Nissan Releases All-New Cube

Tokyo -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today announced the domestic launch of the fully redesigned Cube.

Since its premiere in 1998, the Cube has been widely favored for its simple styling and interior roominess in a compact design, among other appealing qualities. The first-generation model became a hit product, creating a new tall wagon genre in the small car market and recording sales of approximately 400,000 units, according to statistics compiled by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.

Developed around the product concept of a "magical box," this second-generation Cube provides interior spaciousness and numerous convenient storage features. These and other attributes enable the car to serve as its driver's personal "toolbox."

The new Cube is distinguished by the following unique features:
  ·  Super compact: With its compact body size and one of the smallest minimum turning radii in its class, the car is remarkably easy to drive.
  ·  Super headroom: Generous headroom offers a feeling of openness.
  ·  Super sofa: Sofa-like seats provide both exceptional comfort and support for holding the body firmly.
  ·  Super storage: An wealth of handy, easy-to-use storage places are located throughout the car.
  ·  Super coordination: Eight attractive body colors and three interior color patterns combine to give users a wide selection of 24 color coordination schemes from which they can personalize color combinations.

Sales target:
7,000 units/month

Dealers selling the Cube:
Nissan and Motor channel dealers of the Nissan Blue Stage and Satio, Prince and Cherry channel dealers of the Nissan Red Stage (including Nissan Red & Blue Stage dealers that handle all models)

Sales launch event:
Saturday, Sunday and Monday, October 12-14, 2002



Cube Overview

1. Design
The exterior styling of the Cube was executed with the aim of creating a "new cubic design." In short, the goal was to create the best box form among the next generation of roomy compact cars in this class. The result is a superior-quality design distinguished by its clear originality, functionality that provides joy of use, and loyalty-inspiring appeal. Four key themes of "naughty, relaxing, compact and agile" are embodied in the design in a well-balanced combination.

 ·  Exterior
The exterior has been rendered in a novel box form that projects a compact, agile image, achieved through the application of two principal design motifs. One is the "laterally asymmetrical design" at the rear, which serves both symbolic and functional purposes. The other is the concept of "a square with rounded corners" that conveys a sense of unity and a feeling of warmth. In addition, meticulous care was taken to achieve a distinct car-like stance that fosters feelings of lasting attachment.

 ·  Interior
The interior design exudes a sensation of relaxing in one's own room, sitting on a comfortable sofa and surrounded by favorite pieces of furniture and audio equipment. Three types of interior color coordination schemes are offered, which have been created around the theme of relaxation. Together with the eight body colors, users have a wide selection of 24 attractive variations from which they can freely select the color combination that matches their personal preferences and style (excluding the BX).

2. Packaging
With one of the shortest overall lengths and smallest minimum turning radii (4.4 m for both the 14" and 15" tire models) of any vehicle in its class, the Cube is exceptionally easy to drive.

The wheelbase is 70 mm longer than that of the previous model, even though the new model's overall length of 3,730 mm is 20 mm shorter. The front and rear overhangs have also been shortened, while the length from the accelerator pedal to the rear end of the luggage compartment has been extended by 50 mm.

The long and wide roof gives occupants generous headroom and shoulder room with a pleasant feeling of openness. In the front seat, headroom measures 366 mm on the side and 670 mm to the front. Shoulder room in the front and rear seats measures 1,363 mm and 1,329 mm, respectively.

The height of the hip point from the ground is set at 625 mm to allow excellent forward visibility combined with ease of ingress/egress. In addition, the driver's seat incorporates a ratchet-type lifter that moves the cushion vertically as much as 40 mm, enabling users of various statures to enjoy the optimum driving position.

Both the front and rear seats have thick cushions and are shaped to provide support up to an occupant's shoulders, combining superior comfort with excellent body-holding capability. The adoption of large armrests also allows occupants to sit more comfortably for an enhanced sense of relaxation.

The rear seat slides fore and aft up to 220 mm, creating maximum knee room of 602 mm for comfortable roominess comparable to that of the Cima luxury sedan.

3. Outstanding Practicality
The Cube abounds in a variety of handy storage places located everywhere for keeping things stowed away neatly.

A sideways-opening back door has been adopted that opens and closes effortlessly even in tight places.

An opening width of 1,122 mm and a luggage area width of 1,010 mm make it easy to load and unload large items from the luggage compartment. The slide mechanism of the rear seat operates easily with just one hand to expand the luggage space up to a maximum VDA capacity of 460 L.

EX and SX models come with Nissan's CARWINGS telematics service as an optional feature to give users both "enjoyable connectivity" and "peace-of-mind connectivity."

Another convenience feature is the Intelligent Key system that enables users to lock/unlock the doors and to start/stop the engine simply by carrying the key fob with them.

4. Mechanisms
Powering the Cube is the CR14DE engine that achieves an optimum balance of outstanding attributes, including low fuel consumption, low exhaust emissions, high power and torque, low noise and a lightweight, compact design. This 1.4-liter engine provides excellent fuel economy on a par with a 1.3-liter class engine and also delivers high levels of power and torque comparable to the output of an engine one class larger.

Teamed with the engine is the newly developed XTRONIC CVT-M6 continuously variable transmission, incorporating a 6-speed manual shift mode, that delivers smooth acceleration combined with low fuel consumption. Steering wheel-mounted switches enable the driver to upshift or downshift easily with one thumb.

The Cube features Nissan's compact, lightweight e-4WD system that has been engineered around a front-wheel-drive configuration and uses an electric motor to drive the rear wheels only when 4WD capability is needed. Because the rear wheels are driven by a rear-mounted motor, the e-4WD system does not need a propeller shaft or a transfer unit. As a result, this system achieves 4WD capability without sacrificing interior space, and the reduced friction level also contributes to improved fuel economy.

5. Safety and Environmental Friendliness
Front-seat Active Head Restraints are standard safety equipment on all Cube models. In the event of a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraint system utilizes the pressure of an occupant's body on the seatback to move the headrest forward instantly. By preventing excessive rearward movement of the head, the system mitigates the impact on the neck. The Active Head Restraints display their effectiveness in rear-end collisions at low to intermediate speeds where so-called whiplash injuries may occur.

All Cube models have qualified for ultra-low emission vehicle (U-LEV)^*1 certification because they emit 75% fewer exhaust emissions than the levels required under Japan's 2000 exhaust emission regulations. Moreover, the 2WD models comply with Japan's 2010 fuel economy standards to qualify for tax reductions^*2 under the Green Tax program.

The Cube attains a recyclable rate of 95%^*3 by weight as a result of the increased use of parts made of polypropylene, one of the easiest thermoplastic resins to recycle.

^*1The low-emission vehicle certification system of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was inaugurated on April 1, 2000, to promote the diffusion of low-emission vehicles through their selection by ordinary consumers. To qualify for the U-LEV rating, a vehicle must reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by an additional 75% from the levels mandated by Japan's 2000 exhaust emission regulations.

^*2For vehicles complying with the requirements of the Green Tax program, the automobile acquisition tax on newly registered vehicles for personal use is reduced by 15,000 yen until March 31, 2003, and for U-LEVs the automobile tax is reduced by 50% for two years beginning from the fiscal year after a vehicle is registered. However, these tax reduction measures do not apply to the vehicles handled by Autech Japan, Inc.

^*3Calculated according to Nissan's own calculation standards.

Источник: www.nissan-global.com