2016 Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X Diesel Update 4: Adopting the Titan

When associate editor Scott Evans moved from our long-term Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X pickup to the new Motor Trend 2017 Car of the Year, the Chevrolet Bolt, many on staff thought the larger-than-life pickup would become orphaned. Fortunately, my house in the Downey suburbs has enough off-street parking for four vehicles and wide neighborhood streets for the occasional curb-side parking. And though I’ve never been a truck person, I learned to appreciate their utility during my time as the chaperone for our former long-term 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickup. Plus I was curious how the Titan XD with the 5.0-liter Cummins turbodiesel V-8 stacked up to the Ram 1500 with the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel turbodiesel V-6.

The Titan XD has seen lots of use in the 9,000-ish miles it’s been driven since I took over as chaperone two-and-a-half months ago. The “eXtra Duty” pickup has proven useful, but it hasn’t been without some growing pains.

Despite Evans asking the dealer to look at some issues during its first service around the 10,000-mile mark, the Titan XD is still plagued with a few problems. I had the dealer check out these issues during its second service just before 19,500 miles. Our 20,000-miles service consisted of an oil and filter change, a new air filter, new front and rear fuel filters, brake fluid exchange, tire rotation, and brake inspection as well as a tire pressure check and multi-point inspection. The total cost came to $555.81.

The dragging and moaning steering and squeaky front left suspension mentioned in Evans’ previous updates haven’t gone away. In fact, Evans had the dealer lube both systems during its first service, and I had it checked during its second service. Although the dealer could not locate those issues, a month after its most recent visit my girlfriend could hear and feel the binding in the steering system from the passenger seat.

During the Titan XD’s first visit, the service advisor notified Evans of an open bulletin to reflash the TCM (transmission control module), but the new software wasn’t available. When I asked about the bulletin on my visit, the computer system didn’t show any open bulletins for our VIN.

The dealer also wasn’t able to replicate the Bluetooth glitch, which begins with a piercing sound through the speakers followed by a complete infotainment reboot after roughly 10-30 minutes into a phone call. Sometimes it happens two or even three times in the same phone call about 10 minutes apart. When the dealer couldn’t replicate the issue with an iPhone 7 or Samsung Galaxy S6, they suggested the issue was with the iPhone 6 that Evans and I have, though we’ve noticed the issue with associate online editor Stefan Ogbac’s Samsung Galaxy S7, too.

Several more issues not previously mentioned have materialized. The orange backlight for the infotainment system’s buttons and dials flickers—this issue is noticeable at night. About every 1,500 miles, a service engine soon/oil change warning appears on the 5.0-inch screen mounted in the gauge cluster. It even turned on a few hundred miles after its second maintenance visit. The owner’s manual calls for 10,000-mile service intervals. Additionally, the front passenger seatbelt light comes on intermittently even when there is nothing on the seat. Sometimes it comes on several hours into a drive.

Lastly, the tailgate would open intermittently—only about three times out of more than a dozen tries over the course of a few weeks. Whether unlocking the tailgate with the key fob or manually with the key, the tailgate refused to drop when lifting the handle because it appeared that a metal rod near the top of the outside edge of the tailgate wouldn’t budge. The dealer found that the rear door lock was binding. Replacing the tailgate door lock mechanism cured the problem.

Other than those issues, the Titan XD has proven useful for various hauling and towing chores. We’ll have more on those in a future update.

More on our long-term Nissan Titan XD here:

• Arrival
• Update 1: Riding High
• Update 2: Road Trips and Long Hauls
• Update 3: To Haul, Or Not To Haul

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Refreshing or Revolting: 2018 BMW X3

The 2018 BMW X3 has been redesigned, and it’s now wearing BMW’s current design language and boasts a new M performance model that looks slightly more aggressive than more pedestrian variants. Let’s take a look at the third-generation X3 and see how its design has evolved inside and out.

As with other BMW models, the 2018 X3 receives an exterior design that is more evolutionary than revolutionary, especially the front fascia, which features a larger kidney grille and wider headlights similar to those on the new 5 Series sedan. The air intakes on the lower front fascia are also bigger than those of its predecessor, giving it a more aggressive look. The headlight clusters feature new LED accent lighting in a C-shaped pattern instead of the “angel eyes” found on past BMW models. From the side, the new X3 looks similar to the vehicle it replaces, but it appears lower to the ground, especially in the M40i guise. A small M badge on the front fenders placed right above the side air inlets gives a subtle indication that the X3 M40i is geared more towards performance.

Out back, there are wider, less angular taillights that are more sculpted than the ones found on the outgoing X3. The X3 M40i also features split dual exhausts that help give the car a wider, more planted stance when viewed from the rear. Inside, the dash now has a freestanding touchscreen with the new iDrive interface while the center stack is tilted slightly toward the driver to give it a more driver-focused feel.

Available with a 248-hp 2.0-liter turbo-four or a 355-hp 3.0-liter turbo I-6, the 2018 BMW X3 features the latest engines from the German automaker, and they’re paired exclusively to an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard, and like its predecessor, the new X3 will be assembled at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina facility alongside the X4, X5 and X6 crossovers.

