First Drive: 2012 Nissan NV

Nissan has been a player in the world’s commercial vehicle market for a long time. In fact, 2011 marks the company’s 75th year in the industry, and these workhorses represent 20 percent of Nissan’s total annual sales volume. Nissan’s commerical trucks and vans are used around the world, with over 700,000 units sold in 2010 alone. Yet, it’s highly unlikely that you’ve ever even seen a Nissan commercial vehicle.

Nissan doesn’t sell its commercial vehicles in the United States and Canada – instead, General Motors and Ford own the market. Things could change very quickly, however, because the 2012 NV commercial van is poised to hit the U.S. market. The Japanese automaker set out to build a commercial van to the exacting needs of this country’s small business owners. It asked them questions and incorporated the thousands of answers it received. GM, Ford and even Mercedes-Benz should pay close attention, because the NV could be just what this country’s blue-collar workforce ordered.

The 2012 Nissan NV is offered in three versions with a choice of two roof styles. The NV1500 is offered only with the Standard Roof, while the NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD can be ordered with either the Standard Roof or a High Roof. In Standard Roof guise, the NV looks like the automotive equivalent of a pit bull – it’s handsomely ugly. The High Roof model still looks like a pit bull, but this pooch prefers a high-top fade that would make Kid and Play jealous. Neither version will win any vehicular beauty pageants, yet either one might just win you over should you press it into service. That’s because the NV is basically a slab-sided cargo shed on wheels designed to maximize interior space. Its designers were only allowed to only throw in so many curves before Nissan’s engineers stepped in and took away their pencils.

Those designers were granted a few of their wishes for the production model, as seen in the flared front fenders, sinewy hood bulge and set of 17-inch styled-steel wheels. The nose is filled out with a super-sized Nissan grille and large headlamps, while sharp lines traverse across the flat plains of the NV’s side and converge at a crisp edge that sets up the rear end. Out back the design is more function trumping form, and the upright rear doors stand straight at attention. Particularly on the High Roof model, the van’s substantial posterior takes on a monolithic appearance, and when wearing black paint, the whole thing looks downright Kubrickian.

The exterior proportions start to make far more sense when you see the inside of the NV, which is an engineering odyssey for interior space. Once you open the sliding side door and 243-degree-opening rear doors, you’re treated to 234.1 cubic feet of cargo space in the Standard Roof NV, while the High Roof model adds an additional 89 cubic feet up high for a grand total of 323.1 cubic feet of storage. Both versions feature a low floor for easy loading and easy-to-reach grab handles for simple entry and exit. You’ll have to bend down when standing in the Standard Roof NV but, at six-foot, three-inches tall, your author had an inch or so to spare standing straight up in the High Roof.

You’ll want to take a seat, however, in the front cabin of the 2012 Nissan NV. Instead of stuffing the NV with the cheapest seats in its factory, Nissan fitted a pair of thrones covered in premium cloth. The material is waterproof and has wear-resistant patches built-in to help the seats survive the grueling indignities of commercial duty. Traditionally, full-size work vans are fitted with stereos plucked from Wal Mart’s bargain bin. In this Nissan, the base S trim NV gets a simple AM/FM/CD audio system with an auxiliary input as standard equipment. Opt for the SV trim level and you get an additional two speakers (four in total), power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat and rear parking sensors.

The ideal interior specification, however, come courtesy of the available Technology Package. A five-inch color touchscreen featuring the Nissan Navigation System and XM NavTraffic gets mounted into the center stack. When in Reverse, that five-inch screen shows you exactly what’s happening behind the big-butt NV thanks to a rear-mounted camera. Bluetooth, USB ports and XM Satellite radio round out the optional upgrades and the entire bundle costs just $950. Nissan is quick to remind that a similar setup in a 2011 Ford E-Series will run you $3,275.

