Nissan

Before the recession, automakers at auto shows regularly showed off futuristic concept cars, which seemed more about keeping the design departments busy than developing future products. When resources became scarce, concept cars largely became prototypes brought out to gauge public reaction.

Such is still the case, given the assortment of concept cars we saw during the most recent international auto show cycle.… Read more

You are driving your car. You see something flying at you.

What do you do? What do you think? Do you assume the aliens have arrived? Do you you decide that this is mere debris from a passing truck, so as long as it doesn't hit the windshield you'll be fine?

Well, that depends on if you're in Georgia. For in that state, iPads allegedly fly.

You might sense that my senses have flown to foreign parts. Before you judge, I will just ask that you peruse this report from Atlanta's ABC57 News.

There, you will … Read more

I distrust convertible cars. A thin covering of cloth over my head when driving down the freeway in a rainstorm does not inspire confidence. Driving with the top down on a sunny day seems like a recipe for skin cancer. Those concerns, however, mysteriously disappear whenever I get behind the wheel of a convertible, put the top down, and go for a cruise in the country. The open top experience engenders a carefree feeling, an enjoyment of the surroundings impossible with a metal roof overhead. The envious looks of other drivers and pedestrians as I cruise by confirm the wonder that is driving a convertible.

With the end of winter, we have rounded up five convertibles to consider for your driving pleasure. … Read more

Nissan opened a new research center in Sunnyvale, California this week, where it will develop autonomous and connected car technologies. The new center is expected to have a staff of 60 within four years.

Nissan held a launch event for the new center, with presentations by Professor Alex Pentland, Director of the Human Dynamics Laboratory at MIT, and Professor Chris Gerdes, Director of Stanford's Center for Automotive Research.

Gerdes focused his talk on his development of steer-by-wire technology at Stanford, undertaken with the assistance of Nissan. That type of technology enters production with the Infiniti Q50.

The new research … Read more

Oft-criticized for its appearance, something about the Nissan Juke appealed to gearheads, enough so that the company created the Juke-R, a high-performance, and costly, version of the compact SUV using the GT-R's engine. For those of us lacking the funds for one of those custom-built rocket sleds, Nissan comes out with the Juke Nismo.

The Juke Nismo was first shown as a concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

Nismo is Nissan's sport brand, which in the retail market covers performance parts and a version of the 370Z. The introduction of the Juke Nismo should be the first … Read more

The days of bragging about a car stereo's wattage may be coming to an end. Bose has developed a new audio system for the Nissan Leaf that focuses on reduced electricity usage. The new system will be available as an option on 2013 models.

As current battery technology limits electric-vehicle range, automakers look for savings in auxiliary systems, and get rid of niceties such as power-adjustable seats. Bose's proposition for the Leaf is that you can still have good sound quality without a hugely powerful amp.

Six speakers and a subwoofer make up the loudspeaker part of the … Read more

Hybrid and electric cars turn in the best fuel economy numbers, but if you are not ready to trust that newfangled technology, here are five gasoline-driven cars that manage very good mileage. For this round-up, we stuck with recent models we have actually driven. Instead of focusing on the highway fuel economy number, which many automakers do in their advertising, we looked at the combined city and highway numbers. … Read more

It must be a new season of sharing as major automakers sign agreements to co-develop fuel cell technology. Last week Toyota and BMW said they would work together on a fuel cell system, while today Ford, Daimler, and Renault-Nissan announced they would pool research into fuel cell technology. In their joint press release, Ford, Daimler, and Renault-Nissan said they would produce fuel cell vehicles in 2017.

All of these companies have been working on the technology, and some have demonstrated prototype vehicles. Mercedes-Benz, part of Daimler, has been testing multiple generations of its F-Cell fuel cell vehicle, and currently runs … Read more

The 2013 North American International Auto Show -- simply, the Detroit auto show for those familiar -- was the stage for quite a few debuts that ran the gamut of vehicle types, classes, and feasibility. Chevrolet pulled the wraps off of the next great American supercar, a dueling pair of luxury sedans were debuted by Infiniti and Lexus, Ford showed off a very thinly veiled look at the future of one of the best selling vehicles in the world, and glossy concept sedans and crossovers could be found around every corner.

Among this wide range of vehicles, one theme was shared: fuel efficiency. Of course, it's no surprise that the next generation of vehicles will need to sip less fuel than the last, but we found the variety of fuel-saving techniques for these concepts and production cars to be almost as interesting as the cars themselves. We've rounded up a few highlights below:… Read more