NISSAN, ADAM LEVINE & NBC LAUNCH "RED THUMB DAY"

   U.S. Department of Transportation statistics show cell phones are involved in 1.6 million auto crashes each year. These crashes cause a half-million injuries and take 6,000 lives annually. To help raise the visibility of this critical issue, Nissan has partnered with NBC Universal and Adam Levine to promote "Red Thumb Day" – inspired by "Red Thumb Reminder," a program created by Steve Babcock of EVB advertising. Marking your thumb serves as an important reminder to not text and drive.

Levine, Maroon 5 front man and coach on NBC's Emmy Award®-winning singing competition, "The Voice," has also joined in to help raise awareness for the issue. On Dec. 15, during "The Voice" broadcast, Levine will declare the following 24 hours "Red Thumb Day," urging drivers to put their phones down when behind the wheel, not just on that day, but every day.

"The statistics are alarming. According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, a quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive. Twenty percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit that they have extended, multi-message text conversations while driving," said Jeremy Tucker, vice president, Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. "Together with Adam Levine, Nissan encourages drivers to put the phone down and get where they are going safely. A 'Red Thumb Reminder' may seem insignificant. However, every time you see it, it reminds you to not text and drive."

Nissan is encouraging drivers to join the Red Thumb movement by sharing photos tagged #RedThumb via their favorite social media channels. #RedThumb posts will be featured on a microsite, along with a special message from Levine supporting the cause.

Red Thumb Reminder bands will be available at local Nissan dealerships, and distributed to the in-studio audience at "The Voice" taping on Dec. 16.

For more information on Red Thumb and to find out where to pick-up a Red Thumb Band, visitwww.redthumb.org.

Nissan GT-R on "The Voice"

  North America, Inc. announced its new partnership with Adam Levine, lead singer of Maroon 5 and coach on NBC's Emmy Award winning "The Voice," today. The partnership marks an expansion of the automaker's existing multi-season sponsorship of "The Voice." New program elements include a series of on-air vignettes featuring Adam Levine and several season seven contestants in video segments.

Nissan

The first vignette, debuting during the Nov. 18 episode of "The Voice," will feature Adam Levine giving viewers their first chance to hear a live rendition of "SUGAR" from the new Maroon 5 "V" album while in the middle of a unique driving experience that only Nissan's 545-horsepower supercar, the GT-R, can deliver. This vignette can also be viewed online at NBC.com/Nissan on Nov. 18. The remaining vignettes featuring season seven artists and a variety of Nissan products will air on Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.

"We are excited to work closely with Adam and the talented artists on this season of 'The Voice' to deliver new experiences for fans and our consumers," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S., Nissan North America, Inc. "Expanding on Nissan's partnership with NBC's 'The Voice' is yet another way the brand is reaching beyond traditional advertising and marketing programs to connect directly with our consumers."

As part of the expanded sponsorship, Nissan is also hosting the "Nissan Talent Drive" to give fans the opportunity to win a trip to "The Voice" finale in Los Angeles as well as a front-of-the-line auditions pass for a future season. Fans in Nashville (Nov. 11 at the historic Ryman Auditorium) and Los Angeles (Nov. 17-18 at the Universal CityWalk) will have the chance to sing in the backseat of a Nissan Rogue. The top three entries chosen by a panel of judges from Nissan and "The Voice" will be posted onFacebook.com/NBCTheVoice from Dec. 1–5 for America to "turn their chair" and choose one ultimate winner. Facebook voters will be automatically entered to win a sweepstakes that will send one voter to "The Voice" finale as well.

In September, NBC Universal introduced Nissan as the exclusive automotive sponsor for the next three seasons of "The Voice."

NBC and Nissan's innovative partnership was created to drive excitement for "The Voice" fans through on-air custom content integrations, digital and social media activations and online at NBC.com. Nissan-sponsored elements include:

• "The Voice Official App" powered by Nissan enhances the viewer experience across the show from the blind auditions, "Battles," "Knockouts," and all the way to the live playoffs, giving fans, for the first time, the ability to use the app to vote for their favorite artists live during the broadcast of the show. "The Voice Official App" is available on the App Store or by downloading on Google Play.
• Official sponsorship of "The Voice Tailgate," a behind-the-scenes, pre-show social media event where fans will have the opportunity to interact on social media with artists, coaches, guest performers and other celebrities. Viewers, who log-in for the tailgate party, are rewarded with behind-the-scenes social content, including exclusive photos and video from The Voice.

