• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Nissan announced today the pricing for its revamped Z, which starts at under $30,000. The 2009 370Z Coupe, featuring a shorter wheelbase, more horsepower, and a lighter, more aerodynamic body, has an MSRP starting at a reasonable $29,930, which includes the six-speed manual transmission. The new seven-speed automatic transmission will bring the price to $31,230. The 370Z Touring model, with an MSRP of $34,460 for the manual transmission, and $35,760 for the automatic, includes heated power seats, audio upgrades, and a Bluetooth phone system. 

The Sport Package is available for an additional $3000, and features larger brakes, 19-inch RAYS wheels dressed with Bridgestone Potenza tires, and the new SynchroRev Match for the six-speed. The Navigation Package adds $1850 and an iPod interface.

Along with the pricing, Nissan announced a revised marketing tagline, “SHIFT_the way you move.”

Scroll down to read the full press release.

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

— Las Vegas, Nevada

Downshifting from third into second for an especially tight right-hander, Nissan’s 370Z makes a soaring, rev-matching howl that radiates through the desert like thrown-stone ripples in a quiet pool. It’s the sort of bellicose and randy whine that alerts motor-minded schoolboys to prick up their ears, setting the would-be racer’s heart to flutter. The uninitiated might assume that the sonorous growl of a lone sports car in the desert may simply evaporate into the vast distance, but our tour of the stark, southern Nevada moonscape in the newest Z proved that to be untrue, with the hard scrabble surfaces acting more like an echo chamber for the roaring V-6 and a sonic lodestar for anyone within earshot.

(Click through the jump to read on.)

The GT-R has become a standard against which drivers gage the practical value of other sports cars, often in the form of a drag race. What makes this video interesting, however, is the opponent the guys at Garage419 choose for the beloved Nissan. What happens when a nitrous-fueled Corvette ZHZ rented from Hertz takes on the Japanese beast over an eighth of a mile?

+ Garage419: NOS Rental Vette vs Nissan GT-R

When we originally reported that certain automakers would be pulling out of the 2009 North American International Auto Show, we wondered what the floor at Cobo Hall would look like without the absence of key players in our marketplace. However, in a late breaking change of plans, we have learned that local dealerships will be footing the bill to have Nissan, Infiniti, and Mitsubishi products make their way to the NAIAS floor.

To be clear, though, there won't be any models, fancy displays, or high-wattage lighting; but as Joe Serra, NAIAS co-chairman says, "The cars are going to be the stars." This will surely be a big hit with enthusiasts hoping to see some of their favorite Japanese products in the flesh. The extra space was originally going to be filled with displays from Chinese exhibitors, so we'll have to wait and see what this change of plans will do to the Detroit show's layout.

+ The Car Connection: Nissan, Infiniti, and Mitsubishi Back At Cobo Hall

Nissan is reportedly phasing out some of its aging larger vehicles, namely the Armada and Infiniti QX. These vehicles are currently produced in Nissan's Mississippi plant, but the production team down there will instead be focusing on a new large vehicle based on the NV2500 Concept. There's no official word that Nissan will be completely killing its full-size SUVs, but poor sales have caused the automaker to rethink their product strategies moving forward.

Nissan could be shifting production of these models to other plants, but Armada and QX sales are down significantly compared to last year's sales. We're not sure what's on the production front for the NV2500, but Nissan is looking forward to joining the commercial vehicle segment. Us? We're already plotting out our comparison test between the NV2500 and the Dodge Sprinter.

+ Motor Authority: Report: Nissan phasing out production of Armada and Infiniti QX56 SUVs

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Each year, a jury of well-seasoned automotive personnel give out the International Car of the Year awards in a big ceremony to kick off the North American International Auto Show festivities. This year will be no different, and the final nominees have officially been announced. The Dodge Challenger, Ford Flex, and Nissan GT-R will do battle for the International Car of the Year title, while the Dodge Ram 1500, Ford F-150, and Subaru Forester duke it out for the International Truck of the Year honors.

In addition, the jury will be presenting their first-ever Earth, Wind & Power awards, showcasing cars that help to reduce global warming and promote a cleaner environment. For this new award, the BMW 335d, Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and Jetta SportWagen TDI are the nominees for Car of the Year, and the BMW X5 35d, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetec are in the runnings for Truck of the Year.

Which cars will reign supreme? We'll have to wait until the official awards ceremony set to take place on January 10 at Detroit's MGM Grand casino. In the meantime, click through the above gallery to see all of the nominees and stay tuned for the winners.

+ ICOTY

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

Caption:

Toyota Prius
48 mpg city / 45 mpg highway / 46 combined

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

If there was one positive factor about 2008's energy crisis, it's that it forced consumers to put more weight on fuel economy when making car-buying decisions. And while we may have moved away from $4-per-gallon gasoline, fuel efficiency still places high on the "must have" list for a lot of new car shoppers. Now that we know how easily these price hikes can happen, it's better to be safe than sorry, right?

We've seen major manufacturers expanding their ranges of hybrid offerings, and for the first time, clean diesels are starting to make their way onto American soil, proving that you don't have to sacrifice performance for the sake of fuel consumption. Scroll through the gallery above to see out list of the ten most fuel efficient cars for 2009.

Note: This information is based off of the 2009 FuelEconomy.gov listing.

It may sound odd to you, but the Renault-Nissan Alliance hasn't produced any modern V6 Diesel engines - so far. After all the alliance, will have a decent engine to go with their 10th anniversary next year.

The first Diesel V6 engine developed and produced by the Alliance bares the code V9X. It is based on dCi common rail technology, and know-how derived from the 2.0 dCi straight four engine (year 2005).

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 

Good news. Nissan is already on its way making the next Le Mans racer, building on the current GT-R R35. Even better news, the company is also working on a streetable version of the racer, dubbed the LM Edition and will be produced in very limited numbers.

Information on the GT-R LM Edition is rather scarce at the moment, but sources say that it will be powered by the same 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine as the standard model, but 'tweaked' some to produce a pleasant and gentlemanly 600 horsepower instead of the usual 480 horses. Harmonized with an arsenal of upgrades including larger brakes, lighter wheels, suspension and transmission adjustments, as well as aerodynamic improvements in the bodywork, the LM Edition should be able to whip around a track much, much quicker than its standard counterpart.

While special, this isn't the first time Nissan has built a LM Edition car. In the late 1990s, a limited run of R33 Skylines, also called LM Edition, were available to the public in a Competition Blue to commemorate the Skyline's participation in the 24-hours of Le Mans.

+ Carscoop: Nissan GT-R Le Mans Edition: Limited Production Model with 600HP!

• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

Caption:

ACURA TL

Last Generation: 2004 - 2008
Current Generation: 2009

A lot of controversy has been stirred over the contrasting chevron grille that Acura has put on most of its new models, and while the last-gen TL wasn't necessarily a huge step forward in sporty expression, we prefer its cleaner lines and less-contrived aesthetic.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Most of the time, when an automaker completely overhauls one of their models, it's a good step forward for not only the car, but for the brand it represents. However, there are other times where the design teams make some questionable decisions and the new products end up looking worse than their predecessors.

Thus, we present our list of ten cars that, from a design standpoint, we think looked better in their previous generation. Scroll through our gallery to see all of the contenders, and leave a comment with any cars that you think we may have missed, and/or maligned.