Earlier this morning we saw the first images of the new 2009 Nissan Cube. Nissan has now unveiled the new compact Cube here at the 2008 LA Auto Show and has announced a U.S. debut for spring 2009. Pricing details will be announced closer to launch.
The 2009 Nissan Cube may be small with a wheelbase of just 156.7 inches but provides comfortable seating for 5-passengers. The Cube seating includes a 6-way manual driver’s seat and a 4-way manual passenger seat. The back seat passengers get what’s called a “lounge sofa” style sliding rear bench seat.
Power for the 2009 Nissan Cube comes from a 1.8L DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine that makes 122-hp with a maximum torque of 127 lb-ft. Mated to the Nissan Xtronic CVT transmission, the Cube gets a projected fuel-economy of 30 mpg on the highway. The Cube will also be offered with a 6-speed manual transmission.
Upon launch, Nissan will offer the 2009 Cube with three different trim-levels including Cube 1.8, Cube 1.8
S and Cube 1.8 SL. All models will be available in eight exterior colors including: Chrome Silver, Steel Grey, Bitter Chocolate, Scarlet Red, Caribbean Blue, Moss Green, Super Black and White Pearl.
Follow the jump for live photos from the 2008 LA Auto Show and the press release.
2009 Nissan Cube - Live from 2008 LA Auto Show:
Press Release:
2009 Nissan Cube Set For Spring U.S. Debut; New
Entry-Level Compact Combines Fashion With Functionality
– Small But Substantial, Spirited But Economical, All-New Third Generation Cube’s
Asymmetrical Design and Lounge-Style Interior Provide Unexpected Charm and Utility –
Huey Lewis once sang “It’s hip to be square.” Few believed him. Mathletes wax
poetic about the superior geometric efficiencies of a cube in terms of volume v.
surface area. And get little respect. Cavemen discovered that a round stone rolls
better than a square one. And, as a consequence, gave birth to the traffic jam. In
1998, Nissan introduced the original Cube, an aptly named box-on-wheels, to minor
consumer interest. Perhaps, like homo erectus, the Cube was simply ahead of its
time.
But times change, and so did the Cube. In 2002, an all-new second generation
Nissan Cube was introduced in the Japanese market. More spacious inside, more
glass outside, more power under the hood and, more importantly, a few more angles
and curved surface details added to its compact, slab-sided exterior.
Quintessentially Japanese, this new Cube took Tokyo by storm. A pocket-sized funand-
function cocktail mixing the charm of Godzilla and the wit of Mothra, buyers
were smitten. And so, it turns out, Huey was right after all.
Like the Nissan GT-R before it, the Nissan Cube soon found an audience outside of
Japan – not in person, but through its exposure in fashion and automotive
magazines, videos and on the Web.
Reboot to today, more than 10 years since its original appearance, and the Nissan
Cube is ready to meet the world in person, coming to America in spring 2009 in an
all-new, dramatically rethought third generation design that is clever, quirky, witty,
fun and uniquely functional. And still totally square.
More than just unique geometry, however, the new 2009 Nissan Cube is also
conceived as a totally different take on an automobile – a car that doesn’t want to be
defined as car. “With its unique blend of fashion and function, Cube imagines a life
less ordinary,” said Al Castignetti, vice president, Sales, Nissan Division, Nissan
North America, Inc. (NNA). “Cube is as much of a Mobile Device as it is an
automobile, something that enhances life like people’s digital devices do. Cube is a
vehicle that people of all ages can fall in love with, even when they don’t love cars.”
Evocative Yet Rational
Though its uniquely styled, asymmetrical body makes a standout statement against
the backdrop of today’s look-alike entry-level vehicles, Cube presents a range of
strong rational arguments for purchase as well.
Along with its projected fuel economy of over 30 mph Highway (equipped with the
CVT transmission, actual EPA estimates not available at this time), Cube offers an
alphabet of standard safety equipment – including an Anti-Lock Braking System
(ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC), Traction Control System (TCS), Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS), six air bags (including front, side and curtain supplemental air bags)
and front seat Active Head Restraints.