Regardless of how the 2012 NV is equipped, the driver’s seat is comfortable and offers a high level of visibility from its perch. Large side mirrors enable clear views of both sides of the NV, and built-in convex spotter mirrors help reduce blind spots. If you want to increase visibility further, an all-around window package is offered. It’s not entirely necessary thanks to those side mirrors and optional rearview camera, plus the sheetmetal keeps prying eyes away from your tools and cargo.

Pushing those tools and cargo around requires an engine with some grunt and Nissan has two options available. The NV1500 and NV2500 HD are equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 that produces 261 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 281 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. A stout 5.6-liter V8 is optional on the NV2500 HD and the only engine offered with the NV3500 HD. The eight-cylinder engine develops 317 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 385 pound-feet of torque at 3,400 rpm. Both engines are paired with a five-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted manually from the column shift lever.

The six-cylinder engine is perfectly qualified for the task of lugging a loaded NV. Throttle response is a tad sluggish, but after a quick beat, the 4.0 leans back and powers forward. The 5.6, however, is a very different animal and responds instantly to a light touch of the gas pedal. It roars like a linebacker leaning into a vicious sack, and with the optional Tow Package equipped is capable of pulling 9,500 pounds, the same GVWR as Ford’s E-Series.

Around town, both Standard and High Roof Nissan NV vans are surprisingly easy to maneuver. Up front sits an independent double-wishbone suspension, while out back the NV sports a solid rear axle surrounded by rigid leaf springs and a stabilizer bar. Driving a full-size van often feels like hustling around a scaled-down city bus, yet the NV feels more like a full-size pickup truck. If it starts to rumble down the road a little too quickly, the NV is easily reeled in by its four-wheel disc brakes with electronic brake force distribution.

Nissan is positioning the 2012 NV as a step above the full-size offerings from Chevrolet and Ford, yet the company is also aware that the NV sits a notch below the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Both the E-Series and the Express are offered in 1500, 2500 and 3500 versions just like the NV, yet the Ford and Chevy have higher base MSRPs across the board. The NV1500 starts at $24,590 compared to $24,860 for the Blue Oval and $26,055 for the Bowtie. The price discrepancy is similar as you climb up their respective trim ladders. On the flip side, the Sprinter is available as a 2500, 2500 High Roof and 3500 High Roof, costing $35,995, $38,350 and $39,915, respectively.

Thus, the 2012 Nissan NV represents a real value for business owners. It’s offered with attractive standard features, affordable options and pricing starts just below the competition. Nissan isn’t stopping there, however, as NV buyers can choose between a free interior cargo system upfit or an Original Wraps custom graphics package with their purchase.

Nissan has also gone out and spent time with business owners to determine what they need from a commercial van. This wasn’t a marketing ploy where Nissan simply jotted down notes and collected emails to spam later. Nissan listened to what people were saying and then incorporated their needs into its heavy-duty work vehicle. The 2012 Nissan NV is easy-to-drive, offers a huge volume of usable cargo space and comes with a choice of free upgrades that should help ease the pain felt in a business-owner’s wallet when making a big investment like this. It’s also built in America in Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi plant, something that many business owners are particularly conscious keen on.

Since those owners will need to work with dealers, it’s also vital that Nissan lays the ground work for a strong network of support. A number of dealers are already eager to be a part of the new Nissan Commercial Vehicle network. By the end of 2012, Nissan expects to have 300 locations around the country ready to handle the unique demands of selling and servicing commercial vans. It already has 250 dealers signed up.

Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealerships will feature dedicated service bays, heavy duty vehicles lifts, in-stock parts, extended service hours and priority service scheduling. The company’s commitment to serving business owners is evident in both the design of the NV and amount of support at the dealership level, but it will take at least a few years to know if Nissan has well-and-truly nailed the commercial brief… or if they’ve made a costly misjudgment.

