NISSAN RELEASES ALL-NEW SKYLINE

Tokyo (June 18) - Nissan Motor Company today announced the domestic release of the new-generation Skyline following the execution of a full model change.

Skyline 300GT

Ever since its premiere in 1957, the Skyline has been enthusiastically favored by many customers as a sedan that always provides outstanding driving pleasure, joy of ownership and other superior attributes backed by cutting-edge technologies. While undergoing changes in form and incorporating enhanced performance over the years, the Skyline has consistently been a stellar representative of Nissan.

As the eleventh generation of this illustrious series, the new Skyline has been created around the concept of the "ideal premium sports sedan of the 21st century" while carefully continuing the car's traditional heritage. This latest Skyline generation is targeted at users who possess their own individual values, lead active lifestyles, naturally take personal pleasure in driving and also care about the comfort of their family members or other passengers.

To accomplish the development concept, the new Skyline adopts Nissan's new-generation FM Package with a front midship layout designed specifically for a V6 engine. This new packaging concept is characterized by the revolution in performance attained with the new vehicle layout and the technological improvements made to individual parts. The adoption of the FM Package achieves an optimum balance of attributes traditionally thought to be contradictory, namely, sporty driving performance combined with the supple riding comfort of a luxury sedan, a long wheelbase together with agile maneuverability, and aerodynamic styling along with a spacious interior.

Moreover, the FM Package also provides a flat ride with little change in vehicle behavior due to cornering forces or road surface changes and attains zero lift by eliminating the body lift normally caused by aerodynamic resistance when cruising at high speed.

As a result, the new Skyline simultaneously delivers stress-free, exhilarating driving performance faithful to the driver's wishes, comfortable touring pleasure for passengers as well and a large cabin enabling four adults to enjoy a relaxing ambiance of fine quality. These superb attributes truly make it the "ideal premium sports sedan of the 21st century."

Beginning in 2002, the Skyline will be refined and sold through the North American Infiniti channel as the G35.

The principal features of the new Skyline include:
"Fun to Drive & Touring Pleasure" achieved with a flat ride concept
Exhilarating, stress-free driving performance faithful to the driver's wishes
Comfortable touring pleasure for passengers as well
Ample all-around performance for long cruising

Personal comfort for four adults
A driver's seat that allows the best touring position
Seats affording a suitable degree of independence for personalized space
Perceived quality in pursuit of a premium ambiance

Exterior design featuring a high-performance motif with a human touch and a functional, intelligent interior
Body proportions symbolic of superb driving performance
A large cabin in which four adults can relax in roomy comfort
An inviting form that engenders a feeling of reliability and peace of mind

Overview of Skyline

   1. "Fun to Drive & Touring Pleasure" achieved with a flat ride concept
Flat ride concept

With the adoption of the new-generation FM Package, the Skyline achieves a flat ride concept whereby changes in the load put on the four tires due to variation in driving conditions are minimized to maintain a flat vehicle attitude. The suspension strokes supplely to keep the body attitude flat at all times even during travel on rough road surfaces or expressways and also when cornering or braking. This makes it possible to provide exhilarating driving performance for the driver while also enabling passengers to enjoy an eminently comfortable ride.

Zero lift
The attainment of zero lift by eliminating the body lift induced by aerodynamic resistance provides a feeling of solid handling at all times from low-speed driving to high-speed cruising. To achieve this zero lift characteristic, Nissan utilized a moving belt-equipped wind tunnel, which is typically employed in analyzing the aerodynamics of racing cars for the first time in developing a production vehicle. Underbody airflow has been optimally controlled by laying out the fuel tank, muffler and other underfloor parts in a manner that takes into account aerodynamic properties and by constructing the wheelhouses so that air is adroitly sucked out. In addition, slanting surfaces and shapes that are apt to cause turbulence along the top surface of the car have been optimized to achieve an impressive Cd figure of 0.27. (Models fitted with a three-dimensional rear spoiler and floor side fairings attain a Cd figure of 0.26.)

The zero lift characteristic and low Cd figure enable the Skyline to provide exceptionally high stability in high-speed driving.

Outstanding power performance
Two improved NEO Di direct-injection gasoline engines, the VQ30DD and VQ25DD, are offered as engine choices. These engines feature the world's first implementation of an electronically controlled continuously variable valve timing control system (eVTC) to achieve high power output combined with low fuel consumption. Adopted as the gearbox on the 3.0-liter models to provide smooth, crisp shifting together with improved fuel economy is the 5M-ATx full-range electronically controlled 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode and incorporating a new shift pattern.

Fitted with these superb hardware units, the Skyline delivers sporty driving performance with a refreshing, exhilarating feeling in all speed ranges.

