Cars! Cars! Cars!

Road Tripper

Luxist reports: Busy Mom On-The-Go Will Appreciate Nissan. Not sure why it's always moms who would appreciate a minivan, but there you go...

This particular minivan looks like it would be awesome for a cross-country road trip. Look at all that glass! It reminds of one of those glass-domed train cars that used to be popular. OK, we made up that popular part, but, still. How great would this minivan be going from Brooklyn to CA?

It does appear to be about two feet too short since the back row is right up against the back window -- and how can you store luggage on the beautiful glass roof?

Nissan! Hear Our Call!

Edmunds reports: New Nissan 240SX in the works? Yay! Well, it's only a question and not a New Nissan 240SX in the works! but we can still hope.

As brilliant reader/commenter, John, posted on our Nissan Needs A Fun Car post

As much as I love my Civic Si, I'd love to see other companies give Honda a run for its money and revive the old sport compact market. It's really a shame that the US missed out on the Silvia S15 while also witnessing both the demise of the Celica and Integra and the bloating of the Eclipse (the Trueno getting stateside respect only recently is kinda sad too).

We think Nissan will make this. They've been focusing on the high-end for a while, but we're betting they'll return to us lower-class folk before long.

It's clearly sepia day here at C!C!C!

Nissan Needs A Fun Car

Winding Road reports: Japan Report: Nissan Considering Options for Next Sports-Car. We had high hopes for the 350z when it was announced a few years back. But now those hopes have been dashed by higher-than-we-like prices and sort of a fat body.

We remember the 240 SX fondly and would love to see that beast make another appearance. Nissan, make the 240 SX and make everything the 350z was supposed to be: affordable (<$25k), light (<3,000 pounds) and quick (0-60 in <7 seconds). But before all of that, make it fun.

Potential Yum

Winding Road reports: Spied: Nissan’s New Affordable Sports Car?

Anyone know if this is real? Is it the next generation 350z or maybe something smaller and more affordable? The 350z is sweet, but sorta portly. We'd love to see a real return to roots with a smaller, lighter car. Long live the 240z!

Nissan: Versa Safe For You!

CNN reports: Small Nissan Versa aces crash tests. We like the Versa. It's cheap (more or less), roomy, and apparently safe! Woohoo! Of the three we checked out (Fit, Yaris, Versa) we liked the seats in the Versa the best.

If you want to check out your car (or an upcoming purchase), visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's site. They haven't reviewed every model (no Mazda5 for example), but they do give you the skinny in chart form.

You gotta be careful with the Versa, however. Nissan didn't see fit include all the safety equipment as standard (weak and stupid of Nissan), so make sure you check all the appropriate boxes before purchasing.

Nissan To Build Infiniti

Tell us this mofo doesn't look near identical to the G35 Coupe from Infiniti! Kicking Tires reports: 2006 L.A. Auto Show: Nissan Altima Coupe. Man, talk about calling it an early day in the design studio.

Dude: Hey, Fred. Wanna go grab some beers?
Fred: It's 12:45pm.
Dude: It's 5 o'clock somewhere.
Fred: I like the cut of your jib. Let me just put this pic of a G35 here as a place holder... beer me!

We bet it happened exactly like that.

Nissan's Perfect Quest

Kicking Tires reports: Suburban Dad: Nissan Quest. We don't know Suburban Dad, but we like the cut of his jib. Aarr, matey!*

If we were buying a full-size minivan today and we had the space to park it, we'd go with the 2007 Nissan Quest. We judge the big minivans by the third-row seats. And in the Quest they are good. Very good. Before you go buy an Odyssey or Sienna, make sure to check out the Quest. Nissan's learned from their past Quests and this is really a great example of continuing to improve a product and learning from mistakes (the previous version of the Quest was goofy).

*Yeah, no idea what the hell that is, either. Anyway, that's a 2007 Nissan Quest. It's da shiznit.

Nissan: We'll Get To It, We'll Get To It

CNN/Money reports: Nissan plans to sell electric cars.

Nissan Motor Co. plans to develop and start selling subcompact electric cars powered by self-developed lithium-ion batteries in about three years, the Nihon Keizai (Nikkei) business daily reported on Sunday.

Err, uh, we'll, uh, do this in about three years. Vote Quimby!

Let The Boycotting Begin!

Nissan and Infiniti are Gay-Friendly. Oh, good work Gay Wheels. Nissan and Infiniti were just sitting around being good about everything and you had to go draw attention to their good deeds and now there's gonna be hellfire and brimstone and whatever else made up shite that the haters talk about. Surely there'll be no bikinis. The haters never talk about bikinis. Perhaps that's the reason for the hate?

Go Nissan and Infiniti!

Man, we forget where we got this link from... Autoblog? Jalopnik? Dammit!

Alliance Schlamiance

Autoblog reports: What went wrong? Analysis of GM/Renault-Nissan talks. Yeah, what did go wrong?

(Scene, sitting down to supper at an Olive Garden)
GM CEO Rick Wagoner: So, what's your idea, Carlos?
Renault/Nissan Dude Carlos Ghosn: I have many ideas. Many, many, many ideas. Hey, breadsticks! (begins to talk but mouth is quite full with three breadsticks)
RW: I'm not sure I'm on board with the idea. There's the possibility of cost savings, sure. But you guys are going to get more out of this.
CG: Salad? Man, this place is great. (begins eating)
RW: Really, Carlos. Close your mouth when you chew.
CG: How about we share suppliers. And parts. You like my parts?
RW: Look, if this deal is about to happen, you'll need to put some cash on the table.
CG: I thought the bread and salad were free? What you up to, Rick?
RW: Sigh.