More Classics...

No Corporate Nissan Display at SEMA 2009

Nissan has announced that it will not have any corporate display at the upcoming SEMA event. Not really surprising as the products Nissan is most focused on right now (Leaf, etc.) are not even on the market yet. It is still dissapointing that Nissan will only attend in a corporate fashion a single Auto Show in North America in 2010. They continue to cut back on marketing and advertising, I guess in the hopes that the vehicles sell themselves...a dangerous tack to take given that only the GT-R generates passion on its own, sans-marketing...

Quote below from Autoguide.com

Nissan has confirmed that it will not be attending the 2009 SEMA Show this Fall. What that means is, we aren’t likely to see any drift Cubes, or DUB Cubes or crazy widebody GT-R-powered Cubes.

Which isn’t really a bad thing… although that last one sounds interesting.

Nissan had already announced that it would only attend one major auto show on each continent and the company has now said that it views SEMA as a major show. That being said, we aren’t likely to see a corporate Nissan displays until the LA Auto Show in 2010.

Nissan may be missing out on a huge marketing opportunity here as cars like the Cube are the perfect fit for an event like SEMA. Still, there are certain to be plenty of private companies with Cubes… and as long as GT-Rs draw a crowd you can be sure SEMA will be full of them

Suzuki Equator for SEMA...

I don't know if there will be any Nissan trucks or SUVs at SEMA this year, but there will be at least one Suzuki Equator which is just as good. This Equator is made up by Icon Vehicle Dynamics and is pretty good looking. There is nothing over the top and nothing that is obviously unfunctional. It is clean and simple. Well done I say. It uses the Total Chaos arms that were originally made up for the Frontier and has some extended shocks that come through the truck bed. Quote below from Truck Trend

Representing Suzuki at SEMA this year is a custom Equator pickup truck built by ICON Vehicle Dynamics. ICON has been building off-road truck equipment for years, and with the Equator based on the long-running Nissan Frontier, building a serious off-road Equator was all too easy.

To get the Equator ready to tackle the trails, ICON added their own performance coilover spring kit with 2.5-in piggyback shocks, all mounted to their Total Chaos upper control arms. In the rear, the shocks protrude through the bed and are mounted to heavy-duty custom framework. Trail Ready bead-lock wheels wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires complete the dirt-ready suspension set-up. Under the hood, Doug Thorley long-tube headers and a cat-back exhaust help the 4.0L V-6 breathe better, increasing performance both on- and off-road.

To help their heavy duty Equator look the part, ICON called up Bushwacker for some big fender flares and LightForce for some big spot lights up on the nose. A brush guard on the nose gives the lamps a place to mount while a special mount in the bed holds the full-size spare. An AMP Research bed extender makes up for the bed space lost to the suspension and spare tire mounts.

Under the Rally Fighter Hood...

This would be the engine bay of the Rally Fighter and the turbo diesel BMW engine therein...

Count the Obscenities...

Holy cow...There are a lot of F-bombs and C-words (and I don't mean "curse" words) in this rally video. The majority of the cursing begins at about the 1:31 mark. You can understand the frustration as the driver and co-dog are blatantly held up over and over and over in this section of the Irish Rally.

Nissan Returns to 24 Hours of LeMans...

Or so it appears...The Gigawave team that has been running a GT-R in Europe this year has plans to enter at least one GT-R into the famous LeMans race in 2010. Any way we could see one of those over here in the 24 Hours of Daytona??

Nissan and Maserati seem certain to return to the Le Mans 24 Hours next year after long periods away from the race.

Both manufacturers are hoping to take advantage of a decision by Le Mans organiser, the Autombile Club de l'Ouest, to allow the same cars that will race in the new FIA GT1 World Championship, to compete in the event.

The decision now means that the Nissan GT-R, campaigned in FIA GTs this season by Gigawave Motorsport, and the Maserati MC12, which has won the last four championships thanks to the efforts of the Vitaphone squad, are now eligible.

"If we get an entry, we'll be at Le Mans," said Gigawave team principal Nigel Stepney. "It is one of the team’s ambitions and we will do everything we can to fulfil the criteria required by the ACO."

The Maserati has previously been barred from competing at Le Mans because the ACO would not homologate the carbon-chassis car. However, having now accepted the FIA rules in their entirety, this is no longer an issue.

