The Ford Torino is an intermediate automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. The car was named after the city of Turin (Torino, in Italian), which is considered the Detroit (primary automobile production city) of Italy. The Torino was initially an upscale version of the intermediate sized Ford Fairlane, which Ford produced between 1962 and 1970. After 1968, the Fairlane name was retained for the base models with lower levels of trim than those models which wore the Torino name. During this time, the Torino was considered a subseries to the Fairlane. By 1970 Torino had become the primary name for Ford's intermediate, and the Fairlane was now a subseries of the Torino. In 1971 the Fairlane name was dropped altogether and all Ford intermediates were called Torino. This name was one of several originally proposed for the Mustang while in development. The Torino was essentially a twin to the Mercury Montego line. Most Torinos were conventional cars, and generally the most popular models were the 4-door sedans and 4-door hardtops. However, Ford produced some high-performance versions of the Torino by fitting them with large

Mercury Cougar is the name applied to a diverse series of automobiles sold by the Mercury brand of Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury Division from 1967 to 2002. As was common with Mercury vehicles, the Cougar shared basic platforms with Ford models. Originally, this was the Mustang, later the Thunderbird, and the last a version of the Contour/Mondeo. The Cougar was important to Mercury's image for many years, and advertising often identified its dealers as being "at the sign of the cat." Female models holding big cats on leashes were used on Cougar ads in the early 1970s. The car was assembled at the Dearborn Assembly Plant (DAP) (one of six plants within the Ford Rouge Center) in Dearborn, Michigan from 1967 to 1973, at the San Jose Assembly Plant in Milpitas, California from 1968 into early 1969 and at the Lorain Assembly Plant (LAP) in Lorain, Ohio from 1974 to 1997. The introduction of the Cougar finally gave Mercury its own pony car. Slotted between the Ford Mustang and the Ford Thunderbird, the Cougar would be the performance icon and eventually the icon for the Mercury name for several decades. The Cougar was available in two models (base and XR-7) and only came in one

The Nissan Cima is a large luxury sedan produced by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. for the Japanese market. The car's name is derived from Spanish for "summit". The hood ornament uses an image of an acanthus leaf. The acanthus leaf was commonly used by classical Greeks to make a wreath for use as a crown. The Cima has traditionally been Nissan's rival to the Toyota Crown Majesta. The Cima in the first two generations was a more luxurious and larger version of the Cedric and Gloria, with the Cima sharing the V8 engine from the President. Later generations of the Cima shared the same platform as the President, with the Cima being a shorter version; these iterations of the Cima were exported to the United States as the Infiniti Q45. The Q45 was discontinued after 2006, however the Cima and the President continued in production until August 2010, leaving the Nissan Fuga to become the lone flagship sedan. The Nissan Cima was introduced in 1988 and was based on an elongated Cedric/Gloria chassis. With its phenomenal sales—about 64,000 units sold the first year and 120,000 in four years—the car became a symbol of the "bubble economy". To date the Nissan Cima has sold over 278,000 units. Up until

The Dodge Challenger is the name of three different generations of automobiles marketed by the Dodge division of Chrysler. The first generation Dodge Challenger was a pony car built from 1970 to 1974, using the Chrysler E platform and sharing major components with the Plymouth Barracuda. The second generation, from 1978 to 1983, was a badge engineered Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. The third, and current generation, was introduced in 2008 as a rival to the evolved fifth generation Ford Mustang and the reintroduced fifth generation Chevrolet Camaro. The first car that carried the Challenger name was the mid-year introduction of a limited edition 1959 Dodge Silver Challenger. This was a six-cylinder or V8 model available only in silver paint and only on a two-door body. It came with extra features at no cost, including premium white wall tires, full wheel covers, electric windshield wipers, as well as an upgraded interior with luxury fabrics and wall-to-wall deep pile carpeting. The Challenger was described in a book about 1960s American cars as Dodge's "answer to the Mustang and Camaro." It was one of two Chrysler E-body cars, the other being the slightly smaller Plymouth Barracuda.

The Chevrolet Blazer (4WD model T-10) and the similar GMC S-15 Jimmy (4WD model T-15) are mid-size SUVs from General Motors. Production began alongside the larger K5 Blazer and Jimmy in 1983 and lasted through 2005. In the United States retail sales after 2004 were limited to two-door Blazer models, all other models being sold to fleets, until April 20, 2005. In the Canadian market, four-door models of the Blazer and Jimmy were sold until the 2004 model year and until the 2005 model year for the two-door models of both. The S-series SUVs, so named because they were based on the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC S-15 pickup trucks, were produced in Pontiac, Michigan; Linden, New Jersey; Moraine, Ohio; Shreveport, Louisiana; and São Paulo, Brazil (the Brazilian version is based on the second-generation S-series; even though production ceased in the U.S., new Blazers are locally produced in Brazil with their own sheetmetal stampings). In North America, the Moraine plant produced only 4-door vehicles, with both 2- and 4-door models being produced at Linden, which was the main assembly plant after the switch (some time after 1995) from Pontiac, Michigan, which is now a full-size truck plant. Upon

The Hyundai Santa Fe (Korean: 현대 싼타페) is a mid-size crossover SUV based on the Hyundai Sonata platform. Named after the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, it was introduced for the 2001 model year as Hyundai's first SUV, released at the same time as the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute and Pontiac Aztek. The Santa Fe was a milestone in the company's restructuring program of the late 1990s because, despite receiving criticism from journalists for its obscure looks, the SUV was a hit with the American buyers. The SUV was so popular that at times, Hyundai had trouble supplying the demand. The Santa Fe quickly became Hyundai's best seller and contributed to Hyundai's success in the United States. As of 2007, the mid-size crossover SUV Santa Fe falls between the compact SUV Tucson and the related luxury crossover SUV Veracruz (which was preceded by the Terracan). The second Gen Hyundai Santa Fe was awarded 2008 Consumer Reports "top pick" and was among the top 10 vehicles for 2008 unveiled in the magazine's issue. The magazine's annual ratings, based on road tests and predicted safety and reliability, are considered highly influential among consumers. In 2012, the third Generation Santa Fe will

The GMC Envoy is an SUV from the GMC marque of General Motors. It was introduced as a high-end version of the Jimmy for the 1998 model year, the same year the Jimmy was restyled. After a short hiatus during the time of which the Jimmy was phased out, the Envoy reappeared in the GMC line of vehicles from 2002 through 2009 as a standalone model until the unibody 7-seat Acadia replaced it; the Envoy sold alongside the Acadia from 2007-09. The Envoy nameplate made its first appearance as a high-end trim line of the GMC Jimmy SUV, itself a clone of the Chevrolet Blazer. This version used a 190 horsepower (140 kW) 4.3L L35 Vortec 4300 V6, and was retired after the 2000 model year. Unlike the Chevrolet Blazer, the GMC Jimmy was no longer produced starting in 2001 (US only, Canada continued to receive it until 2005). Being the top trim of the Jimmy line, the Envoy had many extra features not available on the regular Jimmy, including a remote trunk release, HID headlamps, both heated exterior mirrors and front seats, as well as a Bose audio system. Optional features included a power moonroof, a locking differential, and a power front passenger seat. The 1998-2000 GMC Envoy had a four wheel

The Shelby GT500 is a car produced by Shelby American.

The Holden VE Commodore, Berlina and Calais are a range of full-size cars produced since 2006 by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors (GM). Succeeding the previous VZ model, the VE marked the introduction of the fourth generation of Holden Commodore—a model line introduced in 1978. As opposed to the VZ and all models previous which used Opel-sourced platforms adapted both mechanically and in size for the local market, the VE programme is the first Commodore to be developed exclusively by Holden in Australia. Despite its status as an all-new model, engines—comprising the 3.6-litre V6 and more powerful 6.0-litre V8—have been largely carried over from the VZ series. Innovative features to help minimise export redevelopment costs, such as a symmetrical centre console housing a flush-fitting hand brake lever, facilitate the conversion to left-hand drive. Internationally, the VE is badge engineered as the Chevrolet Lumina, Chevrolet Omega and previously as the Pontiac G8 from 2007 to 2009. Holden implemented a staged roll-out of the VE variants, releasing the sedan first in July 2006. Prior to this, Holden stated they would manufacture two parallel generations of

Zastava 101 was a car produced by Zastava.

The Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors. On November 10, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide. It is unknown if it will be sold in North America. The TrailBlazer nameplate was introduced in 1999 as an upscale trim line of the Blazer. In 2002, the TrailBlazer turned into a separate model. Production of the Blazer overlapped with the TrailBlazer until 2005, when the 2-door was sold at dealers while the 4-door was fleet only (until the 2004 model year). The first-generation TrailBlazer is based on a truck platform called GMT360, with all models having four-wheel drive as an option with both automatic engagement and the more traditional "4 High" and "4 Low" gearings, except the SS model which features an All wheel drive system. The TrailBlazer features an independent front suspension, and a five-link rear suspension. A G80 locking rear differential is available as an option on all models except for the SS which has a G86 LSD standard. An 'LT' version, has up-graded interior features, better sound system, alloy wheels, 4-wheel disc

The Pontiac 6000 was a mid-size car introduced by the Pontiac division of General Motors in 1981 for the 1982 model year, positioned between the smaller Phoenix and the slightly upscale Bonneville (previously the LeMans). It shared its platform with the Buick Century, Chevrolet Celebrity, Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser station wagon. The 6000 was built at the Oshawa Car Assembly plant in Ontario, Canada from 1981 to 1988 and in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma until production ceased in 1991. They were also made in Tarrytown, New York for a few years. By 1984 the 6000 was Pontiac's best seller, with over 122,000 units sold. Since the demise of the T1000 after the 1987 model year, the 6000 was the last remaining Pontiac to bear the "000" in its name (the 2000 Sunbird was the first Pontiac to drop it in 1985). In 1982, two trim levels were offered: 6000 and 6000 LE. Both came standard with the new-for-1982 2.5 L (151 cu in) Tech IV four-cylinder with throttle body injection. It made 90 horsepower (67 kW). Optional engines were GM's 2.8 L (173 cu in) V6 with a 2-barrel carburetor which made 112 horsepower (84 kW), or a 4.3 L (263 cu in) Oldsmobile diesel V6 which

The Nissan Gazelle was a compact 2 door coupe and three-door hatchback produced by Nissan, based on the Nissan S platform. It was produced for the Japanese and Australian markets only. The Gazelle is a sister car to the Nissan Silvia. It was produced so that Nissan's different dealership networks in Japan could all carry the Silvia. There are minor cosmetic differences between the two cars. Both the S110 and S12 Silvias have a Gazelle counterpart. The S12 Silvia in Japan was available as a hatch as a basic model only, but the S12 Gazelle in Japan was strictly a hatch, available in regular, RS and RS-X variants, as was the Silvia notchback. Japanese spec models came with many options like voice command, fog lights and options for different motors (FJ20E, FJ20ET, CA18DE, CA18E, CA18DET.). The RS-X model also came with different factory alloy wheels. In the Australian market the S12 chassis, both body styles were sold as the Nissan Gazelle, in GL (normal) and SGL (luxury) forms, with electric mirrors and windows. The Australian released models of the S12 Gazelle came standard with an SOHC CA20E motor, Producing 78 kW @ 5200rpm, and 160Nm of torque @ 3200-3200rpm. This engine was mated

The Willys CJ (later Jeep CJ) (or "Civilian Jeep") is a public version of the famous Willys Military Jeep from World War II. The first CJ prototype (the Willys CJ-2) was introduced in 1944 by Willys, and the same basic vehicle stayed in production through seven variants and three corporate parents until 1986. A variant of the CJ is still in production today under license. The last CJs, the CJ-7 and CJ-8, were replaced in 1987 by the Jeep Wrangler. Also available were two-wheel-drive variants, known as DJs. By 1944, the Allies were confident the war would be won. This allowed Willys to consider designing a Jeep for the post-war civilian market. Documentation is hard to come by, but it seems that a Willys-Overland CJ-1 (for "Civilian Jeep-1") was running by May of that year. The CJ-1 was apparently an MB that had been modified by adding a tailgate, drawbar, and a civilian-style canvas top. None of the CJ-1s built have survived, and it is not known (at this writing) how many were built. Although it bore the CJ name, the Willys-Overland CJ-2 was not really available at retail. The CJ-2s, also known as "AgriJeeps," were the second generation prototype for the first production civilian

The Nissan Avenir is a line of station wagons beginning production in May 1990 by Nissan of Japan, with the budget minded delivery van starting out as the Avenir Cargo, then being renamed in 1999 as the (Japanese: Nissan Expert) aimed primarily at the commercial market. It replaced the long-serving Nissan Bluebird wagon/delivery van. It was a larger companion to the Nissan Wingroad/Nissan AD van. The Avenir Cargo also assumed load carrying duties of the discontinued Nissan Cedric and Gloria delivery vans. The Avenir appeared after the Subaru Legacy wagon, but before the Toyota Caldina wagon. The Avenir's appearance was not shared with another Nissan sedan. The name Avenir is French for "future". It was initially a station wagon version of the Nissan Primera P10, but was eventually spun off into its own line in 1997. The nameplate was seen in Japan, New Zealand, Russia and other countries importing used JDM cars. The W10 Avenir was initially available with either the 1.8 L SR18Di in FWD or a 2.0 L SR20DE in 4WD ATTESA configuration. The Nissan Expert cargo van came only with the 1.6 L GA16DS. The FWD was available with either a 4 speed automatic transmission or a 5 speed manual, the

