Search Results for: didier

Targa Rally Day 6 – Race Day 1/5 Complete

Sep 15 2014

We left at 8am for our new home in Clarenville, 2 hours north of St. John’s.

Much of our day was spent in transit.

Along with 5 races.

Entire communities rope off their front yards, and we go flying through at 80+ km/h. I’ll get an out-the-windsheild video this week, so you can see what it looks like.

While we were nervous for the race 1, it dissipated and by race 5 we were in a solid rhythm.

Michel has this calm, evenly metered voice that is so nice in my ear, compared to what’s outside my windshield: crazy roads, and scenery coming at me mega fast.

His voice never breaks, and he’s starting to pepper the commentary with observations like that drone line, which was so out of place it made me jacknife, and I almost bit the steering wheel.

In between races though, we are studious.

Our modified Micra dash.

The goal of the game is to cross the finish line at the exact right time, as monitored by the egg timer taped to our dash.

In race 2, we crossed the finish line at the exact moment the timer beeped, and we lost our minds with hyperness. Confirmed: a Micra steering wheel can handle a happy beating.

Didier has arrived! You know him, I’ve introduced you before.

Skipped out on dinner to nap; I’m wiped, and this is an endurance game.

So with that, I’ll leave you with my home this week TTYT

Targa Rally Day 4 – Meet Part of #TeamNissanTarga

Sep 13 2014

Let’s start with my driving partner Michel Crepault.

A 30-year veteran of the auto journalism world, Michel founded and publishes L’Annuel de L’Automobile (Annual Auto Guide), a 14-year old, 700+ page book that details every vehicle available for sale the upcoming model year. Click that link to buy it.

We’re fast becoming a very solid team, and I’m lucky because right now, he’s doing our mapping homework alone, so I can post this. Merci Michel xo

Our team’s entry into the fastest category is Nissan’s Juke, Nismo edition.

Driving the Juke is Jim Kenzie.

You know Jim, I’ve introduced you before because he’s awesome. And good at Targa too, having competed in all 13 of them, and winning 3 times, phft.

Part of that winning us because of his navigator, Brian Bourbonniere.

That’s his racing suit that he wears in the passenger seat, and is so good at navigating he once completed a rally without making a single mark on the paper, handing it back to the rally master as it was given to him. That is ridicuoulsy difficult.

No matter how many questions I pester him with, only patience in return. And I have a _lot_ of questions.

And this is Cathy Cole, the glue of the team. She herds us around and takes care of logistics, and when you say to her, “Cathy, can you please…” she’s already thought of it, and pulls it out of her purse.

Helping her adhere my sticker to her binder is Mario, our tech, who I’ll introduce you to in another post, along with Danny, Michael, Jenn and Didier.

We’re a solid team!

Because there’s a lot of laughing, and everyone gets along really well, which considering there’s so many of us, how rare is that. Exactly. #TeamNissanTarga

ALS #IceBucketChallenge

Aug 24 2014

I accept my nomination for the ALS #IceBucketChallenge from Didier Marsaud.

I nominate Jim Kenzie, Mark James and Daniel Morad.

6 kg.

I like how this bucket thing has ignited across the internet. Hope everyone who participates also gives their $10, not just the video part. Here’s the donate link.

Here’s to all ALS sufferers to feel better, because a disease that keeps the mind sharp, while the body decays around it, is the cruelest.

See me flinch? Exactly.

Micra Trims and Features

May 29 2014

At $9,998, Nissan’s all-new Micra is the lowest-priced car in Canada.

But that’s for the base model only, which means manual everything, and looks like this.

1 – manual transmission *
2 – manual mirror controls
3 – manual windows
4 – no screen
5 – no steering wheel controls

* in the base model trim, add an automatic transmission for $3,300, which also includes A/C, cruise control, and steering wheel controls.

(I’d learn to shift gears for that much, especially because a manual will provide a peppier performance every time, as well as make you a more engaged, and therefore safer, driver (see this Keri on Driving column for how-to instructions)).

As both a minimalist, and one who eye-rolls at all these new features, I think this is great.

See? Nice and simple, no fuss. It’s a car-car.

Despite being a sub-compact car, it’s interior volume is plentiful, and will easily fit 4 large humans, without their heads scraping the ceiling.

It’s a good-sized trunk, and the seats split 60/40, the key to moving large cargo.

The price escalates when you start adding features, but even after you option up to a higher trim-level, the total cost is still lower than its competitors.

A $13,698, a manual SV model is the best-priced car in the country equipped with USB, Bluetooth and air conditioning.

Below are all the features and trims, and here’s the list on Nissan.ca.

(trims can be confusing, it’s kind’ve like learning a new language. So if you’re stuck email me, and I’ll translate for you.)

If you’d like a screen:

You must buy at a minimum the 2nd trim, SV, then add the Convenience Package +$500.

This adds a 4.3″ colour screen, a rearview camera, and USB connectivity.

The difference looks like this.

Oh Micra, how are you so well priced…

This was taken back in February, at Nissan’s dinner and announcement of the Micra’s price. That’s Didier, Nissan’s Senior Manager of Corporate Communications.

I asked him how they’re able to do it:

Keri: Are you guys wizards?
Didier: Nope. It’s because we buy in such large bulk for both Nissan and Renault, that we can pass on the savings to the consumer.

***

Blog tag = Micra

Nissan’s All-new Micra – the Only Car under $10k

Feb 19 2014

Nissan’s all-new Micra is the
lowest priced car in the country,
starting at $9,998

It’s a 1.6 L engine, outputting 109 hp and 107 lb-ft of toque, available in either 4-spd automatic or… manual. Nice.

As you expect, that’s the base model price, which means manual windows and doors.

But still, the rear seats fold 60/40, you can connect a device and play music, there’s a rear wiper with washer, and a Traction Control System (TCS).

The available features list includes all the en vogue stuff like: backup camera and colour screen; steering wheel controls; USB; A/C; Bluetooth hands-free phone; and remote keyless entry.

For such a low-priced car, I was hmm, the interior will feel chintzy, but I pawed it at the auto show, and it doesn’t. Nissan told me that because they buy parts in such massive bulk for both Nissan and Renault, they can get better quality finishings and materials.

Here’s the full spec sheet.

Make sure to order the below “Cargo Cover” (it’s an option). Security.

This car is specifically built for Canada.

Tim Franklin, head Product Planner at Nissan, is the gentleman behind customizing for our country, and I’ve interviewed him about that for my ‘Keri on Driving‘ column – How Nissan modifies cars for Canadians.

Tim conducts a “hockey stick test” ha (see also: the 6 Types of Features).