looked at. And QASHQAI did a good thing showing its full potential. They were impressed by its 1.5 dCi engine which proved to be economical, the car for its agility and composure, the light and accurate steering, and the ride itself as the QASHQAI showed no excessive roll.

But what really caught the team of Top Gear magazine is the QASHQAI’s reassurance. They said, “The QASHQAI is your mum’s big hug outside the nursery school gates, it’s your dad palming you a tenner on your way out to the pub, it’s your girlfriend rubbing your head when you’ve been flattened by the flu. This is a car you can rely upon, that’ll take care of you, that makes you feel like the world is just that bit more manageable.”

Another thing which awed them about the QASHQAI is its classy but solid interior cabin and design, saying, “A car like this, duty bound to be aggressively bothered by children and wet dogs all its life, needs to be hard-wearing, but a modicum of luxury remains crucial. The QASHQAI really does seem to have it all covered.”

The Nissan QASHQAI can actually boast of a lot of other things that prove it to be one great sports utility vehicle. It had only been launched last March and has not reached its first year yet but already, it has outstripped sales forecast throughout Europe, garnered awards such as Euro NCAP’s five star-rating for adult occupant protection, the highest rating given to any vehicle, and now, Top Gear magazine’s Best SUV Award.

Nissan wants to be part of the growing world of hybrid vehicles and so finally decided to consider introducing hybrid car models this year that’s equipped with its Nissan parts. This is also part of the Japanese automaker’s strategy to accommodate for different market segments. This is according to local distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) Sdn Bhd.

The executive director of ETCM, Datuk Ang Bon Beng, said, “This is being considered not entirely to counter oil prices, but rather to offer the right products in the right segments, where there will be sustainable profitable growth.”

The Japanese automaker had actually licensed the Hybrid Synergy Drive System of Toyota and installed it in its hybrid model last year, the Nissan Altima Hybrid. But even though that’s the case, Nissan is reportedly doing its development for its own hybrid technology and this is scheduled to be revealed in its compact car models for 2010.

But since the price of hybrid vehicles is still high being relatively new and not mass-produced, Malaysian consumers may not switch to hybrid cars yet. They will still stick to petrol models even though a barrel of oil already reached its highest cost of US$100.

However, analysts are saying that the strategy of ETCM is to cater to the consumer market that is a little price-sensitive with its option of hybrid vehicles.

Ang also said that they might export other models of Nissan to other Asean countries. They had actually already imported 136 Nissan Sentra models to Indonesia just last year.

But still, he said that exports will still depend on the Asean strategy of Nissan Motor Ltd and “so long as ETCM gets the request from Nissan, we will comply.”

Ang said, in his email reply to The Edge Financial Daily, “Current exports to ETCM’s earnings are negligible. But we are trying to grow exports in the long term, so that we can achieve greater scale and complement Nissan’s Asean ambitions.”

He also said the ETCM still plans on exporting more Nissan Sebntra’s to Indonesia but of course, it will depend on how well this model’s sales performs on the domestic market.

When asked about oil prices, Ang said that it will have some impact on vehicle sales. But because Nissan is catering to the mid to upper-income segments, Ang believes that the impact will not be grave. He said, “Coupled with the fact that we will be introducing more fuel efficient technologies, we feel there will be little or no impact.” Other factors include reduction of road tax and duties, and government fuel subsidies.

ETCM expects to launch a luxury sedan model this year.

The 2008 Nissan Rogue S, the very first compact vehicle of the Japanese car maker, definitely lives up to its reputation of being a “whole new crossover.” It even proves to be affordable and really gives the value of one’s money as it costs only around $24,995 despite having cool features and notable vehicle performance.

The 2008 Nissan Rogue with quality Nissan parts has been well-built so there’s a guarantee of much more comfort and performance one would expect of a small crossover. It makes use of affront-wheel drive system so it  has the ability to provide a solid ride. Its instrument panel has been designed to become well-lit and easy to comprehend, which is a good thing as one can easily learn the controls.

This 2008 Nissan model is equipped with a powertrain of 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder which has the ability to produce 170 horsepower and 175 pund-feet of torque. This is then mated to Nissan’s Continuously Variable Transmission or CVT. Other notable equipment which help in delivering a great vehicle performance are its electric power rack and pinion steering, electronic brake force distribution, four-wheel disc brakes, and brake assist which allow for a smooth and comfortable ride in both city and highway driving.

The Nissan Rogue has been built using the same platform used for the Nissan Altima and so it feels more like a car than a sports utility vehicle when it is driven. And when it is compared to vehicles of its kind, it weighs less but offers more horsepower. But even though it weighs less than the competition, it can still seat five people comfortably with their luggage.

Some of the 2008 Nissan Rogue’s features that provide for convenience include 60/40 split fold-flat rear seats, a storage compartment underneath the cargo floor, front door map pockets, tilt steering column, cruise control with steering wheel controls, power windows, remote keyless entry, door locks, overhead console with sunglass storage and map light, 4-way manual driver’s seat and front passenger seat, front seat center console, a number of cup holders, and four-speaker audio system.

To ensure the safety of passengers all the time, safety equipment installed are the following - roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags, Nissan Advanced Air Bag System, seat-mounted driver and front passenger side-impact supplemental air bags, child safety rear door locks, traction control system, 3-point ELR/ALR seat belts, lower anchors, and tethers for children.