The Mercury Milan is a mid-size sedan based on the Mazda designed Ford CD3 platform built by Ford Motor Company and distributed by the Lincoln-Mercury division. It is a twin of the Ford Fusion, while being slotted below the luxury-spec Lincoln MKZ (formerly Zephyr) sedan. The Milan was first shown at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show, and was sold in the United States (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Mexico, and the Middle East. With Ford eliminating the Mercury division, production of the Milan ended December 17, 2010. The Milan differs from the Fusion by featuring unique front and rear fascia designs, LED taillight clusters, projector head lamps and fog lamps, and an upgraded interior. The Milan filled the lineup gap following the discontinuation of both the Mercury Mystique in 2000 and the Mercury Sable in 2005, becoming the entry-level Mercury sedan. The Milan is available in six packaged variants: I4, V6, I4 Premier, V6 Premier, V6 AWD, and Premier AWD. As of 2008, only the I4 and I4 Premier are offered in the Middle East. In the 2007 model, the "MILAN" badging was added at the doors. The Milan four cylinder comes standard with a five-speed manual, and is

The Nissan NX is a car produced by Nissan Motors. The Nissan NX was essentially a B13 platform Nissan Sentra or Sunny with a different body shell. The NX was, loosely, an evolution of the Nissan Pulsar NX/Nissan EXA sold from 1987–1990 and the Nissan Sunny lines of the 1980, merging the Nissan B13 and N14 lineages. Originally designed in California. The Nissan 100nx was released as part of a new line of motors released by Nissan at the time, that being the Nissan 200sx and the 300Zx, it is often thought of as the little brother to these motors. The NX1600 was based on the standard 1.6L Sentra (engine code GA16DE), and the NX2000 was based on the 2.0 L SE-R model (engine code SR20DE). It was produced from 1991-1993 in the US (mainly competing with the Mazda MX-3 and Honda CR-X del Sol). Also, it was produced for a few more years in other countries. The NX2000 model had some mechanical improvements over its SE-R sibling. It had larger brakes and more aggressive tires on wider 6" wheels (195/55VR-14 with 14x6" wheels vs. the 185/60HR-14 with 14x5.5" wheels and tires in the SE-R). The NX2000 brakes are a common aftermarket upgrade for B13 Sentra SE-Rs. The NX2000 also had a center

The Nissan Pathfinder is an SUV manufactured by Nissan Motors since 1986, derived from Nissan's compact pickup truck platform. The Pathfinder is slotted in size between the Murano and Armada or Patrol, but in price between the Xterra and Murano. The Pathfinder's traditional Japanese competitor is the Toyota 4Runner. The North American first generation Pathfinder came in two different bodies and shared styling and most components with the Nissan Hardbody Truck. Built on a ladder-type frame, the Pathfinder was Nissan's response to the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Bronco, Jeep Cherokee, and non-American SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner, Isuzu Trooper, and the Mitsubishi Montero. WD21 Pathfinders were available in both 2WD and 4WD configurations. In the US from 1986.5 to 1989 Pathfinders came with a two door body. In early 1990 it became a four door in the United States. Some US 1990 Pathfinders came with the two door body, but they are rare. Before the Pathfinder there was the Nissan Bushmaster (an aftermarket conversion of the Datsun Truck), but this too, is rare. When the four door version was introduced, Nissan chose to conceal the door handles as a part of the "C" pillar trim to visually

The Pontiac Phoenix is a compact car sold from 1977 to 1984 by the Pontiac division of General Motors. There were two generations of the Phoenix, both based on popular Chevrolet models, and both using the GM X platform designation. It is named for the Phoenix bird in the mythologies of Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, and Phoenicians that would live for about 500 to 1000 years, die in a self-inflicted fire and be reborn from the ashes. The rear drive GM X platform borrowed much from the earlier established GM F platform that was the basis of the Pontiac Firebird. The Phoenix was replaced by the Grand Am in 1985. The rear wheel drive Phoenix was introduced in 1977 as the top-level trim of the Pontiac Ventura, and replaced the Ventura entirely in 1978. The Phoenix differed from the Ventura in only minor details such as the grille and its square headlights (first GM vehicle to use the 6054 aka 7x6 headlight bulbs). It was available as a 2-door coupe or hatchback or a 4-door sedan. There were three trim-levels made for the first generation: base, LJ, and SJ. Available engines included 151 cubic inch Iron Duke I4, 110 hp (82 kW) Buick-built 3.8 L V6 and a 140 hp (104 kW) Chevy 305

The Jeep Honcho was a trim package on the full-size J-Series (J10) pickup truck, and was offered from 1976-1983. It consisted of bold striping and decals, and was offered with factory extras such as the Levi's interior or a roll bar. It was one in a series of special decal packages offered for J-Series trucks in the mid to late 1970s, which included the Golden Eagle and 10-4 which offered an optional CB radio along with the decals. The Honcho package was only available on the sportside (stepside) and short bed trucks. Between 1980 and 1983, only 1,264 of the sportside versions were produced. The Honcho was not the name for Jeep's full size trucks after American Motors Corporation (AMC) bought Jeep from Kaiser Motors in 1970. They were sold as the Gladiator for a few more years and after that were known simply as the J-Series trucks. Decal packages were available for many of Jeep's vehicles in the 1970s, including a package for the Jeep Cherokee called the Cherokee Chief. The Golden Eagle package mentioned above was also available for both the CJ, TJ and the Cherokee.

The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a retro style SUV with styling and off road performance reminiscent of the original Toyota FJ40 Land Cruisers. Introduced as a concept car at the February 2003 Chicago Auto Show, the FJ Cruiser was approved for production after positive consumer response and debuted at the January 2005 North American International Auto Show in final production form. The FJ cruiser is built by Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors in Hamura, Japan since 2006 and shares many structural underpinnings from the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. By the time the production of the original FJ40 ended in 1984 Toyota had shifted towards increasing the size and luxury of the Land Cruiser line. The idea of a new FJ with rugged capabilities of the FJ40 originated in the mid 1990s with Toyota Product Planner Dave Danzer and then Vice President of Sales and Operations Yoshi Inaba. Danzer worked secretly with Akio Toyoda to set up a special shop at the NUMMI plant to test the feasibility of a new FJ40 by combining Tacoma underpinnings with the bodies of Toyota Bandeirante, an FJ40 based vehicle still in production in Brazil (as a diesel model only) at the time. Akio Toyoda returned to Japan to join the

The Jeep Comanche (designated MJ) is a pickup truck version of the Cherokee compact SUV that was produced from 1985 (and was marketed as a 1986 model year) to 1992. Rear wheel (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) models were available, as well as two cargo box lengths of six-feet (1.83 metres) or seven-feet (2.13 metres). During the mid-1980s, according to AMC Chairman W. Paul Tippett Jr.: "People are finding trucks a reasonable and sophisticated alternative to cars." To satisfy the demand and to compete with Japanese competitors, both AMC and Chrysler were preparing pickups for the 1986 and 1987 model years (respectively). Also at this time the financial health of AMC was poor and the automaker was in need of cash as it was preparing a new line of midsize vehicles (the Eagle Premier) scheduled to be produced at a factory being built in Canada (Brampton Assembly), but the best thing the company had going for it was its popular line of Jeeps and introducing a compact Jeep pickup truck in the fall of 1985 was expected to help. The new Jeep Comanche was introduced mid-August 1985, at a lavish event staged at the ballroom of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino (currently Bally's Las Vegas) for

The Pontiac Montana is a minivan from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Prior to the 1997 model year, it was known as Pontiac Trans Sport. In 1997, the Trans Sport added the Montana moniker as part of an available trim package. The package proved so popular the line was renamed Montana in 1999 for the US and 2000 for Canada. For 2005, the van was redesigned with a higher, less aerodynamic nose to resemble an SUV. The Montana name was also changed to Montana SV6. It was discontinued after the 2006 model year in the United States because of slow sales, but continued to be sold in Canada and Mexico until the 2009 model year because of GM phasing out the Pontiac brand after the 2010 model year. Since their introduction, the Pontiac minivans were General Motors' most popular minivans among consumers in Canada. The Doraville, Georgia assembly plant which produced the Montana closed on September 26, 2008. The Montana nameplate was used as a trim level of the Pontiac Trans Sport van from 1997 to 1998. GM dropped the Trans Sport name for 1999 (2000 in Canada) and the van simply became Montana. This generation was related to the previous generation Buick GL8, the Chevrolet Venture, the

The Toyota Camry Solara, also more commonly known as the Toyota Solara, is a mid-size coupe/convertible designed and engineered by Toyota. Created to appeal to a demographic of more sport-minded drivers than those who prefer the Toyota Camry sedan, the Camry Solara aspires to blend "sporty" looks and style with spacious practicality. The front-wheel drive Camry Solara is supposed to have a more sporty image than the Camry sedan. However, all models of the Camry Solara only feature the "Solara" portion of the name on exterior emblems, and the "Camry" portion of the name is rarely used when referring to the car in general. Prior to the production of the Camry Solara, the 2-door version of the Toyota Camry was simply known as the Camry Coupé. It was added to the third generation Camry lineup in 1994 to compete with the Honda Accord and other cars in its class. However, due to it never being nearly as popular as the 4-door sedan of the Camry, the Camry Coupé was dropped in 1997. In 1999, reviving the goal to compete with other similar coupés, Toyota launched the Camry Solara. Unlike the competing Honda Accord sedan and the Accord Coupe which are updated at the same time, the Solara's

The Nissan Lafesta is a seven-seater minivan built by Nissan Motors for the Asian market. The name was derived from the Italian word festa, meaning holiday, festival or party, and according to the manufacturer "expresses a desire to spend an enjoyable time in the car together with family members or friends." It was first released on December 2, 2004 priced between ¥1,785,000 and ¥2,310,000 in Japan, with a sales target of 5,000/month. The Lafesta shares a platform with the Renault Scénic and Renault Megane. The Lafesta is the successor to the Nissan Prairie / Nissan Liberty and currently competes with the Toyota Isis, Honda Stream, Toyota WISH, Subaru Exiga, and the Mazda Premacy. The Lafesta also takes the Nissan Avenir's former role as the estate version of the Nissan Bluebird The vehicle offers sliding doors on both sides (one of which is power-assisted), Nissan's Intelligent key system, GPS navigation system, reverse camera and a panoramic roof. The only engine option available is a 2.0 L MR20DE straight-4. Both front- and four-wheel drive transmissions are available; the former uses a torsion beam suspension at the rear while the latter has a trailing arm multi-link

The Z-car is a series of sports cars manufactured by Nissan Motors Ltd.. The original Z was sold in October 1969 in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and was sold in Japan at Nissan Exhibition dealerships that previously sold the Nissan Bluebird. It was exported as the Datsun 240Z. Since 2009 Nissan has manufactured the newest Z, the 370 Z. The earlier models of the Nissan Z were built at the Nissan Shatai plant in Hiratsuka until 2000, while the later models (350Z and 370Z) are built at Oppama (2002–2004) and Tochigi (2004–present). Enthusiasts praise the cars for their looks, reliability, performance, and affordability. Nissan Z cars currently hold the record for the best selling sports car series of all time with over 2 million cars sold. Every Z car has been sold in Japan as the Fairlady Z and elsewhere under the names 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX, 350Z and 370Z. Nissan was a relatively small company when in the 1960s it partnered with Yamaha to design a new sports car prototype. Nissan executives saw the prototype as a halo car that would improve their company's image in the minds of consumers. By 1964 Nissan realized that Yamaha's DOHC 2.0-liter engine was not meeting Nissan's

The Pontiac G5 is a rebadged Chevrolet Cobalt compact car that was marketed by the Pontiac division of General Motors. It was first introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. For 2005 and early 2006, this car was known as the Pontiac Pursuit in the Canadian market, and G5 Pursuit during mid-2006. It was also known as the Pontiac G4 in Mexico from 2005-2006. It was released to the U.S. market in August 2006 as a 2007 model. The G5 and Cobalt are built upon the GM Delta platform and was available as a sedan in Canada and Mexico. In the United States, the G5 is only available as a coupe. As a result of GM pulling the Pontiac brand after the 2010 model year (2009 in Mexico), GM announced that G5 production would end in 2010 for the United States and Mexican markets, although the 2010 model was sold in Canada due to strong sales and having the title of Pontiac's best-seller in Canada. All Pontiac G5 production, including the 2010 model year G5 destined for Canada, ended at the Lordstown, Ohio plant after its final month of production in September, 2009. The new Buick Verano serves as the Pontiac G5's replacement as a 2012 model. The independent front suspension has MacPherson struts,

The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble-handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2-door sports car available in hardtop coupe and open configurations. Design innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsports success and popularity. Production started in 1948 at Gmünd, Austria, where approximately 50 cars were built. In 1950 the factory relocated to Zuffenhausen, Germany, and general production of the 356 continued until April 1965, well after the replacement model 911 made its autumn 1963 debut. It is estimated approximately half of the total production of 76,000 356s still survive. Prior to World War II Porsche designed and built three Type 64 cars for a 1939 Berlin to Rome race that was cancelled. In 1948 the mid-engine, tubular chassis 356 prototype called "No. 1" was completed. This led to some debate as to the "first" Porsche automobile, but the 356 is considered by Porsche to be its first production model. The 356 was created by Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche (son of Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the company). Like its cousin, the Volkswagen Beetle (which Ferdinand Porsche Senior had

The Lincoln MKX is a mid-size luxury crossover (CUV) from Ford's Lincoln division and a de facto successor to the Lincoln Aviator luxury SUV. It debuted as a 2007 model in December 2006 as a production version of the Lincoln Aviator Concept shown at the 2004 North American International Auto Show. Other than unique styling and some premium features, the MKX is closely related to its sister vehicle the Ford Edge, sharing Ford's CD3 platform, powertrain, body panels, and other design elements. The MKX is of unibody construction and is natively front-wheel drive with available all-wheel drive. Its sole powertrain is a 3.5 L Duratec V6 mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The MKX can seat up to five people. The MKX is a stark contrast to its predecessor, the Aviator, which was based on the Ford Explorer's rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive body-on-frame platform, came with a standard V8, and was larger with seating for up to seven people. The 2007 MKX debuted with a base MSRP of $35,770 USD, ranging up to the mid-$40,000 USD range when fully optioned. The MKX is built alongside its Ford Edge sibling at Ford's Oakville Assembly Plant in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Lincoln

The Chrysler Royal was an automobile produced by the Chrysler division of the Chrysler Corporation between 1937 to 1942 and 1946 to 1950. The Royal represented the entry-level Chrysler during its production, making it the most affordable Chrysler model. The Royal was replaced at the end of 1950 model year by the Chrysler Windsor. The Chrysler Royal name was revived by Chrysler Australia in 1957 for an Australian produced model based on the 1953 Plymouth. The name was also applied as a trim level of the Chrysler Newport from 1970-72 It would not be reused.

