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Is Nissan's Le Mans LMP1 racer really going to be front engined?

Since debuting the Nissan GT-R LM Nismo under a sheet earlier this year, Nissan has kept a very tight wrap on details about the racer. The company simply promised that the model would be on the starting grid for the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, the automaker had an aggressive attitude about the new program and said that the vehicle would "win in a very different way." The brand also hinted the final result wouldn't look like its competitors. This rendering suggests just how divergent the GT-R LM might be. Posted by Jalopnik, the rendering was supposedly based on the descriptions of people who have actually seen the racer. They described a car with a very long nose, and a rear that was potentially narrower than the front. From those details the pictures of a reverse Deltawing is almost conceivable. Judging by the original teaser image, this description actually sounds somewhat plausible too. The draping of the sheet in that photo could suggest some empty space at the back. According to this rumor, underneath that long snout could be an even bigger revelation – the engine. These days putting the powerplant ahead of the driver in a top-class endurance racer – even if it's behind the front axle for a mid-engine layout – is almost unheard of. Nissan trying it would certainly fall under a different way of winning. Though, such a thing was done by Panoz in the 2000s. Nissan is clear about keeping the racecar and road version at least somewhat related, especially technologically. Jalopnik speculates that the engine could be a gasoline-fueled twin-turbocharged V6 powering the rear wheels and a hybrid spinning the front and rear with a total system output of 1,000 horsepower or more. That figure is right on the money for modern LMP1 cars since the 2014-championship winning Toyota TS040 packs about 986 hp total. In the past few years, Nissan has failed to finish Le Mans with both the Deltawing that it sponsored and the ZEOD RC project. If these rumors prove true, then even getting the GT-R LM to see the checkered flag could be quite an accomplishment no matter where it finishes. Rumor has it that Nissan might show at least a glimpse of the vehicle during the company's Super Bowl ad this year. Related Gallery 2015 Nissan GT-R LM Nismo Announcement View 16 Photos News Source: JalopnikImage Credit: Jason Torchinsky via Jalopnik Design/Style Motorsports Nissan Racing Vehicles rendering nissan gt-r lm nismo nissan gt-r lm

Nissan Leaf sells 3,186 in best month ever as Chevy moves 2,511 Volts

The end of summer seems to inspire people to go out and buy a lot of plug-in vehicles. Last year, for example, the Chevy Volt had its best month ever in August, with 3,351 sales. This year, the Nissan Leaf is going up to the winner's podium, setting its own best-ever record with 3,186 units sold. This beats the Leaf's previous record by 69 vehicles. This beats the Leaf's previous record of 3,117 set in May 2014 by 69 vehicles and is up 31.7 percent from August 2013. Nissan is once again quick to remind us that the popular EV's record sales streak has now been extended to 18 months in a row. This record is simply noting that the current month, in this case August, had the highest sales that that month has ever seen in the US. Over all, US Leaf sales are up 34.1 percent so far this year. In a prepared statement, Nissan's director of Leaf sales and infrastructure, Brendan Jones, said that the Leaf is selling well on both coasts, including cities like Raleigh, Boston and Washington, DC. "It's what we call the 'cul-de-sac phenomenon,' where once someone in a community buys a Leaf, then friends, family, co-workers and neighbors see the benefits of this fun-to-drive electric vehicle firsthand and are sold on the idea of going electric," he said. The Volt also had a good month - its best of 2014 by almost 500 sales – but the 2,511 Volt sales still represent a drop of 25.1 percent from the excellent sales the Volt had this time last year. In fact, August 2014 represents the Volt's best sales month since, well, August 2013. Apparently, there's just something about the end of summer. As always, we are working on our in-depth round-up of green car sales across the country and will have that up soon.

Join Autoblog editors for a full video tour of the 2019 Detroit Auto Show

The 2019 North American International Auto Show might have been a little more quiet than past years, but there were still some pretty major reveals, including the Toyota Supra, new Ford Explorer, Shelby GT500, Subaru WRX STI S209 and Kia Telluride. We also saw some lovely concepts like the Nissan IMs and Lexus LC Convertible. Senior Editor Alex Kierstein, Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Senior Green Editor John Beltz Snyder join me, Associate Editor Reese Counts — with Social Media Manager Michael Dylan Ferrara behind the camera — on a long walk through the show. We discuss cars, poke around the stands, dress a bloody wound and answer your questions in the Facebook comments. For more Detroit coverage, you can check out Autoblog's picks for the best in show, listen to our podcast or look at the best images from all the reveals. Finally, don't forget to watch Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore hand over our 2019 Technology of the Year award. Related Video: Green Detroit Auto Show Acura Cadillac Chevrolet Ford GM Hyundai Infiniti Kia Lexus Nissan RAM Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Truck Convertible Coupe Crossover Hatchback Minivan/Van SUV Videos Sedan facebook 2019 detroit auto show live