The Nation Newspaper

Category: Motoring

  • Nissan Teana: exceptional, exquisite

    Nissan Teana: exceptional, exquisite

    The new Nissan Teana, unlike its predecessor, is unique. Its features are: bold and sophisticated appearance, bumper, projector type headlights and a duck tail spoiler at the back, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

    Fresh from a total makeover last year, the Nissan Altima, known as Teana, has opted out of the mid-sized sedan segment to provide customers with premium experiences and high technologies for this year’s model.

    Nissan says it is enhancing the Teana’s package with better value proposition to keep it fresh against increasing competent rivals.

    Teana’s innovations are designed to reposition the car ahead of competitions from Toyota Camry that underwent full model change recently, just as the Honda Accord, Mazda 6 and the imperious Volkswagen Passat did.

    The Teana, according to Nissan, in spite of the new twist, is affordably priced than its rival and ultimately a game changer in the increasingly competitive entry D-segment.

    “We are simply re-emphasising leadership in the D-segment not only by enhancing class-above premium and thought-provoking technologies, but by introducing class-leading driving pleasures,” the company said.

    Some of Teana’s distinctive features are to be found in the customised 3D meter, HMI voice communication and full mobile connectivity, the complete set of around video monitor and intelligent transport system.

    The 2014 Teana, unlike its predecessor, comes equipped with a darkened grille slats at the front end, which gives the car a bold and sophisticated appearance with seamless bumper and projector type headlights, and a duck tail spoiler at the back.

    This is in addition to a longer sloping rear roofline and raised trunk that creates a more fluidic silhouette supported by a sloped A-pillar angle, and a raised waist-line that gives a lower coefficient aerodynamic drag.

    And down the flanks, there are additional details such as sculpted side, sill covers running beneath the doors and blind spot warning (BSW) radar system that warns drivers, using LED lights mounted inside the base of the side mirror.

    Nissan also stressed Teana maximum efficiency for its conventional version that constitutes the lightest in this group.

    According to the automaker, the class-exclusive use of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is to achieve an impressive 76km per gallon on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highway driving cycle for the 4-cylinder model.

    Auto lovers obsessed with performance are to opt for a potent V6; a rare feature in the family sedan category.

    Although previous incarnations of the Teana 2.5L featured beige interior with wood trim that gave it two-tone elegance and luxurious ambience. The version is a lot more improvement with cabin–black leather seats and dashboard that give a premium feel.

    A change of colour does not, however, take away the fact that the cabin is spacious with copious amounts of head and legroom even though the Teana still comes with a wheelbase of 2,775mm.

    Amit Sharma, Head – Sales and Marketing, Stallion NMN, Nissan national sales distributors, said the Teana is undoubtedly exceptional and comfortable for long drives. And when stuck in traffic through the usually crawling pace, he said, it definitely offers a less fatiguing experience.

    Sharma described Teana as Nissan’s solution to the market customers needs, adding that the car shows top-level fuel economy and acceleration supported by the CVT with wide gear ratio and less friction and a thicker torque engine.

    The Teana, though achieves dynamic driving with the support of newly structured Rear Multi–Link active under-steering control and refinement in body rigidity and braking system, its highpoint is the car’s creamy–smooth engine options of 2.5SV, 2.5Sl or 3.5SL that lets out a pleasantly distinctive rumble when revved.

    The 2.5-litre EFI (electronic fuel injection) QR25 petrol engine, for instance, has six in-line cylinders fitted with 24 valves and a DOHC (dual overhead camshaft) with the ability to displace close to 2,496cc with a pounding toque yield of 244Nm, 180ft-ib at 4000rpm with an incredible 135.7kw and 182bhp @ 6000rpm, a remarkable design for Nigerian roads and traffic conditions.

    In addition, Teana’s VQ35 (3.5SL) engine, which is currently the only engine in the world that has been awarded world’s 10 Best Engines for 17 consecutive years since 1995, churns out 135.7kw, 340.31Nm and 270bhp at 6400rpm.

    Sharma said beyond Teana’s remarkable engine configuration, “its suspension absorbs the shocks from bumps and potholes smoothly just as its dual climate control air conditioning keeps occupants pleasurable on the cozy leather seats.”

    The car is nevertheless, reassuring on safety especially when viewed against the overall crash testing and side crash test, which recently earned the car a plush credit in safety.

  • Mitsubishi to launch Thai-made Attrage

    Mitsubishi Motors will, by April, sell the Attrage compact sedan it started making last year in Thailand in other Southeast Asian countries. The company also plans to offer the car in the Middle East and Africa, the company sources said.

