Oops!Nissan Motor Co. said it would recall 2.55 million cars worldwide at an estimated cost of $138-148 million due to an engine defect. Of the total, some 700,000 vehicles are in North America. The defect was found inside a sensor in the engine that could lead to a short circuit and stop the engine from working. There have been no reports of accidents caused by the problem. A Nissan spokesperson said that anywhere from one to three sensors will be replaced on the affected engines. While the recall doesn't affect any of the trucks in Nissan's lineup, there are definite concerns about quality issues at Nissan, which has been expanding its product lineup and output volumes at a break-neck speed over the past few years.
Lost in Translation?While not relevant to mini-truckers, news can be hilarious - and that's why we're telling you about a car. General Motors will soon rename its Buick LaCrosse in Canada because the name is slang for masturbation in Quebec. GM officials, who declined to be named, said the company had been unaware that "la crosse" was a term for self-gratification among teenagers in French-speaking Quebec. The mix-up is a reminder of when the Chevy Nova went on sale in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. In those countries, "No va" means "doesn't go"
No Chinese BlingChina may be a Communist country and see red in many things, but with vehicles, it's totally different. Interestingly enough, the fastest-growing automotive market in the world has delicate tastes in vehicles. "Very seldom do you see a red vehicle in production," said Tom Wilson, plant manager at GM's joint-venture plant in Shanghai, while strolling past his own assembly line. At least half of the Buick cars and vans coming off the line at the Shanghai GM plant are black, signifying prestige and wealth, while only 1 to 2 percent are red, Wilson said. The only exception to the rule is Beijing's taxi fleet, the vast majority of which is red. Now that the Chinese car market is exploding, sales in China recently overtook Germany to become the third-largest market in the world. The Chinese consumer wants modern vehicles, but is still stuck in a quagmire of tradition. Red is usually reserved for special occasions - not for daily driven vehicles.
XM Rules!XM Satellite Radio Inc. recently said that its subscriber base has exceeded 1 million customers. The company would not reveal an exact figure, however. It took the Washington D.C.-based company less than two years since its November 2001 national debut to reach this milestone. XM said it hopes to have 1.2 million subscribers by the end of the year. The company also said it will reach a break-even point in 2004, but would not reveal a specific date. XM charges subscribers $9.99 a month for its satellite radio service. Its only competitor, Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., charges $12.95 a month. As of September, Sirius was still working to reach its goal of 300,000 subscribers by year's end. As of June 30, Sirius had 105,186 subscribers. Sirius is offered on Chrysler group, Mercedes, Ford Motor Co., and BMW vehicles. XM is offered on General Motors, Honda, Acura, Scion, Audi, Infiniti, Nissan, Audi, Volkswagen, and Isuzu vehicles. Get a clue, Sirius - drop your prices.
Waves of the FutureJapanese automakers were working overtime to grab customers' attention with environment-friendly concept cars at the Tokyo Motor Show. Both Toyota and Honda set a world first last year when they put fuel cell vehicles on sale, which run on hydrogen and emit only water as a by-product. They also stand alone in selling fuel-efficient, gasoline-electric hybrid cars by the tens of thousands. Toyota is eager to popularize hybrids to meet its target of selling 300,000 of the cars annually by mid-decade, and among the highlights of the 12-day show were its CS&S open-top sports car and SU-HV1 SUV concepts, both of which use a hybrid powertrain. With a sporty two-seater that can rev as fast as 62 mph in 8.6 seconds, cruise at a maximum 127 mph, and get 78 mpg, Toyota hopes to persuade the anticipated 1.4 million visitors that environment and driving performance can go hand in hand.
Fast 411* Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. expects to sell 1 million vehicles annually in the United States.* Sirius, America's Number Two satellite radio provider, posted a third quarter loss for 2003.
www.browsinaround.com.orgwww.the620.comA collection of information on the mini-truck that started it all.
www.fadedkolors.comCustom paint and automotive paint styling by old-school mini-trucker, Lance Laverty.
www.urbandictionary.comFunniest thing we've seen online in years - and it's interactive.
www.bonspeedwheels.comClassy curved-lip billet wheels you just can't pass up.
www.act-one.orgOne of SoCal's most partying clubs, with plenty to see and do on the Web site.