Tires/suspension
The tires and suspension have also been completely renewed to provide a sporty driving experience combined with superb ride comfort.

Large-diameter tires, measuring 680 mm across, increase the length of the contact patch to secure stable gripping force that is little affected by changes in the road surface or vehicle attitude. Moreover, the newly developed Multi-link Front Suspension has an all-aluminum construction to reduce the unsprung load and also incorporates a double-pivot system for superior straight-line stability and a remarkably smooth steering feel. In addition, the Multi-link Rear Suspension has substantially greater stiffness and weighs less than its counterpart on the previous model. As a result, the suspension smoothly absorbs dips and bumps even on rough road surfaces to ensure a smooth, comfortable ride and also maintains a flat vehicle attitude with little body roll even during cornering. The Skyline is also fitted with ripple-control shock absorbers that improve tire-road contact by suppressing minute vibrations transmitted from the road surface.

Moreover, in spite of its long wheelbase, the Skyline achieves a minimum turning radius of 5.3 meters for agile maneuverability on par with small cars.

Brakes
The brakes are built with fine corrective pads to generate powerful stopping force. In addition, an ideal front/rear body weight distribution of 52:48 and the long wheelbase optimize braking forces at the front and rear to maintain a flat vehicle attitude with little nose-diving when braking.

Body construction

The Skyline's body construction provides high rigidity and excellent damping of vibrations to secure outstanding handling and stability together with high-level crashworthiness. Notably, the engine compartment adopts a dual bulkhead construction that functions as a body stabilizer for damping vibrations, in addition to isolating noise and heat. Moreover, the roof panel and the body side panels are laser-welded to secure high rigidity and also enable the entire body to damp vibrations.

2. Personal comfort for four adults

Best touring position
Despite an overall length of less than 4.7 meters, the new-generation FM Package creates a spacious interior on par with that of Despite an overall length of less than 4.7 meters, the new-generation FM Package creates a spacious interior on par with that of the Cima, allowing four adults to enjoy their own personal comfort. The interior has been designed so that all occupants, including the driver, can adjust their seats to the best touring position. The entire driver's power seat lifts 60 mm and slides 240 mm laterally to provide an optimum driving position matching a wide variety of physiques. The seat cushion is built with a double-layer urethane pad and adopts a center mound design at the front so that the cushion is soft when sitting in the car and supports the driver firmly while driving.

The tiltable instruments move in tandem with the tilt steering column to ensure excellent visibility at all times even if the driver adjusts the position of the steering wheel.

A dedicated seating system is used for the front passenger's seat. The head restraint and seat cushion have been designed for comfortable relaxation and easy communication with other occupants. In addition, the power seat switches are located near the top of the seatback for easy operation either by the passenger or the driver.

Reclining sport seats that hold occupants firmly have been adopted for the rear seats. The seats recline to four different levels in a range of 25-37 degrees.

The occupants of the driver's seat, front passenger's seat and rear seats can thus enjoy comfortable, independent space personalized to their own preferences.

Stellar-quality interior

A comfortable interior of stellar quality has been created for the Skyline around the key concept of premium. A DVD-based TV/navigation system has been adopted for improved functionality with greater data storage capacity. The vertically sliding 6.5" monitor tilts back and forth 13 degrees and retracts into the dash when not in use. The navigation unit is housed neatly in the glove compartment together with a built-in electronic toll collection (ETC) unit. Adopted as the audio equipment is the Skyline Super Sound System, featuring a 6-disc in-dash CD player, cassette deck and electronically tuned AM/FM radio. The 3.0-liter models in particular come with a specially designed Bose sound system as standard equipment to enable the occupants of all seats to enjoy concert hall-like sound quality.

(The TV/navigation system is optional on all models excluding the 250GTe. The ETC unit is offered in an optional set with the TV/navigation system on all models excluding the 250GTe. The Bose sound system is optionally available on the 2.5-liter models excluding the 250GTe.)

Another appointment contributing to personal comfort is the full-auto air-conditioner with independent temperature controls for the front seats. A vent is also provided at the rear of the center console on the 3.0-liter models for the enhanced comfort of rear-seat passengers. For added convenience, the fuel filler door and trunk lid can be opened at the touch of a button from outside the car via a central locking system that operates in tandem with the driver's door lock. Four-link trunk hinges are used to avoid interference with luggage, and the trunk provides a generous VDA storage capacity of 475 liters.

3.Exterior design featuring a high-performance motif with a human touch and a functional, intelligent interior

The three principal themes embodied in the Skyline design are sporty, premium and original.
Exterior

The exterior design achieves both a sporty appearance befitting a rear-wheel-drive car, thanks to the short overhangs and large-diameter tires, and a spacious comfortable cabin resulting from the long wheelbase. These design features have been made possible by the new-generation FM Package. The flowing roof line expresses a beautiful form that envelopes the cabin.