Michael Bartels, who has run MC12s since forming his Vitaphone squad, said: "We have been trying to go to Le Mans since 2005 and the Maserati board is very supportive of the idea of racing there. I would like to be there, but we have to see what we can put together."

The ACO said that it expects to have no less than 10 GT1 cars on the grid for next year’s race.

And a Few More...

More Old School Off-Road Nissans...

Some Old School Nissan Off-Road Pics...

Just some "classic" photos to show that Nissan has a long, eclectic off-road history...

Full Body Shot from the Rear of Non-Wrapped Rally Fighter...

Just what it says...though this is without the rear bumper shell as well which I will post a pic of sometime later. This does give you a good idea of the rear profile however...

Shamrock Rally of Morocco 2009

This is the introduction/highlight video of yet another rally-raid event that flys under the radar here in the U.S. despite its intense action. Known as the Shamrock Rally of Morocco (though what a shamrock has to do a desert race I have no idea), it is going on right now. Peterhansel is leading the event after three stages with the highest Nissan thus far sitting in 4th. Will look to update results and perhaps some pics over the next few days.

Rally of Morocco 2009

Rear Axle Housing of Rally Fighter...

Here is the shot of the Ford F-150 rear end of the Rally Fighter. Axle shafts and all are stock and have not been upgraded.

Casey Currie Takes a Win and a Third at Last TORC Event of '09!

Ahh...the winding down of the short course season...

This past weekend marked the final two rounds (#15 & #16) for the Traxxas Off-Road Championship (TORC) series. This marked the first rounds for TORC at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and both days were run at night to take advantage of the cooler weather and accomodate more fans.

Having won Round #2 earlier in the year and achieving a total of three podium spots on the year, Casey Currie and his Nissan Frontier Pro-Lite hoped to finish out the year strong.

And finish strong he did...

In what were extremely dusty and dry conditions Currie was able to fight through the dust to finish the Friday night night race in third. Grabbing one podium spot on the weekend would be a good finish for most racers but Currie was not satisfied.

Casey came back on Saturday to lead the Pro Lite race wire to wire and take home his second win on the season and leaving fans with a solid impression of his Monster Energy clad Nissan Frontier to carry with them throughout the TORC offseason.

The Las Vegas rounds of the TORC series will be broadcast on ABC on Nov. 8th from 1:30-2:30 PM. Don't miss it!

TORC Homepage...

Casey Currie Homepage...

This Should Be A Fun Game...

The purpose of the game is to guess what vehicle this is a picture of. This vehicle will be on displat at SEMA in a few weeks and at the Baja 1000 as well. I will provide more hints and info as time goes on and people make guesses. No hints at this time beyond what is here in the picture which does provide a number of clues...

So THAT'S Why the Titan is Still Around!!

Ahhh....now it makes sense...

Why kill the Titan when you are going to be continuing to build the frame for a whole new series of vehicles?

Though the Titan is VERY long in the tooth, it still makes for a solid, inexpensive (when rebates are factored in) truck for many people and now Nissan is going to be using the basic underpinnings of the Titan for its new line of commercial vans to come out in the 4th quarter of 2010. To be similar, though not as fancy, as the concept shown above and displayed at auto shows last year, Nissan will still be able to turn a profit and keep the production line rolling with this new offering.

Likely designed to compete with the Dodge Sprinter and other commercial vans, this new line of Nissans will be welcome news to those owning Titans as they will continue to be made for the foreseeable future. Additionally, it may mean that Nissan upgrades the engine and drivetrain in the future while retaining the basic platform to keep a full size truck in their stable as it doesn't seem to make sense to totally kill the Titan while still producing its basic components for the commercial van.

Nissan announces commercial van product to arrive in late 2010...

2010 Toyota 4Runner: Review

Ahhh...the first reviews of the new 4Runner are coming in. Always a nice SUV it still remains true to its truck heritage keeping the body on frame design. The new 4Runner, however, commits what in my mind is the cardinal sin of ongong SUV design—a bigger is better philosophy.

Adding weight, height, length and width, the new 4Runner is in what used to be LandCruiser sized territory. Added also is the price as for the top end 4Runner you are now looking at a hair less than $40K and for a decent "Trail" edition version you are still dropping $35K. You can add all the do-dads and knick-knacks you want but it doesn't make it better...Toyota can sure build a durable engine and vehicle but they, like many auto manufacturers, still just can't get past the idea that every new generation and redesign HAS to be bigger and come with more baubles than the last...

2010 4Runner Review...

