Topic: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

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10 great summer cars

Wind in your hair, sun in your face – the summer drive is as classic a pastime as barbecues and baseball. For dedicated sun-seekers, the right machine can make all the difference, and since most of us can’t afford the demi-convertible Maybach Landaulet limousine, here are 10 fun-loving new models sure to keep a summer smile on your face. Climb into one of these this season, and you’ll be happy to keep driving duties for yourself.
Seven hot cars for Valentine’s Day

It’s Valentine’s Day, and those “sexiest cars” lists are rolling in. Silly? A little, but it’s too much fun not to play along. We looked at 2011 cars that were attainable (sorry, Dr. Porsche, Jaguar, Tesla), not overly obvious (Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang, BMW 3-series), and sporting a noticeably new look. We like the Volvo C30, but it didn’t much improve a reliably pretty fleet. I haven’t driven all these vehicles, but over several years of test-driving I did race through several of these cars’ predecessors. You can still see the skid marks. Here, in random order, are my seven hot cars for Valentine’s Day 2011:
Auto sales: seven cars in fast lane despite slow economy

Auto sales in the US fell sharply in August, compared with numbers that were juiced a year ago by the federal "cash for clunkers" incentive program. But when you compare sales so far this year with the first eight months of 2009, industry sales have at least moved in a positive direction. Here are the top-gaining models for each of the seven biggest car sellers.
In Pictures: Fuel cells
In Pictures: Tiny Cars

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In Gear
Nissan electric vehicle: Van to be built in Spain. NYC next?

Nissan electric vehicle to be built in Barcelona will be a 100 percent electric delivery van. The Nissan electric vehicle will be the company's second, following the Leaf.
In Gear
BMW voted most valuable car brand. Where does your car rank?

BMW grabbed the top spot as the world's most valuable car brand in the BrandZ Top 100 Global survey, edging out Toyota. BMW brand value has risen 10 percent over the past year.
10 great summer cars

Wind in your hair, sun in your face – the summer drive is as classic a pastime as barbecues and baseball. For dedicated sun-seekers, the right machine can make all the difference, and since most of us can’t afford the demi-convertible Maybach Landaulet limousine, here are 10 fun-loving new models sure to keep a summer smile on your face. Climb into one of these this season, and you’ll be happy to keep driving duties for yourself.
In Gear
Electric-car sales fall in April

Nissan Leaf sees biggest fall, with only 370 cars sold. Prius plug-in hybrids see biggest sales, with more than 1,600 sold in April. 
New York's next-gen taxis: moonroofs and phone chargers

New York City unveiled the ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’ on Tuesday – the Nissan NV200 van, which will replace the city’s 13,000-plus fleet of yellow cabs. Will other cities follow suit?
Horizons
Akira Yoshizawa: Why origami matters

Akira Yoshizawa, honored Wednesday with a Google doodle on his 101st birthday, helped introduce to the world an art form that has proven very useful in mathematics and engineering.
Chevy Volt: Why is production being halted?

Even though expectations were high for the Chevy Volt this year, things aren’t looking all that electrifying for the vehicle right now. High gas prices might change that.
Tesla Model X: Era of the all-electric SUV is arriving (+video)

Tesla Model X marks an expansion of all-electric offerings beyond coupes and sedans. Tesla Motors says the AWD version of the Tesla Model X has more zip than many sports cars.
Electric cars: 'Plug-ins' look for spark in 2012

Automakers in 2012 will launch 13 plug-in vehicles, running on electricity alone all or most of the time. This is the year that will tell whether the electric car market has a roaring liftoff or a slow-rolling start, analysts say.
GM reclaims title as world's No. 1 automaker

GM is once again the top-selling automaker in the world. The company's sales jumped 7.6 percent over the last year.
Green cars rule Tokyo Motor Show, but eyes turns to China

Green cars enjoy the limelight at Tokyo Motor Show. But car makers – including Japan's – are increasingly looking to China, India, and other nations with greater growth potential. Could this new focus curb green cars' innovation?
Post oil: Boom in electric car sales fuel gas-free dreams (VIDEO)

More than a dozen new plug-in electric car models will hit the market by 2012, offering drivers a true post oil experience.
Toyota minicar comes to Japan

The Toyota minicar is in high demand in Japan, where it is popular for short commutes. Minicars are taxed lower in Japan than other cars.
Last Ford Crown Victoria manufactured: What will cops drive now?

The last Ford Crown Victoria rolled off the assembly line in Canada yesterday. The car was simple, fast, and safe. But in an era of high gas prices, the fuel-inefficient Ford Crown Victoria is giving way to other models.
Electric cars get a closer look in Japan after nuclear crisis

Electric cars have been getting more attention as power-saving becomes a the new buzzword in Japan.
The New Economy
Nissan Leaf: Cute ad, but will it backfire?

Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt are neck-and-neck in sales. A new Nissan Leaf ad portrays Volt as an ordinary gas-powered hybrid, but the all-electric car has its own vulnerability.
Obama touts auto industry recovery while GOP asks 'What jobs?'

Obama says his administration took the right steps in preventing the auto industry from total collapse. But the US economy is slow to add jobs, and that's a major political target for Republicans.
The Simple Dollar
401(k): Are you saving enough? Run the numbers.

401(k) math is easy with a retirement calculator. Question on 401(k) is No. 7 in the reader mailbag.
Fuel-efficient cars drive US sales surge

Fuel-efficient cars – like Chevy's Cruze, Hyundai's Elantra, and Ford's Focus – led an estimated 19 percent car sales increase in April. GM says rising gas prices started pushing drivers into fuel-efficient cars in March.
Stocks end mixed in choppy session

Dow is virtually unchanged, while S&P and Nasdaq fall. Silver falls more than 7 percent.
Africa Monitor
SUVs overtake the Mercedes Benz as Nairobi's status car

Despite the fact that four-wheel drive is no longer necessary to navigate Nairobi's roads, SUVs are an increasingly frequent sight on the streets.
Toyota: Car production disrupted until end of 2011

Following the disasters in Japan, the Japanese automaker Toyota won't resume normal production until November or December
Stocks end slightly up after wavering

Dow gains 7 points after Obama's deficit speech. Stocks on the S&P up less than 1 point.
Nissan Leaf stumbles out of the gate

Nissan Leaf won't restart under certain conditions, Nissan says. First 20,000 Nissan Leafs are sold out, but glitch could deter further sales.
Cars after Japan's quake: Toyota, Nissan, and Honda plan to restart production

Despite the huge difficulties the Japanese car industry is facing, analysts say automakers will be able to recover in the year ahead.