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2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Delivers 700 HP

Porsche has made its presence known at the Goodwood Festival of Speed by unleashing the most powerful street-legal 911 ever. The 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS delivers 700 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque from its 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six.

Thanks to the new engine, the 911 GT2 RS hits 60 mph in a Porsche-estimated 2.7 seconds. On the track, top speed is 211 mph. Compare that to the outgoing 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, which was estimated to hit 3.4 seconds and a top track speed of 205 mph. Most impressively, the new model has a 80-hp and 37 lb-ft advantage over its predecessor.

Based on the engine in the 911 Turbo S, the engine in the new GT2 RS boosts performance even further with a new additional cooling system and larger turbos that push a greater volume of air into the combustion chambers. The flat-six pairs to a custom GT seven-speed PDK transmission.

The car’s chassis accommodates rear axle steering and has been specifically tuned for the spirited driving this car will undertake. To improve performance, the rear-drive 911 GT2 RS features large air intakes, a large rear wing, ceramic composite brakes, and 265/35 ZR 20 tires up front with 325/30 ZR 21 tires in the rear. Carbon fiber reinforced plastics can be found on the front fenders, wheel housing vents, rear quarter panel air intakes, and other areas. The front luggage compartment is also made of carbon fiber, and the standard roof panel boasts a magnesium construction. A lightweight titanium exhaust system weighs about 15 pounds less than the system in the 911 Turbo, just one update that helps keep the car’s weight as low as possible to 3,241 pounds. To shave off an extra 40 pounds, buyers can opt for the $31,000 Weissach package. For this price, you’ll receive magnesium wheels as well as a carbon fiber roof and anti-roll bars.

Red Alcantara, black leather, and carbon fiber accents fill the cabin. Both driver and passenger get full bucket seats with carbon fiber reinforced backrests. Audio, navigation, and other creature comforts are also part of the interior. The standard Porsche Track Precision app enables drivers to record and analyze their driving data on their smartphones, while the optional Chrono Package gets a built-in performance display for viewing, saving, and evaluating lap times.

Although we’ll have to wait several months, we can expect to see this sports car on our shores. The 2018 Prosche 911 GT2 RS goes on sale here in early 2018. Prices start at a whopping $294,250.

Source: Porsche

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Report: Jaguar Land Rover SVO Wants a Bespoke Sports Car

Jaguar Land Rover enlists its SVO division to build high-performance versions of its standard vehicles, with the most recent creation being the XE SV Project 8. But now, the division that first launched in 2014 wants to create its own bespoke car.

“Deep down we want to make our own model,” John Edwards, JLR’s managing director of Special Operations, told Auto Express. “Just look at the success of the [Mercedes] AMG GT.”

SVO’s F-Type Project 7 could serve as the basis for a bespoke car to fight the Mercedes-AMG GT, the publication reports. The division could use the mechanical workings of this limited-edition, 567-hp Jaguar and dress it up with a new body and interior.

Before introducing a bespoke car, however, SVO will continue making more Project vehicles. Promising new candidates to receive the SVO treatment include the Jaguar F-Pace and Range Rover Velar. Previously, Edwards said SVO aims to launch an average of one new car every year through 2020.

Earlier this week, SVO brought out the XE SV Project 8, which Edwards said is “the car to make our reputation.” The model, which is 75 percent unique, packs a 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 producing 591 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The Project 8 is based off an XE sedan aluminum body shell, but only the roof panel and front door skins are left unchanged. Look for an updated suspension, retuned transmission, and carbon fiber for the hood, front fenders, bumpers, front splitter, rear diffuser, and massive rear wing.

Source: Auto Express

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Nissan Leaf to Debut September 6

Nissan confirmed on Twitter that the next-generation Leaf will debut on September 6. A new teaser image previews the car’s grille.

The new Nissan LEAF
Premieres 6 September, 2017 #Nissan #LEAF http://pic.twitter.com/fewd3CAInm

— NissanUK (@NissanUK) June 29, 2017

Judging from the design of the grille, the Leaf is starting to take after the IDS concept that debuted at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. Nissan sources said the exterior styling of that concept would resemble the design of the new Leaf. At this time, Nissan has given few other clues on what to expect for the new EV. Earlier this year, the automaker teased the car’s unusual headlights.

Rumor has it the new Leaf will offer more range than the current version, and Nissan has confirmed the new car will feature semi-autonomous driving technology. A feature called ProPilot will help control acceleration, braking, and steering to keep the car positioned in its lane on the highway. Over time, Nissan will add more capabilities, including autonomous lane changing. Eventually, the ProPilot system will also be able to handle city intersections.

The Nissan Leaf is expected to go on sale before the end of the year. It’s likely to make its auto show debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which opens later in September.

Source: NissanUK via Twitter

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2017 Mercedes Metris passenger van review: Coming to an airport hotel near you

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