[Source: autoblog]

Nissan has been a player in the world’s commercial vehicle market for a long time. In fact, 2011 marks the company’s 75th year in the industry, and these workhorses represent 20 percent of Nissan’s total annual sales volume. Nissan’s commerical trucks and vans are used around the world, with over 700,000 units sold in 2010 alone. Yet, it’s highly unlikely that you’ve ever even seen a Nissan commercial vehicle.

Nissan doesn’t sell its commercial vehicles in the United States and Canada – instead, General Motors and Ford own the market. Things could change very quickly, however, because the 2012 NV commercial van is poised to hit the U.S. market. The Japanese automaker set out to build a commercial van to the exacting needs of this country’s small business owners. It asked them questions and incorporated the thousands of answers it received. GM, Ford and even Mercedes-Benz should pay close attention, because the NV could be just what this country’s blue-collar workforce ordered.

[Source: autoblog]

Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460

Despite the rise of the crossover, there’s still a market for traditional SUVs. Moreover, some buyers don’t want to sacrifice luxury to get the capability that a full-frame, truck-based sport utility offers. Lexus makes the GX 460 for consumers who want a blend of opulence and a sure-footed, full-frame, locking-transfer-case 4×4 architecture that’s not afraid to pull a substantial trailer and won’t roar loudly enough to cause permanent hearing damage.

While the Lexus RX grabs the hearts of buyers looking for an L-Finesse crossover, the GX 460 is an alternative choice if you’re considering an LR4 or Range Rover Sport, the most direct competitors in terms of architecture and market segment. Taking price and mission into account, a disparate field of rivals ranges from the BMW X5 and Audi Q7 to the GMC Yukon Denali or even the Ford Expedition King Ranch. The GX 460s footprint and price puts it in between larger crossovers and even bigger SUVs, perhaps an awkward place to be, but sales goals are modest.

So does the GX 460’s tinge of uniqueness help it stand out from the herd? Have the changes made since being knocked for potential instability been effective?

The GX 460 is styled with common Lexus features. Swept headlamps and a wide-slat grille is ugly to some and nondescript to others. Prominent blocky wheelarches are meant to convey ruggedness, though the effect can be heavy-handed on the relatively short wheelbase that the GX 460 shares with the Toyota 4Runner. Not likely to win any beauty contests, the GX 460’s styling doesn’t leave a lasting impression, though it’s instantly identifiable as a Lexus.

Saying the GX is a Lexus on the outside means the styling is tame and blends easily into the background. The Lexus-ness means a lot more when talking about the interior. High quality materials and excellent assembly quality are on display everywhere, though the metallized plastic on the center stack looks more Scion than Lexus. Padded and stitched leather covers the door panels and even the dashboard. It looks and feels finely crafted and sends the right messages to the rugged luxo-roader set.

Shiny Bubinga wood accents on the door panels, dashboard and steering wheel are richly toned, and perforated leather facilitates ventilated and heated power-adjustable front seats. Outboard second-row seats are also heated, and Lexus makes much of its available upgrade to semi-aniline leather without saying much about why it’s better. For the record, semi-aniline leather is dyed all the way through and treated with a protective topcoat, versus plebian pigment-slathered hides. The GX 460’s seats could be upholstered in fetid banana leaves and they’d still be all-day comfortable.

There’s not much in the GX 460 interior that feels cheap. Indeed, most switchgear feels fluid-damped, and nearly everything around you is padded or soft-touch. With the button-heavy center stack, steering wheel and console, there’s a whole lotta touchin’ goin’ on, too.

Standard GXs make do with a 4.5-inch LCD, but ours had a big, bright eight-inch unit. There’s some over-reliance on the non-tactile touchscreen interface, which can be maddening to figure out. There are also plenty of buttons. Hard switches for the three-zone climate control, seat heaters, transfer case and audio system pepper the center stack and console. Still more controls populate the steering wheel, where drivers can adjust the audio system, engage the voice-recognition system in casual conversation and twiddle through the information displayed between the trademark Optitron gauges in the instrument panel. Look up, and there are a few more buttons for the large moonroof and traction control, and don’t forget the eight buttons that flank that big LCD, giving you climate, audio and navigation menus. Finding what you want sometimes takes a few seconds of reading.