USRC: Rally New York 10/23-10/24

With the better known Rally America season over it leaves the USRC (United States Rally Championship) as the only game in town for big time rally racing.

This weekend marks the end of the USRC season with the International Rally New York. The all gravel rally is held near the PA border in Southwestern, NY and looks to have some rainy weather for today and tomorrow's stages.

Some big time competitors from Rally America are spending this event prepping for next year and crossing over to the USRC. The biggest name to be running here this weekend is Ken Block who will be leaving his regular Subaru to drive a Ford Escort MkII. Perhaps a sign of things to come with his Subaru contract up at the end of this year and rumors of his move to start up a WRC Ford team with Chris Atkinson?

Other Rally America veterans include the bio-diesel Greasecar VW Rabbit of Justin Craven and the Subaru Impreza of Maciej Przbysz.

Two Nissan/Datsun entries will make themselves known as well.

First is Greg Healey and his Datsun 280Z. Greg competed in the New England Forest Rally earlier this year and brought home some serious coin from the Max Attack series there as his 30 year old Datsun can still get it done.

Second is Dan Brosnan and his Sentra SER. Brosnan is competing for the USRC championship in the 2WD class as he won the American Rally NY earlier this year and took 2nd in the Rally Tennessee as well. Sitting in the runner-up position right now, Dan stands a good chance of bringing home not only the event win but the season championship as well.

Look for post event pics and results here on Sunday...

Hellstrom's Hive: Book Review

Wow. Could I possibly be more disappointed in a book? Written by Frank Herbert (one of the supposed pillars of 20th century Science Fiction) author of the famous Dune, Hellstrom's Hive was given to me recently by my father. I began the book with high expectations but by the end I don't know if I'll read another Herbert story again.

It is claimed that the story is set in a "police state" America. Really? There is no evidence of a police state of any kind. The primary government division mentioned herein is called "The Agency" (wow...how original...). Who controls this Agency or what its purpose is we are never told, just given generalities as to its connections to certain individual in the government. Again, how original...

The conflict in the story is between members of said Agency and members of a chemically and psychologically altered secret society that fashions themselves after the lives and behaviors of insects. There are a few memorable and kinda icky scenes within the book (reproductive stumps anyone??) but Herbert never fleshes out any of his characters with most of the Agency characters either getting killed off or shuffled off and not focused on and only the namesake of the book (Nils Hellstrom) getting any sort of detail on the "insect" side.

I guess the book is supposed to be some sort of commentary on communal societies, eugenics, government control, etc., but it all comes down to a simple game of cops and robbers with the Agency trying to figure out just what is going on down at that weird Hellstrom farm—Oh, its a bunch of free-love naked hippies!! Get 'em!! And the all powerful weapon that is the central macguffin? We never get any details...its just there and created by a bunch of midgets who are so ugly that even the insect people don't like them.

Even if you are a hardcore Science Fiction dork...stay far away from this boring non-entity...

Patrols, Titans and Hardbodies—Oh My!

OK...so it should be "Titan" and not "Titans"...shoot me...

Regardless, I just wanted to post a number of shots from the recent Taupo 1000 race in New Zealand. Looked at as the longest and best off-road race in the Southern Hemisphere (though I think the Dakar in its South American incarnation may now grab that title) the Taupo is one of the world's true adventures. Best of all, Nissans, especially the Patrol in both its pickup and its SUV forms, are a force to be reckoned with here. Also of note is that the Titan shown here is listed as having a SUPERCHARGED 4.5 liter engine...not too many of those around I don't believe....

Trucks #830, #832 and #609 found in these pics finished 11th, 12th and 13th on the weekend out of 74 entries. The Titan (still looking for more info on this truck as Titans have never been sold in Australia or NZ and I suspect he must have imported the engine and built the truck around that or purchased one of the former CORR Pro2 Titans of Carl Renezeder), driven by Raana Horan, finished in 57th after experiencing engine problems.

Nissan Goes Sub-Versa(ve)

Nissan continues to go small. At the Tokyo Motor Show (currently underway) Nissan has revealed that the next generation of its micro-car (Nissan Micra) will be sold here in the U.S. beginning in 2011 or 2012. The initial design sketch above does not show just how small this vehicle will be as in fact it will come up some two feet shorter than a Versa. By the time it comes out a Versa will likely be prices around $15K so still expect to pay around $10K for this little runabout. As I have stated before...it appears that Nissan is pegging its entire future on small, urban, alternative fueled vehicles. Nothing that Nissan is introducing or has in concept stages is a larger sedan, van, performance vehicle or truck/SUV. They are certainly putting their eggs all in one basket.