Nissan wants to start the year 2008 right. And what better to start it than to introduce an all-new 2009 Nissan Murano. This Nissan model will be the one to represent the crossover SUV segment in the Japanese automaker’s lineup for 2008. This 2009 model has been equipped with only the finest quality Nissan parts to ensure that one gets an exciting driving performance.

When one looks at the 2009 Nissan Murano, the first thing they most likely will notice is that it has a new body, there is now a dual panel power sliding glass moonroof and a 2^nd row skylight. When one take a peek at the model’s cabin, he will be amazed at its “mobile suit” design theme which has become more warm and luxurious. The luxurious features equipped in the 2009 Nissan Murano are the heated front and rear seats, power return rear seat, RearView Monitor, and the cargo organizer.

The power unit to be installed in all the 2009 Nissan Muranos is the VQ-Series 3.5-liter DOHC V6 with power capacity of 265 horsepower and its torque is 248 pund-feet. The Muranos will also be equipped with Xtronic CVT with Adaptive Shift Control (ASC). One can opt to have with either a front-wheel drive system or with the advanced all-wheel drive system.

The 2009 Nissan Murano is also available in five well-equipped models – S 2WD, S AWD, SL 2WD, SL AWD, LE AWD. One can opt to have his 2009 Nissan Murano finished in Tinted Bronze, Deep Sapphire, or Saharan Stone.

This new Nissan model also makes use of the “D” platform, making it have a solid foundation and lighter suspension components but with increased stiffness. There are new dual flow path shock absorbers which will provide the model with sure footing on all surfaces. The model also benefits from proper levels of assistance in city and high-speed driving thanks to the new twin-orifice speed-sensitive power steering system equipped in it.

The push button start comes standard in the Nissan model together with the iPod connectivity (LE only). Other notable technological features in the 2009 Nissan Murano include a premium 11-speaker audio system, a new power-operated 9-inch roof-mounted screen, Voice Recognition for audio, navigation system, Bluetooth, Intelligent Key, and an advanced touch screen navigation system complete with 9.3GB Music Box hard drive.

Those who’d want to experience this all new Nissan offering this year won’t have to wait long as it is already on sale in the United States.

Nissan decided to add yet another sporty vehicle in its lineup – a special version of its 150PS 2.0-liter dCi engine X-Trail. The Japanese automaker calls this the Arctix Sports Adventure and this model provides more specifications and has an automatic transmission. But what’s really good about it is that its price is close to the cost of the standard manual version Nissan X-Trail.

The Nissan Arctix Sports Adventure is your perfect partner during this winter season because of the Nissan parts equipped in it designed solely for the winter season. Why, you ask? It is because this Japanese SUV beauty is equipped with a fuel efficient 2.0 dCi engine producing 150PS of power. Also, this engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Thus, the new Nissan Arctix Sports Adventure X-Trail is your ideal partner to long distance journeys.

Aside from its notable engine and automatic transmission combination, it is equipped with an all-Mode-I 4×4 drive system as well. This system is designed to keep the vehicle leveled at all times despite changing weather conditions. Also, to combat poor visibility in the event of pouring rain or fog, one can switch the vehicle’s front fog lights and eXtreme roof rail lights. With these lighting components at full blast, one will be able to see a much clearer road ahead. A cruise control is installed and there are cool silver snowstorm side steps to guide one as he steps out of the vehicle.

The capacity of the storage space located just behind the rear seats is 603 liters. Besides that, just beneath the rear seats is a double floor trunk section that ahs a pull out drawer where one can store smaller items.

It proves itself as a great winter season vehicle as it has a ski hatch located between the armrest on the rear seat where one can store his skis. One can also opt to clip his ski into an accessory ski roof rack fitted between the standards eXtreme roof rails.

Other equipment in the Arctix Sports Adventure include panoramic sunroof, privacy glass, 17-inch alloy wheels, CD autochanger with six speakers, climate control air conditioning, rain sensing wipers, and Bluetooth phone integration. The paint finish options include Pearl White, Thundercloud, Twilight Grey, Ebisu Black, Atlas Blue and Chilli Pepper Red.

Winter is that very cold season of the year proved by all the snow pouring down and the negative degrees the temperature displays. We may all feel somewhat gloomy during the winter season and finding warmth seem to be impossible. But since that is the case, Nissan decided to warm our pockets inside out by offering affordable year servicing.

The Japanese automaker’s first offering is the three-year servicing deal on al Note models for the cheap price of just £299 or if you want a better deal, you can opt for the 0% finance deal with a 30% deposit. Both of these great deals are available to its customers for the next three months.

There’s that unconventional Note MPV that’s complete with Nissan parts provides its passengers with comfort and practicality like that of a C-segment vehicle and with agility and easy drivability offered by a supermini. And this model is offered in four trim levels – the Acenta, Acenta R, Tekna, and the Visia. The engine options for this model include the 1.4-liter 88 PS and 1.6-liter 110 PS petrol engines and the 1.5-liter dCi 88 PS turbo diesel engine.

The QASHQAI crossover had been launched in March and now the model grew increasingly popular. This was proved by the fact hat it exceeded all sales forecasts with the 20% increase in production at the Sunderland plant in June. Perhaps it was due to the model being strong couple with a distinctive designed that made customers love the QASHQAI.

The three-year servicing or 0% finance with a 30% deposit is available in all model that feature the All-Mode four-wheel drive systems. Aside from that, the Nissan Micra can also be had using this deal. Between this time until March, interested buyers can avail of any of the two Micra flagship models under the three-year 0% finance with 30% deposit. The range topping 4×4 Aventura grades of the Pathfinder, Navara, and the X-Trail are also available under this deal.