NEW LOOK 2023 TO MAKE UK DEBUT IN THE SPRING

The ever-popular Mazda2 has undergone a significant makeover, with new external style and interior decor. The 2023 Mazda2 comes with a redesigned grille, a slimmer bumper design, decorative dash panels, and two exterior colours that make their Mazda debut on the supermini: Aero Grey and Air Stream Blue across the four newly named trim grades: Centre-Line, Homura, Exclusive-Line, and Homura Aka.

In order to give customers more opportunities to express their uniqueness through a larger range of colour combinations across the four model grades, Mazda's designers have concentrated on new design elements for the 2023 Mazda2. The Homura and Homura Aka have been created to give the Mazda2 a sportier style and character, while the Centre-Line and Exclusive-Line are focused on a fun and informal attitude.

Across all models the 2023 Mazda2’s new grille sees the signature Mazda wing surround pass beneath rather than below the number plate, leaving space to accentuate the new sportier lower bumper trim and shape. Additionally, to give a sharper look, the signature wing grille surround cuts into the leading edge of the headlight rather than passing underneath, while asymmetrically placed colour accent tabs feature on the front grille and rear bumper across all models.

The 2023 Mazda2 has a distinctive new style thanks to the huge coloured panel that spans the lower section of the grille on the Centre-Line and Exclusive-Line models, as well as the redesigned front bumper design and more prominent lower grille section with a gloss black signature wing surround. In order to give customers more colour combination options, the grille panel is body coloured on Soul Red Crystal, Snowflake White, Platinum Quartz, Polymetal Grey, and the new Air Stream Blue colour, while it is Jet Black on Machine Grey, Deep Crystal Blue, Ceramic Metallic, and the new Aero Grey colour to create a stylish contrast. The grille panel on Jet Black vehicles is also Jet Black.

The new rear bumper on all Centre-Line and Exclusive-Line vehicles has a now full-width black bottom moulding with the yellow accent tab. This design element is mirrored in the grille of all of these vehicles. Exclusive-Line vehicles upgrade to 16-inch bright alloy wheels from the usual 15-inch silver alloy wheels found in Centre-Line vehicles.

The new rear bumper on all Centre-Line and Exclusive-Line vehicles has a now full-width black bottom moulding with the yellow accent tab. This design element is mirrored in the grille of all of these vehicles. Exclusive-Line vehicles upgrade to 16-inch bright alloy wheels from the usual 15-inch silver alloy wheels found in Centre-Line vehicles.

Inside, the Centre-Line and Exclusive-Line cars there’s a similar colour combination style with a new decorative dash panel that is mint coloured on Air Stream Blue and Ceramic Metallic cars for example. On Soul Red Crystal, Snowflake White, Platinum Quartz and Polymetal Grey cars the dash panel is pure white, while the remaining exterior colours get a mirror black finish.

Differently, the Homura and Homura Aka 2023 Mazda2 has been created to be a more sporty rendition of the Mazda2. The Homura uses the Mazda2's well-balanced Kodo design and the new, more streamlined bumper design to its advantage. It sports a gloss black honeycomb grille with a red accent tab, matching door mirrors, 16-inch black alloy wheels, and a black shark fin roof antenna. The red accent is located in the lower right corner of the black bumper trim strip towards the back.

NISSAN X-TRAIL AWARDED BEST LARGE SUV BY WOMEN’S WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR 2023

The jury of the Women's World Car of the Year (WWCOTY)

2023 has awarded Nissan X-Trail the title of Best Large SUV 2023 for its thirteenth edition. Speaking about the accolade, Makoto Uchida, Nissan's CEO, said:

"We are delighted that the jury of the Women's World Car of the Year has awarded the honour of best Large SUV to the Nissan X-Trail. The X-Trail is our family SUV icon, with a heritage of over 20 years. It has remained true to its original recipe: robust SUV looks, advanced and efficient all-wheel drive powertrains and flexible practicality, which come together to enable family adventures. We took the voices of our female customers into consideration throughout the design and development process, so we're particularly proud that the jury of eminent female automotive journalists from all over the world has recognized the X-Trail's talents."

Built on the Alliance CMF-C platform, the new X-Trail boasts of muscular design and advanced technologies offering effortless EV drive feeling thanks to e-POWER technology together with a twin-motor e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system. The new X-Trail is available as a five- or seven-seater, offering a convenient option for days out with extended family or friends. As an electrified seven-seater SUV, it is unique in its segment. Nissan's ground-breaking e-POWER drive technology provides an electric vehicle (EV) driving experience without the requirement for recharging. The e-POWER system in the new X-Trail consists of a high-output battery, a powertrain with a variable compression ratio gasoline engine, a power generator, an inverter, and a 150kW front electric motor built right in, and it is integrated with those components. Due to this unusual engine, the only source of power for the wheels is an electric motor, producing a quick and linear reaction to the accelerator. With sales in over 100 markets and over 20 years of enabling family outings, the X-Trail is one of Nissan's most popular vehicles worldwide. The third and fourth generations of the X-Trail have shared a common DNA, which is used in the fourth generation.

Nissan-backed ServCity project accelerates future autonomous mobility in complex urban environments

Aconsortium initiative called ServCity that was funded by Nissan and assisted by the UK government has completed its deployment of cutting-edge autonomous drive technology in intricate urban settings in London that is connected with the city's infrastructure.

After three years of study and more than 1,600 miles of autonomous testing, Nissan and consortium partners have created a roadmap that will assist UK communities in integrating cuttingedge autonomous car technologies with existing city infrastructure. The research also looked at how cities can offer a "Robotaxi"-style service in the future to help commuters and city dwellers.

The ServCity connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV), which is based on the 100% electric Nissan LEAF, has successfully completed progressively difficult validation trials on the roads of London while connected to the Smart Mobility Living Lab (SMLL) in Greenwich. In order to create a futuristic cooperative infrastructure environment, ServCity was able to fully utilise the capabilities of SMLL, which used its network of roadside sensors and a data processing suite. This environment sent new sources of data to the CAV in order to enhance its situational awareness. The infrastructure can alert a vehicle to an object that is out of its line of sight (for example, around a bend or in the distance) and allow the car to make a lane change or other manoeuvre to guarantee smooth traffic flow.