Miniature Nissan car wash means better paint, worry-free washing

Miniature Nissan car wash
The smallest car wash you’ve never seen keeps busy at Nissan Technical Center North America in Farmington Hills, Michigan

  • Nissan engineers test paint samples in the scaled-down car wash to ensure exterior paint holds up to the demands of a modern car wash, which can scratch clearcoats and abrade paint
  • Special dirt, called “Arizona test dirt” by testers, is applied to paint samples during the test cycle to replicate real-world grit and ensure that Nissan paint is tough and long-lasting

(Farmington Hills, MICH. – Dec 13th, 2017) – A miniature car wash, about the size and shape of a popcorn machine, plays an important role at the Nissan Technical Center North America in Michigan. Equipped with a spinning brush that has vibrant blue bristles, this highly specialized (and fun to watch!) machine allows engineers to test paint samples to make sure Nissan’s exterior paints hold up to the tough environment of automatic car washes.

Long before a Nissan ends up on dealer lots, engineers have made sure that every shade of exterior paint will stay looking great, even if our customer frequently takes his Altima or her 370Z through the rigors of an automatic car wash.

To mimic an automatic wash cycle, Nissan’s miniature car wash spins the brush at around 180 rpm, causing the bristles to harshly slap the paint sample as water jets spray and “Arizona dirt” replicates the harsh and abrasive real world.

In the video below, the red 1:16 scale model of the 370Z is for illustrative purposes only. In actual testing, Nissan paint is applied to rectangular plates (such as the yellow sample seen in the photos), which are placed into the miniature car wash and tested multiple times to ensure a top-quality finish that lasts.

Nissan’s Miniature Car Wash

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.com and www.infinitiusa.com, or visit the U.S. media sites nissannews.com and infinitinews.com.

About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2016, the company sold 5.63 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.72 trillion yen. In fiscal 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.OV.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with a core operating profit margin of 8% and cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.OV.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world’s best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has a global workforce of 247,500 and has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999. In 2016, Nissan acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is today the world’s largest automotive partnership, with combined annual sales of almost 10 million units a year.

About Nissan Canada Inc.
Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. NCI directly employs 306 full-time staff across offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC). There are 200 independent Nissan dealerships, including 45 that also act as Nissan Commercial Vehicles dealers, and 42 INFINITI retailers across Canada. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year and World Car of the Year awards.

More information about Nissan in Canada and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissan.ca and www.INFINITI.ca.