Cci 02301a10 - 07-11 Dodge Nitro 16" Factory Original Style Wheel Rim 5x114.3 on 2040-parts.com

June sales get a pick-me-up from pickups

If there's a bright spot in June's tepid light-vehicle sales, it came from an unlikely segment. After slumping for several years as the economy tanked and gas prices spiked, pickup demand is rising faster than the overall sales gains of most automakers--serving as a pillar once again during the industry's fledgling recovery. And most of the buyers returning to showrooms are pickup enthusiasts, automakers say.

Nissan’s EV onslaught continues with Townpod

Nissan’s Townpod will be the company’s third electric vehicle (a battery-powered version of the NV200 commercial vehicle will slot in after the Leaf) and is slated for a late 2012 arrival in the UK. Looking remarkably like a character from Pixar’s Cars film, the Townpod takes the lithium-ion battery-powered drivetrain of the Leaf and cloaks it in urban friendly sheetmetal. The long wheelbase and zero overhangs results in a huge cabin, accessed by some trick doors – rear-hinged rear doors and a vertically split rear door.

2014 Nissan Qashqai teased… again

This is the first proper picture of the all-new, second-generation Nissan Qashqai SUV crossover, set to go on sale in the UK in early 2014. As we reported last week, although the new Qashqai’s official unveiling isn’t until Thursday 7 November 2013, Nissan can’t help itself, giving us a sneak peak of what it’s got in store for the new car with this latest image. On Bing: see pictures of the 2014 Nissan Qashqai Find out how much a used Nissan Qashqai costs on Auto Trader The studio shot was a bit dark and dingy when it dropped into the MSN Cars’ inbox, but thanks to some Photoshop trickery, we’ve managed to brighten up the picture to get a good look at the replacement for the UK’s best-selling SUV in 2012.