By Ronan 
Now that the Jeep Gladiator is back on the market – and the Ford Ranger is again a member of this mid-range pickup in the past few months – the Nissan Frontier is in a dead end. The Japanese manufacturer who has not significantly retouched his mid-size pickup since 2004 has no choice: he must renew his product at any price.
Automotive News has also learned that North America will finally receive a new Nissan Frontier somewhere in 2020 as a model 2021. So it is not tomorrow the day we can admire the next generation Frontier. The publication, however, learned that the new van would not be based on the platform of the Nissan Navara, the mid-size van that has been distributed outside North America since 2014 already.
Indeed, the next Nissan Frontier will keep the frame of the current model for the future things, which also means that the leaf springs of the rear axle will remain on the program, unlike precisely the Nissan Navara which is equipped with a coil suspension with five arms, more modern, but also more expensive to produce.
The dimensions of the Nissan Navara are also worthy of mention here. The Navara is smaller than the Frontier, a “pickup” that continues to sell well despite its technological lag on others. In addition, the addition of a redesigned Nissan Navara for North America would result in a substantial investment by the manufacturer, while the status quo at the chassis level could keep the Frontier at an acceptable level for relates to the selling price.
What is certain, however, is that the next Frontier will be modernized in both the exterior and interior design, while the powertrain will also be completely revised, the 4.0-liter V6 being a reliable engine, but outdated in terms of fuel consumption. It’s whispered behind the scenes that a 3.0-liter, 300-horsepower V6 will team up with a seven-speed automatic.
New Nissan LEAF PLUS starts at $ 43,998
We now know the price to go to the next level for the Nissan LEAF. The PLUS model, expected in April from home, orders a base price of $ 43,998 before transportation and preparation costs of $ 1,950.
This amount is affixed to the LEAF S’PLUS, the LEAF SV PLUS being more expensive at $ 46,598. Finally, the LEAF SL PLUS is the most equipped trio with a price of $ 49,498.
Recall that the LEAF PLUS comes with a new battery pack with a capacity of 62 kWh (compared to the 40 kWh battery in the regular LEAF reintroduced last year), which allows it to travel a theoretical distance of 363 km . This is a clear improvement over the 243 km available with basic LEAF. And that’s not all, as the LEAF PLUS also comes with a more powerful powertrain, the engine of this livery that develops 214 horses, a good deal against the 147 horses of the other LEAF.
The automaker also confirms that the LEAF PLUS has accelerations 13% faster, and a top speed of 10% according to Nissan Canada. And, what matters especially in this case is the speed of charge, the LEAF PLUS which benefits from a 100 kW system more efficient than that offered in the more affordable model.
Unsurprisingly, the Nissan LEAF PLUS can also be delivered with the brand’s latest security features such as the ePedal system or ProPILOT assistance that helps the driver stay on course. The car can also be equipped with the Rear Door Alert (RDA) system, which alerts the driver to the presence of an object in the rear seat.
Finally, the Nissan LEAF can also boast of being the best-selling electric car on the planet, the manufacturer that has just surpassed the milestone of 400,000 units sold since its introduction in 2011.
The Porsche 718 Boxster / 718 Cayman duo soon electrified?
It will have to be done: the sportswomen of the manufacturer of Stuttgart will eventually switch to electric mode. An article published on the website of the British magazine Autocar already announces the advent of an all-electric livery of the 718 Boxsterroadster and the Cayman 718 coupe by 2022. Even as the publication quotes Oliver Blume, President and Chief Executive Officer of the brand, which also mentions that tests will soon begin with hybrid prototypes of sports mid-engine. The principal concerned, however, indicated that the manufacturer had not yet made a decision on the type of technology that would eventually be marketed: will it be strictly a hybrid car or, on the contrary, will it be equipped with a rechargeable hybrid system?
It seems increasingly clear that Porsche wants to borrow a strategy similar to that envisioned for the upcoming Macan, the SUV that could continue to be marketed – for a few years – on its existing platform (better known as MLB), in addition to using the new EPP architecture developed for the future electric models of the brand.
The 718 Boxster / 718 Cayman duo could see the number of variants explode in the near future, with hybrid or hybrid plug-in liveries, in addition to purely electric liveries.What is currently known is that these hybrid systems will come to support the four and six cylinder engines of the brand, for the sole purpose of giving a power injection when the driver wants to accelerate. The plug-in hybrid system, meanwhile, could also offer a purely electric mode for urban portions.
It must be remembered that the integration of electrical technology aboard the two sports cars of the brand began in 2011, when the manufacturer had unveiled the prototype Boxster E. The good news is that in less than one decade, electrical technology has evolved at a frantic pace. In other words, when Porsche introduces these new electrified variants of the 718 range, we can expect a high level product in terms of driving pleasure.
The Taycan Porsche seen in Quebec
In the era of social media, it is increasingly difficult for a builder to hide his prototypes that must be tried on the road, regardless of the place. After all, a prototype must not only be excellent on the track, it must also be able to face the rigors of everyday life.In Quebec, for example, a future model must not only survive the freezing temperatures of winter, but must also withstand the pothole season that is taking place right now. Over the weekend, the long-awaited Porsche Taycan was spotted between Montreal and Trois-Rivières, the future all-electric sedan-coupe that was still wearing its stickers to hide the many details of the bodywork, especially at the ends of the car covers. vehicles.
The first real electric of the manufacturer of Stuttgart should be unveiled later in 2019 in September, the Taycan who will come to play in the flowerbeds of the manufacturer Tesla who, with his sedan Model S, is end alone in this niche both electric and powerful.
Recall that the Taycan should be able to shoot down the 0-100 km / h in less than 3.5 seconds, in addition to having the ability to ride a distance of 500 km between refills, according to the cycle of calculation of European leadership (NEDC). The manufacturer also promised that it would be possible to add an additional distance of 100 km in just four minutes. In short, the first electric immersion of the brand should be at the height of the reputation of the German manufacturer.
According to one of the comments added to the publication of the group “The Free Electrons” on Facebook, the sedan was en route for the company Simon André Electric Vehicles of the Trois-Rivières area which is much talked about because of its project of turn a Honda S2000 roadster into an electrically powered rocket on wheels. To confirm the passage of the Taycan to the Trois-Rivières dealership, we have joined the company that has not yet returned our call.
For its part, Porsche Canada has confirmed that the parent company tested several prototypes on the roads around the world and it seems that the Belle province is one of the destinations of choice to test a future electric sedan. Note, this is not surprising considering the already well-developed network of charging stations.