2009 North American Car Of The Year Nominees

2009 Car of the Year Nominee: Dodge Challenger

In January of next year the North American Car and Truck of the Year winners will be announced during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.  The process that leads to that decision began last week with the release of the first round of 26 finalists.  Not suprisingly, vehicles from the crossover segment of the industry dominate this year’s list.

Since its inception in 1994, the winners of this prestigious award are chosen by a jury of 47 automotive journalists.  The path to the finals begins with a listing of all eligible vehicles, which in terms of this award means new or substantial modified existing models.  Earlier this month, jurors reviewed the entire list and picked the vehicles they thought deserved additional consideration on the next ballot. They were asked to limit their list to 10 cars and 10 trucks but are told to give the benefit of the doubt to vehicles they have not yet driven, which means their list may exceed 10 each.  Prior to the December 3rd deadline jurors send that ballot in to be tallied and the top three that emerge from that vote from each category are again voted on.  Finally, the winners are announced in January in Detroit.

In contrast to the long list of crossovers on both the truck and car lists, the only true pickups to make the cut this year are the Dodge Ram and Ford F-150.  A single SUV, the Kia Borrego is also a finalist.  Because the very nature of a “crossover” is a vehicle that has at least partial characteristics of both a car and a truck the process is a bit more complicated for this year.

A few of the more performance oriented front-runners for the award this year include the twin-turbo BMW 1-series, Nissan’s GT-R, the Dodge Challenger and the supercharged Cadillac CTS-V.  Whether the current economic and environmental climates have an impact on the voting will be interesting to see.  The full list of nominees is listed below.

2009 North American Car of the Year candidates

• Audi A4
• BMW 1-series
• Cadillac CTS-V
• Dodge Challenger
• Ford Flex
• Honda Fit
• Hyundai Genesis
• Jaguar XF
• Lincoln MKS
• Mazda6
• Nissan GT-R
• Pontiac G8
• Toyota Venza
• Volkswagen Jetta TDI

2009 North American Truck of the Year Candidates

• BMW X6
• Chevrolet Traverse
• Dodge Ram
• Ford F-150
• Honda Pilot
• Infiniti FX35/50
• Kia Borrego
• Mercedes ML320 BlueTEC
• Nissan Murano
• Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid
• Subaru Forester
• Volkswagen Tiguan

Last year’s winners of the Car and Truck of the year were the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2008 Mazda CX-9.

Related posts:

• Cash for clunkers runs out of money; gov’t gonna throw more money at it. Who would’ve guessed?
• What Would You Build For SEMA? [Question Of The Day]
• "Ultimate" Nürburgring T-Shirt Forgets Hottest Part [Novelties]
• Home Brewed Enginuity
• Tax breaks for Tesla, Model S sedan to get 225 miles, cost $60k

Related posts:

• Kia Sorento No. 1 on our Top 10 Cash-Back List
• 2006 L.A. Auto Show: 2007 Kia Rondo
• New York 2008: Kia Koup Concept Sparks Interest
• 2007 Chicago Auto Show: Kia Rondo SX Concept
• The 2009 Kia Soul: The Gamer’s Wet Dream

LA 2008: 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible Drops its Top

Infiniti officially took the wraps off the 2009 G37 Convertible at the LA Auto Show today and what better place to do it since it was in the 80's today..in November!

The G37 Convertible is powered by a 325-hp 3.7-liter V6 mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission. The folding hardtop is a three-piece unit, which manages to preserve the sexy lines of the coupe.

Compared to the coupe the convertible features new body panels from the A-pillar back and is actually 1.1 inches wider than the coupe. It also features a wider track and modified rear suspension.

The top open or closes in a mere 30 seconds.

The 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible will be available in spring 2009.

Related posts:

• 2011 Infiniti M
• HKS CT200MR
• Anyone Else in Awe of the Glorious Bentley?
• Nissan is Going to Launch Three Vehicles to Go Head to Head With Scion in 2009
• Ray Allen NHRA S/S World Champion Chevelle SS LS6 Convertible Sells for Fraction of 2006 Price

Related posts:

• 2009 INFINITI ESSENCE CONCEPT
• The Sports Cars We Want To See
• Infiniti G37 Sedan (2009)
• LA Preview: 2009 Nissan 370Z Unveiled!
• Brains and Brawn: More MPG and More HP Under the hood, the 306-hp, 3.5-liter ...

