Autos Craze – Autos Blog

Nissan seems quite determined despite hovering economic worries and it was quite evident from the company’s three new vehicles’ launch in LA Auto Show Wednesday.

AT the same time, other US automakers (GM, Chrysler) seemed to scale back their presence in the show.

In this show, Nissan debuts its 370Z that is the first redesign of the roadster after its reintroduction as a 2003 model.

According to Al Castignetti (vice president and general manager of Nissan North America’s Nissan division), the 2009 370Z is quite lighter than its predecessor and its 3.7-liter V-6 engine is capable to produce 332 horsepower.

It has a new seven-speed automatic transmission which is (as Nissan claims) the world’s first synchronized downshift rev matching system for the six-speed manual gearbox.

The new 370Z is expected to go on sale in North America in January with a suggested retail price of $29,990.

Nissan also unveils its 2009 Cube in the show and this vehicle will go on sale in the U.S this summer. This five-passenger Cube has wide doors, an asymmetrical body, a refrigerator-style rear door and a wraparound rear window. There is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce 122hp.

Nissan expects that the CVT model will surely get more than 30mpg on the highway. However, there is no word about pricing.

2009 Versa sedan has also been spotlighted by Nissan in the show and it is being touted as the most reasonably priced new car in the North American marketplace.