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The Nissan Leaf was named 2011 World Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show, taking the top spot ahead of the BMW 5-Series and the Audi A8. It is the second important award for the Japanese automaker’s all-electric car after being voted 2011 European Car of the Year. Read more »

Yes, you read that correctly. This is a video of a Nissan 370Z coupe challenging a chicken - a Mexican chicken with racing goggles and a helmet, to be precise- in a barn race, and it’s an official spot from Nissan Europe. The admittedly unusual commercial is the creative work of the folks over at the TBWA/G1 advertising agency. Take a look at the clio after the break and tell us what you think in the comments section below. Read more »

There has been a lot of conversation lately about electric cars and racing, with some even talking about introducing the technology into the F1 stage. Nissan, on its part, has a lot to gain in terms of awareness given the brands focus on the development of dedicated electric vehicles like the Leaf.

With this in mind, the Japanese carmaker developed a purpose-built prototype racer loosely based on the production Leaf that will receive its first public outing at the 2011 New York International Auto Show . Compared to the production model, the Lead NISMO RC (for Racing Competition), does away with the rear doors, rear seat, trunk, audio system, navigation, carpeting and other amenities, while gaining a mid-ship location for the battery pack, electric motor and inverter.

It looks like our first reaction to link the Chinese market Nissan Sunny, revealed in December 2010, to the North American 2012 Versa, was spot on, as these photos clearly prove. Nissan’s new entry in the affordable small sedan segment is a very awkward looking proposal (to say the least…), which probably stems from the fact the Versa / Sunny is based on the Micra’s V-platform architecture, hence the odd proportions of the body.

“The new Versa Sedan stands out as the only expensive looking car in the segment – with a lot of eye power,” said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America.

“Its sculpted, dynamic proportions are modern without being gimmicky, projecting a much higher sense of design value than you might expect in a vehicle with a $10,990 starting M.S.R.P."

Nissan unveiled a new design study called Compact Sport Concept at the Shanghai Auto Show. The prototype three-door hatchback is the work of Nissan's global design center in Japan and the brand's Beijing design studio in China. According to the Japanese automaker, the Compact Sport Concept is designed “for young customers in emerging countries”.

Despite the lack of information, it appears that the aggressively styled concept is loosely based on the Micra, as it borrows several elements from Nissan's supermini including the headlight and the two-part grille designs. The hot hatch sports a heavily-sculpted bodywork, with bulged wheel arches, massive bumpers and a windshield that wraps around the center part of the roof.

It won’t be long before Nissan takes the wraps of the North American market 2012 Versa, but the Japanese company offered us our first glimpse of the sub-compact model with the reveal of the new Tiida hatchback at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show today. As some of you may already know, the Versa is sold in numerous markets around the world under the Tiida nameplate.

The new generation of Nissan’s best selling model sports a swoopier exterior design with some styling references to the pure-electric Leaf. The fluid theme is carried over to the interior with a floating center cluster. The Japanese company also promises improved passenger space thanks to the 100mm (3.9-in.) longer wheelbase.

Remote control cars have come a long way. From the little electric fun-buggies that never held a charge long enough, R/C vehicles have evolved into tools and toys - some that even run on fuel and go fast enough to take your legs out from under you (long story) - serving a variety of purposes. After all, aren't those little bomb cars in Black Ops controlled by remote?

Now, it appears, we've found a new use / time waster: towing stuff. In the video below you can see a larger-than-normal R/C hauler actually hauling a Nissan SUV along someone's driveway.

One by one, automakers are revealing their plans for the upcoming 2011 New York International Auto Show. This time we have news from Nissan and its luxury division Infiniti. Starting with Nissan, the Japanese firm will debut a “new compact sedan” and a “new, zero emission motorsports concept”. While we have don’t have any information yet on the concept study, from what we know, the compact sedan will be the next generation of the Versa that was teased in an official sketch back in late 2010.

the Nissan Xterra is an excellent off-road SUV. Though it isn’t as comfortable as car-based crossover SUVs, test drivers claim that the Xterra has a more refined on-road demeanor than many other off-road SUVs. “The 2011 Nissan Xterra is the one most easy to live with."
For 2011, the Nissan Xterra's Off-Road trim level has been renamed Pro-4X, while the SE trim level has been dropped.