The Datsun 510 was a series of the Datsun Bluebird sold from 1968 to 1974, and offered outside the U.S. and Canada as the Datsun 1600. According to AutoWeek's G.D. Levy, the 510 has often been called the "poor man's BMW." The 510's engineering was inspired by contemporary European sedans, particularly the 1966 BMW 1600-2, incorporating a SOHC engine, MacPherson strut suspension in front and independent, semi-trailing arms in the back. The European-influenced sheet metal design is attributed to Datsun in-house designer, Teruo Uchino. The engine was pushed through by Nissan USA president Yutaka Katayama, a design developed through Prince, an acquisition, with some Mercedes Benz influence. Launched in August 1968, it was one of the most comprehensive Bluebird ranges in terms of body styles: a two-door sedan, a four-door sedan, a five-door station wagon, and a two-door coupé (added in November 1968). This range became famous for Nissan's rallying successes outside Japan and paved the way for greater Nissan sales internationally. The Datsun 510 released to the U.S. market came originally with the Hitachi downdraft carbureted 1.6L L-series I4 engine, with an advertised gross power of

The popular and economical Datsun/Nissan compact pickup truck was produced in Japan from 1955 and has been sold in large numbers across all continents. Modern versions of this vehicle are still in production around the world, currently with the Frontier and Navara names. In Japan, it was exclusive to Nissan Bluebird Shop locations. The Datsun truck line began with the 17T, built between 1937 and 1944. This was followed by the near identical post-war Datsun 1121 (1946) and 2124 (1947-1949). In 1949 the 3135 took over, followed by next year's Datsun 4146. In 1951 the 5147 appeared, which was succeeded two years later by the 6147. The Datsun 6147 was built until the 1955 introduction of the 120-series truck. The Datsun 120 was a load carrying bodystyle version of the Datsun 1000 sedan, and was introduced in January 1955 as the first Datsun truck with up-to-date styling. The 120 series was based on the Datsun 110 series. Delivery van, panel van (120 only), and double cab versions were available. Until 1959 it used the 25 hp, 860 cc Nissan D10 engine with a four-speed floor shift (column shift for the 123 and later versions) manual transmission. During its six years in production six

The Mazda MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) is a minivan manufactured by Mazda. Introduced in 1989 as a rear-wheel-drive model with optional selectable four-wheel drive, it was replaced in 2000 with a front-wheel-drive-only version. Over one million MPV models had been produced since its introduction. The minivan boom of the 1980s caught the Japanese car makers by surprise. Each maker had its own response: Toyota was first with an adaptation of their mid-engined Van, based on the Japanese TownAce in 1984. Nissan and Mitsubishi quickly followed suit with conversions of cargo vans in 1987, but all of them were small and only offered four-cylinder engines, which limited their popularity in North America. The 1989 MPV was designed from the ground-up as a minivan specifically for the American market. It was based on the large rear-wheel-drive 929's HC. It would be called the LV platform, and equipped the MPV with a V6 engine and optional four-wheel drive. Its selectable 4WD system is not to be confused with permanent "all-wheel-drive" systems; the MPV can be switched into 4WD with a switch mounted on the column gear selector. A dash mounted switch also allowed the driver to lock the center

The Acura MDX, or Honda MDX as known in Japan and Australia (only the first generation was imported), is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Acura since the 2001 model year. The MDX was the first crossover SUV to have third-row seating. It is related to the Honda Pilot. The alphanumeric moniker stands for "Multi-Dimensional luxury". It is built by Honda of Canada Manufacturing Ltd. in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. It was introduced in late 2000 as a 2001 model, replacing the slow-selling U.S.-only body-on-frame SLX, based on the Isuzu Trooper. In Japan, it filled a gap when the Honda Horizon (also based on the Trooper) was discontinued in 1999. In 2003, the Honda MDX went on sale in Japan and Australia. Australian MDXs were all equipped with the 2001–2003 Touring 'Kiwi' style wheels and were all equipped with the Rear-Seat DVD entertainment system. For 2009, Acura created a crossover to slot above the MDX, called the ZDX, a four-door coupe similar in appearance to the BMW X6 and the Honda Crosstour. Derived from Honda's Global mid-size platform which underpins cars like the Honda Accord, Acura TL, Acura TSX and Honda Odyssey, it is powered by a J35A3

The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors (GM) that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after the type of small, maneuverable warship called a corvette. Originally built in Flint, Michigan and St. Louis, Missouri, the Corvette is currently manufactured in Bowling Green, Kentucky and is the official sports car of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The National Corvette Museum documents the car's worldwide history, hosts exhibits, tours and the annual anniversary celebration. A Corvette has been selected as the Indianapolis 500 pace car 11 times, the latest time being in 2012 with a Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 pace model driven by Guy Fieri. The first generation Corvette was introduced late in the 1953 model year and ended in 1962. It was often referred to as the "solid-axle" models because the independent rear suspension did not debut until the 1963 Sting Ray model. 300 hand-built polo white Corvette convertibles were produced for the 1953 model year. The 1955 model offered a

The Chrysler Voyager or Chrysler Grand Voyager is a minivan sold by the Chrysler division of American automobile manufacturer Chrysler Group LLC. For most of its existence, vehicles bearing the Chrysler Voyager nameplate have been sold exclusively outside the United States, primarily in Europe and Mexico. The Voyager was introduced in Europe in 1988 as a rebadged version of the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager sold in the United States, and has evolved with the Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and Chrysler Town & Country since. Vehicles bearing the Chrysler Voyager nameplate were briefly sold in the United States from 2001 to 2003 as a rebadged version of the short-wheelbase (SWB) variant of the Plymouth Voyager following the 2001 folding of the Plymouth division of DaimlerChrysler AG. Together with its nameplate variants, the Chrysler minivans have ranked as the 13th bestselling automotive nameplate worldwide, with over 12 million sold. The European Chrysler Voyager was first released in 1988, nearly identical to its American counterpart, the Plymouth Voyager; the only visual differences between the two were the head/taillights and grille. Besides the slightly different appearance,

The Nissan S30 (sold in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and in other markets as the Datsun 240Z, then later as the 260Z and 280Z) was the first generation of Z GT two-seat coupe, and later (beginning in the 1974 model year) also 2+2 hatchbacks produced by Nissan Motors, Ltd. of Japan from 1969 to 1978. It was designed by a team led by Mr. Yoshihiko Matsuo, the head of Nissan's Sports Car Styling Studio. HLS30 was the designation of the left-hand drive model and HS30 for the right-hand drive model. All variants had a 4-wheel independent suspension consisting of MacPherson struts in front (borrowed from the Nissan Laurel C30) and Chapman struts in back. Front disc brakes and rear drums were standard. The 240Z and 260Z used twin, variable venturi Hitachi one-barrel side-draft SU-like carburetors. The carburetors were changed beginning with model year 1973 to comply with emissions regulations, but the earlier carburetors were far superior for performance. Fuel injection (L-Jetronic electronic fuel injection, designed by Bosch) was added for the 280Z in 1975 for the US. This was primarily in order to cope with the difficulty faced in getting enough power using carburetors while still

The Nissan Figaro is a small retro car manufactured by Nissan. The car was originally sold only in Japan. Despite this, the Nissan Figaro has become popular with owners in the UK and Ireland, given the popularity of second-hand Japanese import cars. Its appearance has a resemblance to the 1960s Datsun Fairlady models. The Figaro was introduced at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show under the slogan "Back to the Future". It was built by a Nissan special projects group called Pike Factory, which also produced other niche automobiles such as the Be-1, Pao and S-Cargo. It was based on the K10 Nissan Micra aka March. Only four colours were available: Topaz Mist, Emerald Green, Pale Aqua and Lapis Grey. Each colour symbolised a season of the year. When the car was launched, Topaz Mist was the least popular colour. There were only 2,000 produced in Topaz Mist hence they have become increasingly rare. The Figaro was sold without the Nissan name. The Figaro was equipped with leather seats, air conditioning, CD player and an open roof. It was designed by Shoji Takahashi, who won a design competition with the car. The engine was Nissan's MA10ET, a turbocharged 1.0 L (987 cc) I4. Only 8,000 were

The Smart Fortwo is a rear-engined two-seater city car manufactured by Smart GmbH, introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show as the Smart City Coupé, and currently in its second generation. The name refers to its seat capacity. An all-electric version was introduced in 2007, the Smart electric drive, and a second generation, with a total of 2,000 electric cars was produced between 2009 and 2012. The Smart features an automated manual transmission without a clutch pedal, six-speed for the first generation, five-speed for the second. Input from floor-mounted shifter or optional steering wheel-mounted paddles controls a servo-operated clutch and sequential automated gearbox. The vehicle may be driven in automatic mode, though the shift points are not as smooth as in a traditional automatic transmission. In paddle shifter mode, the operator controls the shift points but cannot feather or adjust the speed of the clutch. Thus some skill, and a slight lifting of the accelerator pedal, is required to achieve a smooth shift. From 2009, second generation Fortwos were delivered with improved software that made automatic gear changes both smoother and faster than earlier models. The software, in

' The Toyota Corona (Japanese: トヨタ・コロナ) is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown", a reference to an earlier vehicle Toyota offered called the Toyota Crown. It was exclusive to Toyopet Store dealership channels in Japan, while the larger Crown was available only at Toyota Store locations. In many countries, the Corona was one of Toyota's first international exports, and was shortly joined by the smaller Toyota Corolla, providing buyers with a choice of a larger car, with similar operating expenses to the smaller Corolla. The Corona was Toyota's second sedan in their heirarchy of products, just below the Crown, until 1968 when the Corona name was used on a larger, all new platform called the Toyota Corona Mark II, which gave buyers more interior space while still offering dependable, affordable performance. The Corona became successful in export markets and was marketed under a number of different nameplates worldwide—including those branded in much of Asia as Coronas marketed in European markets as Carinas. While the Corona is no longer

The Pontiac Firefly was a rebadged version of the Suzuki Swift. It was the replacement for the Pontiac Acadian and it was sold only in Canada and the Middle East from 1985 to 1991, and again from 1994 to 2001. The Firefly shared its M-body design with the Chevrolet Sprint, Geo Metro, and the Chevrolet Metro. The Firefly received major redesigns in 1989 and 1995, following the product cycle of the Chevrolet/Geo versions. Originally, all Firefly models were produced in Japan. Beginning in 1990, production commenced at CAMI Automotive, a 50-50 joint venture between General Motors and Suzuki located in Ingersoll, Ontario. A single engine was available from 1989 through 1994, which was a 1.0ￂﾠL 3-cylinder. A turbocharged variant was also available from 1987 to 1991. In 1990 and 1991, a convertible version was also produced. The Firefly was not produced for the 1992 and 1993 model years because of the 1993-only Asuna brand, and the larger LeMans was introduced in 1992 to replace the Passport Optima and the pre-facelift Firefly. In 1994, the Firefly returned with a facelift because of the demise of the Asuna brand. Starting in 1995, the Firefly was redesigned a 1.3 L 4-cylinder

The Toyota Raum is a small, five-seat mini MPV that first appeared in May 1997. The second generation was released in May 2003. It is currently sold only in Japan at Toyota Netz retail sales channels. The vehicle's name is German for chamber, berth, room, space, expanse, scope, area, or sphere and attempts to emphasize the vast amount of space it contains relative to its size. This is because the front doors on both the driver and passenger sides open conventionally, but the rear doors slide open rearward and attach to the top and bottom of the door openings and interlock to the front doors. The Raum uses a similar door approach also used on the first generation Mitsubishi RVR/Space Runner. There is no door jamb between the front and rear doors that the doors attach to on the passenger side, and the passenger front seat folds flat upon itself and then can be folded forward while still being attached to the floor at the front bottom of the seat. The rear seats can be folded flat with a 60:40 split or can also be folded forward individually for a rear flat cargo floor. The automatic transmission gear selector is dashboard mounted, thereby freeing up the flat floor space between the

See also Chevrolet Blazer (disambiguation) The K5 Blazer was the smallest full size SUV version of the General Motors C/K Trucks family. Introduced to the Chevrolet line in 1969, the full-size Blazer was replaced in 1995 by the Chevrolet Tahoe. In 1970, GMC introduced its own model of the truck, called the Jimmy, which lasted until the 1992 GMC Yukon. Both were based on the short wheelbase trucks and were available with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The Blazer's long wheelbase relative (with an integrated rear body, and doors for 2nd row passengers) is known as the Chevrolet Suburban. The K5 Blazer and Jimmy had "full convertible" removable tops until 1975. In 1976, GM introduced a half-cab design that was less prone to leaks and slightly safer in a roll-over. These half cabs are convertible starting at a few inches behind the driver/passenger doors all the way back to the tailgate. In 1992, the Blazer was redesigned completely and no longer had a removable top. Smaller models, the S-10 Blazer and S-15 Jimmy, were introduced alongside these trucks in 1983. The original Blazer and Jimmy remained in production until 1991; 1992 saw the introduction of a new K1500 Blazer

The Maybach Exelero is a high-performance unique sports car. The 700 hp (522 kW) two-seater with a twin turbo V12 engine is a one-off design built on request for Fulda Tires. Fulda is using this car as a reference vehicle to test a new generation of wide tires. The German luxury car manufacturer created the one-off model as a modern interpretation of its legendary streamlined sportscar from the 1930s. There are various allusions to the historical predecessor, which was likewise based on a powerful Maybach automobile. In this case, the Maybach SW 38 was also used by Fulda for tire testing. The car's first owner was André A. Jackson, who permitted Jay-Z to feature the car in the music video for "Lost One". The car changed hands to Arnaud Massartic, who sold the car to Birdman for US$8 million. The car is also famous for being portrayed in one of the episodes of long-running German show; Cobra 11.

