Nissan News: Cube Dropped, Self-Cleaning Leaf EV & More

After the departure of Infiniti boss Johan de Nysschen last week, it has continued to be a busy month for Nissan. In fact, so many things are happening with the world’s second-largest Japanese automaker that we don’t have enough blog posts to cover every single one. So, today we’re going to give you a bird’s eye view of Nissan’s latest goings on with three different news tidbits:

Nissan Cube Dropped for 2015MY

If you’ve been saving up for a brand-new Nissan Cube, you’d better plan on buying one before the end of the year. At last week’s Nissan Product Day, the Japanese carmaker released their full 2015 lineup, and the Cube was eerily absent from the list. When questioned about the missing vehicle, a Nissan representative evasively praised to the 2014 Cube instead of giving a real answer.

If Nissan has indeed decided to discontinue the Cube in next year’s lineup, no one can blame them for the decision. Honestly, it probably should have been upgraded before now, as sales have continued to decline year after year. But why give it the chop? This is a modern icon that really just needs a reboot, not termination.

The upside is that Nissan also announced a few key updates at their Product Day. Among the most noteworthy improvements, we can expect a refreshed Juke, a refreshed Nissan GT-R and GT-R NISMO, and a next-gen Nissan Murano due at the end of this year. And also …

Nissan Titan Confirmed for Detroit Debut

We already knew that the next-generation Nissan Titan would make its debut early next year, and we had a sneaking suspicion that it would be at the 2015 Detroit Motor Show. Now, Nissan has officially confirmed it.

While we’re sure we’ll love all the aesthetic updates that Nissan will make to their aged full-size truck, the changes we’re most excited about are those to the powertrain. The current Nissan Titan is only available with a 5.6L V8 petrol engine, but the new one will get two more powertrain options – a smaller V6 petrol and the highly-anticipated Cummins 5.0L V8 diesel, plus an updated version of the current 5.6L.

Self-Cleaning Nissan Leaf

Dubbed “the world’s cleanest car” by the proud, EV-loving Japanese automaker, Nissan showed us a self-cleaning Nissan Leaf EV at their Product Day last week. Apparently, they took a normal Nissan Leaf and treated its exterior with an advanced Ultra-Ever Dry paint that repels all the common filth found in typical road conditions. Rain, standing water, mud, sleet and oils stand no chance against the superhydrophobic and oleophobic paint job, which keeps itself clean by creating a microscopic layer of air between the paint and the outside world.

Nissan NA’s VP of Product Planning, Pierre Loing, said, “The 100% electric Leaf provides the perfect canvas for this and new, advanced paint technology. This is one Leaf that never has to stop at gas stations – not even for a car wash.”

Unfortunately, this self-washing paint won’t be available as a stock option for any Nissan vehicle, EV or otherwise, anytime soon as Nissan is still testing the technology. However, there is a reasonable chance that it will eventually be offered as a manufacturer-installed aftermarket option.