The 30 Cheapest New Cars For 2008-2009 [And By "Cheapest" We Mean "Nothing We Usually Mean"]

We know we bitch and moan about a lot of the entry level sedans currently on the market - they’re always too small or too slow or too ugly. If you were to hazard a guess based simply on what we write, you’d assume we make beer runs in late model German luxury sedans, but we don’t. Our fervent ride lust is dampened considerably after we balance the checkbook, and when it comes right down to it, all we really need is a good, reliable car to get us from Point A to Point B. We assume that most car buyers are currently in the same boat, so we decided to temporarily abandon our unadulterated hate for penny racers like the Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa and assemble an objective, unbiased list of the least expensive, best new car bets for 2008-2009.

1. 2009 Hyundai Accent [$11,745 - $14, 595]

2. 2009 Chevy Aveo [$12,120 - $14, 255]


3. 2008 smart fortwo [$12,235 - $17,235]

4. 2009 Toyota Yaris [$13,625 - $14,425]

5. 2009 Nissan Versa [$13,685 - $14,685]

6. 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer [$14,865]

7. 2008 Toyota Corolla [$15,065 - $17,075]

8. 2008 Chevy Cobalt [$15,070 - $15,780]

9. 2009 Mazda MAZDA3 [$15,160 - $19,945]

10. 2008 Scion xD [$15,170 - $15,970]

11. 2008 Honda Civic [$15,480 - $19,380]

12. 2008 Dodge Caliber [$15,545 - $19,890]

13. 2009 Ford Focus [$15,690 - $18,665]

14. 2008 Scion tC [$15,920 - $18,420]

15. 2009 Scion xB [$16,370 - $17,320]

16. 2008 Saturn Astra [$16,495 - $18,995]

17. 2009 Suzuki SX4 [$16,499 - $17,599]

18. 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit [$16,540 - $19,640]

19. 2009 Toyota Matrix [$16,850 - $18,920]

20. 2009 Pontiac G5 [$16,935]

21. 2008 Subaru Impreza [$17,640 - $19,640]

22. 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser [$17,920]

23. 2009 Volkswagen Jetta [$17,990 - $19,649]

24. 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle [$18,125 - $19,200]

25. 2008 MINI Cooper [$18,700]

26. 2009 Ford Fusion [$18,860 - $20,000]

27. 2009 Mazda MAZDA5 [$18,665 - $19,775]

28. 2009 Toyota Camry [$19,805]

29. 2008 Mazda MAZDA6 [$19,810]

30. 2008 Nissan Altima [$19,315]

Related posts:

• Acura May be Planning a New Four-Door Coupe Before the NSX in 2010
• Honda to Send CR-Z Hybrid to Geneva: Gives Europe First Dibs
• [Video] Mazda Furai Concept Car - Rotary Music
• Honda Kills Detroit Auto Show Press Conference Dead, We Update Floor Map [Detroit Auto Show]
• As part of the LA Auto Show , the 2008 LA Design Challenge competition ...

Related posts:

• 2008 Honda S2000 CR on Sale Date Pushed Back to October 6th
• Top Gear Back In June Confirmed
• Acura Records 1-2-3 Sweep On The Long Beach Streets
• 2008 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT-S Revealed
• Top Gear Russia 01×06

Six Degrees of Automotive Separation – Nissan and Chrysler

Okay, last week’s Hemmings Six Degrees of Automotive Separation Challenge kinda fell flat on its face. Maybe too open-ended? And in reviewing past challenges, we quickly realized that we haven’t yet made a Japanese car manufacturer one of the endpoints of a challenge.

So to make up for last week, a typical challenge. And to make up for the last five months, a challenge involving a Japanese company. Let’s pick Nissan. And let’s also pick its third-place counterpart in the U.S., Chrysler. I know you can connect these two in six degrees or less. But how obscure can you make the connections?

The rules, as always, are simple: A connection consists of one company owning another, merging with another or sharing another’s parts. Explain your connections, and if you need examples, check out our previous Hemmings Six Degrees of Automotive Separation Challenges.

