2002 Nissan Altima S Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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2014 Nissan Serena offers big flexibility in a tidy package

In America, Nissan attempts to slake our kinschlepping needs with its slow-selling Quest minivan, but in Japan, where consumers seem a lot less reluctant to buy MPVs, there are a lot more models for every size family and budget. Nissan itself offers no fewer than six such minivans, including the popular Serena seen here.
Technically a mid-cycle facelift, this new Serena continues to offer seating for up to eight people with a gas-only or mild hybrid driveline delivering power to either the front or all four wheels. This Tokyo Motor Show reveal takes that familiar package and lends it a freshened look, complete with a revamped front fascia with less chrome frosting, optional LED headlamps, new LED taillamps and new alloy wheel patterns. In addition, the Serena receives new active safety technology, including lane departure warning systems, Around View Monitor with Moving Option Detection, Driver Attention Alert, and so on.
With only a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable transmission, you might expect the Serena to be smaller than today's American minivans, and you'd be right - it's roughly the size of a short-wheelbase Gen III Dodge Caravan, making its seating capacity particularly impressive. Said another way, the Serena is likely to stay forbidden fruit, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it in our gallery.

2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo gets official

Behold the 2014 Nissan GT-R as dressed by Nismo and inspired by the GT3-spec race car that competed in this year's Nürburgring 24-hour race. Called the "ultimate iteration of Nissan's GT-R supercar," power goes up by 55 horsepower to 600 hp with updates like high-flow, large diameter turbos, and torque is "over 480 pound-feet," which means it's risen by at least 35 lb-ft.
Helping to keep it right-way up and pointed in the right direction are a race-tuned suspension with a larger, hollow anti-roll bar, custom Bilstein DampTronic dampers and the use of high-rigidity bolts. Outside, a new aero package from the wider front carbon bumper to the carbon rear spoiler above a longer, tapered rear bumper creates an additional 220 pounds of downforce at 186 miles per hour compared to the standard GT-R. Rumors of a 'Ring time of 7:08 abound, we'll get the truth - and we assume some video - very soon.
The bodyshell construction uses adhesive to improve rigidity, and behind those windows are carbon fiber Recaro buckets - in Europe and Japan, at least - and an Alcantara-wrapped wheel. It goes on sale next year, but you can get to know more about it right now in the press release below.

Dongfeng-Nissan surprises with Viwa Concept EV for Venucia

Nissan has a joint venture in China with Dongfeng to make passenger vehicles, and last year the two companies created a sub-brand called Venucia that aims to roll out five cars by 2015. With the gasoline-engined D50 and R50 and a pilot program for the E30 electric car already out, this little orange beast, the Viwa EV concept, could point the way to a future offering.
Looking like a Chevrolet Spark that spent the weekend raving in Ibiza, the Venucia Viwa EV aims to be reliable, practical, efficient and accessible all in one package. Beyond the practical bit, defined as, "packaged with a compact body for easy driving," Venucia hasn't said how any of those other qualities are achieved. In fact, it hasn't even divulged the specifics of the electric powerplant. However, it does say that it will be developing more EVs under the guide of "China's new energy vehicle policy."
You can get a little more info about it in the press release below, or discover the little peach in the high-res gallery above.