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Nissan shows off Le Mans Prototype, says it's world's fastest electric racer [w/video]

Nissan has announced plans and details around its upcoming all-electric racing car, the ZEOD RC. The Zero Emission On Demand Racing car is said to be capable of a top speed in excess of 300 kilometers per hour (186.4 miles per hour), is shaped a bit like the closed-cockpit version of the DeltaWing (albeit, to our eyes, better looking) and will make its debut in 2014 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This weekend, visitors to the race will have the opportunity to view the prototype near the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Nissan's ZEOD RC has been invited by Le Mans organizers to compete as the Garage 56 entry in next year's race; that's essentially a spot on the grid held for vehicles with new and/or cutting edge technology.
Short of announcing a partnership with Michelin to develop tires for the EV racecar, however, Nissan is mum on any kind of battery or motor specification for the ZEOD. The press release (below) offers a sense that the Nissan and Nismo teams have still got a lot of work to do before the 2014 race. Ben Bowlby, designer of the ZEOD RC, says "We have many options to consider and test. The test program is part of a longer term goal of developing a system and a set of rules for this type of technology in partnership with the ACO that would be best suited to competing at the highest level of this sport."

2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo priced from $149,990* [w/videos]

Remember when they called the Nissan GT-R a supercar-slayer? You can drop the "slayer" part, because the Japanese brute known as Godzilla has long since grown from an ankle-biter nipping at the heels of giants to a giant in its own right. And if that's the case with the "basic" GT-R, it's certainly the case with the new GT-R Nismo.
While the base price for the GT-R has breached the six-figure mark, the Nismo version has just been priced ten bucks shy of $150k. Factor in the $1,595 destination charge and you're looking at a $151,585 sticker price. That may seem like a lot for a Nissan, but bear in mind what you're getting for all that scrap: the GT-R Nismo's 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 has been optimized to deliver 600 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.
We've yet to see official performance stats, but considering that the base GT-R hits 60 in 2.6 seconds with 55 hp and 18 lb-ft less muscle, the Nismo version ought to teach a lesson or two to exotic supercars costing twice or even ten times as much. Just check it out in the videos and press release below.

Nissan Leaf EVs slip through French village to make a quiet point

Bjork's 1995 freak-out hit It's Oh So Quiet may have reflected the singer's oddball Icelandic sensibilities, but Nissan is making the concept of relative silence a French thing. The Japanese automaker recently promoted its all-electric Leaf by staging a mini-rally through what it called "one of the quietest villages in Europe." And with the exception of a couple damaged trash bins and a destroyed rear-view mirror from an old-school archway, the race kept the drivers wide awake but everyone in the Southern French village in Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur sleeping. Nissan sent four vehicles on a five-kilometer jaunt through the village in the wee morning hours. Screeching tires and a couple booms notwithstanding, the company said everyone in town stayed snoozing. There was a broader purpose to this exercise, of course, which Nissan blatantly admits was a stunt. Nissan was helping celebrate 19th Annual International Noise Awareness Day (INAD), which took place on Wednesday and highlighted the emotional and health issues as well as high blood pressure and insomnia caused by excessive exposure to noise. Check out Nissan's press release below, where you'll also find the video. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. NISSAN LEAF CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL NOISE AWARENESS DAY WITH A NIGHTTIME "SILENT RIDE" ROLLE, Switzerland – To mark the 19th annual International Noise Awareness Day (INAD), Nissan has taken to the streets of one of Europe's quietest villages during the middle of the night with a silent "ride" of its 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF. The activity, complete with a start and finish line in Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur, was designed to demonstrate the noise reduction levels of the Zero Emissions car compared to traditional combustion engines. The World Health Organization (WHO) states at least 13.5 percent of Europeans are exposed to road traffic noise at levels exceeding 55 dB, which is considered detrimental to human health*. The medical effects of noise levels include insomnia (50dB), obesity (50dB), psychic disorders (60dB) and reduction in life expectancy (50dB)*. As a result, Nissan has filmed a 'silent ride' to help support INAD in raising awareness about noise pollution levels across Europe.