NISMO trucks and crossovers are coming, Tesla-powered Broncos, Duramax I-6 delayed
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NISMO to tune trucks and crossovers for the U.S.A.
Intake: Nissan’s factory tuning arm NISMO is planning to expand its range to more rugged vehicles. Currently most of NISMO’s efforts go into Japan-only models such as the latest Formula E–inspired Note Aura NISMO hybrid, with only the likes of the GT-R, 370Z, Juke, and Sentra ever available stateside. However, NISMO recently launched a version of the Patrol (shown above) for the Middle East, and it may well be trucks and SUVs that make up the planned expansion. “When we look at the U.S. market and what our competitors are doing there, I think there is a possibility in the crossover and truck segments going forward,” Takao Katagiri, global CEO of NISMO, tells Automotive News.
Exhaust: NISMO wants to be what AMG is to Mercedes-Benz, STI is to Subaru, and N is to Hyundai. Although it’s likely the 2022 Z will be the first new model to get the NISMO treatment in the U.S.A, everything from the little Kicks to Pathfinder, Frontier, and Titan could soon be on the list.
Gateway Broncos wants to build you an EV-swapped first-gen Bronco
Intake: If you’ve been squirreling away your pennies for a restomodded first-generation Bronco, your decision just got more complicated. Gateway Broncos, a premium shop specializing in reborn, six-figure Broncos, will now sell you an electric-only version of its dazzling short-wheelbase truck. The EV Bronco boasts 200 miles of range courtesy of batteries from a Tesla, as well as a 0–60-mph time of under six seconds. It should be able to handle off-roading quite well, too, thanks to a five-speed Tremec manual transmission and a four-wheel drive system with an Atlas transfer case. That said, with a starting price of $265,000, we won’t hold it against you if you don’t immediately point such a machine at your closest rock garden.
Exhaust: Gateway is to Bronco as Singer is to Porsche. When we spoke to Gateway’s owner Seth Burgett last year, his team already had more than 100 orders on the books since Burgett launched the business in 2016. There’s clear demand for six-figure Broncos, though most of Gateway’s projects to date are powered by Ford’s 5.0-liter Coyote V-8, with a few mills donning a Roush supercharger. Though this is quite the glam-up for the humble, workaday Bronco, EV efforts like Gateway’s keep the models we love on the road—and we will always back that mission.
Watch Morgan build one of its last 3 Wheelers
Intake: Morgan is saying farewell to its marvelous 3 Wheeler, which will end a decade of production after this year, with a tribute film celebrating the craftspeople that shape it from wood, metal, and elbow grease. In this digital jaunt into the Pickersleigh Road factory in Malvern, U.K., you can witness one of the already sold-out, $70K P101 final editions come to life: from the drilling and glueing of the ash wood that undergirds its insect-like metal body to the hand-punching of the console leather for the shifter boot. Apart from peeling off the flawless “P/101” decal on the 3 Wheeler’s hand-painted side, the most satisfying part is, of course, hearing this wild V-twin machine putter out onto the road for the first time.
Exhaust:The 33 limited-run P101 3 Wheeler examples do full justice to the Morgan legacy: thoughtful-executed old-school tech unashamedly kept alive in the modern era. The three-wheel ride could still be resurrected with electric power, but for now, we’ll happily get a little misty-eyed in front of our laptops.
Duramax inline-six suffers supplier-induced delays
Intake: Touted by GM as the most fuel-efficient engine in a full-size SUV, the Tahoe’s 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax diesel is temporarily unavailable due to a temporary parts shortage. This same mill, internally known as the LM2, is also available in Chevrolet’s light-duty Silverado (and GMC’s comparable Sierra 1500), plus the GMC Yukon and the Cadillac Escalade. The aluminum-block three-liter makes 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque and is good for an EPA-estimated 24 mpg (city/highway combined) in the 2021 Tahoe. GM is no longer taking orders for any of the above models specced with the Duramax six, which is produced at GM’s engine plant in Flint, Michigan. A Chevrolet spokesperson said that production of the engine will resume “as soon as possible.”
Exhaust: Compared to the base 5.3-liter gas V-8’s combined 18 mpg in the Tahoe, the LM2 is a frugal option. But given the EPA’s strict scrutiny of diesel powerplants and America’s penchant for gasoline-chugging V-8s in their full-sizers, the impact of this delay will be relatively slim. Still, it’s an unfortunate hitch in the story of the first diesel mill available in a Bowtie SUV since ’99.
Classic Land Rovers go electric with Everrati
Intake: British classic EV company Everrati has added early Land Rovers to its offering. The company takes the Series IIA model, first introduced in 1961, and ditches its 2.25-liter, 71-hp engine in favor of an 152-hp electric drivetrain. The 60-kWh battery pack is good for over 100 miles on a charge and, cleverly, the switchable four-wheel-drive system is retained, including a low ratio. Everrati also updates steering and brakes with power assistance to make the old Landie easier to drive, while the bodywork, chassis, and interior are restored to as-new condition. As with Everrati’s Porsche 964, the electrification can be reversed if you keep the old oily bits. Prices start from £150,000 ($206,000).
Exhaust: Although we actually rather liked Everrati’s electric Porsche 964, we’re well aware that removing ICE from icons is controversial, to say the least. Having upset a huge number of Porsche fans, and even electrified a Ford GT40 (replica), Everrati has opened the floodgates again by picking on the Land Rover. Good luck in the forums, guys.
