06 Volvo S40 Transmission on 2040-parts.com

Nismo enters a new era

Nissan made Nismo its exclusive performance car and motorsports brand at its new global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. CEO Carlos Ghosn declared the building open at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. Even though Nismo has been tuning cars for Nissan for almost 50 years, its first true production car didn't hit the streets until the Nissan Skyline 2000GT.

Mini Cooper (2013) New Mini previewed by Mini Vision Concept

The Mini Vision Concept has given the best indication yet at what the Mini 3, due to be shown this autumn, will look like. Shown at a design event in Germany, the Vision, says Mini, is intended to show the future design direction of the BMW sub-brand, but when compared to scoop images of the car, essentially previews the new model in all its glory. Mini Vision Concept: the need-to-know The Mini 3 will keep the familiar styling cues of the first two generations, but there’s a longer wheelbase and a waistline that’s rising more sharply towards the roofline, which lowers more aggressively than before.

Infiniti: M can be about mpg or zip

Infiniti will face a new marketing challenge when it introduces its first hybrid vehicle next spring, the 2012 M35h sedan. Since the import brand has never sold a hybrid, officials will be attempting to learn which marketing chord resonates more with its customers: performance or fuel economy. "The marketing will center on the point that hybrids have always been about compromise," says Ben Poore, Infiniti Business Unit vice president.