Related posts:

• Federal "Car Czar" could be 9/11 fund organizer
• 2007 Dodge Nitro Test-Drive Tips
• Fiat Is Still Hungry
• Will better fuel mileage and fleet reductions save the New Chrysler?
• Electricity and Incest at the Detroit Show

Related posts:

• Volkswagen Brazil announces the refreshed global Gol
• Dropouts be Damned: NAIAS insists Cobo expansion still needed
• Continental says yes to EVs, no to diesels
• Moving on up! Chinese automakers move out of Cobo basement thanks to Detroit no-shows
• Toyota posts 11.7% rise in U.S. sales

2007 Chicago Auto Show Update: New Nissans, Rondo Concept, VW R32

The Chicago Auto Show kicks off next week, but we’ve got some information that just came through the door — well, actually the email inbox — and figured we’d share.

• Nissan will preview its three debuts for the Chicago Auto Show online tomorrow. You’ll find all three 2008 models — Pathfinder, Titan and Armada — on KickingTires at the stroke of midnight EST tonight.
• Kia will debut a concept version of the new Rondo called the Rondo SX, shown here. It’s a sport-tuned version of the small people-hauler. We’re not sure why there’s a need for such a thing, but we were impressed with our glimpse of the Rondo in Detroit. It’s a nifty little utility wagon/van.
• Rumor on the interwebs is that Volkswagen will debut a high-powered version of the Golf/Rabbit, called the R32, stateside. We’re unsure if this will be the current R32 being sold now in Europe or a new version based on the already peppy GTI.

Related posts:

• As Gas Prices Drop, Interest in SUVs Returns
• 2010 Kia Soul For The US Market Revealed [2010 Kia Soul]
• Shoppers of Nissan GT-R to face Dealer Mark-ups as High as $60,000 over MSRP
• VW pitching Tiguan as the ‘GTI’ of small SUVs
• New Pricing Of $9,990 Makes 2009 Nissan Versa Cheapest New Car In USA [2009 Nissan Versa]

Related posts:

• Arios Black Nissan GT-R R35 Carbon Fiber Bodykit
• First Test Drive: Nissan GT-R Video 0-60mph in 3.3 Seconds!
• Nissan GT-R Performance Parts by Mine’s Motor Sports
• Hennessey Venom 700 NM Neiman Marcus Edition
• Nissan GT-R does 310 km/hr on the Autobahn !!

Shoppers of Nissan GT-R to face Dealer Mark-ups as High as $60,000 over MSRP

As the arrival date of the first of 1500 Nissan GT-R’s bound for the states draws closer the inevitable is starting to take shape. Despite Nissan’s efforts to thwart it general economic principles are going to take the GT-R and run high with it. That is what the fellas at ExhaustNote learned in their survey of various Nissan Dealerships around the country. The high demand for the Nissan GT-R is running smack into a small supply here in the US and that is going to result in premium pricing. To put it simply… do not expect to pay that MSRP price of $69,000.

If you were finding a $69,000 price tag to be a reasonable price and nicely inside your car budget will it still be so with a $20,000 premium? How about a $40,000 premium? What about a mark-up of $60,000? Would a resulting sales price of $129,000 take the Nissan GT-R out of your reasonable car market even considering the high demand? (more…)

Related posts:

• 2011 Infiniti M
• Hyundai's All-New 2009 300 Horsepower RWD Coupe Exposed
• What Would You Build For SEMA? [Question Of The Day]
• 2009 Porsche 911 Turbo Gets a Facelift and 500 Horsepower
• Mitsubishi Concept-RA Unveiled...Does this Give a Hint of the Next Eclipse?

Related posts:

• Video: GranTurismo creator takes the Nissan GT-R to 193mph
• Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic: RL’s Possession
• Video: Jay Leno test drives the 2009 Nissan GT-R
• Pretty Paint, Nice Wheels
• Here are the Top 5 concept cars

New Pricing Of $9,990 Makes 2009 Nissan Versa Cheapest New Car In USA [2009 Nissan Versa]

In response to the Financiapocalypse, Nissan is offering 0% financing on five of their vehicles. Most interesting, and seemingly lost in the saved-by-zerogasm, is news of a lower-priced version of the 2009 Nissan Versa Sedan that, at an MSRP of $9,990, will be the cheapest new car in the USA.