Next Gen Micra coming to the U.S.

Rally America Adds REAL Rallycross and Announces 2010 Schedule...

While the SCCA has run its own series of "rallycross" events for local clubs of the longstanding auto organization, true "rallycross" has never been seen on a significant level in the U.S.

The closest we have seen is the annual Rally races at ESPNs X-Games with two vehicles going "head to head" against the clock but on what were essentially seperate tracks. True Rallycross is run by numerous vehicles on the same track at the same time. That track may include dirt, tarmac, banked turns, jumps, etc. Players of the original DiRT and DiRT 2 videogames will be very familiar with this style of racing as it was featured prominently therein. Full contact racing on a short-course rally track between rally style vehicles should be awesome.

2010 will showcase these new events in a three race "exibition" season with all three races taking place in NJ. Why NJ?? I have no idea other than that it is near the largest population center in the U.S.

2010 will also result in some changes to Rally America's primary series as well. I think in part driven by the addition of the Rallycross events, Rally America has downsized, by three events, the traditional series. Gone are the Ojibwe Forest Rally, Rally Colorado and the Lake Superior Performance Rally. Additionally the six remaining events will be compressed into a schedule that finishes up in mid-summer to allow time for those same competitors to prepare for the fall Rallycross events.

I think that is really the key here. Rally America has seen the big time TV draw and positive audience reaction from their X-Games coverage and want to start heading towards more TV friendly events for at least some of their season.

Which brings me to another point. Buried in the press release below is the fact that Rally America has been re-signed for the 2010 X-Games, a somewhat surprising fact given Short Course Off-Road's rise in prominance and Ricky Johnson's connection to some of the X-Games production companies.

With Ken Block going off to Europe for a large part of the year to compete in the WRC, Rally America HAD to do something big to drive interest and bring new fans and racers to the sport.

This should defiantely accomplish that...

RA Press Release:

RALLY AMERICA TO LAUNCH EUROPEAN-STYLE RALLY CROSS RACING IN 2010


While many motorsports sanctioning bodies are looking for ways to shrink and save, Rally America, Inc., the premier sanctioning body for performance rally competition in North America, is expanding and growing.

Rally America today announced three European-style rally cross events in 2010. The three events will be run as exhibition events in 2010 but there may be more on the calendar in 2011.

European-style rally cross combines disciplines from road racing, short-course off-road racing and X Games-style rally car racing. It’s the action sport of motor racing.

“We’ve experienced dramatic growth in spectator interest the past three years,” said J.B. Niday, managing director for Rally America, Inc. “We’re confident American rally spectators would like to add this wheel-to-wheel competition to their plate of national championship rallying. Our championship is among the most respected in the world. This will make it more so. It’s a logical move for the growth of rally here in the United States.”

All three Rally America events will take place in the fall of 2010 at New Jersey Motor Sports Park in Millville, NJ. The course will be a combination of pavement and gravel surfaces totaling about one mile in length. It will include jumps, un-banked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel that promise to unsettle the cars and drivers. The three-minute sprint heats will see competition between six cars on the track at once. The winners advance through the day to the main event finale. It promises extreme challenges and extreme excitement for spectators and drivers alike.

The rally cross format is extremely popular in Europe. You can experience the excitement through on-demand video highlights at www.Rally-America.com.

There will be two classes of cars in Rally America’s initial year of competition. The faster, all-wheel-drive cars will resemble those used in current Rally America competition including the AWD Subarus used by four-time American rally champion Travis Pastrana and Internet gymkhana video star Ken Block. The second category of rally cross cars will be two-wheel-drive. That includes the various body styles from manufacturers such as Ford, Mitsubishi, Dodge and Honda boasting 450+ horsepower, highly modified engines and rally-style suspension.

Both categories include vehicles currently being used in the Rally America National Rally Championship. There will be one departure; rally cross is a driver-only competition. There’s no need for a co-driver to help navigate the car around the one-mile course.

“The Rally America National Championship has experienced constant growth in the past couple of years,” Niday continued. “The sport of rally cross has taken place successfully in Europe for many years and draws tens of thousands of spectators to each and every event. The excitement of wheel-to-wheel racing action for high-powered rally cars should work well here in the United States as it takes place on a closed-loop course that allows spectators to take in all the high-speed racing action from a single vantage point.”


