Nissan today announced it would launch its first clean diesel vehicle in Japan later on this fall. A prototype of the vehicle will be shown at July’s Goup of Eight summit in Toyako, Japan. The prototype will be available for test drives, giving attendees a chance to sample the diesel powerplant co-developed with parent company Renault.
The engine, codenamed M9R, will meet Japan’s emissions regulations that are due to come into effect on October 2009. The X-Trail will get up to 30 percent better fuel economy than its gasoline counterparts, while providing torque numbers similar to Nissan’s 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine.
While diesel vehicles make up less than 1 percent of the Japanese passenger vehicle market, German competitors are investing heavily into the technology, and Nissan doesn’t want to be caught empty handed when consumer perception of diesels changes in the U.S. At the same time, Nissan announced it will bring a diesel-powered version of its Maxima sedan Stateside in 2010, according to The Detroit News.
Before the G-8 summit, the X-Trail will be on display on June 19-21 at the Integrated Exhibition of the Environment in Sapporo, Hokkaido.
06/09, 4:11 PM
posted by:
HemiRoadRunner
Well woopty doo.
06/09, 5:20 PM
posted by:
BlackX
W
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C
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06/09, 5:37 PM
posted by:
brassmonkey
give us news. boring.
06/09, 5:39 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
Bring that diesel here for the Xterra.
06/09, 5:53 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
Just a matter of time … this should satiate the need for diesel lovers in this class … now, if only they could make it look good. Then again, most of the line-up is unattractive.
06/09, 5:57 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
Who gives a ****? Nissan replaced X-Trail with Rouge here. I think X-Trail looked better.
06/09, 8:11 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I liked the X-Trail as well, Bimmer. There aren’t many 4 cyl 4wd manual trans SUV offerings left. And with the arrival of the Rogue, now there’s one less.
06/09, 8:19 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
Wonder in the Rogue will get a diesel. The European version, the Qashqai gets one, and it gets great milage, about 66 if I remember correctly.
06/09, 9:12 PM
posted by:
autonut
It’s not only mileage that is appealing in a diesel. All diesels I drove have a feel of V6 because of torque. If you are good with left foot you can start moving in 3rd easily on 5 speed tranny or even in 4th in 6 speed one (which means on slippery road it’s a cinch to start it). When you on a highway passing is just a function of right foot: no need to downshift, all the torque you ever gonna get right there at 2000 rpm and sometimes bellow. The only 2 draws: they a not fast from get go and top speed is less then gasoline counterpart.
06/09, 10:35 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
Well ‘NoNameDufus’, how about you do a search on that new-fangled thing they call the interwebs and come back and tell us what the exact number is, huh? ‘Cause we’s too stupid to search basic info like that … too complicated for us simpletons.
06/10, 3:57 AM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
That is true autonut,, those are two draw backs to the diesels. However that never stopped people from driving them, and the good fuel economy is why the Accord, TSX and Nissan Maxima all get North American diesels in the future.
06/10, 9:05 AM
posted by:
xyunya
Well, fast from the red light is very relative when most of the cars equipped with automatics and most of all modern diesels in midsize European cars can pass 125 mph. Actually, they get there from 50 mph faster then gasoline engines of the same or even larger size. I agree with autonut on virtues of diesel, I don’t see any downside of diesel except insane cost of diesel in US: everywhere else on earth diesel cost less and in Germany it is a lot less (15-20%).
06/10, 5:59 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
You are right xyunya, the cost fo diesel is a pain in the USA, as is the price to move up to a diesel engine. But to make a decision you have to decide if the engine will pay off in the long run.