“The new Nissan Cube is not, by any measure, a pure ‘youth car,’ though it
especially meets the needs of young adults’ lives in the sense that it is social,
expressive and practical,” said Castignetti. “And like many entry-level vehicles, Cube
will be purchased by young consumers with the help or influence of their parents.
We believe the combination of value, fuel economy and safety will be especially
reassuring to parents involved in such decisions.”
A “Bulldog in Sunglasses”
The all-new 2009 Nissan Cube builds on the previous generation Cube’s nontraditional
design with an improved stance and an added sense of dynamic
movement. With Cube’s long wheelbase relative to its overall length (a 99.6-inch
wheelbase against a 156.7-inch overall length) and wide track, the wheels, in effect,
are pushed out to each corner – providing exceptional space utilization and a
confident-looking stance that has been compared to a “bulldog in sunglasses.”
“The designers, engineers and planners’ effort and passion in creating the next
generation Cube was unheard of – perhaps only exceeded in recent memory by that
of the Nissan GT-R development team,” said Castignetti. “They were constantly
drawing, cartooning, adding thoughts and ideas, which is how the image of the
bulldog emerged and evolved. This was not a traditional development process.”
Along with its stance, the “incognito canine” look is aided by the wide headlights and
grille treatment, the small but substantial body proportions and the short “tail”
section. In the rear, the bar-type taillights reinforce the wide, anchored feel. The
Cube’s creators also sought to maintain a sense of “pure design,” reducing the
number of character lines to give simplicity and freshness to the styling.
Another unique aspect of the Cube’s exterior is the greenhouse. The A-pillars are
positioned far outward and relatively upright, giving a wider range of forward
visibility. The front door windows utilize a “photo frame” design patterned after a
personal photo frame, while the asymmetrical wraparound side/rear window creates
enhanced rear diagonal visibility for lane changes and reverse parking.
“The ‘geometric circle shape in the square’ rear window is Cube’s signature,” said
Castignetti. “Though there are D-pillars on both sides of the Cube, the visual effect
of the narrower passenger-side pillar is quite remarkable in the overall appearance, a
look aided by the asymmetrical back door.”
Unlike typical top-hinged or clamshell-style utility rear doors, Cube features an easyaccess
refrigerator-style opening, which makes it possible to open or close it even if
parked tight against other cars in parallel parking spaces or when backed in against
a wall or other obstacle.
The back door opens fully when space allows for loading groceries, luggage or largesized
objects – or to a limited-access position (about eight inches) when space is
restricted for retrieving or loading a backpack or other small objects. The one-hand
door handle operation is designed for easy use, even while carrying things in the
other hand or arm.
The 2009 Nissan Cube is available in eight mild-to-wild exterior colors: Chrome
Silver, Steel Grey, Bitter Chocolate, Scarlet Red, Caribbean Blue, Moss Green, Super
Black and White Pearl.
A “Casual Lounge” Interior
The centerpiece of the new Cube’s universal appeal is its “social space” – the
surprisingly roomy interior that offers room for five in a lounge-like comfort. “Cube
is not wasteful in terms of its footprint, carbon or physical. It creates a third space,
in addition to home and school, for interacting with friends. It’s a space that is
highly changeable and adaptable to owners evolving lives, with plenty of room for
personalization,” said Castignetti.
Cube’s clever, inspired and surprisingly open occupant space was conceived with a
“Jacuzzi Curve” layout and “floating meter pod” driver’s area. It combines “casual
lounge”-style passenger seating with a relaxed driving experience. The interactive
interior is anchored by its curve-themed architecture, such as the subtle wavy
shaping of the instrument panel, door panels, seat shapes, armrests and the iconic
circular/oval shapes of elements ranging from air conditioning vents, door pulls and
climate controls.
The comfortable Cube seating includes 6-way manual driver’s seat and 4-way
manual front passenger’s seat, along with a “lounge sofa” style sliding rear bench
seat.
The reclining rear seat can be adjusted to three positions – full rearward (providing
ample legroom), mid-position (3.9 inches forward) or front position (6.0 inches
forward). The rear seat also is positioned higher than the front seats, theater style,
enhancing rear passenger comfort and visibility.