The 2011 Nissan Xterra is the one most easy to live with.
To go along with the Xterra's tough-guy appearance, you'll find sturdy body-on-frame construction, a burly V6, tall ground clearance and an available four-wheel-drive system with low-range gearing. The premium Pro-4X trim further bolsters the Xterra's off-highway credentials with skid plates, a driver-selectable locking rear differential, hill descent control and roof-mounted lights.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Nissan Xterra is a five-passenger, four-door SUV available with rear- and four-wheel drive. The Xterra X comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, privacy glass, keyless entry, power locks and mirrors, cruise control, air-conditioning, tilt-only steering wheel, and a six-speaker CD sound system. The Xterra S gains 16-inch alloy wheels, off-road tires, a height-adjustable driver seat with lumbar control, a first aid kit and a cargo organization system. The Pro-4X adds an electronic locking rear differential, hill-start assist, hill-descent control, skid plates, different 16-inch alloy wheels, upgraded off-road tires, foglamps, roof-mounted off-road lights, unique cloth upholstery, a fold-flat passenger seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, white-face gauges, an auto-dimming rearview mirror (with built-in compass), Bluetooth and a nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system with a six-CD changer, auxiliary audio jack, steering-wheel audio controls and satellite radio (with automatic transmission only). The Pro-4X Leather package adds leather upholstery and a passenger seat back pocket, but deletes the passenger seat's flat-folding capability.
Rear-wheel drive is standard on all but the Pro-4X, while the available four-wheel-drive system features a multimode transfer case with low-range gearing.
In Edmunds performance testing, an Xterra 4x4 with an automatic transmission went from zero to 60 mph in 8 seconds. The rear-drive Xterra returns an EPA-estimated 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined.

Safety
The 2011 Nissan Xterra is equipped with antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. Xterra Pro-4X models also come with hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The Nissan Xterra has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash testing procedures. The Xterra's interior controls are easy to use and reach.

Driving Impressions
Thanks to the 2011 Nissan Xterra's powerful V6, performance is sure to satisfy. On the road, the Xterra maneuvers confidently with precise steering and relatively minimal body roll.
The Xterra is built on the Frontier pickup's platform, with a solid axle and leaf springs in back but a multilink setup in front for more responsive handling. All four Xterra models are available in four-wheel drive, and all but the Off-Road edition are available with rear-wheel drive. The available four-wheel-drive system is a part-time, off-road-oriented setup, with high and low ranges. The Xterra is offered in three different trim levels: including X, S, and off-road-focused PRO-4X models. PRO-4X models add 16-inch off-road wheels and tires, Bilstein shocks with off-road tuning, a locking differential (with 4x4), and skid plates. Automatic-transmission Xterras also include Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist.

An in-dash navigation system remains unavailable in the Xterra, but a Bluetooth hands-free phone setup is standard, and PRO-4X models include a Rockford Fosgate premium audio system with auxiliary input, an in-dash 6-CD changer, 8 speakers, a subwoofer, steering wheel audio controls, and XM Satellite Radio.2011 Nissan Xterra

The concept of turning SUVs into pavement-pounding, drag-racing, supercar-shredding monster rods never ceases to amaze me, and by that I mean my jaw is on the floor and I'm completely boggled. I love me some automobiles (and vehicular transportation in general), but there's something about a nigh-three ton box on wheels and oodles of GO that seems...weird.