Plymouth Voyager is a nameplate applied to two different vans manufactured by Chrysler Corporation (later DaimlerChrysler AG) and sold under its Plymouth brand. From 1974–1983 the Voyager was a rebadged variant of the Dodge Sportsman full size van. In 1984, the Voyager name was applied to a new type of vehicle introduced by Chrysler, the minivan, which was simultaneously introduced as the Dodge Caravan. The Plymouth Grand Voyager was introduced in 1987 as a long-wheelbase (LWB) variant of the Voyager minivan and was sold alongside the short-wheelbase (SWB) model. The Plymouth Voyager model was discontinued after the 2000 model year when DaimlerChrysler AG elected to fold the entire Plymouth division and transferred the Voyager and Grand Voyager models to the Chrysler brand. The Voyager was sold as the Chrysler Voyager from 2001–2003 and as a SWB variant of the Chrysler Town & Country from 2004–2007, while the Grand Voyager is presently the LWB Chrysler Town & Country. Combining the nameplate variants, the Chrysler minivans rank as the 13th best-selling automotive nameplate worldwide. The first Plymouth Voyager was manufactured from 1974-1983 as a rebadged Dodge Sportsman with

The Nissan Skyline (スカイライン in Japanese) is a line of compact cars, sports cars and compact executive cars originally produced by the Prince Motor Company starting in 1955, and then by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1966. After the merger, the Skyline and its larger counterpart, the Nissan Gloria, were sold in Japan at dealership sales channels called Nissan Prince Shop. It is currently available in either coupé, or sedan body styles, and are most commonly known by their trademark round brake and tail lights (as of 1972); the station wagon bodystyle was dropped in 1989 with the introduction of the R32 platform. Iterations R30 to R34 of the Skyline are still popular tuner cars for Japanese car enthusiasts from the 1980s to today, especially with available features such as straight-6 engines, turbochargers, and the high-performance GT-R trim. While not distributed in the United States, the Skyline's prominence in video games, movies and magazines resulted in many such cars being imported there from 1999 to late 2005, after Motorex petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to allow 1990–1999 GT-Rs and GTSs to be imported, at the condition that they were

The Acura TSX is an entry-level luxury car manufactured by Acura. Introduced in April 2003 as a 2004 model, it was sold only in the United States and Canada, but from the 2009 model year on it will also be available in Mexico. It is sold in North America under the Acura luxury marque, where it filled the gap as Acura's 4-door, entry-level sedan when the Integra sedan was discontinued in 2001 (1996 in Canada since the EL was the Integra sedan's replacement there). The TSX would also eventually replace the Acura RSX in the US (which in turn succeeded the Acura Integra coupe). From 2008 until 2013, the TSX was the smallest vehicle in the Acura model line, other than the Civic-based CSX (and the preceding 1.6/1.7EL) sold only in Canada. In 2013, the smaller ILX was introduced in both the United States and Canada, based upon the Civic platform (replacing the CSX in Canada). All TSXs are built in Sayama, Saitama, Japan. The TSX is badge engineered from the CL-series Accord (also known as the European Accord or JDM Accord) sold in Europe, Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The TSX initially had a restyled interior and different suspension tuning than the European Accord when

The Chevrolet Chevy II/Nova is a compact automobile manufactured by the Chevrolet division of General Motors produced in five generations for the 1962 through 1979, and 1985 through 1988 model years. Nova was the top model in the Chevy II lineup through 1968. The Chevy II nameplate was dropped, Nova becoming the nameplate for the 1969 through 1979 models. Built on the X-body platform, the Nova was replaced by the 1980 Chevrolet Citation introduced in the spring of 1979. The Nova nameplate returned in 1985, produced through 1988 as a NUMMI manufactured, subcompact based on the front wheel drive, Japan home-based Toyota Sprinter. Chevrolet designer Clare MacKichan recalled about creating the Chevy II: "There was no time for experimentation or doodling around with new ideas from either the engineers or from us in design; And it had to be a basic-type car." The 1962 Chevy II rode a 110-inch wheelbase, compared to 109.5 for the Ford Falcon, at which Chevy's new compact was aimed. "I think that was the quickest program we ever did at any time," he continued. "We worked night and day on that car, and it didn't take very long to run it through our shop because we had a deadline." And

The Chevrolet Silverado (along with its GMC counterpart, the GMC Sierra), is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors. Although General Motors introduced its first pickup truck in 1930, the term "Silverado" was a designation used only to detail the trim for the Chevrolet C/K pickup trucks and Suburbans from 1975 through 1999. GMC used a few variations of the "Sierra" name (Sierra, High Sierra, Sierra Grande, Sierra Classic) to distinguish the different trim levels through 1987, though the "C/K" nomenclature was continued through 1999. "C" (or "R" for 1987) trucks were rear-wheel drive and "K" (or "V" in 1987) models were four-wheel drive. The "R/V" nomenclature was continued from 1988-1991 to distinguish the older platform trucks that were still being produced in addition to the T400 platform C/K. Both Chevrolet and GMC dropped the "C" and "K" designations in 1999. However Chevrolet still uses the CK and the CC in their current model codes. The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks have been essentially the same for their entire history. The Silverado today is generally advertised as the "standard" version, while the Sierra has more luxury options. There

The Chevrolet SSR (Super Sport Roadster) is a retractable hardtop convertible pickup truck manufactured by Chevrolet between 2003 and 2006. The truck was based on the long-wheelbase Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT's platform, and featured "retro" styling and a steel retractable hardtop designed by ASC. The production model was based on the SuperSport Roadster concept car shown at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show. An early-production SSR was the pace car for the 2003 Indianapolis 500 auto race. The 2003 and 2004 models used General Motors' Vortec 5300 engine, a 5.3 L 300 hp V8. Performance was 7.7 s to 60 mph (97 km/h) with a 15.9 s/86.4 mph quarter mile run. The 2005 SSR used the 390 hp (291 kW) LS2 V8 also found in the C6 Corvette and Pontiac GTO, and also offered a manual transmission (the six-speed Tremec) for the first time, as an option. For the 2006 model year, the LS2 engine featured minor modifications that boosted its output to 395 hp (automatic transmission) and 400 hp (manual transmission), respectively. In addition, GM badges were added to the vehicle. The 2004 model sold below expectations with under 9,000 sales at US$42,000 each. Citing a 301-day supply of SSRs, General Motors in

The Mazda Familia, also marketed as the Mazda 323 and the Mazda Protegé, is a small family car that was manufactured by Mazda between 1963 and 2003. The Familia line was replaced by the Mazda3/Axela for 2004. It was marketed as the Familia in Japan. In the export, earlier models were sold with nameplates including: 800, 1000, 1200, and 1300. In North America, the 1200 was replaced by the GLC, with newer models becoming 323 and Protegé. In Europe, all models after 1977 were called 323. In South Africa, it was marketed as the Étude, and in Colombia the 8th generation was called Allegro. The Familia was also rebranded as the Ford Laser and Ford Meteor in Asia, Oceania, some Latin American countries and, from 1991, as the Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer in North America. Familias were manufactured in Hiroshima, Japan as well as Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Colombia, and New Zealand. Mazda's automotive plans for the early sixties consisted of growing alongside the Japanese economy. To achieve this goal, they began by building an extremely cheap Kei car, the R360 in 1960, planning on introducing gradually larger and pricier cars as the Japanese customers became able to afford them. As

The Alfa Romeo 164 (Type 164) is an executive car with saloon body, produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1987 to 1998. The 164 was re-badged as the 168 for the Hong Kong and Malaysian markets, as the number "164" had a very negative connotation (In Chinese it is a homophone to "一路死" — all the way to death), and "168" has quite the opposite ("一路發" — all the way to prosperity). First unveiled at the 1987 Frankfurt Motor Show, the 164 could be considered the first of the "new generation" of Alfa Romeos. It was the last model to be developed while the marque was still independent (although it was launched a few months after the purchase of the company by Fiat), and was most notably the first large front-wheel drive Alfa. The 164 was essential to Fiat's plan to relaunch Alfa Romeo as a prestige car brand after the late 1970s and early 1980s. The 164 was the last Alfa saloon to be sold in the North American market, where only the 3.0 L V6 was offered (12-valve from 1991 to 1993, 24-valve from 1994 to 1995). It was quite successful in Europe, attracting keen drivers who wanted an affordable and reliable sports saloon as an alternative to the German offerings of BMW and

The Nissan Sunny is a small car from Nissan. It was launched in 1966 as the Datsun 1000 and although production in Japan ended in 2004, it remains in production today for the African, American and Sri Lankan markets. In the US, the later models were known as the Nissan Sentra; in Mexico, the Sunny is known as the Nissan Tsuru. The Sunny fitted neatly into the Nissan model line. It was larger than the supermini Nissan March (Micra) models, but not as big as the compact Bluebird models. The latest versions of the Sunny were larger than the early models, and may be considered compact cars. Earlier versions (through at least the B11 series) were subcompact cars. All Sunnys through the 1982 model year (except as noted below) used Nissan A engine motors. Confusingly, the "Sunny" name has been used on other Nissan models not part of the Sunny (B-series) family, notably various export versions of the Nissan Pulsar model line. In December 1965, Nissan held a national campaign in Japan to name its newest product in a mail-in balot, and after receiving over 8 million submissions, the name Sunny was chosen after appearing 3,105 times and announced February 19, 1966 by Yoshisuke Ayukawa, Nissan

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a mid-size SUV produced by the Jeep division of Chrysler. While some other SUVs were manufactured with body-on-frame construction, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always used a unibody chassis. The Grand Cherokee's origins date back to 1983 when American Motors (AMC) engineers were designing a successor to the smaller Jeep Cherokee (XJ). Three outside (non-AMC) designers—Larry Shinoda, Adam Clenet, and Giorgetto Giugiaro—were under contract with AMC to create and build a clay model of the Cherokee replacement, then known as the "XJC" project. However, the basic design for the Cherokee's replacement was well under way by AMC's in-house designers and the 1989 Jeep Concept 1 show car foretold the basic design. The Grand Cherokee was the first Chrysler-badged Jeep product. Development work for the new model continued and Chrysler employees (after the 1987 buyout of AMC) were eager for a late-1980s release date; however, CEO Lee Iacocca was pushing for redesigned Chrysler minivans, thus delaying the Grand Cherokee's release until late 1992 as an Explorer competitor. Unlike the Explorer, the Grand Cherokee utilized monocoque (unibody) construction, whereas the

The Buick Enclave is a full-size crossover SUV launched in May 2007 as a 2008 model by the Buick division of General Motors. The Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and Saturn Outlook all share the GM Lambda platform. The Enclave was previewed at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, officially as a concept car, making it the first Lambda vehicle to be displayed. The Enclave is partially based on the Buick Centieme concept shown at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. The Enclave replaced both of Buick's SUVs, the minivan-based Rendezvous and the truck-based Rainier, as well as the Terraza minivan. The Enclave has seating for seven passengers, with an optional second row bench seat instead of the standard two captain chairs which increases the seating to eight. It comes standard with front-wheel drive with an option of all-wheel drive. The Enclave shares powertrains with its Lambda siblings. For its first year of production, the Enclave was powered by a 275 hp (205 kW) 3.6 L High Feature V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. For the 2009 model, a 3.6 L V6 Direct Injection Spark Ignition VVT with 286 hp (213 kW) and 255 lb·ft (346 N·m). of torque

The Ram (formerly the Dodge Ram) is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks. The name Ram was first used in 1981 on the redesigned Ram and Power Ram following the retiring and rebadging of the Dodge D Series pickup trucks as well as B-series vans. The truck is named for the Ram hood ornament that first appeared on Dodge vehicles in 1933. The Ram Truck is in its fourth generation as of the 2009 model year. Ram trucks have been named Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year three times; the second-generation Ram won the award in 1994, the third-generation Ram Heavy Duty won the award in 2003, and the fourth-generation Ram Heavy Duty won in 2010. The Ram is currently built at the Saltillo Truck Assembly in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico and at the Warren Truck Assembly in Warren, Michigan, United States. The first-generation Ram trucks & vans introduced in 1981 were named for the Ram hood ornament that first appeared on Dodge vehicles in 1933. Dodge kept the previous generation's model designations: "D", "B" or Ram indicated two-wheel drive

The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord. It was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door model, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With the transverse engine mounting of its 1169 cc engine and front-wheel drive like the British Mini, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. Early models of the Civic typically included a basic AM radio, heater, foam-cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. As the years went by, it has become much more upscale with options such as air conditioning, power locks, power windows, leather upholstery, satellite-linked navigation, and a six-speed manual transmission. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance

The Nissan 180SX was a hatchback coupe (though Nissan marketed it as a fastback in most of its markets) based on the S13 chassis from the Nissan S platform, and sold in Japan; and in some other countries under the 200SX name. In North America, it was sold as the Nissan 240SX. It was sold as a sister model to the Nissan Silvia from model year 1989 through 1998. The S13 Silvia was discontinued in 1993, but the 180SX was successful enough to convince Nissan to keep it in the market for the full length of the next generation Silvia. The 180SX differed from the S13 Silvia in that it featured pop-up headlamps and a liftgate. Specifications and equipment were similar; however, the naturally aspirated CA18DE engine was not offered. The name 180SX was originally in reference to the 1.8 liter displacement CA18DET engine used in the chassis. In 1991, however, the engine was upgraded to a 2.0 liter model, offered in two forms: the naturally aspirated SR20DE engine and the turbocharged SR20DET variant. Although the new engine was of larger displacement, the 180SX nomenclature remained. 180SX was also a trim level of the S110 Silvia in Europe. The badges for this model read "Silvia 180SX", so

