Nissan, Gibson Collaboration Builds a One-of-a-Kind Mobile Repair Van

NEW YORK – Making its world debut ahead of the 2013 New York International Auto Show is the Gibson NV200 Mobile Repair & Restoration Van.

This unique vehicle is the result of an iconic collaboration between Nissan and Gibson that are, opportunely, corporate neighbors in the Nashville area.

“Gibson and Nissan are both Tennessee-based companies that build products worthy of consumer passion yet suitable for everyday use. We’ve sought a way to combine forces for many years now, and the introduction of the 2013 NV200 Compact Cargo van gives us the perfect opportunity to do so. Working with Gibson has been a dream come true for many of us here at Nissan,” said Joe Castelli, Nissan’s vice president of Commercial Vehicles.

The Gibson NV200 Mobile Repair & Restoration Van, built by Nissan, is an extension of both Gibson Pro Audio and Gibson’s fabled Repair & Restoration shop, based in Nashville, Tenn. This facility is where the best and brightest guitar builders go to ply their craft for one of the oldest and most-respected guitar companies.

As the Repair & Restoration shop fixes and customizes guitars owned by both the top professional musicians in the world and passionate enthusiasts, the Gibson NV200 Compact Cargo acts as a quick response support vehicle for professional and part-time musicians in need of timely repairs. It also will serve as an educational tool to the public representing the art of someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments, also known as a luthier.

In discussing the collaboration between Nissan and Gibson, Castelli said: “it’s really worked out and beautiful music is now being played between our great product and their (Gibson’s) great product. For each company, our customers are looking for something that is high quality. It’s not only assumed, but it’s expected.”

IIHS: New Altima Garners Top Safety Pick+ Recognition

The innovative and fuel-efficient 2013 Nissan Altima Sedan recently became one of the first cars in America to earn “Top Safety Pick+” status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The new honor recognizes even higher levels of occupant protection than under the Institute’s previous testing methodology, which evaluated vehicle safety performance in side-, front- and rear-impact scenarios, as well as in rollover situations. The Altima, in winning a spot on the Top Safety Pick+ roster, not only achieved high marks in those areas, but also in the new small-overlap test designed to measure occupant protection when a vehicle hits a narrow obstacle like a tree. (The original front-impact test is geared for moderate-overlap incidents, where crash forces are spread out across more of the frontal area of the vehicle.)

And remember, the all-new Altima also was awarded a five-star overall safety score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for its performance in the government’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

“Driver and passenger safety are top priorities for Nissan, which is why we make features like Safety Shield technologies available,” said Bob Yakushi, Nissan’s director of product safety. “The 2013 Altima is truly Nissan’s most innovative Altima ever, and the ‘Top Safety Pick+’ designation by IIHS reflects the engineering and design that have gone into this car to make it stand out in the class.”

Note: At this stage, the IIHS only has tested a batch of midsize cars using the new protocol, and also continues to evaluate vehicles for its traditional Top Safety Pick honors—which, so far this year, have been earned by the Nissan Cube, Nissan Juke and Nissan Versa Sedan.

Nissan Celebrates Two Years of LEAF Sales with Announcement of U.S. Battery Plant

Related Documents

Nissan LEAF Battery Pack – Safe by Design.pdf

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – With two years of Nissan LEAF sales just completed, the company today announced the launch of the United States’ largest lithium-ion automotive battery plant in Smyrna, Tenn. The facility – which is making battery components for the ramp-up of production of the all-electric, zero-emission 2013 Nissan LEAF early next year – is one of three of its kind in the world operated by a major automaker.

Since December 2010, Nissan has delivered more than 18,000 LEAFs to U.S. customers and more than 46,000 worldwide, making it the most successful 100-percent electric vehicle in history.

“Opening this U.S. plant is an important milestone in Nissan’s overarching strategy to foster sustainable mobility around the world,” said Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive officer of Nissan Motor Co. “Nissan is the zero-emissions vehicle leader, and we are making significant strides as one of the largest producers of electric vehicles and batteries in the United States. The opening of this facility in Tennessee supports our goal of making zero-emissions mobility a reality through American jobs and American manufacturing.”

The first batteries produced at the plant have completed the required aging process and are now ready to receive their first charge. The state-of-the-art facility is capable of expanding to produce modules for up to 200,000 batteries annually depending on market demand. Those batteries can serve as the power source for the all-electric Nissan LEAF and for future vehicles that could be added to the portfolio.

The new battery plant is located adjacent to Nissan’s existing vehicle assembly plant in Tennessee, which has been retooled to accommodate production of the Nissan LEAF. Adding production of the Nissan LEAF and the battery has resulted in the creation of more than 300 U.S. manufacturing jobs to date. As battery production and LEAF assembly expand to accommodate demand, combined operations could add up to 1,000 additional jobs as needed.

Nissan’s “Easy Fill Tire Alert” System Named Finalist by AOL Autos for 2012 Technology of the Year Award

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Nissan’s “Easy Fill Tire Alert” system has been named one of six finalists by AOL Autos for its 2012 Technology of the Year Award. The winner will be announced Jan. 9, 2013 at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev.

The “Easy Fill Tire Alert” system uses tire pressure monitoring sensors to alert a driver when a tire’s pressure drops below a safe level. Once the driver stops to add air, the system activates the vehicle’s four-way flashers to indicate that the tire is inflating, the horn then honks once to signal that the tire is at its recommended inflation level. If the driver continues to fill the tire with air, the horn honks more aggressively to indicate over inflation and once air is let out of the tire, the horn chirps once more to indicate the correct pressure has been reached, making the whole process fast and easy and with no need for hand-held tire pressure gauges.

AOL Autoseditor-in-chief, David Kiley, explained: “Emerging automotive technology is such an important differentiator between the brands right now. AOL Autos looks forward to continuing to highlight the top automotive technologies for many years to come.”

Nissan’s “Easy Fill Tire Alert” system is more than just a convenience. A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates a tire that is 25 percent below its recommended pressure is three times more likely to be involved in a crash. Low tire inflation also costs vehicle owners money over the long term in reduced fuel economy and premature tire wear.

All-new Pathfinder Praised for Versatility by Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics recently unveiled its first-ever Auto Excellence Awards, naming 10 different entries to its list of “10 Favorite Cars of the Year.” Among them: The all-new 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, which joined the roster as its MVP—Most Versatile Player.

That’s because while “Drivers expect [today’s crossovers] to haul passengers like a minivan, tow like an SUV, and deliver the fuel economy of a smaller passenger car,” according to PM, “the all-new Nissan Pathfinder hits those marks, and with a dollop of innovation too.”

2013 Nissan Altima Steers its Way to Top Accolades

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The 2013 Nissan Altima was awarded the top honor at the 10th Ruedas ESPN awards ceremony today, bringing home the Ruedas ESPN Car of the Year award. The announcement was made during the annual event at the 42nd Miami International Auto Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The editorial board of Ruedas ESPN, the leading automotive radio show in Spanish in the United States, is responsible for generating nominations for 12 different categories including: Manufacturer of the Year, Best Hybrid Car, Best Economy Car and more – with Car of the Year being the top prize. A group of industry experts then chooses the winners based on design, value, price, performance, fuel economy and appeal among Hispanic shoppers.

Nissan marches us toward driverless future

Technophobes beware, self-driving cars are getting closer every day.

Luxury cars like Audi’s A8 already have cruise control systems that can take you down to a dead stop and back to cruising speed without any human interaction. Google’s self-drivers are ubiquitous in the San Francisco area, and a variety of Fords and Lincolns can parallel park themselves.