KeriBlog

Cars, Security & a Peek into my Life

If You Need a Small Car Test this Versa Note

When I attended the Detroit Auto Show in January, I was at the reveal for this all-new 2014 Nissan Versa Note.

During the presentation, I remember thinking: woah, they’ve squished a lot of features into $13,348.

Features include: hands-free text messaging, park assist and backup camera, NissanConnect with navigation, push start and heated seats.

Best feature.

It’s a 1.6L 4-cylinder engine that produces 109 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque; that’s enough for a city car.

That fits 4 average-sized auto journalists.

The 2014 all-new Nissan Versa Note arrives in Canada this June.

 

Canadian Cars are Different than the USA’s

Our Canadian cars are different than the same model sold in the States. We have more in common with European buyers than those south of the border.

Speaking with Tim Franklin, Nissan’s Senior Manager of Product Planning, we find out how and why.

Read in online on Autonet.ca

Favourite line:

Nissan conducts Canadian-specific tests, to ensure such things as if a Tim Horton’s coffee cup fits comfortably inside the cupholder.

***

Back to ‘Keri on Driving’ – Index

 

 

Nissan Won Best Concept Car of NAIAS 2013

Introducing the Resonance.

Nissan said, “The designers imagined what the future of first-class space travel might be.”

See how the instrument panel looks like it’s floating?

Read more about it at Autonet.ca.

The rumour is this is the next-generation Murano.

It’s tough to tell from the photos, but that’s gold carbon fibre, on the rims, grill.

Many car companies introduce such concepts, but then they never actually make it to production. Nissan has a good reputation for actually producing their concept vehicles.

See what’s missing?  Sideview mirrors.  Those are cameras!

Congratulations on your big win, Nissan!

 

My First Detroit Auto Show #NAIAS

I’ve been to lots of other auto shows, but never here. I arrived Sunday afternoon and that evening, Infiniti took me to lovely dinner at this very old mansion.

It’s a big year for Infiniti – not only did they have a world-wide reveal of a gorgeous new sedan, but they re-named their entire line of vehicles.  Everything now starts with a Q.  I wrote about it on Autonet – Infiniti adds a Q

Introducing the all-new 2014 Q50 – coming this summer.

http://www.autonet.ca/auto-news/auto-shows/2013/01/14/infinitis-shapely-future/

It boasts a world’s first technology, the ‘Infiniti Direct Adaptive Steering’, which transmits the driver’s intentions to the wheels faster than a mechanical system can. I’d like to try that.  Read more on Autonet.ca

The show was SO FUN.

Non-car nerds: NAIAS – North American International Auto Show. It’s the largest, most important show of the year. You reveal and debut your new car here.

Joe is my editor, I’ve introduced you before.

His texts are grey, mine are green.  Haha.

An auto show is like this super-clean fantastical land, filled with the finest machines in existence and that smells so good.

Nissan unveiled their new concept car – the Resonance.

Slick eh. The whole roof is a window, and I’m pretty sure the sideview mirrors are cameras.

I have a TON of fantastic car photos, I’ll blog them over the next few weeks.

The Wi-Fi at the show looked like this.

Where I uploaded from, in the media room.

The reaction to me seems to be polarizing – love or hate, no in-between.  I think it’s a mix of…. I’m from the blog and new media world, not a trained journalist; and I have a national weekly auto column, where I can write about whatever I want; but I couldn’t name all an engine’s parts, and I don’t know when the last auto manufacturing facility was built in North America.  But I never pretended I could. Besides, boring.

I’ve always said: I like cars, but I love driving.  Do I ever love driving.  And I’m pretty good at it.

My view on the flight home.

Then at 9pm I hit the wall, done.

Look for some great show photos, over the next few weeks.