2005 Nissan Murano S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Watch Nissan's autonomous Leaf in action

Getting its semi-autonomous Leaf legalized in Japan was just the first step. Now, Nissan is giving demonstrations of what its fully autonomous car is capable of at this year's Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (CEATEC) show - Japan's equivalent to America's Consumer Electronics Show. To show off the possibilities of its technologies, Nissan had an oval track set up at the show giving rides in an autonomous Leaf to the media. Even Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and Toyota CEO Akio Toyodo caught a ride.
Nissan has since released a couple videos of its CEATEC demos, with one designed to look like a news report. In this video, you can watch the car go around the track and navigate intersections and road hazards. The second video shows Ghosn riding in the car, and he hints that Nissan's goal of having an autonomous vehicle in production by 2020 might be more of a worst-case scenario. Watch both videos and read through Nissan's official press release below.

Watch a pro drifter drive the Nissan Skyline with his feet

You can't let a few setbacks dissuade you from trying to achieve your goals, and that's as true in motorsports as anywhere else in life. If you want an inspiring example of someone who isn't letting adversity stand in his way, just check out professional drifter Bartosz Ostalowski. He doesn't have arms but still competes with one foot on the wheel. It would be amazing to see someone drift a car using just a foot in any setting. However, the fact that Ostalowski is able to do that during competitions makes the feat even more impressive. To make drifting possible, his car is a custom modified R34 Nissan Skyline with an automatic transmission and a LS V8 from General Motors for power. If you watch the video above, and somehow don't believe what Ostalowski does is possible, the clip shows another example of him at work. This one cuts between interior and exterior views of the same run. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Nissan Gripz Concept foreshadows Z's dark future

Crossover buyers, your love of lifted hatchbacks might be ruining one of the purest sports cars on the planet, the Nissan Z. The Gripz concept you see here foretells a future in which our beloved Z car takes the shape of a functional, high-riding crossover. Sigh. Now, to be perfectly fair, we aren't opposed to the way this new concept car looks. It's a muscular design, with its prominent V Motion grille and sharp body lines. We particularly like the way the A-pillar bleeds into the doors and dash; it's a cool touch. Nissan claims this look was inspired by racing bicycles and desert rally cars, which sounds good. We won't agree with the company's assertion that it pays homage to the 240Z that won the Safari Rally, which Nissan has the gall to call "one of [its] first 'crossovers.'" A 240Z is not a crossover, just like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru STI, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Polo, or any other rally car is not a crossover. In terms of praise, we do appreciate the Gripz's trio of doors, which is certainly more sporting than a conventional five-door layout. That's not the only good news, either. This concept is actually shorter and wider than the current 370Z, and by several inches in both cases. It is, however, seven inches taller than the low-slung two-seater, which makes this a net loss. Under hood, there's not some barking, turbocharged version of the current 370Z's 3.7-liter V6, but a version of the Leaf EV's electric motor. It's paired up with a gas-powered engine that "is used to power the electric motor," making it sound like this is more of a Chevrolet Volt-style hybrid than a Toyota Prius. Of course, there's no mention whether the Gripz has plug-in capability. We'll admit, our disdain for this vehicle may be premature. Nissan has not given any indication that the 370Z will be discontinued – it was recently updated, and a Nismo-based roadster concept was shown earlier this year – or that the Z family will transition to a CUV platform. But, the language used throughout the press release below, not to mention the name and references to the original Z is rather worrying. It's certainly not the relationship to the 240Z we were hoping for when we posted this report back in June. Check out the PR, as well as the official gallery from Nissan, both of which can be found down below. Up top, you can see our live images from the floor of the Frankfurt Motor Show.