The Nissan Xterra is a compact SUV built on the Nissan F-Alpha platform. The Frontier-based vehicle is named after the XTERRA off-road triathlon race series that Nissan sponsored through the end of 2006. The Xterra was introduced in North America in the 2000 model year and marketed with the slogan Everything you need, nothing you don't. The Xterra was not Nissan's first compact SUV. Nissan in Japan had the Nissan Mistral, in Europe the Terrano a 2-door SUV sold from 1993 to 2006. Three design cues remained through the vehicle's life, rear door handles, a raised rear roofline, and the hump-backed rear gate. The raised roof allows for stadium seating and the hump provides room for a first aid kit. The rear door handles are installed on the "C" pillar as a Nissan design tradition started with the 1986 Nissan Pathfinder. When the four-door Pathfinder was introduced, Nissan chose to conceal the door handles as a part of the "C" pillar trim to visually make it appear like a two-door truck with a camper shell, with conventional door handles on the front doors. In the United States as of 2012, the Xterra remains Nissan's true entry-level SUV, occupying a price point between two CUVs:  the

The Pontiac Parisienne is a full-size rear-wheel drive vehicle that was sold by Pontiac on the GM B platform in Canada from 1958 to 1986 and in the US from 1983 to 1986. The Parisienne wagon continued under the Safari nameplate until 1989. For most of its life, the Parisienne was the Canadian nameplate for the top of the line model sold in GM of Canada's Pontiac showrooms. Parisiennes were distinct from other Canadian Pontiac models by their standard features: the luxuriousness of upholstery fabrics; standard equipment such as courtesy interior and trunk lights; bright trim mouldings in the interior; distinct exterior accent chrome pieces; and availability of 2 and 4-door hardtops and convertibles. In particular, Canadian "full size" Pontiacs were actually closely related to Chevrolets, making use of the economical Chevrolet chassis and drivetrain, though with the American Pontiac-styled exterior body panels (they weren't the same as U.S. Pontiac panels since they had to fit the shorter-wheelbase 119" Chevrolet frame) and interior instrument panels. As Chevrolets under the skin, Canadian Pontiacs including the Parisienne used the same engines and transmissions as full-size Chevys,

The BMW 5 Series is a mid-size / executive car manufactured by BMW since 1972. The car, now in its sixth generation, is sold in sedan and touring body styles. It is BMW's second best-selling model after the 3-Series but represents about 50% of the company's profits. On January 29, 2008, the 5 millionth 5 Series was manufactured, a 530d Saloon in Carbon Black Metallic. The 5 Series got its name by being the fifth of the "new series" cars after the V-8 and Isetta era. The preceding models were the 700, the "New Class", the "New Six" 2500/2800/Bavaria and the CS. The 5 Series was intended to replace the older New Six sedans. The first generation's body was styled by Marcello Gandini, based on the Bertone 1970 BMW Garmisch 2002ti Geneva show car. Gandini also did the Fiat 132 and Alfa Romeo Alfetta, two other cars that have a similar design. There have been six generations of the 5 Series to date. To differentiate between them, they are referred to by their unique chassis numbers (EXX or FXX). The 5 Series began the BMW tradition of being named with a three-digit number. The first digit (5 in this case) represents the model, and the following two digits (usually) represent the size of

The Dodge Viper (renamed 'SRT Viper' as of the 2013 model year) is a V10-powered sports car, manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. Production of the two seat sports car began at New Mack Assembly in 1991 and moved to its current home at Conner Avenue Assembly in October 1995. Although Chrysler considered ending production because of financial problems, chief executive Sergio Marchionne announced and showed on September 14, 2010 a new model of the Viper for 2012. All Vipers are V10 powered with a manual transmission. The Viper was initially conceived in late 1988 at Chrysler's Advanced Design Studios. The following February, Chrysler president Bob Lutz suggested to Tom Gale at Chrysler Design that the company should consider producing a modern Cobra, and a clay model was presented to Lutz a few months later. Produced in sheet metal by Metalcrafters, the car appeared as a concept at the North American International Auto Show in 1989. Public reaction was so enthusiastic, that chief engineer Roy Sjoberg was directed to develop it as a standard production vehicle. Sjoberg selected 85 engineers to be "Team Viper," with development beginning in March 1989. The team asked the

The Nissan Murano is a mid-size crossover SUV first sold by Nissan in December 2002 as a 2003 model. Nissan introduced the Murano as its first crossover SUV for the United States and Canada. Initially designed at Nissan America in La Jolla, California, the first generation Murano was based on the Nissan FF-L platform first used by the third generation Altima. The European version of the Murano began sales in 2004 and is available only in one version. The Murano was Nissan's only crossover SUV in the U.S. until September 2007 when the new 2008 Nissan Rogue went on sale. In Canada the X-Trail had been on sale as Nissan's second car-based SUV since 2004 as a 2005 model; it was replaced by the new 2008 Nissan Rogue in late 2007. The Murano is sized between the Xterra and the Pathfinder, but is priced slightly higher than the Nissan Pathfinder. The Murano was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2003. It was also named the best premium mid-size SUV by AutoPacific. The name Murano comes from a region of Venice, Italy which is known for the hand blown glass produced there. The first generation Nissan Murano was powered by a 3.5 litre 245 bhp V6 engine, also used in

The Nissan Pulsar is an automobile that was produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1978, when it debuted as a subcompact car, to 2007, when it was replaced in all markets by the Nissan Tiida. It was originally conceived as a replacement for Nissan's first front-wheel drive platform, the Nissan Cherry family (models E10 and F10). Although Pulsar models were mainly in front-wheel drive configuration, Nissan did offer four-wheel drive models during the 1980s to early-1990s, ultimately ending with the four-wheel drive turbocharged Nissan Pulsar GTI-R. Some models were sold as Nissan Sunny and Nissan Almera. The Pulsar was first released in 1978 and was a subcompact car as was the Nissan Cherry it replaced. The N10 series Pulsar was exported to Australia and Malaysia with the Datsun Pulsar name. This model was known as the "Datsun Cherry" or "Datsun 100A/120A/130A/140A/150A" in Europe and Asia and the Datsun 310 in the U.S.. In Canada, the Datsun 310 was available with "Pulsar" striping on the rear quarters. The Nissan Langley, from 1980, was a more upmarket Pulsar. The Pulsar was a companion platform to the Nissan Sunny, being an alternative to the Sunny competitor Toyota

The STS (Seville Touring Sedan) is a mid-size luxury sports sedan / executive car manufactured and sold by Cadillac. It is equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission with performance algorithm shifting and driver shift control. The STS is the successor to the Cadillac Seville. That car used the STS name, standing for Seville Touring Sedan on upscale performance-oriented versions beginning in 1988. In 1992, Cadillac split the Seville line into STS and less performance-oriented SLS (for Seville Luxury Sedan) trim lines. The next year, the STS received Cadillac's then-new Northstar System, including the aluminium DOHC L37 Northstar V8 engine. Throughout its existence, the STS was Cadillac's highest-priced sedan. Worldwide, the STS is Cadillac's flagship model. In the United States and Canada, the STS is positioned between the mid-size CTS and larger DTS, but is priced above the latter. The Cadillac STS is rated with a four star frontal and five star rear passenger crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It was given an overall "Good" score in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal crash test. And an "Acceptable" rating in the side

The Ford Focus is a compact car (C-segment in Europe) manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1998. Ford began sales of the Focus to Europe in July 1998 and in North America during 1999 for the 2000 model year. In Europe, South America, North America and South Africa, the Focus replaced the various Ford Escorts sold in those markets. In Asia and Australasia, it replaced the Ford Laser. As of the first half of 2012, the Focus surpassed Toyota Corolla to become world's best selling model. Ford of Europe introduced the Focus in 1998 to the European market as a replacement for the Ford Escort. The decision to name the new car the "Ford Focus" was made in early 1998, as Ford's overheads had been planning to keep the "Escort" nameplate for its new generation of small family cars. A last minute problem arose in July 1998 when a Cologne court, responding to a case brought by the publishers Burda, ordered Ford to avoid the name "Focus" for the German market cars since the name was already taken by the publisher's Focus magazine. This eleventh hour dispute was overcome, however, and the car was launched without a different German market name. Ford of North America began marketing the

The Mazda Tribute (Code J14) is a compact SUV made by Japanese automaker Mazda since 2001. It is jointly developed with Ford Motor Company and based on the front-wheel drive Mazda 626 platform, which is in turn the basis for the similar Ford Escape on the CD2 platform. The Tribute is priced below the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner in Ford's CD2 SUV lineup. The Tribute and Escape debuted in 2001, offering front or all wheel drive and a choice of a transversely mounted 2.0 L Ford Zetec 4-cylinder engine or 3.0 L Ford Duratec V6. Ford Escape was also sold as the Ford Maverick in Europe with a Ford 2.0 L I4 Zetec engine with manual transmission, or 3.0 L Duratec coupled to automatic transmission. One main difference between the Tribute and the Ford Escape/Maverick is that the Tribute's suspension is tuned for a firmer ride than the Escape/Maverick, in order to correspond with Mazda's sporty image. As Mazda had offered "spiced up" models in other segments such as the Mazda 3 and CX-7, the utilitarian Tribute was replaced by the more aggressively styled Mazda CX-5 in North America. The Tribute made its debut at the 2000 Los Angeles Auto Show as a compact crossover SUV, a segment

The Pontiac Fiero is a mid-engined sports car that was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1984 to 1988. The Fiero—meaning "proud" in Italian and "wild", "fierce", or "ferocious" in Spanish—was designed by George Milidrag and Hulki Aldikacti as a Pontiac sports car. The Fiero was the first two-seater Pontiac since the 1926 to 1938 coupes, and also the first and only mass-produced mid-engine sports car by a U.S. manufacturer. Many technologies incorporated in the Fiero design such as plastic body panels were radical for its time. Alternative names considered for the car were Sprint, P3000, Pegasus, Fiamma, Sunfire, and Firebird XP. The Fiero 2M4 (two-seat, Mid-engine, four-cylinder) was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1984. The 1984 Fiero was the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500 for 1984, beating out the new 1984 Chevrolet Corvette for the honor. A total of 370,168 Fieros were produced over the relatively short production run of five years; by comparison, 163,000 Toyota MR2s were sold in its first five years. At the time, its reputation suffered from criticisms over performance, reliability and safety issues. Today, however, compared to less

The Buick Skylark is a passenger car produced by the Buick division of General Motors. The model was made in six production runs. In each run, the car design varied dramatically due to changing technology and tastes, as well as new standards implemented over the years. Introduced to mark Buick's 50th anniversary, the Buick Roadmaster Skylark (a name previously used by short-lived Hupp for its sporty 1939 Cord Model 810-based Skylark) was one of three specialty convertibles produced in 1953 by General Motors; the other two were the Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta and the Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado. All three were limited-production vehicles promoting General Motors' design leadership. Of the three, the Skylark had the most successful production run with 1,690 units. This was considered an amazing sales feat, since the car had a list price in 1953 of slightly in excess of US$5,000. However, many of these vehicles languished in dealer showrooms and were eventually sold at discount. All 1,690 regular-production Skylarks built in 1953 (and all in 1954) were convertibles. The 1953s were based on the two-door Roadmaster convertible, having identical dimensions (except height), almost identical

The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie, T‑Model Ford, 'Model T Ford', or T) is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to October 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that opened travel to the common middle-class American; some of this was because of Ford's innovations, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting. The Ford Model T was named the world's most influential car of the 20th century in an international poll. The Model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile became popular. The first production Model T was produced on August 12, 1908 and left the factory on September 27, 1908, at the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Michigan. On May 26, 1927, Henry Ford watched the 15 millionth Model T Ford roll off the assembly line at his factory in Highland Park, Michigan. There were several cars produced or prototyped by Henry Ford from the founding of the company in 1903 until the Model T came along. Although he started with the Model A, there were not 19 production models (A through T); some were only prototypes. The production model immediately before

The GMC Savana is a full-size van marketed under the GMC brand by General Motors. The Savana, which is a cargo van, is also available as a passenger van. The GMC Savana was built with the taillights raised higher than normal vehicles, which is a safety feature as when the rear doors are open, or when towing a small trailer, the vehicle's own lights are still able to be seen. Savana

The Nissan Bluebird is a compact- to medium-sized car launched in 1957. The nameplate still exists today on the Nissan Pulsar-based Nissan Bluebird Sylphy in Japan, and on the U13-based Nissan Bluebird in mainland China. The Bluebird's traditional competitor was the Toyota Corona from almost the very beginning of the product line. The Bluebird was originally developed to compete with the Corona, as the Corona was developed to continue offering a sedan used as a taxi as the Toyota Crown began to grow in size. Every generation of the Bluebird has been available as a taxi, duties that are shared with base level Nissan Cedrics. It is one of the longest-running nameplates from a Japanese automaker. It spawned the S130 Fairlady Z/280ZX, which in turn spawned the Maxima (originally 910 Bluebird/S130 Fairlady Z based), the 160J/710/Violet/Auster/Stanza line, and the US-built Altima line. Export versions were sold variously as the Datsun 510, Datsun 180B (with 160B and 200B versions) and the Datsun Bluebird. The Nissan Bluebird nameplate began appearing around 1982 as the Datsun marque was phased out in favour of Nissan. From 1981 to 1985, Australia followed the Japanese convention by

