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.September 01, 2004
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This Week:

• 2005 Nissan Pathfinder Debuts at Smyrna Plant

• Mercury Showroom Transformation Continues With All-New 2006 Milan Sedan

• GM To Invest $200 Million In Fairfax, Kan. Manufacturing Site For Production of Saturn Midsize Car

• In Honor of 10th Anniversary of Democracy in South Africa, BMW to Produce 10 Limited Edition Cars to be Personally Signed by Nelson Mandela

• Dodge Fuel Cell Sprinter Marks Multiple Milestones in the Development of a Hydrogen Economy in the United States

• Infiniti Announces Pricing on 2005 Q45

• 500,000th MINI produced at BMW Group Plant Oxford

• Production anniversary at Volkswagen - 23 millionth Golf leaves assembly line

• New registration record for Porsche in Germany

• SL Class wins the German Design Prize: Mercedes sports car wins Germany's most prestigious design award

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2005 Nissan Pathfinder Debuts at Smyrna Plant

Photo: Nissan

SMYRNA, Tenn. - The first North American-produced Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicle (SUV) was unveiled today by Nissan North America and Tennessee state and local officials at the company's Smyrna manufacturing plant. In a midday ceremony in the facility's pre-delivery area, the Job One 2005 Pathfinder, driven by two of the SUV's project managers, rolled off the line and into position on stage nose-to-nose with Job Two. Together, the vehicles illustrated Pathfinder's dual role as a roomier, family adventure-enhancing on-road SUV and an authentic, rugged off-road vehicle.

The 2005 Pathfinder returns to its roots as an all-around performer, an automotive decathlete designed to be the best balanced vehicle in its segment with more room and versatility, a larger, more powerful V6 engine, and enhanced off-road capabilities.

The Pathfinder increases Smyrna's annual production capacity to 550,000 vehicles and increases the plant's product roster to five, including the Xterra SUV, Frontier pickup, and the Maxima and Altima sedans. Introduced in 1986, the Pathfinder was the first in a lineup of Nissan SUVs that now includes the rugged Xterra and the full-size Armada.

The Pathfinder will be available as a 4x2 or 4x4 with an advanced off-road traction system. It features a rugged, fully-boxed, all-steel frame, independent double-wishbone front and rear suspension, standard 4.0 liter V6 engine rated at 250-plus horsepower and 270-plus lb-ft of torque, and a standard 5-speed automatic transmission based on the rmada. The Pathfinder's engine will come from Nissan's powertrain assembly plant in nearby Decherd, Tenn.

This newest vehicle has grown in nearly every dimension. The interior is roomier with the addition of 3rd row seating and is able to accommodate seven passengers. The split second- and third-row seats can be folded down individually, combining with the fold-down front passenger seat to provide 64 different seating/cargo configurations.

The vehicle also has a number of safety features. Standard on both Pathfinder models are Zone Body construction with front and rear crumple zones, the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System and the brand's LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child seat anchor system.

The 2005 Pathfinder will go on sale at 1,100 Nissan dealers nationwide in October.

(Aug. 30, 2004)