A selection of six attractive body colors is offered, including Diamond Silver Metallic with an intensely brilliant look, Champagne Silver Titanium Metallic that emphasizes a three-dimensional sensation and Flare Red Pearl Metallic with a feeling of strong brilliance and depth.

Interior

The interior has been executed in a T-shaped design symbolic of the new Skyline and provides personal comfort for four adults.

A two-tone combination of black and ecru is the standard interior color scheme. Customers can choose according to their own preferences between the sporty-looking S Collection trimmed in a black motif and the P Collection featuring a refined ambiance with an ecru theme.

The color of the interior illumination has been unified in a yellowish-orange light that projects a refreshing and sporty image.

4.World-class safety performance

The adoption of the new-generation FM Package enables the Skyline to provide world-class safety performance in all types of collisions, including full overlap and offset frontal impacts, side impacts and rear-end impacts. Various new technologies have been specifically adopted to achieve a high level of occupant protection in both full overlap and offset frontal collisions, something that has traditionally been regarded as being difficult to accomplish. These include a mechanism for releasing the engine in a collision, a brake pedal construction that prevents rearward pedal movement and a breakaway propeller shaft construction.

Another notable feature is the adoption of the world's first active seat cushion for the front seats on all models. When a large impact force is applied from the front, the crossbar incorporated in the seat cushion frame moves upward instantly to enhance occupant restraint in tandem with the seatbelt and airbag SRS.

The Skyline also adopts numerous other features that contribute to improved safety, including straight-arm windshield wipers that display little rise even at high speed, a headlamp layout aligned with the driver's line of sight and high-brightness LED rear combination lamps with outstanding visibility, among other items.

5.Environmental friendliness

Thanks to the NEO Di VQ30DD and VQ25DD engines, the Skyline ranks among the best in its class in fuel economy (3.0-liter models: 11.6 km/L; 2.5-liter models: 12.0 km/L)¹, which also contributes to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The car also achieves a recyclable rate of more than 90% by weight², and the radiator core, heater core, wiring harness and various other parts are lead free.

The Skyline is Nissan's first production model for which the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique was applied to the vehicle design process. An environmental impact assessment was made largely in connection with the use of a plastic radiator core support in the front-end. The results show that the environmental impact in terms of atmospheric emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx) will be reduced throughout the car's life cycle compared with the previous construction and material.

1 Measured under Japan's 10-15 mode test during inspection by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
2 Calculated according to Nissan's own calculation standards.

Suggested Nationwide Retail Price (excluding consumption tax) (thousand of yen)

5M-ATx: full-range electronically controlled 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode
M-ATx: full-range electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode




Specifications of the Skyline

Engine

Transmission
5M-ATx
(full-range electronically controlled 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode)

Speed Ratios

June 18, 2001 - Autech Japan, Inc., a Nissan affiliate, today announced the domestic release of the Skyline Driving Helper, an LV series^* model it has newly customized in conjunction with the roll-out of the new-generation Skyline. The Skyline Driving Helper is fitted with the Autech Driving Control package of hand-operated driving-assistance features primarily designed to enable persons with leg disabilities to drive.

'Skyline Driving Helper' equipped with optional features

Overview of Skyline Driving Helper

The Skyline Driving Helper is equipped with the Autech Driving Control package (a set comprising a control lever and a steering wheel knob) of hand-operated driving controls that are primarily intended to enable persons with leg disabilities to drive.

The Autech Driving Control package features driving-assistance equipment originally developed by Autech Japan. Included as a set are a control lever for operating the accelerator and the brakes with the left hand and a steering wheel knob for steering with the right hand. The main features of the package are outlined below.

1. Premium-quality design

The control lever grip and the steering wheel knob are carved out of natural Chinese quince wood and are designed with a look of exquisite quality.

2. Operating ease and enjoyment

Both the accelerator and the brakes are operated via wire systems that enable users to enjoy the sensation of driving because the feeling of operation is conveyed directly to the driver's hand. The accelerator can be continuously operated with minimal arm effort over long hours of driving or even by persons with limited arm strength.

3. Reliability

The accelerator and braking system have undergone the same durability and reliability testing as their counterparts on ordinary vehicles. Moreover, the braking system is built with a double-wire construction that automatically activates the emergency-use wire for continued safe driving in the unlikely event that the wire ordinarily used should break.

Overview of Skyline LV Series Driving Helper

Suggested Nationwide Retail Price (excluding consumption tax)(thousands of yen)

M-ATx: Full-range electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode
Diving Helper models fitted with hand-operated driving equipment are exempt from consumption tax.
The Autech Driving Control package can also be fitted on other Skyline grades.