The Nissan Teana is a luxury mid-size car produced by Nissan of Japan, introduced in 2003. It is exported as the Nissan Maxima and Nissan Cefiro to certain markets, not to be confused with the Nissan Maxima sold in North America with which it shares a platform (featured also in the Nissan Altima and Japanese market Presage).It is also exported to Mauritius as the Nissan Cefiro. The Teana was first introduced in late 2003 to the Japanese Domestic Market. It was introduced a month later to other Asian markets like Singapore. In 2004, the car arrived on European shores. Powering the Teana was either a 1998cc, 2349 cc or 3498 cc engine which matched to the automatic transmission. Trim levels were 200JK, 230JK, 230JM and 350JM. The car was based on the Nissan FF-L platform. In mid-2005, the Teana received new headlights and taillights, chrome trimming on the bumpers, enlarged foglights, front legrests and newly-designed gauges. The car was also shortened slightly, and the clear rear turn signals were replaced by amber ones. XTronic CVT was also mated to all the engines. In the People's Republic of China, the Teana was manufactured by the Dongfeng Motor Company, a joint venture with

The Plymouth Fury is model of automobile which was produced by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1956 to 1978. The Fury was introduced as a premium-priced model designed to showcase the line, with the intent to draw consumers into showrooms. The word "fury" denotes a type of anger, inspired by the Furies, mythological creatures in Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman mythology. The Fury was a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere from 1956 through 1958. It was sold only as an off-white 2-door hardtop coupé with gold anodized aluminum trim in 1956, 1957, and 1958. The Fury had a special interior, bumper wing-guards and a V8 engine with twin 4-barrel carburetors. The 1957 and 1958, the 318 cu in (5.21 L) engine produced 290 hp (220 kW). In 1958, the optional engine was a 350 cu in (5.7 L) called Golden Commando with 2 × 4-bbl producing 305 hp (227 kW). A rare 315-hp option with fuel injection was available but the electronic Bendix fuel-injection system was recalled by the factory (owners were given a conventional dual four-barrel setup). The Golden Commando engine was optional on any Plymouth Plaza, Savoy, Belvedere, Suburban and Fury as was the dual four-barrel 318

The AC Cobra, sold as the Ford/Shelby AC Cobra in the USA and often known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in that country, is an American-engined British sports car produced intermittently since 1962. Like many British specialist manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace 2-seater roadster. This had a hand-built body with a steel tube frame, and aluminium body panels that were made using English wheeling machines. The engine was a pre-World War II design of BMW which by the 1960s was considered dated. Bristol decided in 1961 to cease production of its engine and instead to use Chrysler 331 cu in (5.4 L) V8 engines. Although untrue, it is commonly believed that AC was left without a future source of power and that American ex-racing driver Carroll Shelby saved the company from bankruptcy. AC started using the 2.6 litre Ford Zephyr engine in its cars. In September 1961, Shelby airmailed AC a letter asking them if they would build him a car modified to accept a V8 engine. AC agreed, provided a suitable engine could be found. He first went to Chevrolet to see if they would provide him with engines, but not

The Ford Model A of 1928–1931 (also colloquially called the A-Model Ford or the A, and A-bone among rodders and customizers) was the second huge success for the Ford Motor Company, after its predecessor, the Model T. First produced on October 20, 1927, but not sold until December 2, it replaced the venerable Model T, which had been produced for 18 years. This new Model A (a previous model had used the name in 1903–1904) was designated as a 1928 model and was available in four standard colors, but not black. By 4 February 1929, one million Model As had been sold, and by 24 July, two million. The range of body styles ran from the Tudor at US$500 (in grey, green, or black) to the Town Car with a dual cowl at US$1200. In March 1930, Model A sales hit three million, and there were nine body styles available. The Model A was produced through 1931. When production ended in March, 1932, there were 4,849,340 Model As made in all styles. Its successor was the Model B, which featured an updated 4-cylinder engine, followed by the Model 18 which introduced Ford's new flathead (sidevalve) V8 engine. Prices for the Model A ranged from US$385 for a roadster to $1400 for the top-of-the-line Town

The Mazda3 (known as the Mazda Axela in Japan) is a compact car manufactured in Japan by the Mazda Motor Corporation. It was introduced for the 2004 model year, replacing the Familia/323/Protegé. A more performance-oriented version of the Mazda3 is marketed as the Mazdaspeed3 in North America and the Mazda3 MPS in Europe. A second generation Mazda3 for the 2010 model year was unveiled in late 2008, with the sedan premiering at the Los Angeles Auto Show and the hatchback at the Bologna Auto Show. For the 2012 model year, Mazda began offering the Mazda3 with their newly developed SkyActiv technology, including a more rigid body, a new direct injection engine, and a new 6-speed transmission. The Mazda3 has been generally well received by the automotive press for its performance, handling, styling and interior, with some describing it as feeling like a more expensive sport sedan despite its value-oriented price. Some criticisms have included fuel economy and crash test results (only receiving four out of a maximum five stars from the EURO NCAP Safety Testing Programme) the latter of which was rectified by making six airbags standard. In 2006 the Mazda3 was the second best-selling car

The Nissan Stanza started out in Japan as the Nissan Violet in 1973, and then was split into two other models in 1977 called the second generation Nissan Auster and Nissan Violet . All three bore the A10 series identifier, and were built in Japan at Hiratsuka and Oppama. The Stanza was exclusive to Japanese Nissan dealerships called Nissan Bluebird Store as a smaller companion to the larger Nissan Bluebird. When the Auster twin was introduced, it was exclusive to Nissan Prince Store locations. A new third generation front-wheel drive model was launched in 1981, changing the series name again to T11, and shared the platform with the Compact MPV Nissan Prairie/Multi/Stanza Wagon. Final versions were Nissan Bluebirds series U12 rebadged for some international markets. The Stanza/Auster/Violet were discontinued in 1992. The Stanza was replaced by the Nissan Altima in North America; the Stanza was replaced by the Nissan Presea in Japan. Before the Stanza, there was the Japanese: Nissan Violet, a companion to the Datsun Bluebird 610, which was sold outside Japan under Nissan's Datsun brand as the Datsun 140J/160J — except in the United States where it was marketed simply as the Datsun

The Smart Formore was a small all wheel drive SUV, riding on the same platform as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The architecture would be shared with the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class, an SUV that is smaller than the M-Class. Power would have ranged from a 1.8 L straight-4 to a 3.0 L V6, including Diesel versions. Production was to have been carried out at DaimlerChrysler's factory in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, rather than the French Smartville factory. The Formore was to be Smart's first official entry in the United States market as a Mini SUV that seats 4-5. However, DaimlerChrysler went ahead with a limited entry into the market, with just the Fortwo, essentially in urban areas. Development of the Formore has been halted since April 2005, due to DaimlerChrysler's monetary concerns (the Smart brand had yet to make a profit after eight years in operation, and the Formore was costing more money to develop than anticipated). The vehicle was to be unveiled at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show, but the event was cancelled. In 2009, a prototype vehicle was found in a Mercedes-Benz storage facility in Germany.

The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United States, competing against the Ford Galaxie 500 and the Plymouth Fury when full-size models dominated the market. The Impala was distinguished for many years by its symmetrical triple taillights. The Caprice was introduced as a top-line Impala Sport Sedan for the 1965 model year becoming a separate series positioned above the Impala in 1966, which itself remained above the Bel Air and Biscayne. The Impala continued as Chevrolet's most popular full-size model through the mid-1980s. Between 1994 and 1998, Impala was revived as a muscular 5.7-liter V8–powered version of the Caprice Classic sedan. In 2000, the Impala was re-introduced again as a mainstream front-wheel drive full-size sedan. Ed Cole, Chevrolet's chief engineer in the late 1950s, defined the Impala as a "prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen." The Impala name was first used for the full-sized 1956 General

The Ferrari 360 is a 2 seater sports car built by Ferrari from 1999 to 2005. It succeeded the Ferrari F355 and was replaced by the Ferrari F430. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered coupe. Ferrari partnered with Alcoa to produce an entirely new all aluminum space-frame chassis that was 40% stiffer than the F355 which had utilized steel. The design was 28% lighter despite a 10% increase in overall dimensions. Along with a lightweight frame the new Pininfarina body styling deviated from traditions of the previous decade's sharp angles and flip-up headlights. The new V8 engine, common to all versions, utilizes a 3.6 litre capacity, flat plane crankshaft, titanium con-rods and generates 400 bhp (300 kW). Despite what looks like on paper modest gains in reality the power to weight ratio was significantly improved on over the F355, this was due to the combination of both a lighter car and more power. The 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration performance improved from 4.6 to 4.3 seconds. The first model to be rolled out was the 360 Modena followed later by the 360 Spider and finally as a special edition, the Challenge Stradale: which was the highest performance road-legal

The Ford Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV (CUV) manufactured by Ford, based on the Ford CD3 platform shared with previous generation Mazda6 and marketed in rebadged form as the Lincoln MKX. The platform is shared with Mazda CX-9 crossover (stretched), the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and the Lincoln MKZ sedans. Although outwardly similar, the Edge and Ford Explorer do not share platforms. The first generation Edge made its public debut at Detroit's North American International Auto Show in January 2006, with production starting in the October 2006 as a 2007 model, with the first ones reaching dealerships just before December 25, 2006, because of a brief delay in production due to issues with the supplier. The Edge implements Ford's front end design with a three bar chrome grille. The SE includes cloth seats, single-zone manual air-conditioning, AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD/MP3 player, and 17" painted aluminum wheels. The SEL includes unique cloth seats, 6-way power driver's seat, premium AM/FM stereo with 6-disc in-dash CD/MP3 player, leather-wrapped steering wheel with secondary audio controls, and 18" painted aluminum wheels. The Limited includes leather-trimmed seats, and

The Mazda6 or Mazda 6 (known as the Mazda Atenza in Japan) is a mid-size car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Mazda since 2002. The Mazda6 has sold over one million units worldwide since its introduction, hitting this sales milestone faster than all previous Mazdas. The Mazda6 was the first example of the company's new Stylish, Insightful, and Spirited design philosophy followed by the Mazda2 in December 2002, the RX-8 in August 2003, the Mazda3 in January 2004, the Mazda5 in the summer of 2005, the MX-5 in October 2005, and the Mazda CX-7 in November 2006. The Mazda6 is the successor of the Mazda 626, also known as the Mazda Capella and the Mazda Cronos. The 2003 Mazda6 is essentially the 4th generation Mazda 626 as the Mazda6 continues on the G-platform, progressing from the GF-platform 626/Capella to the GG-platform Mazda6. The Mazda6 currently races in the GTS class of the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge. Mazda finished first in the manufacturer's championship standings. Mazda6 drivers also finished first and second in the Touring Car driver points. The model lineup consists of a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback and a five-door Estate, marketed in North America

The Oldsmobile 442 (pronounced four-four-two) was a muscle car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. It was introduced as an option package for F-85 and Cutlass models sold in the United States beginning with the 1964 model year. The 442 appellation comes from the configuration of the car: a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhaust pipes. It became a model in its own right from 1968 to 1971, then reverted to an option through the mid-1970s. Oldsmobile revived the name in the 1980s on the rear-wheel drive Cutlass Supreme and early 1990s as an option package for the new front-wheel drive Cutlass. The 442 was born out of the competition between Pontiac Division and Oldsmobile. It began as a hasty response to the Pontiac Tempest GTO, which had proved to be an unexpected success midway through the 1964 model year. It was created by performance enthusiast and Oldsmobile engineer John Beltz (also responsible for the Toronado), aided by Dale Smith and Olds Chief Engineer Bob Dorshimer. Because of its late introduction (some three-fourths of the way through the model year) and the ambiguous nature of the GTO – which was technically a

The Mercury Mystique was a car produced by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company from 1995 to 2000. Despite sometimes being referred to as mid-sized, it was classified by the EPA as a compact car. The Mystique was a rebadged version of the North American Ford Contour and the international Ford Mondeo. It debuted as a 1995 model year, replacing the Mercury Topaz. Mystiques were built in Kansas City, Missouri and Cuautitlán, Mexico. It was slotted in between the smaller Mercury Tracer compact and the larger mid-size Mercury Sable. The Mystique went into production on August 15, 1994 and ended on December 23, 1999. The Mystique was initially available in entry-level GS and upscale LS; Due to rising prices, an unnamed base model was also available from the 1997 through 1999 model years. Mystiques were available with a four cylinder and V6 engine, coupled to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual. The car offered excellent handling compared to its competition, and with the V6 engine and five-speed transmission, performed well. The Mystique got a facelift for 1998. A major downside of the Mystique was its lack of rear legroom, bested by smaller cars such as the Honda Civic.