However, if monster rods - or high performance in general - are your cup of Starbucks soy latte, then Hennessey has got you covered (as if you didn't know that already, what with their cray-cray 1,000+ horsepower Vipers from way back when). Below, for your viewing pleasure, is video of a 2011 Cadillac Escalade drag racing a 2011 R35 GT-R and beating it.

For its latest endeavor, German tuning company Schmidt Revolution has released a rather modest package for the Nissan 370Z Coupe and Roadster sports cars. The tune up doesn’t include any engine modifications, and instead focuses on the Japanese model’s appearance, sound and handling. Read more »

It’s been over a month since the first of a series of earthquakes along with a catastrophic tsunami hit Japan’s shores resulting in devastating destruction and flooding, but the country is still feeling the effects in more ways than one.

According to a news report, Japan’s big seven automakers have lost more than half a million units of output since the March 11 quake. To make matters worse, even though many factories opened recently, they have not yet reached their full production capacity due to a lack of parts.

There are two things many adolescent boys and men love: cars and women. So it makes sense, both to us and event organizers, that cars and women together are a winning combination. Don’t believe me? Try Megan Fox in Transformers, Jordana Brewster in Fast & Furious or Angelina Jolie in that famous scene from Wanted. Like peanut butter and jelly or beer with kebabs, women and cars work.

2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid Reviews

Altima Hybrid is licensed from Toyota’s Hybrid Technology. Hybrid model is unchanged for this year’s model. 2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid model is available in single trim level. Nissan Altima Hybrid model can be offered with three packages. Packages offered with this model include Convenient Package, Premium Package and Technology Package.

Convenient Package include foldable side view mirrors, eight way power adjustable driver seats, automatic headlights, leather wrapped steering column, rear spoilers, outside rear view mirrors integrated with turn signals and steering wheel with audio controls mounted on it.

In a growing class, the 2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid is easily overlooked because of its low fuel economy ratings, limited availability and expensive optional packages.

In theory, the 2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid is an ideal hybrid sedan. Second, the Altima Hybrid has great fuel economy ratings if you compare it to gasoline cars. However, once you look at competing hybrids like the Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Toyota Prius, the Altima’s ratings aren’t impressive. "The 2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid is a solid hybrid family sedan that also happens to be relatively sporty to drive,” says Edmunds. The 2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid’s main competitors are the Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid, each of which bring one or more of these strengths to the table: excellent fuel economy, value, comfort and strong performance.

Nissan has been somewhat hobbled by the fact that its mid-size Altima hybrid sedan utilizes many hybrid parts courtesy of Toyota, which have so far restricted the car’s availability and also profitability.

Other somber exterior colors, such as Navy Blue, Ocean Grey, Dark Slate, Winter Frost, Super Black and (this is a good one) Radiant Silver, help cement this car’s persona as sensible and safe. That said, the Hybrid version appears somewhat out of place compared to its sportier siblings, the Altima sedan and coupe. The Altima Hybrid comes with a standard 6.5-inch centrally mounted touch screen and hard drive navigation system as part of the Technology Package.
Back seat space is decent, with ample legroom (35.8 inches, versus 44.1-in up front).

The powertrain consists of Nissan’s 2.5-liter QR25 four-cylinder, twin cam engine that boasts continuous variable valve timing and electronic throttle control, teamed with an electric motor and a Hybrid Vehicle Electric Control Unit (HV-ECU) that works in conjunction with a Continuously Variable Transmission to provide drive to the wheels.

Unlike Honda’s hybrids, but like the Toyota Prius, the Altima is a true hybrid – the torque produced from the electric motor at zero rpm gives sufficient thrust to move the car at low speeds without assistance of the gasoline engine. For the Hybrid, it’s rated at 158 horsepower at 5200-6000 rpm and 162 ft-lbs of torque. The latter figure is reached at a relatively low 2800 rpm, providing lively mid-range acceleration. Nissan claims that the Altima Hybrid can go around 600 miles between fill ups and EPA fuel economy ratings are 33-mpg city and 35-mpg highway. During our time with the Altima Hybrid, we put it through multiple 120 mile round trips, much of it through city driving, and the difference in fuel consumption was quite noticeable with visits to the pump almost halved. Still, when compared to newer and more advanced hybrids like the Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata, the fuel economy is less than impressive.