BISMARCK MOTOR COMPANY HOLDS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR NEW LOCATION

Bismarck Motor Company, a Kupper Automotive dealership, recently held their groundbreaking ceremony for their new location Thurs., Aug. 14. The new location, which will boast 12.5 acres to stock new and used vehicles, is at the intersection of Highway 83 and 57^th Ave NE, north of Furniture Row.

Over 60 attendees were present at the ceremony, including representatives of Volkswagen of America, Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce and the Kupper Automotivedealership family. Following the ceremony, appetizers and beverages were served.

“We are so excited and grateful that so many people were able to come out and share this day with us,” said Chris Schneider, General Manager of Bismarck Motor Company.

The new building will feature 25,000 square feet for the Honda building, 15,000 square feet for the Nissan building and 12,000 square feet for the Volkswagen building. It will also feature the state’s only in-dealership coffee shop.

“The new stores will be the most state-of-the-art facilities in all of North Dakota,” says Bob Kupper. “We will have 12.5 acres to display and stock vehicles, making our location the area’s largest selection of vehicles.”

The new location is slated to be completed in June 2015.

For more information, visit Bismarck Motor Company online at www.bismarckmotorcompany.com.

Nissan Altima named one of the “10 Most Comfortable Cars Under $30,000” by Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com

2014 Nissan Altima - KBB.com's 10 Most Comfortable Cars Under $30k

A consumer favorite and Nissan’s top-selling model in the U.S., the Nissan Altima continues to impress with its premium exterior and interior design and functionality. This week, the 2014 Altima was named one of the “10 Most Comfortable Cars Under $30,000” by Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. The Altima finished sixth on the list, with KBB.com editors specifically citing its “notably comfortable” NASA-inspired “Zero Gravity” front seats as a selling-point.

To create the “10 Most Comfortable Cars Under $30,000” list, KBB.com editors selected cars offering comfort-oriented features that “debuted upmarket just a few years ago.” Each of the 10 vehicles start below $30,000 according to Kelley Blue Book’s Fair Purchase Price (FPP), a tool designed to show shoppers what others are paying for a specific new car. The 2014 Altima’s current FPP is $21,223 USD, among the top three most affordable on the list.

“In addition to its advanced ‘Zero Gravity’ front seats, the 2014 Altima features soft-touch armrests as well as noise absorption materials to help reduce cabin noise and improve the overall experience inside the vehicle,“ said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations. “Coupled with its innovative, stylish design and wide range of available technology features, the Altima is the perfect home-away-from-home. This honor from Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com further reaffirms our commitment to comfortable, quality products and the needs of our customers.”

With a starting MSRP of only $22,170*, the Nissan Altima is the centerpiece of the Nissan lineup. One of the top selling cars in the U.S., it offers a premium exterior and interior and driver-focused technology. Its many attributes include outstanding fuel economy of 38 mpg highway (2.5-liter engine only) and an outstanding balance of ride comfort, stability and a fun-to-drive demeanor. Altima is offered in five well-equipped models to meet a wide range of needs and budgets – and with a choice of a 182-horsepower 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine or 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. Both engines are matched with a smooth, efficient Xtronic transmission.

To view the complete Kelley Blue Book KBB.com “10 Most Comfortable Cars Under $30,000” list, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/most-comfortable-cars-under-30000-2014/2000011042/.

Nissan announces America’s best commercial van warranty; now 5-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage

Nissan is announcing America’s best commercial van warranty* on its Light Commercial Vehicles, increasing basic limited warranty coverage from 3 years/36,000 miles to 5 years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first. The powertrain limited warranty has also been extended from 5 years/60,000 miles to 5 years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The specific models covered by this new bumper-to-bumper warranty include the 2014 NV Cargo Van, NV Passenger Van and the NV200 Compact Cargo.**

“While we’re relatively new to the world of commercial vehicles in the U.S., we’ve already proven our mettle with vehicles that endure harsh conditions that passenger cars will never see,”  said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations.  “This warranty reaffirms our confidence in the quality of our vehicles, as some of the NV 2500 and 3500 models have already accrued 550,000-plus miles of real-world use.”

