next Gen Pathfinder may go unibody

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00void
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next Gen Pathfinder may go unibody

Postby 00void » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:35 am

saw this on Autoblog this morning and thought people would be interested.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/09/niss ... -on-frame/

The Nissan Pathfinder has done what was needed to take advantage of a sales trends: it started life as body-on-frame, then switched to unibody, then back to body-on-frame. Today, it shares the ladder platform with the Nissan Titan pickup and Armada SUV.

Speculation, however, is that the next generation Pathfinder could go back to unibody construction. Nissan isn't yet saying what it will do, but with the need to raise mileage -- as well as comfort -- a new Pathfinder CUV could be a win for everyone. And, as seen with the repackaging of the Ford Explorer America concept, a unibody build would give Nissan designers a lot more leeway to create something new and fresh.

The biggest issue appears to be what to do about the Pathfinder's different buyers in other countries. In America, the Pathfinder could probably sacrifice some off-road prowess and towing capacity and not suffer too much if at all. In Africa, every bit of the Pathfinder's off-road ability gets used, and customers there wouldn't accept the compromises of a softer CUV. It wouldn't be unheard of to keep building the Pathfinder on a ladder frame for other markets while creating a new one for America. The next generation is still a couple of years away, but Nissan will announce its decision later this year.


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Postby boogyman » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:15 am

I just read the same article this morning. I'm sure it will save weight, but also lose off road agility. Damn CAFE rules, making everybody try and save gas. If the gov't would stop adding mandatory safety features, the vehicles wouldn't be as heavy. I say get rid of the air bags and put in a 4 point harness. That will keep people in place. If people complain it's wrinkling the clothes, then they don't need to be a part of the human race, because they are ignorant. They are probably the same ones talking on their phone or texting while they are driving and causing the accidents. Sorry for the rant it's early and this whole save the world by cutting the wrong emissions ticks me off. co2 is expelled by every living animal and is used by the trees and plants. I say plant more trees and stop clearing them for monstrous houses that most people can't afford anyway.

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Postby NVSteve » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:58 am

boogyman wrote:I just read the same article this morning. I'm sure it will save weight, but also lose off road agility. Damn CAFE rules, making everybody try and save gas. If the gov't would stop adding mandatory safety features, the vehicles wouldn't be as heavy. I say get rid of the air bags and put in a 4 point harness. That will keep people in place. If people complain it's wrinkling the clothes, then they don't need to be a part of the human race, because they are ignorant. They are probably the same ones talking on their phone or texting while they are driving and causing the accidents. Sorry for the rant it's early and this whole save the world by cutting the wrong emissions ticks me off. co2 is expelled by every living animal and is used by the trees and plants. I say plant more trees and stop clearing them for monstrous houses that most people can't afford anyway.
Man, you are having a BAD day! :twisted: I don't want to throw out anything because it would take too long. All I can say is that those who don't wear seatbelts: nothing wrong with thinning the herd.

Seeing as how all other mfrs. have crumbled with their so-called SUVs, it was only a matter of time until Nissan followed suite. I really hope they don't completely wussify the next gen Pathie, much like Toyota has done.

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Postby RacerZX » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:16 am

IMHO that would be totally lame, didn't they learn the first time around? And Jeez, how many unibody SUVs do they need in their lineup... Maybe they should merge their mid-sized frame based SUVs into a X-Pathterra :roll:

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Postby Fofiddy » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:49 pm

I posted at length on another nissan forum that dosen't deserve mention but. I agree with you guys, Bad move. But I'm willing to accept the loss of the Pathfinder under 2 conditions:
1) we get the Patrol in exchange and it has the deisel option
2) no crossover or soft roader ever wears the pathfinder badge

Seriously F the mazda CX-9 segment. instead of CAFE why don't we limit the number of people that buy SUV and full sized trucks based on need. someone owning a boat or a bike= truck. Somone who lives in say NYC or Boston = no truck = more parking spots. Any idea how much gas would be saved from just looking for parking spots in Boston alone if Escalades were banned?
green house gasses and parking issues 2 birds one stone

Ohhh and how about banning soccer moms for SUVs.. thats right breeder you drive a minivan there is more room in them anyway... If I see another 4'11" mom that can't see over the steering wheel of an Excursion I'ma goin postal. People put way too much stock in image.... Function people, Function.

