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US-built Infiniti Q50 engines to go into Euro-only cars

Back in March, Infiniti announced that it would be adding a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder to its Q50 line for European and Chinese buyers. Now, we know where that engine will be built.
Nissan's Decherd, TN facility will receive the $319-million investment, which will see a separate, dedicated line for the Infiniti engines. According to Automotive News, this is more than a line running alongside the Nissan operations - the Infiniti facility will sport its own unique architecture and interior lighting, in a bid to distinguish the premium line from its mass-market parent company.
The logistics of all this do seem, on the surface, quite screwy. Building a new engine on one continent for a car built on another that will eventually go on sale on a third doesn't seem too bright, although there is a catch here. The new engine will also find its way into the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which will kick off production in Vance, AL later this year.

2013 Nissan NV200 hauls itself into McCormick Place

Nissan has already announced that its NV200 will be New York City's Taxi of Tomorrow, but now small businesses can also take advantage of the compact commercial van when it goes on sale this April. Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, the Nissan NV200 bound for North America has been stretched by almost eight inches compared to the same van that has been on sale in other global markets since 2009. The 2013 Nissan NV200 will be built in Cuernavaca, Mexico and sold at select Nissan dealerships with a starting price of $19,990 (*excluding the $845 destination charge).
At that price, the NV200 costs thousands less than lead competitors like the Ford Transit Connect and the Ram C/V Tradesman, although it does deliver less cargo volume than both as well. Despite its longer body, the NV200's 122.7 cubic feet of volume comes in just under the 129.6 cu-ft for the Ford and well under the Ram's 155.5 cu-ft cargo capacity. The split rear doors and dual side sliding side doors will give plenty of access to the NV200's cargo area, however, and Nissan says the van is wide enough to accommodate a standard pallet.
The NV200 was designed as much to be a mobile office as it is a hauler, so Nissan made the cabin as such. The passenger seat back can fold down creating a flat space for a laptop, and the center console has been specifically designed for hanging file folders. The base NV200S includes power windows, a two-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system and a 12-volt power outlet, while the NV200 SV (starting at $20,980) adds features such as cruise control, six floor-mounted cargo tie downs, power mirrors and door locks and remote keyless entry. Options include the $950 Technology Package (available on SV only and adds navigation, backup camera and satellite radio), $250 for Bluetooth and $190 for glass added to the rear cargo doors.

Should heavy-duty pickup trucks have window stickers with fuel mileage estimates?

If you were to stroll into your nearest Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Nissan, or Ram dealership, you'd find a bunch of pickup trucks. Most of those would have proper window stickers labeled with things like base prices, options prices, location of manufacture, and, crucially, fuel economy estimates. But you'd also run across a number of heavy-duty trucks with no such fuel mileage data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA doesn't require automakers to publish the valuable miles-per-gallon measurement for vehicles with gross weight ratings that exceed 8,500 pounds. That makes it difficult for consumers to compare behemoths powered by turbocharged diesel engines – between one another, and between smaller, gasoline-fueled trucks. Consumer Reports doesn't think it should be this way, and it's spearheading an effort (PDF link) to get the government to require manufacturers to publish fuel economy estimates. In its own testing, CR found that heavy-duty pickups powered by Ford's Power Stroke, GM's Duramax, and FCA's Cummins diesel engines (which doesn't include the Ram's EcoDiesel) get worse fuel mileage than their lighter-duty gas-powered siblings. We're not so sure HD-truck buyers are unaware of this fact – big diesels don't really come into their own until big loads are placed in their beds or attached to their trailer hitches. Under heavy workloads, the diesel trucks will almost certainly return greater efficiency than a similar gas-powered truck. What's more, HD trucks with lumbering diesels in general make the driver feel more confident while towing due to greater torque at low engine RPM than gas trucks. They also offer greater max-weight limits. Still, we agree EPA fuel mileage estimates should be offered for heavy-duty pickups. And we think the comparisons provided by Consumer Reports might be interesting to potential buyers. Click here to see the results of CR's tests, and let us know what you think using the poll below. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty: First Drive View 22 Photos News Source: Consumer Reports Government/Legal Green Read This Chevrolet Ford GMC Nissan RAM Fuel Efficiency Truck Commercial Vehicles Diesel Vehicles poll gmc sierra hd chevy silverado hd