At the technical briefing for Nissan's revolutionary new Leaf electric vehicle in Japan recently, the press department nearly caught us off guard by flashing some unexpected images between reams of diagrams and figures expounding the virtues of the Leaf. Luckily we had our trusty camera at the right moment and were able to capture three sketches that help bring the company's future electric vehicle plans into focus.

Chevy Volt, Ferrari 458 Italia, and Aston Martin Rapide also win awards

Three seconds flat. That's how long it took this AMS-tuned 2009 Nissan GT-R to hit 60 mph from a standstill. Doesn't sound like much when it's just words on a screen, does it? Allow us to assist you with the miracle of perspective:

In the past, to drive a small and inexpensive car was like eating a bowl of Top Ramen: Every taste was a reminder of what we weren't getting in a package of the most basic ingredients.

A clown car phenomenon is sweeping the auto industry. The Scion xA, Honda Fit, Kia Rio5 and Toyota Yaris are all not only comically shaped but capable of cramming five passengers into their diminutive proportions. Born out of rising gas prices and long wait lists for hybrids, this trick gets you high fuel-efficiency and a low sticker price without having to sacrifice people-hauling capability.

The Altima is arguably the most important Nissan product of the last decade. If you go back a mere 10 years and look at Nissan circa 1996 you'll see a company struggling to survive in the North American market. The Z was about to die. The "premium" products coming out of Infiniti were lackluster at best, and nothing in Nissan's future portfolio indicated a turnaround was anywhere on the horizon.

Nissan markets the Xterra as the ultimate SUV for young outdoor enthusiasts, but these three members of the target demographic weren't digging it.

Comments from the mud-covered trio of 20-somethings at a local mountain bike trailhead included, "That's the new Xterra? It's so ugly, it looks like it's already been run into."

While everyone’s attention at Nissan’s stand in Geneva was aimed at their new Esflow concept, the 370Z GT Edition sitting idly by almost passed by unnoticed. It’s a little unnerving, but it’s a good thing it didn’t escape altogether because it is a very cool car. The model was created as a special celebration of Nissan’s huge success in GT racing all over the world and as part of the celebration the special edition gets subtle suspension revisions, special racing strips, new wheels, and three special body color choices. The V6 engine remains unchanged.

The snow has melted in most parts of the world, so customers are gearing up for what will be a hot Spring and an even hotter Summer. And if you just so happen to be an owner of a 2008-2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster, then you’ll want to pay attention. Schmidt Revolution has prepared a tuning package for the roadster that offers a new set of wheels, a new coilover suspension and a stainless steel exhaust system to get the car ready for those long, top down rides.

Hennessey has been laying out packages left and right for a variety of models lately, including the Dodge Ram HPE500, Cadillac Escalade, and now, the lusciously tuned Nissan GT-R. There was no time wasted fiddling with the exterior of the GTR because Hennessey went straight to work pumping up the standard 3.8L V6 engine to produce up to 800 HP.

"I still find it amazing how much removing the top wakes up the 370Z," writes senior editor Jonny Lieberman. "There's something almost sterile about the hardtop that's missing from the Roadster, especially when the top is down. Sure, it's still a convertible (and a modern, heavy one at that), so it's not the most ideal track car. But there will always be something wonderful about a car that makes you smile while you're commuting home from work.

Compact sedans are all the rage, with a host of new entries from both domestic and import manufacturers reaching showrooms recently. Nissan will cash in on that popularity with the 2012 Versa sedan, debuting today at the New York auto show with refreshed styling and tweaks to improve fuel economy.
The 2012 Versa rides on an evolution of the last car's platform called V, for Versatile. The sedan's wheelbase and width are unchanged from the current model, but it loses about an inch of length and height. Despite this, Nissan says that packaging improvements for the engine and transaxle mean there is more trunk space. The new car also should be marginally lighter than before.

"800 crank horsepower with 550 pound-feet of torque on a 93 octane tune..." the e-mail reads. It's from Martin Musial, founder and president of Chicago-based AMS Performance, one of the country's premier aftermarket race and street car builders.

The Z Roadster is being driven mostly around town and through twisting canyons instead of on really long trips-as it should be for a car like this. There are gripes about a lack of refinement under the hood and in the cabin, but most agree the 370's personality and performance more than make up for its shortcomings.
But a debate is raging about whether the SynchroRev match system, offered with the manual transmission, is awesome or annoying. Some comments from the staff: "SynchroRev match is great. There's no reason to drive this car with that disabled. I could never rev-match as perfectly as the computer no matter how hard I try, so why bother?" writes associate Web editor Kirill Ougarov. Adds assistant Web producer Carlos Lago, "I love SynchroRev match. It could very well be the best part of this car. Some say it isn't needed, but I guarantee their drive home is jerkier with it off. The system is quicker and more precise than any foot."

Six short years ago, the minivan segment was thriving. Sales were a million strong and nameplates were as diverse as the sweet selections in a box of See's chocolates. From Japan (Honda Odyssey, Mazda MPV, Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna) and Korea (Kia Sedona) to the good ol' US of A (Buick Terraza, Chevy Uplander, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, Ford Freestar, Mercury Monterey, Pontiac Montana, Oldsmobile Silhouette, Saturn Relay), the minivan menu offered savory -- and, let's face it, some unsavory -- choices for every mom and dad.

Toyota Camry. Honda Accord. Nissan Altima. This Japanese trio has dominated North America's midsize sedan game for awhile now. But recently, the competitive set has grown not only in size to include the Fusion, Sonata, Malibu, Legacy, Jetta, etc., but in overall amenities. Long gone are the days when automakers could entice customers with power windows, automatic door locks, and that oh-so-convenient cruise control.