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Postby NVSteve » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:14 am

Fofiddy wrote:I posted at length on another nissan forum that dosen't deserve mention but. I agree with you guys, Bad move. But I'm willing to accept the loss of the Pathfinder under 2 conditions:
1) we get the Patrol in exchange and it has the deisel option
2) no crossover or soft roader ever wears the pathfinder badge
Couldn't agree more. If they ruin the next iteration of the Pathfinder, they had better either redesign the Xterra and/or make the Patrol available in the States. They absolutely need to have at least 1 mid-sized 4x4 (truly off road capable) SUV. The trend, at least with the American brands, seems to be making the SUV as a blacktop only vehicle.

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Postby Fofiddy » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:16 pm

IMO the thing the Pathfinder could have done without is the 3rd row. The dimensions of the truck are fine but the compromise on the 2nd row made for the useless 3rd row were far too much. You get way more rear leg room in an Murano. If only some lockers were available... awe dammit just give me a Patrol already.

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Postby RacerZX » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:59 pm

Well, as a family guy with a couple tweens, the 3rd row rocks. If you only wanted 4 seats and a locker, why not the XTerra OR? I would kill to get that 6-speed in my Pathy... :D

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Postby NVSteve » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:03 pm

Fofiddy wrote:IMO the thing the Pathfinder could have done without is the 3rd row. The dimensions of the truck are fine but the compromise on the 2nd row made for the useless 3rd row were far too much. You get way more rear leg room in an Murano. If only some lockers were available... awe dammit just give me a Patrol already.
Don't even get me started. The mfrs. are catering to the "gotta have it all" crowd, meaning they put in too much. I've complained about 3rd row seating since the day I got my Durango. Even though the cargo room in the back with the 3rd row down was enormous, I kept thinking how much more room there would be without the stupid, too small to sit in, impractical 3rd row.

Just how difficult would it be to make the 3rd row removable via a lever, and then just be able to slide the 2nd row back? They could include a thick plastic cover to fill the opening of the 3rd row, making more of an additional storage bin than anything else.

Yeah, I've always wondered what car designers and the stupid execs are smoking when they give the green light to a new design. If you want more sales, make it more versatile. Not everyone has kids (the only people I'd ever have ride in the 3rd row), so screw the demographic models and horrible research. All it would take is a bit of common sense. On the other hand, I can see someone working in 1 profession to become somewhat immune to common sense dealing with said profession. Happens to me all the time.

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Postby NVSteve » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:20 pm

This guy just LOVES the current gen '08:

http://info.detnews.com/redesign/autore ... m?id=27014

:shock: :roll:

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Postby RacerZX » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:31 pm

Hahahahhahahahaha...smothered with faint praise. I wouldn't be surprised if his handling complaints wasn't due to a bad OEM alignment. Mine was outta whack from the factory too...

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Postby Fofiddy » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:24 pm

RacerZX wrote: If you only wanted 4 seats and a locker, why not the XTerra OR? I would kill to get that 6-speed in my Pathy... :D
I got the Pathy the month the R51 came out. I had been in a borrowed car since some old coot blacked out and head-on'd my ZJ. My background includes thrashing H1's for a few years, so say what you will about live axles IRS on all four corners to me is ideal for a daily driver that does some (IMO) mild trailing. Making lockers for IRS isn't impossible (LR3), getting Nissan not to cheap out on the US market with inferior hardware compared to their over seas counter parts is...
Glad I got the Path over the X seems that every slacker D-bag I work with went for the X...and none of them can drive.


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