There are nice ergonomic touches, like sliding and reclining second row seats and a third row that’s power folding. There’s less interior space in this latest generation GX, down by at least 17 cubic feet to 130. It wasn’t capacious before, and it’s less so now, though it’s mostly a problem for third-seat riders and the cargo space that disappears when the last row is in use. A 120-volt outlet in the cargo area is a smart inclusion, considering the lifestyle-of-doing-stuff the GX is intended to support. Second-row controls for heated seats and climate are part of the three-zone system that’s included with the Premium equipment level. An optional Mark Levinson audio system is there for the audiophile taking, though we found little to complain about with the sound of the Premium model’s standard audio setup. Families will likely be interested in the rear seat entertainment system, too.

The utility role may be wrapped in luxury, but the 4.6-liter V8 can tow 6,500 pounds, though its 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque are more V6-like figures these days. The engine is smooth and well-isolated from the cabin in typical Lexus fashion, though it makes its presence known if you’re booting it. There’s significant weight for the powertrain to deal with, and speed is not the priority in the GX, though it’s got enough oomph to please its customers. The automatic transmission has six speeds and is nearly undiscernable in its operation. Things change when you ask for a downshift, however. The exceptionally smooth transmission hesitates for what seems like an eternity, meaning instead of a simple one-gear kickdown, you’ve by then mashed the pedal to the floor to avoid being crushed by overtaking traffic. Fuel economy stands at 15 miles per gallon in the city city, 20 mpg on the highway, and Lexus specifies premium fuel. Our combined driving returned 17.8 mpg, which is right on the bubble, and better than we expected, though filling the 23-gallon fuel tank is not a bargain purchase.

The 5,305-pound curb weight is perched atop a fully-independent Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, which self-adjusts the stabilizer bars for more suspension travel off-road and good manners on pavement. Premium trim GX 460s get a self-adjusting rear air suspension as standard fitment, too. The driving experience has hints of truck flavor, with some head toss and high-waisted body motion. A longer wheelbase might smooth out some of the hobby-horse motions, but the GX 460 isn’t trying to be a crossover, and movements are controlled and the frame is strong and jiggle-free. Steering feedback isn’t something we even need to discuss, other than to say the level of power assist is just right and there’s no slop to the GXs reactions.

The burrs have been studiously buffed off the GX 460’s driving experience. Controls operate with an uncanny smoothness that’s astounding when you stop to consider how hard it is to pull off. Steering, accelerator and brake reveal no nasty surprises, and the powertrain does its best to avoid detection. It’s too bad that, in being unobtrusive, the engine doesn’t generate the power or torque we now expect from modern V8s, and the automatic transmission’s avoidance of kickdowns mars an otherwise serene driving experience. Despite the lack of performance verve from the otherwise delightful engine and transmission, the acceleration is plenty more than most owners will require. There’s real off-road capability here, too, and no matter where you’re going, the interior has that serene Lexus atmosphere. And just as importantly considering the recent round of negative press, at no time did the GX 460 ever get crossed up or feel unstable.

Granted, we weren’t trying the evasive maneuvering that got Lexus in trouble with Consumer Reports in the first place, but neither did the GX display any bad tendencies. In snow, standard stability control steps in early and effectively to provide the maximum safety net.

It’s hard as a car guy to admit that you like a Lexus, but the 2011 GX 460 has a lot going for it. It’s luxurious without being sterile, and the nicely-trimmed cabin feels more expensive than the price of entry. In a class of expensive competitors, the GX commands more money than many, but the cabin makes you feel rewarded for your expenditure. The most annoying traits are the reliance on the touchscreen for even every day controls, and a tailgate that swings open to the right instead of opening like a hatch. The less than practical rear door reveals the veritable lack of storage space when all three rows of seats are in use, as well.

