What’s the most technologically advanced car in Japan? According to the country’s Car of the Year award, it’s the Nissan GT-R. (more…)

“Cheap” isn’t the best term to use in marketing, they say you should replace it with “inexpensive” or “cost effective.” But when it comes to Nissan, they aren’t afraid of “cheap” as long as it means pricing and not manufacturing. (more…)

Nissan has a new two-door jeep vehicle with a familiar name - KIX. But this isn’t a bowl of cereal, it’s a small but powerful off-roader containing a turbocharged engine under its hood. KIX is part of the Nissan/Mitsubish partnership blossoming right now. But what is the appeal of a car like this? Certainly not anything such as design. Outside, Nissan’s KIX shows off a simple, almost turn of the century Ford Explorer look. Inside, we have to admit, KIX looks like a Isuzu from the late 1980’s. Dials and gauges are small and unimaginative - while the slapstick shifter reminds us of a Pontiac Firebird. If a production version of KIX ever makes it to North America, it better be a little more flashy…or at least in expensive and fuel efficient. We expect a little more from Nissan, however.

NuVu (New View) is a “Bubble” concept brought to us by Nissan, and from the crystal clear lid to the shocked-looking eyeball head lights, NuVu may become our favorite little city car concept at the Paris Motor Show. With an electric motor on board, (Nissan’s production EV drivetrain, which debuts in 2010) range and speed top out at (an alleged) 125 kilometers at 120 km/hour. Nissan’s laminated Li-Ion battery has been tested twice as efficient as your average lithium-ion pack, remaining twice as efficient even after five years or 100,000 kms of continuous usage. The “2 = 1″ seating arrangement makes it perfect for a small family or your professional couple’s day out at Trader Joes.

And frankly - it’s adorable too!

The Nissan GT-R has been a jewel in Nissan’s sports car crown since it’s 2007 premier in Japan. Street kings love the high powered, fast drifting Tokyo vehicle, with its twin turbo 3.8 liter V6 engine, along with your standard GR6 dual-clutch six-speed transmission. Come on, would you want to go any other way than a 6-speed? GT-R’s top speed of 192 mph can be reached after a zero-to-sixty launch of 3.5 seconds. The GT-R also lapped Nurburgring’s Nordschleife track in 7 min 35 sec, giving it a better time than a Mercedes SLR McLaren (7 min 40 sec) Porsche 911 Turbo (7 min 40 sec) and Corvette Z06 (7 min 42 sec) - pretty good company for a Nissan.

2009’s GT-R body construction combines steel, carbon fiber and aluminum, with a low coefficient drag of 0.27. Expect to be thrilled when a GT-R comes to (select) Nissan dealerships in the United States, with prices ranging from $69,850 - $71,900 depending on package and engine type.

There’s also The GT-R 570 horse power upgrade available. Your standard GT-R is rated at 480 HP, an upgrade is supposed to push you past the 550 limit. But is this amount of horse power on a Nissan fact? One Hong Kong race shop hooked a GT-R up to some HP readers and decided to go for a drive, and ended up with 559 HP!

The auto maker calls its NV200 Mobile Office “A Smart Business Tool of New Generation, for Active Professionals.” NV200 combines storage with an office space that has the ability to extract its interior out like a drawer. This allows all your workstation items to be at arms reach while traveling. When parked, you can extend a large storage space to reach any valuables or tools. You can contact clients or get your paperwork done while parked at a lake or beach - then take your scuba gear out for a run during a lunch break.

Nissan states their interiors of the NV200 Mobile Office concept creates an efficient work space with a human touch. Its cargo area is customizable, so you can switch and swap out storage areas for whatever your hobby or business requires.

Get ready to see your co-workers rolling past the office in their Nissan NV200 sometime in the next few years.

When you go to accelerate around something and (hopefully) avoid collision the gas pedal will fight against you. Perhaps adding a sensor to differentiate between normal acceleration and a slam on the gas to what I like to call “escape velocity” is needed. To compensate, Nissan is also introducing a prototype for what they’ve branded an “All-Around Collision Free” sensor layout.

Two state of the art technologies are being implemented in the Collision Free System – side collision & back-up collision prevention. There will also be a distance control and a lane departure prevention system. Side collision prevention includes side-mounted sensors, which warn of approaching vehicles when the driver is going to change lanes. If a car is on your left or right the vehicle will slow or cease merging to prevent a hit. The reverse warning system works the same, also sounding an alarm. The distance indicator helps keep adequate space between vehicles while in transit, side space is kept optimal with lane departure sensors to keep your car from veering over either of the road strips.

These programs complete Nissan’s “Safety Shield” concept - protecting the vehicle and its occupants from accidents coming from all directions. Sound technologies and great concepts from Nissan, but we still have to see how each works during real life road situations. There are some events only the great computer of your mind can predict instantly. These concepts also beg the question: How long before driver intuition and human interaction are removed completely from the equation of vehicle operation?

Photos Courtesy of Nissan