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February 02, 2005
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This Week:

• All-New, Third-Generation Mazda MX-5 Roadster to Debut at 2005 Geneva Motor Show

• The 2006 BMW 7 Series - The most successful BMW 7 Series in history is now better than ever

• Nissan Announces New Model for Sunderland Plant

• World Premiere of the Alfa Romeo Brera at the Geneva Motor Show

• Chrysler Group's All-New Dodge Dakota Club Cab Gets Five Stars from NHTSA

• 2006 Lincoln Mark LT Launch Celebration

• Nissan Europe at the Geneva Motor Show

• GM Reports 279,653 Deliveries in January, Up 1 Percent

• Porsche's Turnover and Profit Up Again

• BMW Group Starts The New Year With Strong Sales

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Nissan Europe at the Geneva Motor Show

• Introducing Navara: Nissan's New Powerful Pickup

• World Debut of Zaroot SUV Concept Car

And, like its predecessor, it benefits from a tried and trusted four- heel drive system to ensure grip under all conditions: little wonder that the Pickup was such a favourite with the farming and construction industries.

While those traditional Pickup buyers are expected to appreciate Navara's 'go anywhere, do anything' qualities, the newcomer's higher levels of comfort, quality and refinement is expected to attract leisure users who can use the combination of four-wheel drive and a versatile load area to go skiing or snowboarding in the winter and sailing or windsurfing in the summer.

Like Pathfinder, Navara features a rugged ladder-frame chassis onto which the body is securely fixed. Navara has a refined independent front suspension system featuring double wishbones and coil springs. This is teamed with a rigid axle and over slung leaf springs at the rear, designed to provide the best possible payload levels without adversely affecting handling or comfort.

Like Pathfinder, Navara's power comes from Nissan's respected 2.5-litre YD series four-cylinder turbo diesel engine, which has been extensively modified for the new models. It now features second-generation common rail technology for lower emissions, a variable nozzle turbocharger providing more power and lower emissions and there's a new balancer system for greater refinement.

For Navara, it is available in two different states of tune. The most potent develops 174PS and, more significantly, an impressive 403Nm of torque. The lesser powered Navara still has 145PS and 356Nm of torque.

Navara's four-wheel drive system uses Nissan's proven part-time 4WD system which provides drive to the rear wheels under normal conditions or a 50/50 torque split to all four wheels when 4WD mode is engaged.

"During its time on sale, the Nissan Pickup earned itself a strong reputation as an honest, hard working vehicle. Navara builds on Pickup's strengths and adds new levels of ability, refinement and fun," says Brian Carolin, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Nissan Europe. "We are confident that Navara will appeal to an ever wider customer base than Pickup achieved. It is just as happy as a hard-working, tough load carrier, or as a means to pursue leisure activities."

Zaroot Concept Car

Being shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show, the Zaroot is Nissan's vision of how sporty SUVs could look in the future. It combines traditional SUV values - and a serious off-road ability - with futuristic, sporty styling that marks it out as something different.

Retaining the traditional design cues of an SUV, the Zaroot's appearance is squared-off, solid and tough looking. It implies strength and security - yet combines these familiar themes with something a little different - a pair of gullwing doors.

The doors dominate Zaroot's profile, extending from the A-pillar to the rear of the passenger compartment, effectively where the C-pillar would be in a conventional vehicle. There is no B-pillar.

If the pentagonal doors define the character of Zaroot, the 'arch graphic' roof line continues a design theme that has featured on virtually all recent Nissan's design concepts. Together they bring increased sporting prowess to an area of the market which hitherto has been seen as little more than utilitarian.

Front and rear styling also adds a futuristic twist to a conventional shape. Zaroot's bluff nose ensures minimum front overhangs and incorporates Nissan's now familiar angle strut grille, though the unusual vertical headlamp cluster brings an almost technical feel to Zaroot's 'face'.

(Feb 1, 2005)