The GX 460 does have a lot of competition above, below and beside it with luxury crossovers and SUVs to fend off, and it may not stack up on paper. With impeccable build quality inside and out, luxurious materials, and a brand reputation for reliability and dealers that coddle, it’s a different story on the road. Or off it, for that matter.

[Source: autoblog]

Review: 2011 Audi A8

I have to admit losing track of how many times my hapless copilot uttered this – and countless other unpublishable phrases – from the passenger seat during our drive. But if I’m being honest, it doesn’t hold a candle to the endless string of explicatives running through my own mind.

The reason? I’m piloting a 2011 Audi A8 through a particularly tortuous stretch of California tarmac running between the Monterey Valley and the Pacific Coast, and for the better part of 20 miles, the driver of the tuned BMW 335i in the lead hasn’t seen anything other than the A8’s massive slatted grille in his rearview mirror. Just as impressive – if not more so – is the pair of worked-over E36 M3s that are having a hard time keeping up. And these guys are locals. They’ve been running this road for over a decade, only to have me show and spoil their ragtag rally in Audi’s latest luxo-bruiser.

I’d like to think that my hairpin heroics and high-speed capers are a testament to my own skills, but I’m not that deluded. I’ve been equipped with the standard auto journo-issued hamfists, and to think otherwise is to fall prey to motoring delusion and insult the work of Ingolstadt’s magicians. Audi’s new A8 is just that good, and the steer is just the half of it.

If you’re not enamored by the looks of this latest flagship, you’re not alone. Audi has gotten back to its Germanic roots of offering one sausage in three sizes, so less obsessive types may have a hard time telling an A4 from an A8 from 50 yards out. Me? I’ve always been partial to the D3 chassis (2002-2009), which blended stately elegance with an understated air of superiority. It never looked menacing, but it certainly came across as imposing. Not so with the D4.

Viewed head-on, the aforementioned grille needs a survey crew to estimate its wingspan, while the angular bank of LEDs make the A8 look like Droopy Dog with electroluminescent eyeliner. In profile, Audi’s designers simply embiggened the A4’s roofline by 30 percent in Photoshop, did the same to the rear and called it a day. We can’t blame them, because the sheer size of this latest A8 – a staggering 202.2 inches stem-to-stern with a wheelbase of 117.8 inches – is enough to separate it from the rest of the luxo-pleebs.

But if the exterior is too pedestrian for your tastes, once situated in the 22-way adjustable sports seat, any and all reservations are laid firmly to rest. This is how you do a luxury interior, and considering the four rings embedded on the chunky steering wheel, we’ve come to expect nothing less.

The driver’s gauge cluster is standard fare, particularly when compared to the “Virtual Instruments” on the Jaguar XJ, but what it lacks in gee-whiz, it makes up for in clarity and functionality. Nestled between the tach and speedo is Audi’s seven-inch central information display, a screen that keeps everything from navigation instructions to infotainment information directly in front of the driver. The optional Night Vision Assistant with Thermal-Imaging Infrared Camera mounted in the front bumper can keep track of pedestrians and animals crossing the A8’s path, alerting the driver with a quick tone and visual warning. Trick, but nothing we haven’t seen in the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

But what truly impresses – and where this Audi stands apart – is with the first application of its MMI Touch interface. Situated on the left side of the center console, and perfectly placed to allow the driver to rest his or her forearm on the yacht-inspired shifter, the rectangular touchpad allows you to simply write letters with your fingertip and effortlessly scroll through menus. Gone are the days of endlessly twisting the MMI knob to input an address, find a phone contact, dial up an XM station or navigate a map on the flip-up, central-mounted display. The MMI Touch is hands-down the A8’s killer app, and Audi’s competitors better hope that the patent application has more holes than the Steelers’ defense.