    The firm sets expanding sales in emerging countries as its most important business goal. To that end, Mitsubishi Motors is trying to broaden the scope of inexpensive compacts for sale in those markets.

    The Thai-built Attrage is the company’s second global strategic compact sedan, after the Mirage, which became a big hit in Thailand. Built on the same platform as the Mirage, the Attrage has 1.2-liter engine and offers fuel economy of 22km per liter, thanks to improved technology in the transmission and other areas.

    Since its debut in Thailand last July, about 16,000 units have been sold, with an affordable price of less than 1.5 million yen ($14,250) wowing Thai consumers.

    With strong demand expected among middle-income drivers in neighbouring countries, Mitsubishi Motors will ship the sedan to the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. To lower costs, production will be concentrated at the firm’s third Thai plant, which went on line last year.

    Mitsubishi Motors will market the Attrage using existing dealership networks in the Philippines and Indonesia, and also the networks it has jointly developed with trading house Mitsubishi Corporatio.

    The company aims to sell a total of 39,000 Attrages in the year ending March 31, including sales in Thailand.

    The move is part of the firm’s efforts to grow sales in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and other emerging markets by 20 per cent in fiscal year. It plans to release the Attrage in North America as well.

    Under its medium-term plan starting in fiscal 2014, Mitsubishi Motors intends to focus business resources on selected areas. In terms of vehicle types, the company will try to enhance its lineup of fuel-efficient compacts and sport utility vehicles in hope of boosting brand recognition.

  • Better dimension to road accident prevention

    Without doubt, the rate of road crashes and fatalities is still very high in Nigeria despite all the laws and activities of the various governments and their agencies.

    There is, therefore, an urgent need to unbiasely look at the reasons and take proactive actions to arrest the growing monster. I hereby profer the following as workable approaches to stem the devastating tide.

    •That driver safety training should be more intensive than it used to be in Nigeria. This has become expedient because most of the drivers did not go through the conventional driving schools.

    •Re-training of all categories of drivers (including the drivers of own-vehicles) should be compulsory even if it is not as regular as expected.

    •The Federal and state governments and their traffic agencies should not be involved in the training and re-training of drivers. Rather, they should concentrate on traffic law enforcement. I am not saying this out of any selfish motive. Events in Nigeria is justifying this approach every passing day. For example, I witnessed the training programme of a government agency for drivers. We were about 50 in the class. At the end of the training programme, the instructors (officers of the agency) gave all the trainees (drivers) their telephone numbers to call for help whenever we’re arrested for any traffic offense by their fellow officers. This is the common practice among the officers of government traffic agency as an appreciation for participation in their training programmes. In actual fact, they have only succeeded in making the Trainees become fearless, ready to break traffic laws and ready to be disobedient to traffic officers because they already have the numbers of those that can prevent them from facing the full wrath of the law. I tried it and it worked. No wonder, the training programmes by the government agencies have not been yielding the desired reduction in the rate of road accidents significantly.

    Rather than taking up the re- training of drivers because of the monetary gains, they should focus mainly on the training and empowerment of driving school instructors that will be charged with the responsibility of training and re-training drivers, enact and strictly enforce the traffic laws and regulations and properly handle traffic management for free flow of traffic and compliance.

    Let’s face the facts. How easy is it for any government agency to arrest, prosecute or fine drivers of companies that are paying them heavily on regular basis for the re-training of the same drivers? The best practice, which is even in operation in the United Kingdom renown for Safety Standard, is the empowerment of driving schools by the government’s Road Safety Agency (RSA), to handle the foundational training and re-training of all categories of drivers of public and private sector rganisations. It is the duty of GRA and Traffic Management Agencies to set and enforce standards for the driving schools, set and enforce traffic laws and regulations for drivers. This promotes fairness and effectiveness in their operations.

    This particular suggestion may not go down well with the concerned government agencies in charge of road safety and traffic management at the Federal and state government levels because they don’t want to forfeit the income being generated from this business of re-training drivers. I, however, challenge the stakeholders and other well-meaning Nigerians to do more unbiased research and investigation on this very issue to properly understand the need for this suggestion, which I strongly believe will go a long way in drastically reducing road accidents and fatalities and enhance the standards of driving schools that will be properly positioned to comply with the set standards.

    •The mindset (perception) of drivers on the use of roads should be properly addressed and adequately restructured to promote safety on the roads.

    •The focus of drivers training should be further diversified from driving skills to include the perceptual, cognitive, motivational and attitudinal factors, which can greatly exert on drivers behaviour, influence their judgment and decision-making.

     

  • Toyota to sell Indonesian-made cars in Philippines

    Toyota Motor will export a compact car made by Daihatsu Motor, Indonesia in the Philippines from this month.