Although the Altima Hybrid doesn’t exactly scream ‘enthusiast,’ the chassis and suspension tuning are definitely biased toward the tauter side of comfort. The ride is fairly firm, even with the 16-inch wheels and high profile 60 series tires, while pushing the car through the turns reveals surprisingly neutral handling for a front driver. Standard Vehicle Stability Control also helps. The Altima Hybrid sports four-wheel disc brakes with standard ABS and features regenerative braking, a feature common to other hybrid cars. For 2011 the Altima Hybrid’s price remains unchanged at $26,780 for a single, decently equipped model. Given the high profile status that hybrids currently enjoy, the Altima Hybrid seems to have been lost in the shadows almost since the day it was introduced.

The shortage of parts and electricity problems in Japan in the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake may delay the production of at least 500,000 Toyota vehicles, according to market research company Advanced Research Japan.

The world's largest carmaker may subsequently see its operating profit drop by at least 100 billion yen ($1.2 billion) in the 2010 fiscal year (ending March 31 2011) and up to 200 billion yen in the 2011 fiscal year. Auto analyst Koji Endo says any impact on production destined for export will affect earnings even more. “Hardly any cars will be built in April and a very low level of production will continue from May,” Endo was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

Usually, it’s Nissan owners that want to upgrade to a model from sister company Infiniti, but in this case, it’s the other way around. Found for sale in Quebec by Carscoop reader Caroline is this Nissan GT-R wannabe based on the Infiniti G35 Coupe. From what we can tell, the owner’s budget dried out after he or she finished the front end that now resembled the R35 with a bespoke grille and front bumper assembly. Read more »

At last November’s LA Auto Show, Nissan lifted the sheets off the revised GT-R that recently went on sale as a 2012MY in North America and as a 2011MY in the rest of the world. Key changes over the previous model include a 45HP bump in output to 530HP, plus a series of aero and chassis tweaks.

For those of you wondering how these modifications affected the GT-R’s performance on the notorious Nordschleife, Nissan’s team managed to shave more than two seconds off the 2011MYs time of 7:26.4, dropping it to 7:24.22, allegedly in less than ideal conditions. You’ll have to skip to about 3:20 into the clip for the driving to begin.

We also found a edited film on Youtube that compares the 2012 GT-R and Corvette ZR-1 on the 'Ring in a split format, which was created by synchronizing the two videos at the pit exit. Watch both videos after the jump.

Ford’s Brazilian arm has filed a criminal (!) lawsuit against the local division of Nissan for airing an aggressive TV commercial directed at the Focus sub-compact. To make a long story short, the parody-like ad points the finger at Ford for allegedly overpricing its Focus model.

The TV spot, which looks exactly like a rap video, shows two men dressed as Ford engineers living the big life with gold chains and rings, plenty of champagnes, and –the best part- an exotic assortment of sexy women in bikinis dancing around them. And oh, there’s also a silver Ford Focus on the background….

At the end, the commercial announces the price of Nissan’s Tiida sub-compact (sold as the Versa in the States), which in Brazil, costs around BR 3,000 or a little over US$1,800 less than Ford’s rivaling Focus.

Infiniti continues to expand its reach around the world and has now confirmed plans to begin sales of its range of sedans, coupes and crossovers in Australia from the third quarter of 2012. The introduction in Australia follows the presentation of the premium brand in the UK, Western Europe and select Asia Pacific markets.

The Japanese company said it will create Infiniti Centres in each of the three major east coast capitals of the country in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The initial lineup will include the FX sport crossover, G37 hardtop convertible and coupe, and the M luxury sedan.

