By now, the novelty factor of new vehicles being revealed on manufacturers' Facebook pages has faded, but that doesn't keep them from continuing to do it. The latest is the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. From the "concept" model's reveal at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, it was clear the Pathfinder was in for an extreme makeover, going from a truck-based body-on-frame chassis to a stretched version of the Murano's unibody chassis. The photos of the production model show little change from the concept shown in Detroit.
The new Pathfinder will share most of its dimensions and hardware with the recently launched Infiniti JX35 crossover, and like its uptown counterpart, will also be produced at Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee, plant. Its powertrain will be Nissan's familiar 3.5-liter VQ-family V-6 producing 265 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque matched to a CVT automatic transmission, just like the JX35 and the Murano. The new engine is down just 1 hp, but 40 lb-ft from the 4.0-liter V-6 in its predecessor. Obviously, the optional chest-pounding 5.6-liter V-8 is not making the transition either, which made 310 hp and 388 lb-ft as installed in the Pathfinder.
The new Pathfinder follows in the footsteps of General Motors' Lambda midsize crossovers and the 2011 Ford Explorer in going from a truck-based platform to a more car-like crossover chassis.