    In a staement, the company said the car was the first to be certified as a low-cost green car by the Indonesian government and is eligible for a tax break. A combined 41,500 units were sold last year.

    In the Philippines,Toyota will sell the 1-liter car as the Wigo, with the steering wheel set on the left. The car will sport the Toyota emblem, as opposed to the special emblem adorning the Indonesian model.

    Toyota will begin shipping the car to the Philippines and plans to start sales there at month end. The Wigo will be priced slightly higher than the roughly 1.1 million rupiah ($8,986) sticker price in Indonesia.

  • BonluckBus begins operation

    BonluckBus Nigeria Limited has unveiled new buses and coaches for Nigeria and Africa.

    The company, which started operation, is the sole regional sales and repair agents for the buses from Jiangxi Kama Business Bus Company Limited, China

    Its Regional Managing Director, Mr. Friday Yange said Bonluck products have passed Standards Organisation of Nigeria Products Assessment Conformity Programme (SONCAP); Australia ADR Certification; US DOT Certification and European Union (EU) ECE Certification.

    Bonluckbus is the first manufacturer of buses and coaches in China; exporting large quantities to developed countries, including the US and Australia with its intellectual property and Chinese national brand.

    Yange said: “Our products include 12 major series, covering all models of six-metre to 15-metre high-end passenger vehicles for inter city transportation; urban passenger; road passenger; motor homes; special vehicles and commercial vehicles. In addition to marketing of compressed natural gas (CNG) luxury passenger and urban passenger vehicles, hybrid power passenger and urban passenger vehicles, using Zinc air fuel cell.”

    He said the company has an international network of Auto manufacturers and dealers.

    He said: “This will enable us to source and import vehicles of all types and specifications upon customer’s request – should such vehicles are not readily available. Lead time for these imports range from as low as four weeks to three months depending on the vehicle.

    “We offer our corporate clients full services which include, full after-sales service support and repairs, one to two-year warranties depending on the vehicle, genuine spare parts, fleet branding and financial options.”

    Operations in Nigeria and Africa region, he said, will be for sales of buses and coaches.

    He promised that as market evolves, the company will continue to re-invent, re-align and diversify its business interest to remain competitive.

    The company in China covers a total area of 150,000¡3 with 30,000¡3 of workshop area and has a modern production system and assembly plant. With a production capacity of 5,000 units of buses and coaches annually, there is room for 10,000 units per year after expansion.

  • Mazda goes global with new Mazda3

    Mazda Motor has global plans for the latest model of its best-selling Axela compact, which is sold outside of Japan as the Mazda3.

    The Japanese automaker plans to make the new Mazda3 at all its three main overseas production bases in Mexico, Thailand and China, in addition to Japan.

    Mazda motor will work to boost global Mazda3 sales by some 30 per cent to 500,000 units a year as early as fiscal 2014. Reaching that goal will be key to the firm’s larger objective, which is to increase overall cars sales by 40 per cent to 1.7 million units in the year to March 2016 while reducing domestic production to just half of total output.

    The newest Mazda3 was released last fall with an updated design and a full complement of the automaker’s fuel-saving Skyactiv technologies. It is available in gasoline, diesel and hybrid versions.

    Until recently, the Mazda3 was manufactured only in Japan, at a factory in Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture. But Mazda began making the car at its new factory in Mexico on January 6, and in February will begin assembly in Thailand at a joint venture factory with Ford Motor. Production has also began in China at Mazda’s plant in Nanjing

    All three overseas bases will start with production of the gasoline-engine version of the Mazda3. The plant in Mexico is also designed to make the smaller Mazda2 (sold in Japan as the Demio), but it will focus on the Mazda3 in order to expand sales in North America.

  • Toyota to sell Indonesian-made cars in Philippines

    Toyota to sell Indonesian-made cars in Philippines

    Toyota Motor will export a compact car made by Daihatsu Motor, Indonesia in the Philippines from this month.

    In a staement, the company said the car was the first to be certified as a low-cost green car by the Indonesian government and is eligible for a tax break. A combined 41,500 units were sold last year.

    In the Philippines, Toyota will sell the 1-liter car as the Wigo, with the steering wheel set on the left. The car will sport the Toyota emblem, as opposed to the special emblem adorning the Indonesian model.

    Toyota will begin shipping the car to the Philippines and plans to start sales there at month end. The Wigo will be priced slightly higher than the roughly 1.1 million rupiah ($8,986) sticker price in Indonesia.

     

  • Mazda goes global with new Mazda3

    Mazda Motor has global plans for the latest model of its best-selling Axela compact, which is sold outside of Japan as the Mazda3.

    The Japanese automaker plans to make the new Mazda3 at all its three main overseas production bases in Mexico, Thailand and China, in addition to Japan.