The Mercury Topaz is a compact car that was manufactured by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for model years 1984 to 1994 as a slightly upscale variant of the Ford Tempo. It succeeded the Fox body Mercury Zephyr, and was replaced by the 1995 Mercury Mystique. Both models were introduced in late 1983 for the 1984 model year; the compact Topaz and Ford Tempo were early examples of the design philosophy that would bring about the revolutionary aerodynamic 1986 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. Topaz and Tempo both were based on the Escort-derived CE14 platform. The body structure and transaxle design borrowed heavily from the Ford Escort, but due to the larger size of the Topaz there were few common components. The Topaz shared the Tempo's standard 4-speed IB4 manual transmission and optional 3-speed FLC automatic. In late 1985, a 5-speed MTX-III manual became standard and the 4-speed IB4 was discontinued. Ford designed and made two engines and automatic/manual transmissions that were only ever available on the Mercury Topaz, and its re-badged and re-branded Ford cousin, the Tempo. Topaz and Tempo introduced many new design concepts and features that would become standard on

The Nissan Wingroad is an automobile available only as a compact station wagon. The Wingroad is sold as a different name when manufactured as a commercial delivery van, called the Nissan AD van, or as it's known as the (Japanese: Nissan AD Van). It is an alternative to the Honda Partner commercial delivery van in Japan. In October 1982, the AD van supplemented (and also gradually replaced) the commercial delivery vans from Nissan's other vehicles. In 1983, the Nissan Cedric van was discontinued, as was the Nissan Gloria van. It originally came with two front doors and a liftback hatch in back. It was based on the B11 series Nissan Sunny wagon but has a more square-rigged and utilitarian appearance. It came with three engines; the 1.5 L and 1.3 L carburetted E15S and E13S and the 1.7 L CD17 diesel engine. The transmissions were either a four- or five-speed manual transmission, with the availability of a three-speed automatic for the bigger of the gasoline options. The rear suspension was designed for commercial usage, so it used a simple leaf spring setup and wasn't intended for ride quality. Low cost, light weight, and a flat, low loading floor were the main consideration. The AD

The Star Chief was a car built by General Motors' Pontiac division between 1954 and 1966. Between 1954 and 1957, the Star Chief was Pontiac's prestige model; the car was easily identified by its chrome star trim along its sides. When the storyline of I Love Lucy pointed towards a Hollywood setting in the 1954-1955 season, the characters "drove" (in episode 110, "California Here We Come") to the West Coast in a 1955 Star Chief convertible. In 1954, Pontiac also introduced air conditioning with all the components under the hood, a first for the price range. Seat belts were added as options in 1956. In 1957, the high performance Star Chief Custom Bonneville was introduced as part of its divisional head's push to raise the marque out of the doldrums. The silver streaks running down the hood were dropped. All gauges were placed in an oval on the dash. In 1958, the Bonneville was first given its own position in the Pontiac lineup as the ultimate Pontiac, and was only available as a two-door hardtop and two-door convertible. While no longer Pontiac's prestige model, the Star Chief remained a well-appointed car. However, in 1959, when the Bonneville gained a full range of body styles, the

The Pontiac Torrent is a sport utility vehicle (SUV) that was offered by the Pontiac division of General Motors, being the successor of the discontinued Pontiac Aztek. It was manufactured at CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada, and it replaced the U-body Aztek as the company's crossover SUV for 2006. The Torrent was essentially a Chevrolet Equinox on the Theta platform. The Torrent was introduced at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show and went on sale in late summer 2005. The Torrent shared its basic body structure and mechanicals with the Equinox; however, the Torrent had a different front and rear end which makes it appear like a Pontiac rather than a Chevrolet. The suspension was also modified to be firmer and sportier and was dubbed FE2. Finally, the electronic power steering was also recalibrated to deliver a firmer, less artificial feel. The Torrent shared the Equinox's 185 hp (138 kW; 188 PS) 3.4 L V6 built in China. It was mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission that is made in Japan. The Pontiac Torrent was featured as one of the prizes in the reality television series Survivor in 2005 as well as Criss Angel Mindfreak in the same year. The GXP trim comes with a new

The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient numbers. These vehicles are referred to as "homologation special vehicles". The Celica GT-Four came in three generations; ST165, based on the fourth generation Celica, and manufactured between October 1986 and August 1989; the Super Round shape ST185 produced from September 1989 to September 1993; and ST205 from February 1994 to June 1999. The Celica GT-Four production cars were built at Toyota's Tahara plant in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and the rally cars were prepared by Toyota Team Europe in Cologne, Germany. The Celica GT-Four ST165 made its World Rally Championship (WRC) debut in the 1988 Tour de Corse, but the first WRC victory came in 1989 Rally Australia. The ST185's WRC debut was in 1992 Rally Monte Carlo, and the first WRC win was in the 1992 Safari Rally, and won four events in that year. The ST185 is Toyota's most successful rally car. It won the WRC Driver's Championship in

The Toyota Prius ( /ˈpriːəs/; plural: Prii /ˈpriːaɪ/) is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) rate the Prius as among the cleanest vehicles sold in the United States based on smog-forming emissions. The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, and was available at all four Toyota Japan dealerships, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2000. The Prius is sold in more than 70 countries and regions, with its largest markets being those of Japan and the United States. In May 2008, global cumulative Prius sales reached the milestone 1 million vehicle mark, the 2 million milestone was reached in September 2010, and a total of 2.5 million Prii have been sold worldwide as of February 2012. Cumulative sales of 1 million Prii were achieved in the U.S. by early April 2011, and Japan reached the 1 million mark in August 2011. Since its launch in 2009, the third-generation Prius sold more than 1 million units worldwide by September 2011. In 2011, Toyota expanded the Prius family to include the

The Honda Passport was a badge engineered version of the Isuzu Rodeo released in 1993 and sold by Honda in the United States as their first entry into the growing SUV market of the 1990s. The Passport was a part of a partnership between Isuzu and Honda in the 1990s which saw an exchange of passenger vehicles from Honda to Isuzu such as the Isuzu Oasis and trucks from Isuzu to Honda such as the Passport and Acura SLX. This arrangement was convenient for both companies, as Isuzu discontinued passenger car production in 1993 after a corporate restructuring and Honda was in desperate need of sport utility vehicles, a segment that was growing in popularity in North America as well as Japan during the 1990s. Honda's capability to develop their own sport utility vehicles such as the Honda CR-V and Acura MDX as well as General Motors' increasing influence over Isuzu would lead to the conclusion of the partnership in 2002 with the discontinuation of the Passport in favor of the Honda-engineered Pilot. For the second generation (1998–2002) two trim levels were produced [LX] and upscale [EX], "EX" had the spare tire below the cargo area, and "LX" mounted in a swing carrier at rear. Minor

The Toyota Ractis is a subcompact car produced by the Japanese automakers Toyota and Kanto Auto Works. It is a five-seated vehicle based on the Vitz, and was introduced in October 2005 as the successor of the Yaris Verso. The name "Ractis" is derived from "Run", "Activity" and "Space". Although the car offered a lot of space and practicality, it did not sell that well. The first generation was initially only sold in Japan. Sales in Hong Kong started from October 2009. The second generation Ractis was unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show as the Toyota Verso-S. The Ractis is produced at the Iwate plant by Kanto Auto Works. The introduction of the Verso-S will mark the re-entry of Toyota into the European B-MPV segment. When it hits the market, the Verso-S will have the shortest overall length of any MPV in its class in Europe. The Verso-S is available with a choice of two engines, a 1.33-liter gasoline unit or a 1.4-liter D-4D turbo diesel, both mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The gasoline derivative is also offered with an optional, Multidrive S, automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT), which features a 7-speed, sequential paddle shift mode. The gasoline model

The Dodge Caravan is a family minivan manufactured by Chrysler Group LLC and sold under its Dodge brand. The Caravan was introduced for the 1984 model year along with its nameplate variant, the Plymouth Voyager (1984-2001). In 1987, the Dodge Grand Caravan long-wheelbase (LWB) model was introduced and sold alongside the short-wheelbase (SWB) Caravan. The SWB model was discontinued after the 2007 model year; and, since the 2008 model year, the van has been sold only under the Grand Caravan nameplate. Other nameplate variants of the Caravan include the Chrysler Voyager (1988–present), the upmarket Chrysler Town & Country (1990–2013), and the Volkswagen Routan (2008–present). Chrysler manufactures and markets its minivans worldwide. Combining the nameplate variants, the Chrysler minivans rank as the 13th best-selling automotive nameplate worldwide. Currently, the Caravan and its sister vehicles, the Chrysler Town and Country and Chrysler Grand Voyager (Sold as a Lancia in mainland Europe), are treated and sold as separate vehicles. However, it is speculated that the three vehicles will be combined in the near future and sold under a single nameplate, depending on region (The USA and

The original Ford Model A is the first car produced by Ford Motor Company, beginning production in 1903. Ernst Pfenning, a Chicago dentist, became the first owner of a Model A on July 23, 1903. 1,750 cars were made from 1903 through 1904. The Model A was replaced by the Ford Model C during 1904 with some sales overlap. The car came as a two-seater runabout or four-seater tonneau model with an option to add a top. The horizontal-mounted flat-2, situated amidships of the car, produced 8 hp (6 kW). A planetary transmission was fitted with two forward speeds and reverse, a Ford signature later seen on the Ford Model T. The car weighed 1,240 lb (562 kg) and could reach a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). It had a 72 inch (1.8 m) wheelbase and sold for a base price of US$750. Options included a rear tonneau with two seats and a rear door for $100, a rubber roof for $30 or a leather roof for $50. Band brakes were used on the rear wheels. However, it was $150 more than its most direct competitor, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, and so did not sell as well. The company had spent almost its entire $28,000 initial investment funds with only $223.65 left in its bank account when the first Model A was

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact executive car produced by Mercedes-Benz. Introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 (W201) range, the C-Class was the smallest model in the marque's lineup until the arrival of the A-Class in 1997. The C-Class is built at Mercedes-Benz factories in Sindelfingen and Bremen, Germany as well as numerous satellite factories in other countries. The very first C-Class (W202) sedan was produced on 1 June 1993, and the first second generation (W203) rolled off the assembly line on July 18, 2000. The most recent third generation (W204) launched in 2007. Although originally sold in sedan and station wagon body styles, the W203 series in 2000 debuted a coupe version that later when facelifted diverged into the Mercedes-Benz CLC-Class. The CLC-Class remained in production through to 2011 when replaced by a new W204-based C-Class coupe. All three generations of C-Class have also formed the basis of Mercedes-Benz's larger mid-size coupes: the CLK-Class (C208 and C209) and E-Class (C207) coupes. In October 1986, three years into W201 (190)'s production run, work began on a successor. Design work began in 1987, with the final design being selected in

The Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro. This coincided with the release of the 1967 Mercury Cougar, which shared its platform with another pony car, the Ford Mustang. The vehicles were powered by various four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and V8 engines sourced from several GM divisions. While primarily Pontiac-powered until 1977, Firebirds were built with several different engines from nearly every GM division until 1982 when GM began to discontinue engines it felt were unneeded and either spread successful designs from individual divisions among all divisions or use new engines of corporate architecture. The first generation Firebirds had a characteristic Coke bottle styling. Unlike its cousin, the Chevrolet Camaro, its bumpers were integrated into the design of the front end and its rear "slit" taillights were inspired by the Pontiac GTO. Both a two-door hardtop and a convertible were offered through the 1969 model year. Originally the car was a "consolation prize" for Pontiac, who had initially wished to produce a two-seat

The Pontiac Tempest was an entry-level compact produced by the Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors, introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model year. Sharing the new monocoque (unibody) Y platform with the Buick Special and Skylark, and Oldsmobile F-85 and Cutlass, the model also appeared under the LeMans nameplate (largely beginning with the 1962 model year, though Pontiac also manufactured a few 1961 Le Mans coupes). For 1964, the platform was redesigned with a full-size frame, and renamed A-body. The Tempest name was discontinued after the 1970 model year in favor of Le Mans, a nameplate previously used for upmarket versions of that series. Despite sharing some of the Oldsmobile's sheet metal, the original Tempest featured an innovative drivetrain — a rear-mounted transaxle coupled to a torque shaft arcing in a 3 in (76 mm) downward bow within a longitudinal tunnel — coupling the forward engine and rear transmission into one unit and eliminating vibration. The arrangement, known as "rope drive", had been previously used in the 1951 Le Sabre concept car. The combination of the rear-mounted transaxle and the front-mounted engine gave the car very nearly an ideal 50/50

The Saturn Relay was the first and only minivan from the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It was introduced for the 2005 model year, and was built alongside its sisters, the Buick Terraza, the Chevrolet Uplander, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 in Doraville, Georgia. The Relay was the first Saturn vehicle without polymer side paneling, and is also the first Saturn that is a rebadged Chevrolet or Pontiac. The Relay was introduced with a 3.5 L LX9 V6 that generates 200 hp (149 kW) and 220 lb·ft (300 N·m) torque, going from 0-60 mph in the 9-second range seconds. For 2006, a 3.9 L LZ9 V6, with 240 hp (179 kW) and 240 lb·ft (332 Nm) torque, was added as an option, which delivered faster acceleration and better response than the 3.5L engine. For 2007, the 3.5 L V6 was dropped, leaving the 3.9 L as the base engine. Consequently, the optional AWD system was also dropped, since it could not handle the torque of the 3.9 L engine. Unlike its siblings, the Relay did not receive an optional flex-fuel engine for 2007. The Relay scored three "Good"s (the highest possible score) and two "acceptable"s (the second highest possible score) in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The Subaru Impreza WRX STI is high performance specification model of the Subaru Impreza compact car line, manufactured by Japanese automaker Fuji Heavy Industries Subaru. In 1988, FHI created Subaru Tecnica International (STi)as a its motorsport division to develop and compete in the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities. Following the introduction of the first generation Impreza in Nov. 1992 and the following year's debut of the Group A rally car into the WRC, an 'STi version' was made commercially available in Jan. 1994 as a homologation model under FIA regulations. Thereafter, subsequent evolutions dubbed STi Version or simply STI were manufactured and sold alongside the Impreza model lineup initially in Japan only and later in selected world markets. As the STi or STI model was typically the highest spec of the Impreza, it has become popular with performance enthusiasts, tuners and amateur racers in many motorsports disciplines especially rallying and circuit driving. Used STI cars usually command a higher resale value and continue to be highly sought after. FHI has released many different models and versions including special limited editions of the

The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima (エスティマ) in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia, is an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle (known as a minivan in North America) produced by Toyota Motor Corporation since 1990. The name "Previa" comes from the Italian for "preview," as Toyota saw the first Previa as a vehicle that would preview technologies used in future minivans. Along with the Toyota Sienna, the Previa is the largest minivan in Toyota's range. The first generation, introduced in 1990, had only one sliding side door for the rear passengers. It featured a unique mid-engined platform, where the inline four cylinder gasoline-powered engine was installed almost flat (at a 75-degree angle), beneath the front seats. Installing the engine in this configuration allowed moderately easy access to the spark plugs, which were located underneath a panel on the upper left-side of the vehicle, after removing the front passenger seat, the carpet, and an access panel. All engine-driven accessories, such as the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, and radiator fan, are accessible from the front hood, driven off the front of the engine by an accessory

