European trademark filing reveals Nissan 370Z Roadster sketches

Europe's Office for Harmonization of the Internal Market (OHIM) maintains a trademark database that helps to ensure a minimum of conflict and easy filing for claims. That same database also lets slip basic sketches of car designs before their official unveiling on a regular basis, and this time the Nissan 370Z Roadster gets its unofficial debut. Though the simple line drawings reveal nothing in terms of materials, the key details of profile, function and outline are all present. The last-generation 350Z Roadster was often criticized for its top-up looks, with a soft top that looked like a complete after-thought, ruining the good lines and meaty proportions of the car. This time around, the Roadster appears to have been designed as such, and though none of the examples give the car's profile in top-down mode, it looks remarkably more svelte and thought out than its predecessor.
2009 Nissan 370Z Coupe

2010 Nissan Cube Gets Accidental Unveil On Japanese Transport Truck

The 2010 Nissan Cube, bound for US sales and an LA Auto Show unveil tomorrow, has been revealed in these pictures of a car transit to somewhere in Japan posted on the Motive Mag forum. The new Cube retains its asymmetrical look while at the same time managing to look a bit sleeker than its predecessor. The grille shrinks a bit and the headlights get a more high tech look. The roof goes from pure flat to a slight curve and the rear of the vehicle retains the same backwards "S" sweeping across the glass from the rear door. We'll be looking for more details tomorrow at the official unveil, but enjoy these pics for now and wait in anticipation for the pending angry washing machine van wars to come.
[Newcar-Network via TTAC via MotiveMag]

Nissan To Offer S-Tune Version Of Versa... For China

Photos appearing on China Car Times this morning suggest the new Nissan 370Z is not the only product to get a Nismo S-Tune sports package. The 2009 Nissan Versa, known as the Tiida in China, is seen here sporting NISMO colors and a badge proclaiming the S-Tune. Other than the paint and badge, the only hint this is a special model is the sharp body kit. Could we get one here?

The Nissan offered in the People's Republic of China is similar to the Nissan Versa 1.6 in that there's no option for the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. Nissan could put the 1.8-liter engine in the PRC Tiida and they'd go nuts over the performance. Here they would have to offer a bit more to the vehicle, maybe a transplant from the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, than paint and a sweet badge. Given the existence of the Sentra SE-R and move to make the Versa cheaper we're not holding our breath. [China Car Times]

2009 Nissan GT-R to get 5-hp bump and tweaks in Japan

The Nissan GT-R will benefit from a few engineering and cosmetic tweaks for the 2009 model year in Japan, beginning with a slight bump in performance that brings output up from 480 to 485 PS (just under five hp). Other modifications include a larger fuel tank - expanded from 71 liters to 73.8 liters - a slight increase in fuel economy (about .3 km/l), "Nissan" replacing "Brembo" on the brake calipers, a new mounting location for the front license plate and a new paint code for Storm White (changed fro QX1 to QAB).
Pricing will also increase by another 5% in 2009 and it's expected that most of these changes will be adopted on U.S.-spec vehicles when the "Series II" production run begins next year.

Mystery Nissan Minivan-ish Wagon Down On The Austin Street

This is Down On The Street Bonus Edition, where we check out interesting street-parked cars located in places other than the Island That Rust Forgot. Since it's Maximum Minivan Day, we need a Maximum Minivan Down On The Street Bonus Edition. This mysterious Nissan vannish wagon (or wagonish van) was spotted in Austin by Schnog; his theory is that we're looking at a Mexican-market Tsuru wagon. Make the jump for the rest of the story.

What is the age cutoff for DOTS? While it may not be old, it deserves a look for sheer lost-a-bet-in-the-womb homleyness.

I spotted this odd creature in the wilds of Austin Texas today, and I'm thinking third generation Nissan Tsuru, wagon, manufactured in Mexico, of course. I've never even seen one in Mexico. Note the Texas plates, so someone loved this little monster enough to import the thing.

Points for the Pomegranate orange paintjob and the 'Fear This' sticker right above the Department of Public Safety (Texas State Police) booster sticker.

I'm thinking repainted white with a 2.0 L SR20DE I4 engine, lowered 2' on 17''s, a surfboard permanently attached to the roof, with a girl you met last night in the passenger seat and a bag of mescaline in the center console.