But the crew from Ingolstadt hasn’t stopped there. In addition to the de riguer adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection and Audi Lane Assist (wander out of your lane and the steering wheel gently vibrates), Audi will begin offering an optional factory-installed WLAN hotspot that can not only connect to any number of WiFi devices, it can plumb a fully-integrated Google Earth experience into the MMI system. While it wasn’t equipped on our $80k-and-change tester (it’s not coming to the U.S. for another few months), we had the chance to sample the system at a media event and came away impressed with the execution, but not the graphics. It’s pretty, but with the topographical and satellite imagery in use by BMW and other manufacturers, it doesn’t look as visually polished as even the most standard graphical sat-navs.

However, polished doesn’t even begin to describe the available Bang & Olufsen Advanced
sound system. Nineteen speakers, 19 channels and 1,400 watts of B&O-patented aural majesty are at one’s disposal. Throughout my week with the car, the system ably provides more than a few “driveway moments” where I sat parked, blasting the Kleptones’ latest while reveling in dynamic highs and forceful bass. And my neighbors were no worse for the wear – with the doors shut and the windows sealed, not an ounce of perfectly matched mid-80s mashups oozes outside the cabin.

There’s certainly more than enough to impress inside the A8, but Audi is billing the standard wheelbase sedan as its driver’s car, leaving the “prestige, sportiness and comfort” to the elongated and plush-packed A8L. So how’s it go?

As if I didn’t already give up enough in the opener, it’s magnificent. The combination of the lightweight aluminum space-frame chassis and the 372 horsepower, 4.2-liter direct injection V8 means the A8 is on par with its peers, but the addition of Audi’s rear-biased Quattro all-wheel-drive puts it into new territory. While the engine’s output is far from world-beating, the 328 pound-feet of torque available from 3,500 rpm onwards is more than enough to effortlessly merge with freeway traffic and blow into triple digits without thinking twice. But what impressed more than anything is the utter chuckability of what is – by all outward appearances – a ponderous, massive slab of aluminum and steel.

Forget about the official 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds. It simply isn’t a factor. Instead, Audi’s chassis and powertrain boffins have focused on making this big boy dance. And it does. You wouldn’t think that something this large and this lux could be this quick on its feet, responding to steering inputs with immediacy and selecting the perfect of its eight ratios to put the power down, but it does. And it does it with clinical precision that doesn’t leave the driver out of the mix – a neat trick that’s often lacking in the rarified air of the sports executive set.

With the Audi Drive Select set to Dynamic, a Cray’s worth of computing power seamlessly tweaks the adaptive air suspension and S4-derived Sport Differential to nearly eliminate any trace of understeer and allow mid-corner lifts to forcibly tuck that massive schnoz into bends. My driving companions are left shaking their heads and I’m left with an unshakable grin. These kind of antics shouldn’t be possible, but the A8 manages to hack physics thanks to a smorgasbord of trick electronics, a set of unflappable, fade-free stoppers and 20-inch wheels wrapped in sticky summer rubber. And it’s not just what’s added on – excellence is baked-in. Thanks to its stiff aluminum chassis clothed in matching bodywork, this Audi simply has less mass to move around than its competitors. The A8 checks in at 4,409 pounds, while the Mercedes-Benz S550 weighs 4,455 pounds and the BMW 750i checks in at a hefty 4,641-pound starting weight. That may not sound like a massive difference, but consider, too, that the A8 manages to be lighter while toting around all-wheel drive.

If you care about such things, Audi estimates fuel economy at 21 city and 27 highway, and I managed to average out around 19 mpg during a nine-day stretch – easily within spitting distance of both Benz’s and Lexus’ flagship… hybrids.

When the time came to motor back up Highway One for a very late dinner, I set the Select system to Individual (suspension in Comfort, the rest in Dynamic) and amped up the front seat massagers for both me and my companion. “You’re $%#^@#& kidding me, right?” No. No I’m not, my vocabulary-challenged friend. And neither is Audi. For lack of a better phrase, they’ve put old luxury on notice and infused some very welcome “sport” into its flagship.

[Source: autoblog]