"As part of Infiniti's worldwide expansion, Australia is a mandatory next step for the luxury brand," said Dan Thompson CEO, Infiniti Cars Australia. "In a little more than a year, the promise of luxury vehicles with a unique combination of inspired performance, attentive hospitality and unparalleled quality will become a reality for the Australian market.”

The Nissan Cube is hard to pigeonhole. As part city-friendly microvan, part tall compact wagon, and part utility vehicle, it's unrivaled in style and packaging. The 2011 Nissan Cube is an oddity, no doubt. Like the Scion xB, the Cube has a boxy design with rounded corners everywhere, but with its asymmetry and flared sheetmetal for the wheel wells and rear fascia, the Cube is far more distinctive than the xB. All Cube models come with a 122-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, powering the front wheels.

The Cube's interior is actually more spacious for passengers than the exterior design suggests. Cargo-wise, the Nissan Cube isn't quite as stellar. The top Kr?m model gives the 2011 Nissan Cube a dressed-up appearance—including a roof spoiler, a chrome grille with horizontal bars, bright painted alloy wheels, interior accent lighting, aluminum pedals, and a different front and rear fascia, plus various extras, such as Bluetooth, steering-wheel audio controls, and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer.

Despite its somewhat boxy shape, the 2011 Nissan Cube is surprisingly nimble on the road. As fun as the Cube is to drive, though, it comes at a price: noise. Road noise in the 2011 Cube, especially when on the freeway, is practically unbearable.

The 2011 Nissan Cube’s 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine is capable of 122 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. The most affordable version of the Cube comes with a six-speed manual transmission. Higher trims have an optional continuously variable transmission, or CVT, available. Cubes with manual transmissions get fuel economy ratings of 24/29/26. Cubes with the CVT get fuel economy ratings of 28/30/29.

A navigation system is available for the 2011 Cube, though, which is sure to win some drivers over. Visibility is exceptional, making for a safe driving experience.

The Nissan Cube is unusual looking, which is a big part of its attraction to drivers.--There are two main advantages to the 2011 Nissan Cube: fun and affordability. This car is definitely geared towards young drivers; its unique styling isn’t going to appeal to everyone. Nimble handling and fairly good gas mileage are also perks of driving the Cube. Zipping around in this eye-catching car is definitely an experience.
Without a doubt, the 2011 Nissan Cube’s unique styling is one of its biggest downfalls.

The 2011 Nissan Cube remains an eccentrically styled four-door wagon with surprising room for four big adults. hould you buy the 2011 Nissan Cube or wait for a 2012 Nissan Cube? The Nissan Versa that donates its underskin engineering to the Cube is set to be fully redesigned for model-year 2012 or 2013, but the Cube isn’t likely to change until a model-year or two after Versa’s redesign.

The 2011 Nissan Cube styling continues with the same blend of cute and weird it debuted with for model-year 2009. The 2011 Nissan Cube is offered in four models, labeled 1.8, 1.8 S, 1.8 SL, and 1.8 Krōm Edition. Cube 1.8 and 1.8 S models come with 15-inch tires with wheel covers; 1.8 SL and 1.8 Krōm Edition models come with 16-inch alloys. Mechanical: The 2011 Nissan Cube carries over mechanically unchanged. In contrast to its funky image, Cube is quite orthodox mechanically. Based on the Versa’s proven platform and powertrain, the Cube has front-wheel drive, a beam rear axle, and rear drum brakes.

Standard on every 2011 Nissan Cube are antilock brakes with brake assist, plus traction-control and antiskid systems. Seat mounted front side airbags and head-protecting curtain side airbags for both seating rows are likewise included.

The 2011 Nissan Cube is fun to drive, with lively acceleration and an impressively absorbent ride. Features: The 2011 Nissan Cube comes reasonably well equipped with amenities like air conditioning, power windows, mirrors, and locks, remote keyless entry, and an intermittent rear wiper.