    Mazda motor will work to boost global Mazda3 sales by some 30 per cent to 500,000 units a year as early as fiscal 2014. Reaching that goal will be key to the firm’s larger objective, which is to increase overall cars sales by 40 per cent to 1.7 million units in the year to March 2016 while reducing domestic production to just half of total output.

    The newest Mazda3 was released last fall with an updated design and a full complement of the automaker’s fuel-saving Skyactiv technologies. It is available in gasoline, diesel and hybrid versions.

    Until recently, the Mazda3 was manufactured only in Japan, at a factory in Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture. But Mazda began making the car at its new factory in Mexico on January 6, and in February will begin assembly in Thailand at a joint venture factory with Ford Motor. Production has also began in China at Mazda’s plant in Nanjing

    All three overseas bases will start with production of the gasoline-engine version of the Mazda3. The plant in Mexico is also designed to make the smaller Mazda2 (sold in Japan as the Demio), but it will focus on the Mazda3 in order to expand sales in North America.

     

     

  • BonluckBus begins operation

    BonluckBus begins operation

    BonluckBus Nigeria Limited has unveiled new Buses and Coaches in Nigeria and Africa.

    The company, which started operation recently, is the sole regional sales and repair agents for the buses from Jiangxi Kama Business Bus Company Limited, China

    Its Regional Managing Director, Mr. Friday Yange said Bonluck products have passed Standards Organisation of Nigeria Products Assessment Conformity Programme (SONCAP); Australia ADR Certification; US DOT Certification and EU ECE Certification.

    Bonluckbus is the first manufacturer of Buses and Coaches in China; exporting large quantities to developed countries, including the US and Australia with its intellectual property and Chinese national brand.

    Yange said: “Our products include 12 major series, covering all models of 6-meter to 15-meter high-end passenger vehicles for inter city transportation; urban passenger; road passenger; motor homes; special vehicles and commercial vehicles. In addition to marketing of compressed natural gas (CNG) luxury passenger and urban passenger vehicles, hybrid power passenger and urban passenger vehicles, using Zinc air fuel cell.”

    He said the company has an international network of Auto manufacturers and dealers.

    He said: “This will enable us to source and import vehicles of all types and specifications upon customer’s request – should such vehicles are not readily available. Lead time for these imports range from as low as four weeks to three months depending on the vehicle. “We offer our corporate clients full services which include, full after-sales service support and repairs, one to two-year warranties depending on the vehicle, genuine spare parts, fleet branding and financial options.”

    Operations in Nigeria and Africa region, he said, will be for sales of buses and coaches.

    He promised that as market evolves, the company will continue to re-invent, re-align and diversify its business interest to remain competitive.

    The company in China covers a total area of 150,000¡3 with 30,000¡3 of workshop area and has a modern production system and assembly plant. With a production capacity of 5,000 units of buses and coaches annually, there is room for 10,000 units per year after expansion.

     

  • Mitsubishi to launch Thai-made Attrage

    Mitsubishi Motors will, by April, sell the Attrage compact sedan it started making last year in Thailand in other Southeast Asian countries. The company also plans to offer the car in the Middle East and Africa, the company sources said.

    The firm sets expanding sales in emerging countries as its most important business goal. To that end, Mitsubishi Motors is trying to broaden the scope of inexpensive compacts for sale in those markets.

    The Thai-built Attrage is the company’s second global strategic compact sedan, after the Mirage, which became a big hit in Thailand. Built on the same platform as the Mirage, the Attrage has 1.2-liter engine and offers fuel economy of 22km per liter, thanks to improved technology in the transmission and other areas.

    Since its debut in Thailand last July, about 16,000 units have been sold, with an affordable price of less than 1.5 million yen ($14,250) wowing Thai consumers.

    With strong demand expected among middle-income drivers in neighbouring countries, Mitsubishi Motors will ship the sedan to the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. To lower costs, production will be concentrated at the firm’s third Thai plant, which went on line last year.

    Mitsubishi Motors will market the Attrage using existing dealership networks in the Philippines and Indonesia, and also the networks it has jointly developed with trading house Mitsubishi Corporatio.

    The company aims to sell a total of 39,000 Attrages in the year ending March 31, including sales in Thailand.

    The move is part of the firm’s efforts to grow sales in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and other emerging markets by 20 per cent in fiscal year. It plans to release the Attrage in North America as well.

    Under its medium-term plan starting in fiscal 2014, Mitsubishi Motors intends to focus business resources on selected areas. In terms of vehicle types, the company will try to enhance its lineup of fuel-efficient compacts and sport utility vehicles in hope of boosting brand recognition.