“In some ways, the Cube is like the big cardboard appliance boxes you used to play
in as a kid – they could be clubhouses, race cars, forts, whatever your mood and
imagination wanted at the time,” said Castignetti. “The new Cube’s interior leaves
room for imagination and personalization, yet also starts with a solid functional
purpose.”
Stress-Free Driving, Room For Personalization
Cube’s stress-free driving experience is the result of a number of factors: an
extremely tight 32.8-foot curb-to-curb turning radius, a tall seating position made
possible by the tall body height, an extremely short hood “invisible length” (the area
of the hood panel that the driver is unable to see) and the good rear visibility for
parking and backing up.
“Our studies show that one of the most stressful aspects for young or inexperienced
drivers is parking, particularly parallel parking,” said Castignetti. “Cube is extremely
adaptable to parking environments in terms of its compact exterior dimensions, good
visibility and easy steering.”
Other interior features include the “floating pod” instrument panel with asymmetrical
light blue and white gauges, which are designed to make it easier to distinguish
between the speedometer and the tachometer. The gauge needles “sweep” when
the engine is started to add a sense of flair, while the gradation effect gives a natural
ambience similar to the glow of the white moon and the blue earth. Sub-gauges are
concentrated for enhanced visibility. The three-spoke steering wheel is available
with leather wrapping and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.
Convenient storage spaces and cup/bottle holders are abundant throughout the Cube
interior – including six cupholders (instrument panel, front center console and rear
armrests) and five bottle holders (door panels and center console). There are also
detachable multi-hooks for holding bags or hats, which can be moved from place to
place – including the instrument panel and rear passenger doors.
The “shelf expression” concept features two “shelves” located on top center and
passenger side of the instrument panel. Not designed for holding objects when the
Cube is in motion, they provide convenient spaces for placing keys, cell phones or
digital music players when the vehicle is parked. The shelves can be personalized
with accessory wood-like trim or shag carpeting. Cube’s “Magic Rubber Bands,”
another clever Cube accessory item, are colorful rubber straps (red, yellow, orange
or silver) that slip into cutouts on the door armrests to secure items such as maps,
nametags, photos, towels or small stuffed animals.
“The interior concept is really about the Cube conforming to the users’ needs, rather
than the other way around – you can put your favorite items anywhere you want,
not where the vehicle tells you to,” said Castignetti. “The designers demanded that
every aspect of the Cube interior be delightful, as well as functional.”
The Cube interior design also incorporates a series of subtle “Water Drop” concentric
circles, inspired by nature and the calming way that ripples move outward from a
drop in water. The circles can be seen in items ranging from the roof headliner to
the cupholders to the climate control design.
A Wide Range of Available Features
Cube’s heating and cooling system provides quiet, efficient operation with easy to
recognize and use knobs and switches. Other standard equipment offered on the
2009 Nissan Cube includes power windows with driver’s side one-touch auto down
feature, Remote Keyless Entry system, power door locks with auto-locking feature,
variable intermittent windshield wipers and intermittent rear window wiper, rear
window defroster with timer, cargo area courtesy light and hooks, 12-volt power
outlet and adjustable front seat belt upper anchors.
Available Cube technology features include Nissan Intelligent Key™ with Push Button
Ignition, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, Rockford Fosgate subwoofer with six
speakers, XM® Satellite Radio (XM® subscription required, sold separately), Interface
System for iPod® and a rear sonar system.
The Cube interior is offered in two color environments, Wall Gray and Graphite. Wall
Gray, available in a quilted suede-like fabric with special “natural wave” stitching
only, is designed to create a relaxing contrast between the warm, light gray
upholstery and warm off-black interior accents. The warm off-black Graphite
interior, available in two cloth grades, provides a combination of relaxation and more
traditional “driving enjoyment” attitude.
“The Cube interior is a great example of how an inexpensive, high value vehicle can
be done well – quality design, quality materials and the features and equipment that
the user needs with room for personalization, rather than forced customization,” said
Castignetti.
Unexpected Power and Driving Ease
Just as Cube has its own unique take on styling and interior design, the engineering
team took a fresh approach to performance – creating a vehicle that is easy to drive
and easy to handle in traffic.
