Spycam: 2010 Nissan 370Z

he world debut of Nissan's 2010 Nissan 370Z is little more than a month away at the L.A. auto show, and Nissan engineers appear to be doing some last-minute shakedown runs in Germany near the Nurburgring. While this 370Z prototype hasn't been seen on the 'Ring yet, it will probably be headed there soon.

The Nissan 370Z mule seen here, as has been previously reported, appears to be shorter in wheelbase over the outgoing Z. The car's decrease in size should help make the new 370Z lighter than the car it's replacing, which should mean performance and fuel efficiency of the new Z will be improved.

Nissan's latest VQ37VHR engine used by the current Infiniti G37 will power the new Z, with the engine massaged to make somewhere in the neighborhood of 330 hp. Expected transmissions include a close-ratio six-speed manual and all-new seven-speed automatic.
2010 Nissan 370Z Spied Front Three Quarter View
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On the exterior, the 370Z retains the same general shape as the present car, with differences including a boomerang-style headlight treatment both front and rear similar to what's found on the new Nissan Maxima, reworked front and rear fascias, more aggressive fender flares, and a pronounced kink where the windscreen meets the roof.

Nissan officials recently cited the Porsche Cayman and Audi TT as the upcoming car's chief rivals, a tall order for the Nissan coupe. The 370Z reportedly will hit Japanese dealerships this December, with U.S. deliveries coming most likely by spring 2009.

Of course, we'll have the full story for you on the new 370Z during the Los Angeles show press days, which begin Nov. 19.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/future/spied_vehicles/112_0810_2010_nissan_370z_spied/index.html#ixzz0rBp7G9BZ

Spycam: 2011 Chevrolet Beat

Pictured here is a test mule of the Chevrolet Beat city car, which is expected to arrive in Asia and Europe -- but not North America -- sometime in 2011. The beat will replace the Daewoo-sourced Matiz in GM's lineup.

Unlike the Beat concept show at the 2007 New York Auto Show, this vehicle is a five-door instead of a three-door, with the front doors being shortened. Wheelbase is said to be 93.5 in, and overall length 141.5 in

The Beat will be offered with the choice of a 1.0- or 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine mated to either a five speed manual or four speed automatic transmission.

The Beat has not been certified for the U.S. because the automaker doesn't think that U.S. customers will be willing to buy a car smaller than the subcompact Chevrolet Aveo. An all new Aveo, with sedan and hatchback bodystyles, and claimed 44mpg, is currently under development.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/future/spied_vehicles/112_0808_2011_chevrolet_beat_spied/index.html#ixzz0rBohz0cy

2011 Chrysler Future Cars

Chrysler barely survived 2009, only staying alive thanks to an arranged marriage to Italy's Fiat. Aside from the fast-tracked Fiat 500, most fruits of this union won't reach dealer showrooms for some time, but the new ownership has already breathed signs of life into the Pentastar's once-dormant product pipeline.

In Detroit, Chrysler showed a rebadged version of the Lancia Delta. Such rebadges would be one way to quickly give Chrysler some more fresh product, especially with the U.S. return of Alfa Romeo in doubt once again.

2011 Chrysler 300
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Here's what the future holds in store for Chrysler beyond the aforementioned 500 and upcoming 2011 300:

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_vehicles/112_1003_2011_chrysler_future_cars/index.html#ixzz0rBo7mmSo

2011 Asian Future Cars

The past year turned out to be a mixed bag for the Asian automakers doing business in the U.S. market. Hyundai, Kia, and Subaru were the big winners, with all three posting not just market share gains, but absolute sales gains in a year in which the entire new car market shrank by about 25%. On the the other side of the ledger, Toyota posted its first loss ever, thought it managed to hold off surging Volkswagen to retain its crown as the world's biggest automaker only to be forced to stop sales and production of most of its lineup in late January due to faulty accelerator pedals. Rival Honda saw its Prius-fighting Insight hybrid flounder while Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn continues to be under pressure (the Ghosn that could do no wrong is now just a distant memory).

2010 Suzuki Kizashi Front Three Quarters View
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So what does the future hold for the Asian giants? And what of the likes of Suzuki and long-struggling Mitsubishi? The future of the former (and the fate of the Swift subcompact) rests on the success of the Kizashi sedan, while the latter has some plans in the works as well. Here's a quick look at a few of the top vehicles coming from Asia's automotive giants in the near future.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_vehicles/112_1003_2011_asian_future_cars/index.html#ixzz0rBndCxa3