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Nissan Patrol attempts Guinness record with 170-ton cargo plane tow

Yesterday, Nissan teased us with a video showing a Patrol pulling up to a 170-ton cargo plane at an airport in the Middle East - we could only assume that the not-for-America sports utility vehicle would attempt to tow the jet.
Well, somebody leaked the official Nissan video, which indeed shows the Patrol successfully pulling the plane 30 meters for what reportedly is a Guinness world record. While Guinness hasn't confirmed the record on its website at time of writing, the 170-ton jet would be the heaviest plane ever towed by a production automobile. The video was taken down quickly, but another video shot by an observer at the event was posted for our enjoyment. We figured Nissan would move to repost the official video sooner rather than later, and it did.
The Patrol seems to have no problem towing 340,000 pounds, but let's just say it wasn't a quick ordeal. Check out the official and unofficial video of the tow below, as well as Nissan's teaser video. In a reversal of fortunes, we also threw in another, somewhat smaller but perhaps just as impressive vid, just for fun.

Nine cars we wish were convertibles

The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. At the Autoblog Detroit office we feel like our winter hibernation is finally over. And with warmer temperatures come visions of opening up a convertible roof and cruising. You know, just turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast. There are plenty of droptops on sale in the US, and more on the way (like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata). That said, we always want more. More! More! More! In that spirit, we cooked up a list of nine cars aren't currently sold as convertible, but ought to be. Check out our picks, below. Summer's just around the corner. Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S In some parallel universe, this car actually happened. Toyota showed us a FT 86 Convertible concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, and we immediately started licking our chops over the thought of a rear-wheel-drive convertible based on the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S twins. These days, the MX-5 Miata is our only option for affordable roadster fun. A competitor to the Mazda seems like a no-brainer to us, especially since we have naught but good to say about the BRZ/FR-S as-is. Unfortunately in our present timeline, this car is as likely for production as a BRZ STI. Which is to say, not very. Dang. Lexus RC F Unlike the FR-S, a convertible from Toyota's luxury division might actually see the light of day. The current IS convertible is about to be phased out, and the Lexus LF-C2 concept from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show is really a thinly veiled look at a possible RC convertible. A droptop RC would be plenty good, but let's reach for the starts. What we really want is to run topless in an RC F, complete with that powerful, loud, 5.0-liter V8 engine. Lexus says the RC F is a true competitor to the BMW M4. If that's true, it only makes sense for Lexus to mimic the Germans and offer its performance coupe in a folding hardtop form. Maybach Landaulet Maybach is bach back, recast as an upper crust trim level for Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is seriously awesome, and more luxurious than a trip to the spa. But why not go a step into the truly ridiculous levels of extravagence and bring back that open-top Landaulet? We think your local princess will love this idea, and with better S-Class bones underneath, Jeeves will have a pretty enjoyable ship to steer, too. Besides, with that slick new Mercedes design language, a Landaulet redux wouldn't be nearly as hideous as the old model, pictured here.

Infiniti teases November debut of new QX55 crossover-coupe

Infiniti will officially unveil its new QX55 crossover-coupe via social media on Nov. 11, Nissan's luxury subsidiary announced early Wednesday. Infiniti is calling it a return to the segment which the company helped pioneer when it launched the FX crossover back in 2002.  "With a roofline and visual elements inspired by the iconic Infiniti FX, the QX55’s provocative design will fuse the stance and versatility of a premium midsize crossover with the sleek profile of a sports coupe," Infiniti's announcement said. "Beyond its provocative looks, the QX55 will also feature innovative technologies designed to empower, engage and connect luxury customers to the road ahead." The announcement was accompanied by the above teaser image, which depicts the QX55's tapered liftgate. It's quite a bit more conservative than the previously released design sketch suggested, but certainly looks the part.  The QX55 is one of five new vehicles Infiniti plans to launch in the next three years. It was first teased last August during Monterey Car Week. While Infiniti has been leaning heavily on the heritage of the original FX (which later became the QX70) since releasing that first design sketch, the QX55 will actually have little in common with its spiritual ancestor. While they may share fastback SUV looks, the QX55 will be based on the QX50 — a modern, front-wheel-drive crossover with small, efficient engines. The FX was derived from Infiniti's sport sedans and coupes, and even boasted a V8 option for much of its existence. Production of the new crossover-coupe was slated to begin in June, but was reportedly pushed back due to complications at its production facility in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The facility is a joint-venture project between Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler and Nissan, and produces several other front- and all-wheel-drive vehicles for both companies.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.