The emphasis for Cube’s performance credentials is squarely on fun-to-drive, rather
than exhilaration. Cube combines an advanced 122-horsepower 1.8-liter DOHC
inline 4-cylinder with a new-generation Nissan Xtronic CVT™ (Continuously Variable
Transmission) for good acceleration response, smooth operation and fuel efficiency.
Torque is rated at 127 lb-ft.
The MR18DE engine, also utilized in the popular Nissan Versa, is designed to be
powerful and responsive, while also delivering excellent fuel economy. Fuel economy
is projected to be over 30 miles per gallon Highway with the CVT transmission
(actual EPA fuel economy unavailable at this time).
The Xtronic CVT, unlike conventional stepped gear automatics, operates as
essentially “one gear” through use of a belt and two pulleys. By infinitely varying the
working diameters of the two pulleys, the transmission eliminates the “steps”
between gears, resulting in a smoother, more efficient operation by keeping the
engine in its optimum power range under a variety of driving and load conditions.
Cube’s new generation CVT adopts a new CVT oil warmer for enhanced warm-up
performance in cold conditions (reducing friction). It also includes an advanced
Adaptive Shift Control (ASC), which detects the driving situation and style (economy,
normal, sports) and communicates with the engine control – helping optimize both
fuel economy and driving pleasure.
The 2009 Cube is also offered with a 6-speed manual transmission with a new shift
control system, triple cone synchronizers (1st and 2nd gear) and reverse synchronizer
system. The 6-speed manual is available with Cube 1.8 and Cube 1.8 S models.
“The Cube has a strong power-to-weight ratio, which combined with the advanced
CVT, gives it a surprisingly spirited driving feel. Throw in the small turning radius,
good outward visibility and the smooth suspension feel and you have the perfect
formula for navigating through traffic with confidence and ease,” said Castignetti.
Cube’s suspension combines an independent MacPherson strut front design with
stabilizer bar with a torsion beam rear with integrated stabilizer bar. Its
comfortable, flat ride is a result, in part, of the “Ripple Control” shock absorbers and
the high body stiffness. Other standard equipment includes vehicle-speed-sensitive
electric power-assisted steering, power-assisted front disc/rear drum brakes and 15-
inch wheels with P195/60R15 tires.
Cube’s long list of standard safety features includes the Nissan Advanced Air Bag
System (AABS), seat-mounted driver and front-passenger side-impact supplemental
air bags, and roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags for front and
rear-seat outboard occupant head protection.
Cube also offers standard front-seat Active Head Restraints, Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System
(TCS), along with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force
Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).
Three Well-Equipped Models
The 2009 Nissan Cube is offered in three well-equipped models: Cube 1.8, Cube 1.8
S and Cube 1.8 SL.
A full range of dealer accessories allows buyers to expand their Cube world with
items such as an illumination kit with 20 selectable colors, illuminated kick plates,
rear cargo organizer, pet blankets, wheels, aero kits and more.
“We know that self-expression is important to many potential Cube buyers, so we’ve
provided the room and accessorize to help with personalization,” said Castignetti.
“However, Cube is far from a blank or empty canvas that buyers must equip on their
own. Cube is a different kind of box than other vehicles on the market, with an
abundance of personality right off the assembly line.”
Smart Simplicity
“Economical, affordable, functional and adaptable, the 2009 Nissan Cube offers an
unmatched sense of ‘smart simplicity.’ It builds on a Cube DNA of distinctive spirit
and non-automotive style, and adds an enhanced level of humanistic charm and
clever design,” said Castignetti. “If cars could talk, Cube would be likely to say, ‘Nice
to meet you.’ Come this spring, America gets its chance.”
Speaking at the Los Angeles Auto Show today, the boss of Renault-Nissan Carlos Ghosn has reaffirmed his company’s need for a “full North American partner” and pledged support for more federal aid for the Detroit 3 as a way to fuel growth in the industry. While Renault-Nissan is hopeful of one day forming an alliance with one of the Detroit 3 carmakers, Ghosn stressed that now was not the time but the move is still an important one. “No alliances, acquisitions or mergers can take place in the automobile industry, or really any industry for that matter, until the storm in the economy is gone,” he explained. Of the three Detroit carmakers, Ghosn confirmed that Chrysler was the most attractive option, reports the Associated Press. 
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