2010 RALLY AMERICA NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS OFF IN JANUARY

In addition to European-style rally cross competition at the New Jersey Motor Sports Park in the fall of 2010, Rally America will resume its National Rally Championship series beginning with Sno*Drift, the traditional championship kick off in January 2010 and one of the only American national championship motorsports events run in real snow on real roads with real cars.


The 2010 championship, however, will be compressed to allow more spectator and media interest during the season. It ensures that every event will have greater import in the chase for the Rally America Championship. The 2010 Rally America National Rally Championship Schedule:

1. January Sno*Drift Rally Atlanta, MI
2. February Rally of the 100 Acre Wood Salem, MO
3. April Olympus Rally Olympia, WA
4. May Oregon Trail Rally Hood River, OR
5. June Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally Wellsboro, PA
6. July New England Forest Rally Newry, ME

Three rally events that were on the calendar in 2009, the Ojibwe Forests Rally in Bemidji, MN, Rally Colorado in Steamboat Springs, CO, and the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Houghton, MI, will be changed to regional-level rally events and will not be included in the 2010 Rally America National Rally Championship.

“After a great deal of consideration and review of the past three seasons, we’ve decided to reduce the Rally America National Championship from nine to six events to help reduce team costs and increase competition," said Mike Hurst, the Rally America competition director. “The 2010 championship schedule will include two national-level rally events on the west coast, two on the east coast and two in the central portion of the United States. The six-event schedule will not only make it more affordable for the teams, but allow for better competition as well as allow Rally America to introduce European-style rally cross competition in the fall.”

Considered by many to be the extreme sport of auto racing, rally car racing is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” This all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over courses that cover more than 100 miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Among the marques typically represented in Rally America events are Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

In addition, some of North America’s top rally drivers from the Rally America National Rally Championship series will be invited to compete in ESPN’s Summer X Games competition, the leading action sports event broadcast live on ABC and ESPN. Rally America officials will once again be involved in the organizational aspect of the rally car racing segment of competition for X Games 16 which is scheduled for July 29 to August 1, 2010.

For more information regarding Rally America, Inc., the 2010 Rally America National Rally Championship or the new European-style rally cross events taking place at the New Jersey Motor Sports Park in the fall of 2010, please call (763) 553-2742 for details or visit www.rally-america.com.

Titan Powered 350Z Wins Formula D Championship...

Ahhh...So Nissan CAN still win a significant motorsport's championship in this day and age. Chris Forsberg, driver of the NOS sponsored, Titan V8 powered, 2006 350Z Coupe wrapped up the '09 Formula Drift championship at Irwindale Speedway in CA yesterday. Having won two of the seven events on the year, Forsberg came into the event with a commanding lead and needed only an average showing here to take the season title. Congrats to Forsberg, his 350Z coupe and its Titan engine...

Chris Forsberg and his 350Z take the Formula D championship...

Chris Forsberg Homepage...

240SX Pike's Peak Hillclimb...

Ashamed at myself for not coming across this story sooner. It's the story from the '09 PP Hillclimb involving the build of a 240SX and all the trials and tribulations that go along with it. A truly great read, once again proving that in racing, if anything can go wrong, it will, and probably twice as bad as you would have ever guessed. Hope to see the team back in '10 for another go at it. Well done Fatman Racing!

240SX takes on Pike's Peak Hillclimb...

Nissan Qazana: Coming to America?

It sure looks that way. At least in one form or another. First introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in early '09 the Qazana is a small crossover SUV taking design cues (per the designer) from beach buggies and motorcycles. It sure looks different. It reminds me of the Isuzu Vehicross from a few years back.

A Nissan contact of mine has indicated that after the Qazana makes its appearance at the Tokyo Auto Show in the next few weeks that it will likely be showing up at the LA Auto Show later this year. For a vehicle that many looked at as just a concept and platform to try out future products, Nissan has hinted all along that much of this vehicle (up to 85%) would make its way to a showroom product. In fact, English papers are reporting that the Qazana will begin to be produced there in the Sunderland plant in late '10 as a '11 model. Whether this is true or not I do not know. My contact did not indicate this one way or another.