The improved warranty retroactively covers all 2014 model year Nissan Commercial Vehicles. Nissan has been selling LCVs in the U.S. since spring 2011 with the introduction of the NV Cargo and NV Passenger vans. The NV200 Compact Cargo was released to acclaim in April 2013 and is also the base for the Chevrolet City Express, General Motors’ upcoming entry into the segment.

“As Nissan Commercial Vehicles have established a reputation for ruggedness and durability in the field, we’re gaining sales traction and customer acceptance of our work vehicles,” Diaz added. “We’re in the commercial vehicle game for the long haul, and this warranty will further help our customers to have greater confidence in their vehicles.”

Nissan’s new Light Commercial Vehicle warranty was inspired in part by the stories of Nissan Commercial Vehicles experiencing remarkable longevity under real-world work circumstances with businesses such as Above and Beyond Delivery. The company operates a fleet of 18-20 Nissan NV 3500 cargo vans out of Chandler, Ariz., supporting the mining, pharmaceuticals and food services industries. Above and Beyond began working with Nissan back in 2011, when an NV Cargo was lent to the company for its operations in the mining industry. 

The initial vehicle used by Above and Beyond accrued more than 550,000 miles on its odometer with few repairs or downtime in the course of its service – the most major being an alternator replacement at 382,000 miles. 

“Our drivers operate in the extreme weather of Arizona in challenging conditions, such as the Morenci Mine, which is one of the world’s largest copper mines. Service failures are not an option for us. If a vehicle is down, it is not making money, so the reliability of the Nissan NVs is a massive advantage,” said James Bowman, president, Above and Beyond Delivery.

“We have been very impressed at how good the Nissan NV lineup has gotten – especially with our half-million-mile experience with a single NV Cargo hauling large rock samples – so we are in the process of transitioning all of our light-duty delivery vehicles to Nissan NVs.  We have 25 vehicles on order at present.”

Year-to-date, Nissan has sold more than 10,700 commercial vehicles in the U.S., an 88 percent increase over this time period in 2013.

All Nissan Commercial Vehicles sold in the U.S. are assembled in North America, with the NV Cargo and NV Passenger assembled in Canton, Miss., and the NV200 assembled in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

For more information on Nissan Commercial Vehicles, please visit NissanCommercialVehicles.com. 

Nissan Rogue Named One of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com "10 Best SUVs Under $25,000"

– 2014 model recognized for stylish interior and superb technology offerings –

Noting its "refreshing new sense of style" among other attributes, the editors of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com have named the all-new 2014 Nissan Rogue to their annual "10 Best SUVs Under $25,000" list.

This accolade confirms the attention that the 2014 Rogue has already received from customers – in its first full month of availability, sales of the 2014 Rogue were up 27.8 percent. This late-game sales charge capped a banner year for Nissan's second best-selling vehicle, with 162,751 units sold overall in 2013.

For mid-size SUV buyers, KBB.com notes that the "2014 Nissan Rogue is actually one of the most practical choices on this list. Case in point, the all-new Rogue returns best-in-class fuel economy on the highway* thanks to an enhanced CVT transmission, while a newly available third-row seat ups the Rogue's people-hauling capacity to seven."

From Nissan's perspective, practicality and affordability are essential pillars of the Rogue's appeal. "The all-new Nissan Rogue was designed to offer customers an excellent value, while still providing drivers with unparalleled style, technology, drivability and function," said Dan Mohnke, vice president, Nissan Chief Marketing Manager & Marketing Operations. "Earning a place on KBB.com's list of 10 Best SUVs under $25,000 helps to reaffirm our vision for this vehicle as well as its place in an extremely competitive segment."

The all-new, completely-redesigned 2014 Nissan Rogue, starting at $22,490 M.S.R.P.*, seats up to seven passengers with its optional third row and boasts best-in-class 33 miles per gallon (mpg) highway fuel economy in front-wheel drive models**.

Exceptional passenger and cargo flexibility are provided by the EZ Flex® Seating System, along with the innovative, class-exclusive Divide-N-Hide® Cargo System (two-row models only) that can be configured 18 different ways for cargo storage and protection.

Driving confidence is bolstered by dynamic technologies such as Active Ride Control, Active Engine Braking and Active Trace Control. The 2014 Rogue can be purchased with a variety of available technological features, including NissanConnectTM Apps (smartphone integration for iOS and Android, including Google™, Pandora, iHeartRadio and Facebook), class-exclusive Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Warning.

The 2014 Nissan Rogue is assembled in Smyrna, Tenn.