This is the Nissan NV, a trio of Titan-based vans available with a 4.0-liter V6 or 5.6-liter V8 and a freaky “High Roof” option. It comes in half-ton, 3/4-ton and full-ton flavors and will make the perfect taco truck. More »

Hold on to your sap gloves and night sticks – it’s that time of the decade! An Autoblog source reveals that Ford is about to release a brand spankin’ new Police Interceptor. Not only is this humongous news for our pals in the law enforcement community, but this is 120-point headline font for taxi companies around the country, as they typically buy old Police Interceptors with 90,000 miles on ‘em and repurpose them as the cabs we all know and love passing out in. Why? Because Police Interceptors are the toughest passenger cars money can buy.

Few of us have the need to drive over curbs at 50+ mph, but if that need arises, you’re going to want to do so in an Interceptor. Aside from the “severe duty” shocks, you get a beefed up frame and body mounts. Yes, that is correct. The Crown Victoria-based Police Interceptor is body-on-frame. Listen, when you’re PIT maneuvering a perp during a high speed chase, the last thing you want to worry about is bending the chassis. Plus you got them heavy duty brakes, suspension components and oil coolers. A sweet package, no doubt.

Here’s the thing though. If this new Police Interceptor is more than a package, what platform will it ride on? Ford has stated publicly that it’s ending the geriatric Panther Platform Crown Victoria’s life in 2011. We’ll go ahead and interpret that to mean that this new Police Interceptor won’t be Crown Victoria-based. Do we know that for sure? No, but it’s a logical bit of speculation. Could the new Interceptor be Taurus-based, maybe something with a SHO motor and stouter brakes? Again, yes, but for all we know the upcoming car’s a Fiesta with the Mustang GT’s new 5.0-liter V8 crammed in the rear seat. Or one of them apocryphal Australia-only rear-drive Falcons. All we know for sure is that Ford’s introducing a new Police Interceptor to a select group of folks in Las Vegas this Friday. Production? Concept? We’re not entirely sure yet. More details when we get them.

[Image: davidsonscott15 | CC2.0]

Source: Next-gen Ford Police Interceptor will debut this Friday in Las Vegas originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi’s performance subsidiary Ralliart, responsible for supporting the company’s past WRC and Dakar efforts, will wind down operations this month. With poor sales they’ve decided to kill the arm of the company helping make fast cars faster. More »

Porsche test driver Walter Röhrl was once named the rally driver of the millennium. Audi’s Quattro invented all-wheel-drive as we know it. The Col de Turini is a famous section of the Monte Carlo Rally. And this video is fantastic. More »

We’re here in St. Louis attending the National Truck Equipment Association show, and we just watched Nissan officially pull the covers off its NV commercial van for the first time in front of a live audience. Our initial impression: They aren’t kidding when they say there’s an optional High Roof… at 105.5 inches (76.5 of which is usable inside), we have to wonder whether that sucker will fit inside your run-of-the-mill suburban garage.

Of course, that High Roof is optional, and the space it affords inside will allow most 80-percentile human beings to stand straight up for cargo loading purposes – up to 300 cubic feet of it. For those who don’t need such a cavernous cargo area, the standard height measures 83.9 inches from the ground, and 55.4 of those inches are ready for stowage inside.

We were able to grab some live photos from the show floor, but sadly Nissan isn’t quite ready to let us inside to see the interior details. In any case, check out our high-res gallery below and click here for the rest of the details.

NTEA 2010: Nissan pulls the covers off NV commercial van originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At the Work Truck 2010 show in St. Louis today, Nissan Americas president Carlos Tavares announced that the company is working to bring its recently launched NV200 compact van to the U.S. market. The NV200 would join the new full-size NV vans in Nissan’s commercial vehicle lineup as a competitor to Ford’s new Transit Connect. Tavares didn’t provide any indication about possible timing for an American introduction for the smaller van.

In another parallel to Ford’s small commercial vehicle program, Tavares indicated that an electric version of the NV200 could join the Leaf in Nissan’s American zero emissions lineup. The electric NV200 was initially announced by CEO Carlos Ghosn at the Tokyo Motor Show. So far, Nissan has only released a single sketch of an electric NV200 although we would expect a concept to appear in the coming months.

[Source: Nissan]

Work Truck 2010: Nissan working to bring NV200 to U.S., electric version possible, too originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A couple of days ago, we wrote about the specs for the 2011 Honda CR-Z, and most commenters weren’t all that impressed. Spoon then let a little bit slip about what it was doing to make the hybrid coupe a little more engaging, but those were merely words. Now we have what is said to be track footage of Japanese tuner Noblesse in one of their tuned CR-Zs at Suzuka, and it might put people in a mind to at least reserve judgment.

It’s all in-car video, and yes, Noblesse is primarily known for their bodykit work, not for actual performance parts. All which makes this footage a little tough to gauge, but there were moments when we did find ourselves thinking, “Hey, this could be something.” And yes, we will only accept fully blacked-out CR-Zs from now on. Follow the jump for some Suzuka lapping, and have a look at it in the gallery of high-res photos below. Thanks for the tip and images, Chris!

[Source: Six Sylinder]

Continue reading Spy Shots: Noblesse takes tuned Honda CR-Z to Suzuka for testing [w/video]

Spy Shots: Noblesse takes tuned Honda CR-Z to Suzuka for testing [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The National Truck Equipment Assocation’s annual Work Truck Show is trucking along this week. Ever wonder what kind of warning labels end up on heavy-duty vehicles? These are the ten freakiest. Remember, kids: Watch out for those water pools! More »

Toyota’s now extended its original Tundra frame-corrosion recall from trucks in 20 cold-weather states to all 50 states. This is the service bulletin soon to be generating huge lines in those extra 30 states. More »

Convertibles have long been something of an acquired taste. Devotees steadfastly defend the unique sensation of elemental motoring that can only come when plugged in to one’s surrounding breezes, noises and smells. Conversely, detractors have traditionally lambasted droptops for their lackluster foul weather performance, added weight, vulnerability, and creaky, ill-handling platforms. And while the naysayers may have had a point in the era of tonneau-covered British roadster pilots with their tepid heaters, dubious structural rigidity and leaky, masochistic roof mechanisms, modern topless numbers like this 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet give lie to the idea that convertibles make lousy year-round companions.

Follow the jump to find out why.

Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet a smooth Spanish Fly(er)

First Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet a smooth Spanish Fly(er) originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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