Ucarmagazine

Lap runs on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany’s Eifel region are often cancelled due to rain. But the wet weather didn’t stop Nissan from taking its X-TRAIL fuel cell vehicle for a spin on the course recently, making Nissan the first automaker to record an FCV lap on the famous race track.

Frank Eickholt, member of the Nissan 24 Hours Nürburgring race team and Nordschleife aficionado, skillfully steered the 1.3 million euro prototype through “The Green Hell”- as the course is often referred to - on standard street tires. And although the 20.8 kilometer-long course was consistently wet – making it difficult to drive aggressively - Eickholt was thoroughly impressed with the X-TRAIL FCV which clocked in at 11:58 minutes.

“I was very surprised at just how comfortable it is to drive a fuel cell car. You get in, turn the key and off you go, just like with a normal car,”said Eickholt.

“Although some of the uphill sections were challenging, the speed was still very impressive. If the course hadn’t been so wet, I could have gotten more momentum out of the curves. Thirty to 40 seconds could have been shaved off for sure,”he added.

The five-seater X-TRAIL FCV is a zero-emission electric vehicle that runs in near silence. It is powered by electricity produced on board the vehicle, in a hydrogen fuel cell stack. Electricity is generated following an electro-chemical reaction between hydrogen – which is stored at 700 bar in a purpose-designed high-pressure tank – and oxygen. The only by-product is water vapour.

This electric current is channelled through an inverter to drive a powerful motor in the front of the car. The X-TRAIL FCV, which has been undergoing real-world trials in Japan and California since 2006, has an official top speed of 150 km/h and a range of 500 km. Maximum power is 90kW (120PS) while maximum torque is 280Nm.

It also features the latest in battery technology: a Nissan-designed compact lithium-ion battery with thin laminated cells. The Li-Ion battery is used to start the vehicle and to boost power under acceleration. Kinetic energy created under deceleration is captured and stored in the battery for future use.

Still in the early stages of development, Nissan is currently working to improve durability of the FCV componentry; to find a breakthrough in hydrogen storage systems; and to reduce the cost of the technology. The company hopes to see fuel cell vehicles in series production by 2015.

The X-TRAIL FCV is part of the Nissan Green Program 2010, Nissan’s midterm environmental strategy which is aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from the company’s products and activities around the world, as well as reducing other exhaust emissions and increasing recycling.

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To celebrate the Nissan Micra’s 25th birthday next Monday (21 July), a special motorcade of 25 Micra cars will drive the 300 miles from Nissan’s Sunderland plant to the ExCeL exhibition center in London to kick off the British International Motor Show.

Straight from the production line, the procession of brightly decorated ‘Micra 25’ special edition vehicles will depart at 09:00-hrs and will travel south via A-roads and the motorways to London, arriving at around 16.00-hrs. Their arrival sparks off the UK’s largest motoring extravaganza of the year, a show where the special series Nissan Micra 25 will make its UK debut.

Sporting highly visible 25th anniversary decals, the motorcade Micras will also feature a single letter on the roof of each car which – when the convoy is viewed from above – will spell out ‘Micra 25 at British Motor Show’.

“We are delighted to be able to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Nissan Micra here in the UK, where the car has been built for the past 16 years and to do it on the eve of the British International Motor Show,” said Nissan’s managing director, Paul Willcox. “To have some of the people who have played a part in the Micra success at our Sunderland plant driving the cars to ExCeL in London makes this motorcade even more special.”

First produced in Japan in 1983, the Nissan Micra has been manufactured exclusively in Sunderland since 1992. It is one of Britain’s major manufacturing and export successes, with 2.2 million Micras made in the North East so far and exported cars going to 44 different countries around the globe.

Appropriately, among the people driving the motorcade convoy of Micra 25s will be staff from the Sunderland plant who have been part of the Nissan manufacturing success story in this country.

The distinctive Night Shade exterior paint and sophisticated ‘Satin’ effect door handles, both unique to the special edition Micra 25 model, give the impression this fun car has grown-up, but inside it still caters for the younger audience with its customized iPod Nano integrated into the audio system.

Since the Micra first went into production in 1983 in Japan, it has undergone two dramatic transformations, leading to today’s third generation Micra that was launched in 2002. The Nissan plant in Sunderland began manufacturing the second generation model in 1992 and just six years later the millionth model came off the production line.

The first Japanese-brand car to win the European Car of the Year award (1993), the Micra rapidly gained an enviable reputation for such a small car. Its distinctive rounded design created a personality that British drivers love. Not only has the Micra proven to be popular in the UK, demand has spread around the globe.

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Exclusivity comes courtesy of a stylish hard top load cover providing a unique design yet still retaining a high cargo volume. Add a load bed protector and reversing sensors for an OTR price of £23,795 and the UK’s number one choice for pickups looks set to continue at the top of the pack.

The new hard top was sculpture-led by Nissan’s own design center based in Paddington, London to ensure a perfect blend with the Navara’s svelte looks. The side windows therefore have a simulated shoulder line to emulate those of the cabin while the styling lines of the cabin roof integrate with those moulded into the hard top.

The result is a visually arresting design with a distinctive look made all the more stylish by the use of privacy glass and a gloss black finish to the rear pillars, creating a continuous sweep from one side to the other. Further continuity with the pickup body is provided by a rear door handle cover finish matching that of the tailgate handle.

There’s a choice of Black metallic, Starburst Silver, Storm Grey, Cayman Blue and Arctic White paint, which either match, or complement, the Navara palette of colors.

As well as stylish good looks the X-BACK hard top is immensely practical, with a standard load liner and a total volume of more than 1.8 m3. It is fully compatible with C-Channel accessories, including the tool box. An unimpeded view from the cabin to the load area is provided by clear glazing for the front window.

The high quality finish continues inside with all internal surfaces trimmed in a dark grey carpet with the exception of the rear door which has the same paint finish as the exterior.

Added safety is provided by an internal lever that allows the rear door to be opened from the inside.

The new hard top is made from the composite material SMC, which is similar to glass reinforced plastic but with a uniform layered construction making it particularly tough and light for easy installation. The high quality finish is also resistant to minor impacts, its heat expansion properties are identical to the steel body panels and last, but not least, SMC can be recycled.

The X-BACK hardtop has been subjected to a tough regime to prove its endurance, including weathering and impact tests, thermal cycle testing and extensive road testing. As a result, just like the Navara, it comes with a 3 year/ 60,000 mile warranty.

Like all other Navaras, the X-BACK offers SUV levels of comfort, refinement and performance while still offering ‘go anywhere, do anything’ qualities. There’s ample room for five plus one of the largest load beds in its class.

The potent 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine punches out 171 PS and an awesome 403Nm of torque at 2,000 rpm, yet it remains economical, achieving 28.8mpg on the combined cycle. And with all that torque it doesn’t hang about between gears either. Drive is transmitted to the road by a tried and tested four-wheel drive system.

Navara Aventura X-BACK customers will want for nothing. The extensive spec includes side bars and chunky chrome back bumper, 17″ alloys, electric and heated door mirrors, front fogs, automatic headlamps with washers, rain sensing wipers and roof rails.

Moving inside there’s Bluetooth phone integration, premium audio with MP3 compatibility and 6CD autochanger, DVD sat nav, dual zone climate control, a leather steering wheel with audio controls, a trip computer, cruise control, rear dark tinted glass, an electric glass sunroof, leather seat trim and electrically adjustable front seats – which are also heated.

Full safety features include front, side and curtain airbags plus active front headrests.

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