What my contact did reveal was that Nissan is bringing the concept version of the Qazana around to auto shows worldwide to guage interest in each market. Given the direction some of Nissan's product has taken of late, I take this project as a stroke of genius. Though as a Chinese saying says "the first nail to stick its head up is the first to get hammered down" I applaud the designers here for not taking the safe route. I personally hope the final product incorporates even more of the beach buggie design cues and not less. Last but not least...could we be looking at the Rogue replacement that I was told a few months back that was in the works?? Would it arrive under an entirely new name or could it just be a 2nd Gen Rogue??

Not sure but I will keep updating this story and look out for its appearance at the LA Auto Show (I think...)

Nissan S.A. Leaves Off-Road Racing...

Now officially, official, Nissan S.A. has formally announced that they are shutting down their off-road racing efforts. Why? I have no idea. Nissan Japan has provided literally NO financial support to Glyn Hall and his efforts for a number of years now and yet he continued to field dominant vehicles in S.A. and around the world. The current Navara/Frontier platform is one of the best ever produced by Nissan for off-road racing. I guess that they figure they want to go out on top having crushed all comers in S.A. over the past seven years. I have been told that Glyn Hall will surface at a new manufacturer in the VERY near future to guide their efforts and that his shop (hallspeed) will continue to provide some support to the Navara's he has already built and sold to racers around the world. Who will now take up the mantle of off-road racing for Nissan?? Anyone? It would take someone with more balls than smarts thats for sure as one is not likely to receive any monetary support from corporate Nissan. Hell, you'd be lucky to get a hearty slap on the back and a "well done" at this point as Nissan appears to have little interest in promoting anything but its "green" and "electric" image...

Nissan ends off-road motorsports efforts in S.A.

Four Wheeler Magazine: Rear Steer on Project Mega Titan

The latest in Four Wheeler's series of upgrades on their Project Mega Titan. It has come a long way and they just keep adding more and more.

Four Wheeler adds rear steer to Mega Titan

I've Tried... (open letter to Nissan USA)

honestly I have...

I've tried to remain solidly behind the Nissan brand. I own an Altima and an Xterra and have had a Sentra before that.

I supported and assisted a Nissan racing team in hopes of promoting the brand's durability and performance.

I have maintained a Nissan specific blog over the past year, promoting each and every accomplishment by Nissan that I came across.

But that was as of yesterday. Today I found out that the last real bastion of Nissan's Motorsports program (Glyn Hall and the South African produced Navaras) has been killed off. Yes, there is the small effort of the GT-R race team in Europe but to what market is that intended to appeal? The jet-setting investment banker set? Not exactly the people likely to drive Nissan sales volumes higher.

With this last real motorsports effort now gone I no longer have a reason to be a Nissan fan or owner. Yes, Nissan has some great history, but that's all it has—history. And yes, Nissan still makes some great vehicles (Altima, Maxima, Frontier, 370Z and GT-R) but it continues to move more and more in a direction that is not appealing to either myself or the majority of the American car buying public. Americans do not and never have and never will want small, urban runabouts, no matter how they are propelled (gas or electric). Build a electric truck or sleek sports sedan and that will get people excited.

The Leaf?? It only looks good in comparison to the Volt because Nissan has done it at 1/2 the cost—an admirable achievement but I don't get excited about going to Wal-Mart to buy a cheaper bag of cat food either.

So, please...give me something to get excited about. Give me something to believe in. Give me an U.S. Patrol. Give me a turbo diesel Frontier or Titan. Give me back a real motorsports program—SOMEWHERE!! Otherwise, I have put my vehicle allegiance up for grabs...I can no longer support a brand that is building a better paper clip and turning its back on all motorsports and their inherent innovations.

Small Car Owners Unhappy—Shocker!!

Gee, Americans can't stand driving tiny cars built for four Euro sized people to drive on Euro sized roads. Color me shocked!! With all the huffing and puffing coming from Washington and all the money being thrown at "green" this and "hybrid" that, you'd think that we were all on board this big socialist weenie train to happyville.

Ummm...not so much. Turns out that most who ran around like a chicken with their head cut off last year when gas prices jumped and traded in their larger sedans or SUVs for a small gas sipper, aren't really happy with what they got in return. Never mind that they put themselves in years more of debt, caused more enviro-harm by creating the demand for more vehicles, or that cow flatulence is MORE of a cause of greenhouse gas production than are auto exhaust emissions...

Glad I kept my SUV and two other cars. Sorry not all Americans took a look at what the real issues were...

New Small Car Owners Unhappy...