HOT NISSAN MAY NOT COME TO CANADA: The most exciting model to come out of Nissan in a long time may not be coming to Canada.
So far, the Japanese firm has only named Europe as a destination for the Nissan 350Z Gran Turismo 4 Edition version of its sporty coupe.
The special model was developed to celebrate its collaboration with Sony in the forthcoming launch of the fourth edition of the PlayStation game Gran Turismo, and to mark the 35th anniversary of the first Z car.
Changes to the 350Z Gran Turismo 4 Edition are small but significant, says Nissan, the most important being a slight horsepower boost that allows the car to go from 0 to 100 kmh in about 5.8 seconds.
The 350Z Gran Turismo 4 Edition promises to be highly visible, as it will be available in just two colors -- metallic black or premium sunshine yellow -- and sits on unique five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels.
GM PUTS TWO-DOOR WAGON ON HOLD: To my considerable personal chagrin, it's beginning to look ever less likely that General Motors will bring the Chevrolet Nomad wagon to market.
The two-door wagon that's an homage to Chevrolets of the late-1950s was not well received by consumers at last year's auto shows, and now the executive in charge of the car and others using the Kappa architecture is cooling to the idea.
Vehicle line executive Lori Queen points out that GM has an apparently endless flood of high-volume models coming out in the next couple of years, so there probably isn't enough money around for niche cars like the Nomad.
The rear-drive Kappa architecture will however still be used for the 2006 Pontiac Solstice coupe/roadster and the 2007 Saturn SKY, and there may be another roadster for Europe to follow, but that's probably it.
HONDA FIT TO BE TRIED: It now looks like it will be a variation of the Fit subcompact from Japan and Europe that Honda will bring to the North American market.
When the Fit (or whatever it's called) arrives in 2006 as a 2007 model, it will be smaller and less expensive than the Civic model. That would likely mean something less than $15,000 to start, with an engine in the 1.5-litre range.
Honda's U.S. branch is particularly anxious to have something to sell against Toyota's Scion-branded models, while the Canadian operation would use it to get younger buyers now flocking to Toyota's Echo and a bunch of Korean-built models from Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia and Pontiac.
MORE CROSSOVERS FROM FORD: Ford seems inclined to add something very much like the Fairlane concept vehicle to its lineup soon, along with another crossover to appear in 2006.
The company is struggling to find a way to appeal to those customers who aren't buying the Freestar minivan built in the company's plant in Oakville, and the Fairlane could be it.
Kia will show off a brand new version of its Sedona minivan next week. The 2006 model will be larger than the current model in all major dimensions, including overall length and wheelbase.
So far, the Japanese firm has only named Europe as a destination for the Nissan 350Z Gran Turismo 4 Edition version of its sporty coupe.
The special model was developed to celebrate its collaboration with Sony in the forthcoming launch of the fourth edition of the PlayStation game Gran Turismo, and to mark the 35th anniversary of the first Z car.
Changes to the 350Z Gran Turismo 4 Edition are small but significant, says Nissan, the most important being a slight horsepower boost that allows the car to go from 0 to 100 kmh in about 5.8 seconds.
The 350Z Gran Turismo 4 Edition promises to be highly visible, as it will be available in just two colors -- metallic black or premium sunshine yellow -- and sits on unique five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels.
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The two-door wagon that's an homage to Chevrolets of the late-1950s was not well received by consumers at last year's auto shows, and now the executive in charge of the car and others using the Kappa architecture is cooling to the idea.
Vehicle line executive Lori Queen points out that GM has an apparently endless flood of high-volume models coming out in the next couple of years, so there probably isn't enough money around for niche cars like the Nomad.
The rear-drive Kappa architecture will however still be used for the 2006 Pontiac Solstice coupe/roadster and the 2007 Saturn SKY, and there may be another roadster for Europe to follow, but that's probably it.
 |
When the Fit (or whatever it's called) arrives in 2006 as a 2007 model, it will be smaller and less expensive than the Civic model. That would likely mean something less than $15,000 to start, with an engine in the 1.5-litre range.
Honda's U.S. branch is particularly anxious to have something to sell against Toyota's Scion-branded models, while the Canadian operation would use it to get younger buyers now flocking to Toyota's Echo and a bunch of Korean-built models from Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia and Pontiac.
MORE CROSSOVERS FROM FORD: Ford seems inclined to add something very much like the Fairlane concept vehicle to its lineup soon, along with another crossover to appear in 2006.
The company is struggling to find a way to appeal to those customers who aren't buying the Freestar minivan built in the company's plant in Oakville, and the Fairlane could be it.
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The new Sedona will also offer more horsepower than many of its competitors, and come with a standard 60/40 split third-row seat which folds flat into the floor.
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