2002 Nissan Pathfinder Le 4x4 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

10 automakers shack up in Detroit hotel to talk Takata airbags

Since Takata has decided not to take the lead concerning potential issues with its airbag inflators, the automakers have. Perhaps that's unsurprising, since it's the automakers, not Takata, that will take a beating on the dealership floor if consumers decide its models are a health hazards. The Detroit News reports that Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru met in a hotel conference room near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last week to sort out a way to understand the technical issues involved. So far, faulty airbag inflators have been ruled the cause of five deaths and 50 injuries around the world, but neither Takata nor investigators understands exactly why the inflators are malfunctioning. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently asked Takata to issue a national recall, Takata declined, citing a minuscule failure rate and the fact that it's still investigating the issue. Toyota and Honda then made an industry-wide appeal for "a coordinated, comprehensive testing program" that would pinpoint the problem inflators and get them replaced, and that's what the Detroit meeting was about. Numerous issues, however, will make this a long row to hoe: simply getting the parts to replace the nearly 20 million inflators in cars recalled around the world so far - even working with other suppliers - will take a years, but more importantly, no one knows if the replacement inflators currently being installed will suffer the same issue. Answers will hopefully come quickly with Takata, the ten automakers and NHTSA all independently investigating the problem.

Nissan NV200 finds new work as ambulance, Gibson guitar repair truck

We live in a world now where not every police cruiser and taxi is a Ford Crown Victoria, not every executive car is a Lincoln Town Car and not every ambulance is based on a Ford Econoline van. Vehicles like the new Nissan NV200 are making inroads into the service, livery and emergency vehicle markets, and we've got a couple cases in point to share.
The first one is a fleet of 30 new ambulances based on the heavier-duty NV2500 chassis. They are entering the Mexican Red Cross fleet of emergency vehicles this year after performing well in pilot tests last year. The Mexican Red Cross says it receives 1,200,000 ambulance service requests per year, so the mettle of these new machines will be tested in a hurry.
The second example is less useful for life-saving, but may save a guitar from going to the scrap heap. Called the Gibson NV200 Mobile Repair & Restoration Van, it can take the services of an authorized Gibson rep anywhere they're needed to repair or restore an axe in need. The van features a whole aesthetic designed to evoke the classic Gibson look, with wood veneer and shades of brown and black used throughout. There's a guitar rack that holds four instruments, a sliding 56-inch long repair table, toolbox, genuine Gibson stools and a sound system by Gibson Pro Audio.

Nissan's Dacia Duster-based Terrano revealed

The new Nissan Terrano has appeared in production form after an apparent August 20 launch in India, but the small sport utility vehicle remains sadly aloof from the US market. We've had our eyes on the Terrano ever since we learned it would be produced as an upscale alternative to the Dacia Duster on which it's based, but currently Nissan has no plans to import it here. Blame safety and perhaps emissions laws - the Duster was never designed for our market.
Even with these less-than-high resolution images, it's clear that the beyond the obvious badges, Nissan's signature trapezoidal grille and a slightly altered rear end with new taillights are the biggest visual clues that this is the Terrano, but those with astute eyes will also notice a slightly redesigned hood and blacked-out door pillars instead of the Duster's body-colored items. Either way, it looks to be a handsome, low-cost little brute - the sort of simple and rugged SUV that's hard to come by in today's marketplace.