2011 - Infiniti G on 2040-cars

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The Nissan Patrol may become America's next Armada

Plausible rumors are swirling that the Nissan Patrol, the Land Cruiser rival sold outside of North America, might come to the US as a replacement for the unrelated Nissan Armada. That large SUV's future was left ambiguous after the news of the Xterra's discontinuation, as Nissan's press release ominously promised information on the Armada "at a later date" without further elaboration. That left us scratching our heads and thinking that, perhaps, it would be quietly killed off in the future. If the rumors are true, it will be. And then it will be reborn. It'll join its old platform-mate, the Infiniti QX80, on the Patrol platform. The QX abandoned its Titan-based platform in 2011, becoming the Patrol-based QX80. So you can think of the Armada as catching up, a few years late. The QX80 was refreshed last year, a mainly cosmetic nip-and-tuck. The Infiniti utilizes the 5.6-liter, 400-hp V8 and a 7-speed auto, so it's a safe bet that this powertrain will make it into the Armada version. Less likely, but plausible, would be the availability of the new powertrains intended for the Titan XD and upcoming lower-grade Titans. The massive SUV market tends to be a bit conservative, so the Cummins diesel V8 that's the sole engine in the Titan XD right now seems unlikely. The forums are abuzz with a photo of what's purported to be a leaked marketing image of the new Armada, so head to this TitanXDForum thread if you'd like to see what that's about. (Spoiler: it looks a lot like the Patrol above, minus some of the Nismo flair.) Related Video:

Infiniti Q70 adds long-wheelbase model, fresh looks for 2015

After all the work done for the Q50, Infiniti has finally given some attention to its flagship sedan, the Q70 (or, for those that refuse to use the brand's latest nomenclature, the M). While the refreshed sedan sports a few visual tweaks, the big bit of news is that it's the first vehicle in its segment to offer both long- and a short-wheelbase options (keep in mind, both BMW and Audi offer LWBs in China, but not in the US).
Infiniti has stretched the standard car's 114.2-inch wheelbase to 120.1 inches, lengthening the car 7.3 inches overall. Nearly the entire wheelbase increase is dedicated to rear-seat legroom, with a substantial increase of 5.6 inches overall. As for the effect the stretching had on the Q70's looks, well, we actually think it might look better with the longer wheelbase.
It's a nice change of proportions that is complemented by the fresh looks of the facelifted Q70. New head and taillights are the biggest changes, with full LEDs in the back and LED accents in front. There's certainly a bit of Q50 in the front, thanks to both the headlights and the new "double-arch" grille, complete with mesh-finish inserts. In the cabin, material quality looks to remain impressive, with Infiniti's cool silver-dust wood trim being shown off in the press images. Outside of that, interior changes are kept to a minimum.

Nissan recalling 909k vehicles globally over accelerator issue

Nissan is issuing a massive recall that will see the Japanese automaker repair 908,900 vehicles worldwide, with nearly 100,000 of the affected models in the United States. While an official recall notice from Nissan or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not yet available, Reuters has been able to confirm the recall with Nissan.
Nissan's recall is kind of the opposite of the Toyota unintended acceleration, in that it covers a lack of acceleration. According to the report, a sensor in the gas pedal can develop faults, leading to a sluggish acceleration or an outright stall regardless of how much throttle the driver dials in. The huge recall covers mostly Japanese domestic models like the Serena, X-Trail, Lafesta and Fuga, which make up for 764,800 of the 908,900 faulty vehicles. However, 98,300 Infiniti M sedans are being recalled in the US, although it's unclear at this time which model years and trims are affected. The remaining vehicles are found in Europe and Oceania, according to Nissan spokesman Chris Keefe.
No injuries or accidents have been reported due to the faults. The 90-minute repair will see techs replace the accelerator pedal and tweak the engine control programs. We'll update this story as soon as Nissan or NHTSA makes an official statement.