On display at this year's LA Auto Show is a Nissan Altima Hybrid racecar aimed at pleasing the eco-radicals of California, and the folks over at Autoblog Green. The car was first released at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, but the LA crowd is really more up its alley. This Altima is a direct result of the team at Braille Battery pairing up with Nissan North America and Universal Technical Institute. The "Hot Rod Hybrid," as it's called, is a construction aimed at competing in the new hybrid/electric class of the Redline Time Attack series. There are also plans to give it a run in the 2009 Cannonball Run/One Lap of America event. We know the car will be in good hands, too. Driver Blake Fuller is experienced with both front- and rear-wheel-drive vehicles, as exemplified by his finishes in the Pike's Peak hill climb and Formula D drifting events.
LA Auto Show 2008: Braille Battery Nissan Altima Hybrid time attack hot rod
First Official 2009 Nissan 370Z Photos
The last teaser shots have dropped, and Nissan has finally revealed the 2009 370Z in full, roadgoing trim. We’ve got interior and exterior factory shots, and it’s clear that for its first full redesign since its 2003 introduction, the 370Z is going a bit retro. Just as in the images that were leaked this spring, the new car strikes a handsome balance between the classic long-hood, short-deck look of the original 240Z, while maintaining the taut lines and intricate lighting of current Nissans. The new Z’s interior keeps a similar layout but gets a stronger, more modern look with taller central gauges and a large central information screen similar to those in other Nissan/Infiniti products.
LA Auto Show Preview: Toyota to display CNG fueled Camry Hybrid concept
Toyota Camry Hybrid vehicles are increasingly becoming mainstream, but so far all of the production units available on the market have used gasoline exclusively as the fuel for the internal combustion engine. Various manufacturers have also shown concept and one-off test hybrid vehicles with diesel and E85 capable flex-fuel engines. One combination we don't recall seeing is a CNG fueled hybrid. Toyota plans to address that oversight at the LA Auto Show in November with a CNG fueled Camry Hybrid. Vehicles running on compressed natural gas are nothing new, although the only one currently offered by a major automaker in the US right now is the Honda Civic GX. Since CNG vehicles have a shorter range, they have primarily been used by fleets with centralized filling stations. Toyota has built this vehicle as part of its wide ranging sustainable mobility strategy. With domestic supplies of CNG being comparatively plentiful, something like a CNG hybrid sedan could be a good option for someone who does most of their driving locally. Combine it with the Phill home fueling station and you'd never have to go to a gas station again. Press release after the break.
