Crew Cab, 4x4 Sl, Nav, Rear Dvd, Moonroof,leather on 2040-cars

Auto blog

NHTSA probing whether to call Nissan to the carpet over Versa unintended acceleration

The Nissan Versa and Versa Note may have a carpeting problem that could make the little cars risky to drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching a preliminary evaluation into the 2012-2014 model year versions of the Versa, Versa Sedan and Versa Note, affecting an estimated 360,000 vehicle. In these vehicles, it's possible that the driver's foot could be caught where the carpet meets a trim panel near the accelerator. The regulator has four reported instances of the issue, but it's still collecting data from Nissan about any further cases.
According to the complaints, the tunnel carpet cover trim panel can possibly snag the drivers' right shoe where it meets the carpet, and can either keep their foot on the accelerator or prevent moving it to the brake pedal. In one case, the problem was bad enough that the driver had to free his foot using his hand, while driving. In two of the four reported cases, the vehicles were rental cars.
This is actually the second ongoing preliminary evaluation for some of these models. In late May, NHTSA started looking into the 2013-2014 Versa and 2014 Versa Note for long brake pedal travel.

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."

Nissan prices limited-edition 2014 GT-R Track Edition from $115,710*

Nissan has released its pricing for the model-year 2014 GT-R, including the new Track Edition of Godzilla. The 2014 Nissan GT-R Premium will now command an MSRP of $99,590, while the Black Edition will go for $109,300 and the new Track Edition will ask $115,710 (*not including a $1,000 destination and handling charge for all models).
Nissan calls the GT-R Track Edition its most exclusive model, which makes sense as it will be limited to just 150 examples for the US market. The competition-ready Track Edition gets Bilstein DampTronic shocks and revised spring rates; all chosen after more development work by Nissan engineers at the Nürburgring. (Good work, if you can get it.) A carbon fiber rear spoiler and six-spoke black wheels come with the package, as do blue-trimmed, high-grip front seats inside. To save weight, the car's rear seats have been deleted in this model.
Continue down below to read Nissan's press release, or have a gander at the (quite large) gallery of 2014 Nissan GT-R images.