Nissan Pathfinder Le on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Nissan GT-R LM Nismo pulls its way to Chi-town

We generally take it as a given that, as far as performance goes, rear-wheel drive is better than front. All-wheel drive can be better than either, in some cases, but you need power going to the wheels that aren't also handling the steering while leaving the others just tagging along for the ride. Right? Well Nissan is here to upend that notion with the new GT-R LM Nismo, presented here at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. After supporting the DeltaWing project a couple of years ago and fielding its own ZEOD RC prototype last year, Nissan is returning to Le Mans this year with another oddball endurance racer. Only this time, it's going for gold, competing against the likes of Porsche, Audi and Toyota for the overall win in the top-tier LMP1 class. Tying this front-drive, 1,250-horsepower hybrid racing prototype to the all-wheel-drive GT-R may be tenuous, but we have to hand it to Nissan for shaking things up. In the process, Nissan has also confirmed the hot shoes who'll be tasked with manhandling this beast around the Circuit de la Sarthe (and the rest of the tracks on the 2015 FIA WEC calendar). Joining former Le Mans winner and longtime Ferrari test driver Marc Gene will be Super GT champion Tsuigio Matsuda as well as Harry Tincknell and Olivier Pla (both experienced from the largely Nissan-powered LMP2 field), Nissan factory driver Michael Krumm and GT Academy graduates Lucas Ordonez and Jann Mardenborough, both of whom have made their way into professional racing on the merit of their video gaming abilities. We'll be looking forward to watching them try to get the best out of this most innovative Datsun.

MotorWeek checks out two sides of the '90s Japanese car scene

MotorWeek's Retro Reviews let you feel nostalgic about a huge range of classic cars, and the latest two releases offer a look at two very different sides of the Japanese car market in the 1990s. The video above shows off tuned examples of the Mazda RX-7 and Nissan 300ZX. Check out the clip below to remember the 1997 Honda CR-V, if you want to reminisce about something a little more utilitarian. The RX-7 and 300ZX were among the era's best Japanese sports cars, and these examples' suspension and engine overhauls gave them an extra boost. Peter Farrel Supercars tunes the Mazda, and the vibrant yellow paint and body kit make it look ready for an episode of Initial D. The updated powertrain stands up to the mean styling and gets the RX-7 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds. The Stillen 300ZX GTZ sports a giant wing, and new turbos take the output to 465 hp. It sprints to 60 in 4.9 seconds. The CR-V sits on the opposite end of the automotive spectrum as the tuned RX-7 and 300ZX, but it's even more important in a historical sense. The Honda (along with the Toyota RAV4 and others) was among the progenitors of today's mega-popular compact crossovers. These early examples set the foundation for offering buyers a utilitarian vehicle in a comfortable package with good fuel economy at an affordable price. The CR-V had some quirky charm, too, like the removable picnic table hidden in the cargo floor. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid priced from $35,110*

Nissan has announced pricing for the 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid, which was revealed earlier this year at the 2013 New York Auto Show. Offering two- or all-wheel drive, the hybridized crossover sports a 3.5-liter V6 and a 15-kilowatt electric motor, for a total of 250 system horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers match up well with the 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque put out by the V6-powered Pathfinder. Naturally, fuel economy sees a hefty boost, to 25 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, bumps of five and two mpg, respectively.
The Pathfinder Hybrid is available in three grades. Prices start at $35,100 for an SV and jump to $38,050 for the mid-level SL. A top-flight Platinum, meanwhile, moves the price up to $42,750. Adding all-wheel drive to the package bumps the price up to $1,600 across the range, and keep in mind that these prices don't include Nissan's $860 destination charge. Take a look below for the full press release from Nissan, including detailed pricing charts for both the Hybrid and V6 Pathfinder.