According to Automotive News, there will be an economy version of the 2009 Nissan Versa that will have an MSRP of $9,990, more than $2,000 off the base price of the lowest level model Versa. The cheapest cars currently are the 2009 Chevy Aveo ($12,625), 2008 Kia Rio ($12,145) and 2009 Hyundai Accent ($11,070), putting the Versa well below these competitive models.

UPDATE: Nissan has revealed the details of their new Versa sedan, which explains how it will be the cheapest car in America. The new Versa sedan will be offered with a 1.6-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine as opposed to the 1.8-liter currently found in the Versa sedan and hatchback. This model will come equipped with a five-speed manual transmission that, combined with the new engine, will help it achieve 34 mpg highway. We assume there will also be some cutbacks inside, though we haven't seen the details of that yet.

Update #2: From Nissan USA, we're hearing that when the new, cheaper Versa comes out on November 18th here you can expect to see some more changes in addition to the new transmission and engine: different seat cloth, 14-inch wheels w/ wheel covers and less chrome accents.

As for the 0% financing, Nissan joins Toyota among Japanese automakers offering nil financing to get people to actually buy a car. The deal applies to the Rogue, Altima, Sentra, Versa and Murano (sorry Maxima buyers). The company will also offer attractive lease deals and extend their $399-a-month lease offer on the new Maxima. We like the Versa and for $9,999 it seems like a nicer choice than a Rio or an Aveo.

Nissan Announces Lowest-Priced New Car in the U.S.*

- New, 2009 Versa Sedan 1.6 Features $,9,990 MSRP, Excellent Fuel Economy, Design, Quality and Reliability; Available at Dealers November 18 -

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (October 31, 2008) – Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced a new 2009 Nissan Versa Sedan 1.6 model, which features a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)* of $9,990* (excluding Destination and Handling). The new Versa focuses squarely on value and fuel economy, with its standard 107-horsepower DOHC 16-valve 1.6-liter inline 4-cylinder engine delivering responsive performance and a 34 mpg highway fuel economy rating (with the 5-speed manual transmission).

The Versa Sedan 1.6 goes on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide beginning November 18, 2008.

"Starting under $10,000, this new Versa Sedan 1.6 has the lowest new-car MSRP in the United States," said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, NNA. "It combines the low price of a used car with the dependability, high quality and full factory warranty of every new Nissan. It's our way of saying that in tough economic times, Nissan is here to help."

Since its introduction in 2006, Nissan Versa has enjoyed strong appeal in the marketplace among buyers seeking fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance or roominess. Versa offers one of the highest standard horsepower/torque ratings and the largest interior in the entry-level segment – along with excellent quality, reliability and durability.

The new high-value Versa Sedan 1.6 model features a smaller displacement 1.6-liter engine (versus the standard 1.8-liter), standard 5-speed manual transmission and simplified content. It is also available with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway with the 5-speed manual and 26 mpg city/33 mpg highway with the 4-speed automatic.

"The new Versa Sedan 1.6 is another way in which Nissan is taking a leadership role in reassuring consumers that now is a great time to consider a new car," said Carolin.

* Based on Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $9,990 for the new, 2009 model year Versa 1.6 Sedan. Claim based on competitive MSRP's in the Lower-Small segment for new, model year 2009 vehicles. MSRP excludes applicable tax, title and license fees. Dealer sets actual price. Prices and specs are subject to change without notice. Destination and Handling $695.

Source: Automotive News (subs. req) via eGMCarTech, Nissan]

Related posts:

• As Gas Prices Drop, Interest in SUVs Returns
• Renault announces new NOx trap features in new diesel catalytic converter
• Nissan is Going to Launch Three Vehicles to Go Head to Head With Scion in 2009
• Tax breaks for Tesla, Model S sedan to get 225 miles, cost $60k
• RDX Racedesign BMW E46

Related posts:

• Lamborghini Murcielago SV with rwd and 680-hp coming later this year
• Taking Care of Your Car’s Tires
• Brand Spankin’ New Images: Volkswagen Passat CC
• Videos: BMW X6 xDrive35i and xDrive50i in action
• Videos: BMW X6 xDrive35i and xDrive50i in action