Future Cars: CarScoop's Vision of the 2017 Nissan GT-R

Ever since its Japanese launch in 2007 (USA 2008), the Nissan GT-R has gained a huge following and respect with its supercar-bashing performance. Subtle upgrades have been applied over its current lifespan with the aim of keeping Italians, Germans and Americans at bay with its AWD drivetrain coupled to a potent 3.8L twin-turbo V6.

However, the competition will not surrender; cue GM and Porsche with their new Corvette Stingray and 911 models respectively, as prime examples - hence why Nissan is expected to respond again.

For those of us like myself who grew up as part of the early-adapting PlayStation generation, the GT-R obsession grew with the R32-34 Nissan Skylines of the 1990's. Their bang-for-buck thrills combined with endless modification options has turned the GT-R moniker into something of an automotive cult status.

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Do These Patent Drawings Reveal the New 2014 Nissan X-Trail and Rogue SUVs?

Last year, beginning with the Geneva motor show in March and continuing with the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, Nissan displayed a new concept model named the Hi Cross for a compact SUV.

Officially, Nissan said the Hi Cross offers a look at its new design language in the crossover segment.

However, due to its dimensions and the fact that the Japanese carmaker showed it on both sides of the Atlantic, we believe it may preview a common successor for the X-Trail, sold in Europe, Japan and other parts of the world, and the Rogue that is offered in North America.

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Spied: Nissan to Enter 24h Nürburgring Race with Production GT-R Track Pack Edition

Before 2008, the “old” Nürburgring, aka Nordschleife, was a very demanding track deemed too dangerous for Formula 1 racing, but car manufacturers used it for testing purposes and on certain days, any mere mortal could drive his or her car for as many laps as they could afford.

Nissan changed all that by making the 7’29’’ lap time recorded by the new GT-R a key point of its launch campaign. It also sparked a war of words with Porsche and perhaps more importantly, made posting a competitive lap time at the ‘Ring a must for every new sports car.

In the four years since its launch, Nissan has been constantly honing the R35 GT-R, upgrading almost every mechanical part, from the chassis to the suspension and the engine.

This is because Kazutoshi Mizuno, program director of the GT-R development team, believes that no matter how good the car is, “the customer always wants more”. It has also resulted in the 2013MY model cutting 9 seconds off the original lap time.

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All-New 2013 Nissan Altima Unintentionally Revealed in Official Video

In a video celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, the Japanese automaker accidentally showed a pre-production prototype of the 2013 Altima sedan without any camouflage.

The find was made by Mike Magrath from Insideline who was able to capture a screen shot of the car before Nissan pulled out the video replacing it with a revised version (3.44 minutes into the clip) that displays a covered up prototype of the Infiniti JX crossover in its place.

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SPIED: Nissan Testing New 2012 Sunny / Versa Sedan in Europe

Our spy photographers have captured a lightly camouflaged prototype of the freshly revealed in the USA and China, Nissan Versa / Sunny series, during testing in Sierra Nevada, Spain. The prototype was a right-hand drive example with test license plates from Spain.

Aside from the odd-looking exhaust tail pipe that extends all the way to the outer corner of the rear bumper and possibly the headlamp and tail lamp designs, we didn’t notice any other styling differences compared to the North American Versa and the China market Sunny models.

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Nissan Refreshes GT-R for the 2012MY: First Photos Hit the Web

Here we go again; another year, another annual makeover for Nissan's halo sports car. Following on from the presentation of the GT-R in 2007, and after the revisions in December 2008 and October 2009, Nissan is getting ready to present a 2012MY version of its flagship sports model.

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SPY VIDEO: 2011 Nissan GT-R SpecM Testing on the 'Ring

Nissan appears to be preparing a new SpecM version of the upgraded for the 2011 model year, GT-R sports car, as several lightly camouflaged prototypes were spied testing at the Nurburgring race track. The SpecM model was rumored to debut at last year's Tokyo Motor Show, but that never happened.

The prototype GT-Rs seen in this video look like they are equipped with the same aero kit and forged alloy wheels as the more hardcore SpecV model, but with a different design for the quad-exhaust tips.

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SPY VIDEO: 2010 Nissan Patrol SUV Caught Testing in U.A.E.

Even though it's been a year since we first showed you a set of photos of the next-generation 2010 Nissan Patrol bagged completely undisguised during some sort of internal presentation, the Japanese automaker has yet to release the vehicle onto the market. Apparently, as this video of a prototype Patrol caught testing in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) suggest, Nissan is still continuing the development of its 4x4 model.

The new Patrol, which should make its debut sometime this year, will compete head on with Toyota's latest generation Land Cruiser. It is also presumed that the new Patrol will form the base for the U.S. market 2011 Infiniti QX that you can check out here.

Via: Youtube / Golf4cars

2011 Nissan Micra / March: Official Sketches Reveal the Less Exciting Nature of the Actual Production Model

A couple of weeks ago, Nissan published a pair of design sketches of its next generation Micra (sold in Japan as the March) suggesting that the firm's new global supermini would boast more sportier and dramatic looks than the current model. Well, sorry to say, but these official drawings of the actual production version that were leaked onto the net imply that the 2011 Micra's styling will be far less daring and grandiose than Nissan wanted us to believe.

We'll get the chance to see how the new generation Micra looks in the flesh at a major car show in 2010, quite possibly at the Geneva Salon next March with sales set to follow in Europe sometime during the second half of the year.

The new Micra that will compete in the B-segment against cars like the Ford Fiesta and Citroen C3 will be produced in five countries including India, China and Thailand. Unlike the current Micra that is built at the firm's UK Sunderland plant, the European market version of the 2011 Micra will be sourced from Renault-Nissan's new facility in Chennai, India.

Via: Carmagazine

SCOOP: Nissan GT-R SpecM - A More Luxurious Take on the 'Godzilla'?

After the SpecV, Nissan appears to be planning yet another limited edition version of its GT-R supercar called the SpecM that is said to make its world debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October. Rendered here by the folks over at Japan's Carmode magazine, the SpecM seems to be fitted with the same aero kit and forged alloy wheels (albeit in silver) as the SpecV. Then again, the lack of official photos could mean that the magazine's artist simply color-chopped a GT-R to visualize the cover story...

Sorry to say, we have no idea what Carmode's article says -any translation help from our readers would be more than welcome, but from what we've heard and read around the web, the GT-R SpecM is rumored to feature a "softer" suspension setup than the SpecV offering buyers more luxury and further personalization options.

Via: Carmode