The Jeep Compass (MK49) is a compact crossover SUV introduced for the 2007 model year. The Jeep Compass, along with the Patriot both slot below the Jeep Wrangler as Jeep's entry-level sport utility vehicles, and is one of Jeep's first crossover SUVs. Four years prior to the introduction of the production Jeep Compass, a concept vehicle with the same name had its world premiere in Detroit at the 2002 North American International Auto Show. It featured a two door body, all-wheel drive and a 3.7-liter V6 engine. Jeep debuted the production version of the Compass at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January. The first Compass was assembled on May 30, 2006, in Belvidere, Illinois, where the Dodge Neon was produced. The Compass did not carry the "Trail Rated" badge found on other SUVs in the Jeep family for the 2007-2010 model years, but received the "Trail Rated" badge for the 2011 model year. This indicates that the Compass targets first-time Jeep buyers and those who drive primarily on paved roads. The Compass and Patriot are both based on the DaimlerChrysler/Mitsubishi GS platform. These vehicles are differentiated by their styling and marketing: The Patriot is a

The Pontiac G8 is a rear-wheel drive sedan that was produced by Holden, the Australian General Motors (GM) subsidiary. The G8, a rebadged Holden Commodore, was released in early 2008 for the 2008 model year in the United States, and in 2008 for the 2009 model year in Canada. Production stopped in mid-2009, following the GM decision to suspend the Pontiac brand. While available, the G8 took the place in the Pontiac lineup of both the Pontiac Bonneville, which ceased production after the 2005 model year, and the Pontiac Grand Prix, which ceased production after the 2008 model year. The G8 was Pontiac's first full-size car since the Bonneville and the GTO coupe last sold in 2006. By December 2008, the rear-drive G8 had not become the expected sales replacement for the previous front-drive models, with 11,000 unsold G8s in the inventory and just 13,000 sold. During the 2009 global economic downturn, market prices had dropped by $3000–5000 below GM's sticker price for the car. By July 2009, there were only 5,000 unsold G8s in inventory, with almost 30,700 sold. With the imminent demise of the Pontiac brand, a result of GM's Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the 2009 model year marks the end of all

The Subaru Impreza is a compact automobile, manufactured since 1992 by Subaru—the automobile division of Japanese transportation conglomerate, Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI). Subaru introduced the Impreza as a replacement for the Leone, with the Leone's EA series engines replaced by the newer EJ series versions. Now in its fourth generation, Subaru has offered four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body variants since 1992; the firm also offered a coupe from 1995 for the first generation only. Mainstream versions have received naturally aspirated "boxer" flat-four engines ranging from 1.5- to 2.5-liters, with the performance-oriented Impreza WRX and WRX STI models uprated with the addition of turbochargers. Since the third generation series, some markets have adopted the abbreviated Subaru WRX name for these high-performance variants. The first three generations of Impreza in North America were also available with an off-road appearance packaged titled Subaru Outback Sport. For the fourth generation, this appearance package became known as the Subaru XV, and is sold internationally. Subaru has offered both front- and all-wheel drive versions of the Impreza. Since the late-1990s, some

The Toyota Highlander/Kluger is a midsize crossover SUV produced by Toyota. It is built on the platform of the Toyota Camry. Announced in April 2000 at the New York Auto Show and arriving in late 2000 in Japan and January, 2001, in North America, the Highlander became the first car-based midsize SUV or midsize crossover. The Highlander is the crossover counterpart to the more rugged, truck-based midsize 4Runner and became Toyota's best-selling SUV before being surpassed by the smaller RAV4 in 2006. Unable to use the Highlander name in Japan and Australia because of a trademarked Hyundai Terracan trim line, Toyota calls the vehicle the Toyota Kluger (トヨタ クルーガー, Toyota Kurūgā) (pronounced Klu-ger) there, the name derived from the German word klüger, which means clever or wise. The Highlander (or Kluger in Japan and Australia) shared a platform with its Lexus RX/Toyota Harrier cousin. It came in five (2001–2007) and seven-seat (2004–2007) configurations and became a sales success for Toyota in a number of markets across the world. The Highlander came standard with front wheel drive and offered all wheel drive (50:50 front:rear fixed torque split). Unlike Toyota's own 4Runner and other

The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang. The car shared its platform and major components with the Pontiac Firebird, also introduced for 1967. Four distinct generations of the Camaro were developed before production ended in 2002. The nameplate was revived again on a concept car that evolved into the fifth-generation Camaro; production started on March 16, 2009. Before any official announcement, reports began running during April 1965 within the automotive press that Chevrolet was preparing a competitor to the Ford Mustang, code-named Panther. On June 21, 1966, around 200 automotive journalists received a telegram from General Motors stating, "...Please save noon of June 28 for important SEPAW meeting. Hope you can be on hand to help scratch a cat. Details will follow...(signed) John L. Cutter – Chevrolet Public Relations – SEPAW Secretary." The following day, the same journalists received another General Motors telegram stating, "Society for

The Jeep Gladiator (or Jeep Pickup) is a full-size pickup truck based on the large SJ (Jeep Wagoneer) platform that was built under varying marques from 1962 to 1988. The Jeep pickup design was noteworthy for being in production for more than 26 years with only minor mechanical changes. There were also military versions contracted by a number of nations in addition to the United States. Numerous versions of the Jeep pickup were built in other markets, including Mexico by Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos‬. First introduced in 1962, the Gladiator designations were J200 (short wheelbase trucks, up to mid-1965); J2000; J300 (long wheelbase trucks, up to mid-1967); J3000; and J4000, the first model with a longer 131-inch (3,300 mm) wheelbase. Gladiators were available in RWD and 4WD, and came either with a solid front axle, or independent front suspension with optional dual rear wheels. Gladiator trucks were available as: Cab and Chassis; Wrecker; Stake Bed; and chassis-mounted campers with extended wheelbases. The load bed options were Townside, Thriftside (a "step-side"), and Stake Bed. A new overhead cam Jeep Tornado engine 230 cu in (3.8 L) straight-six producing 140 hp (104 kW;

The Pontiac Custom S was a single model year car that was marketed between the Pontiac LeMans and the Pontiac Tempest. For reasons unknown, this one-year only nameplate replaced the previous model years Tempest Custom name in the Pontiac line-up. The Custom S was only available for the 1969 model year. The car was originally to be called the "Pontiac TC". It was available in six different body designs: two-door convertible (VIN #'s starting with 23567xxxxx), hardtop coupe (VIN 23537xxxxx), sports coupe (VIN 23527xxxxx), a 4-door sedan (VIN 23569xxxxx), a 4-door hardtop (VIN 23539xxxxx), and a station wagon (VIN #'s 23535 and 23536 that depended on how the tailgate was hinged). The sports coupe can be differentiated from the hardtop by the presence of a vent window in the front door. Interior and exterior appointments were more lavish than the base Tempest but not quite as luxurious as the LeMans and GTO. The Custom S came standard with Pontiac's unique overhead camshaft OHC-6 175 hp 250 in³ engine. Also available was a 230 hp (170 kW) 265 ft·lbf (359 N·m) TQ OHC inline 6-cylinder with the "Sprint" package, a 265 hp (198 kW) overhead valve pushrod V8 350 in³, and a 330 hp (250 kW)

The Holden VC Commodore is an automobile that was produced in Australia by the General Motors division, Holden between 30 March 1980 and October 1981. The VC Commodore was succeeded by the Holden VH Commodore, and is distinguished by its 'egg-crate' style grille. The VC series brought many improvements over the VB Commodore and maintained the Commodore's place as the best selling car in Australia. The improvements included revised suspension to improve ride and handling, a few cosmetic changes and the availability of new options such as cruise control. However, one of the biggest changes were a series of engine upgrades which included redesigned cylinder heads, now with a single intake and exhaust port for every cylinder, improved intake/exhaust manifolds, new camshafts and pistons and an all-new carburettor called the Rochester Varijet, as well as the fitment of electronic ignition. In total, these upgrades brought up to 25% more power and 15% better fuel efficiency. The engine block on these motors were painted a blue colour (as opposed to the previous red) and were known as the XT5 versions, although are commonly referred to as the 'Blue' motors. As well as changes to the

The Ford Crown Victoria (or simply Crown Vic) is a rear-wheel drive full-size sedan that was marketed and manufactured by Ford Motor Company; it was produced from the 1992 to the 2012 model years over two generations. Discontinued in the 2012 model year, it had been in production since 1991 at Ford's St. Thomas Assembly plant in Talbotville, Ontario, Canada. Dropping its previous LTD prefix, Crown Victoria revived a nameplate used by Ford on a two-door version of the Fairlane sold in the North American market during the mid-1950s. The Crown Victoria shared the Ford Panther platform and major powertrain and suspension components with the Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Grand Marquis. Along with its rebadged Mercury and Lincoln variants, the Crown Victoria was the final full-frame rear-wheel-drive passenger sedan produced in North America. The durability associated with its layout popularized the use of the Crown Victoria with taxicab and fleet owners going on to become one of the most commonly-used police patrol/pursuit vehicles in North America. The first "Crown Victoria" appeared in 1955; it was a two-door six-seater coupe, part of the Ford Fairlane range. It differed from the

The Ford Escape is a compact crossover sold by the automaker Ford Motor Company introduced in 2000 as a 2001 model year and priced below the Ford Explorer. Although it is technically a crossover vehicle, it is marketed by Ford as part of its traditional SUV lineup (Escape, Explorer, Expedition) rather than its separate crossover lineup (Edge, Flex). The Escape was sold in Europe as the Ford Maverick. It was jointly developed with Mazda, in which Ford owned a controlling interest, and was released simultaneously with the Mazda Tribute. In the United States, Ford's Mercury division released a luxury version called the Mariner starting with the 2005 model year, but ended production in October 2010 as Ford ended the Mercury brand. The Escape is built on the Ford CD2 platform, which is in turn based on the Mazda GF platform, which was used by the Mazda 626. However, on June 23, 2010, it was announced that Ford will end production on the second generation Escape in 2011 and move production to its Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky, where it is slated to be succeeded by an American version of its European CUV counterpart, the Ford Kuga. The third generation Escape debuted

The Pontiac Vibe was a compact hatchback car that was produced in Fremont, California, in the United States by NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc), a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota, and marketed under General Motors' Pontiac brand. The Toyota Voltz was an identical twin to the Vibe (with different badging and right-hand drive) that was sold in Japan for a short while before being dropped due to lack of popularity. It was a short and tall hatchback that was being marketed as a trendy, quasi-SUV (or Station Wagon) vehicle for younger buyers. Prototypes were shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2000 and production vehicles came on the market in 2002 for the 2003 model year. The Vibe was the mechanical counterpart of the Toyota Matrix and was based on the Toyota Sprinter's E-platform. The 2003-2006 Vibe was available in an economical base trim, an all-wheel drive mid-trim, or a "sporty" GT with more power. Powertrains available for this car are a Toyota-built 1.8 L straight-4 16-valve engine producing 126 hp (94 kW) on the base model (manual or automatic transmission), 118 hp on the all-wheel drive model (automatic only), or

The Toyota Matrix, sometimes officially referred to as the Toyota Corolla Matrix, is a compact hatchback manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation in Canada, to be sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is considered to be the sporty hatchback counterpart of the North American Corolla and is counted as a variant of it in Toyota's sales figures. The Matrix is the Toyota version of a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors; the GM version being the Pontiac Vibe, which was assembled by New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) in Fremont, California. A third version, also assembled at NUMMI, was sold in Japan from 2002 to early 2004 as the Toyota Voltz. Almost 2000 cars were produced before production ceased. Although the Voltz was sold under the Toyota brand there, the vehicle had the same exterior as the Vibe. Identical mechanically, and nearly as much internally, the Matrix and Vibe are clothed in different sheetmetal designed by their respective brands. Both vehicles are narrow, yet tall station wagons styled in a quasi-SUV fashion (called a crossover utility vehicle or "CUV" by Toyota) and marketed to a fairly youthful market segment. This type of car is

The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile model by the Chrysler Corporation from 1946–1996, serving for several years as the brand's flagship model. A trim level named the "New York Special" first appeared in 1938. Until its discontinuation in 1996, the New Yorker had made its mark as the longest running American car nameplate. The New Yorker name helped define the Chrysler brand as a maker of upscale models priced and equipped above mainstream brands like Ford, Chevrolet/Pontiac, and Dodge/Plymouth, but below full luxury brands like Cadillac, Lincoln and Packard. During the New Yorker's tenure, it competed against models from Buick, Oldsmobile and Mercury. The New York Special model was originally introduced as a distinct sub-series of the 1938 Chrysler Imperial. It was available in 1938 as a 4-door sedan with a 323 CID Straight-8 and a generous amount of comfort and space to the passengers. For 1939, it was expanded with 2 more coupe versions and a 2-door sedan and took on the "New Yorker" name. The first convertibles were introduced with the all-new body-design of the 1940 models. 1940 also saw the introduction of Fluid Drive, a fluid coupling between the engine and the

The Jeep Wrangler is a compact four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle (SUV) and an off-road vehicle manufactured by American automaker Chrysler, under its Jeep marque – and now in its fourth generation. It is a successor to the famous World War II 'Jeep' vehicle by way of the Willys civilian Jeep (CJ) in the 1950s, later produced by Kaiser-Jeep and by American Motors (AMC). The Wrangler debuted in 1987, was revised in 1997 and again in 2007. Wranglers continue to use live axles both front and rear as with their predecessor, the CJ. Each Wrangler model has received a designation in addition to the nameplate Wrangler corresponding to their generation: YJ (1987–1995), TJ (1997–2006), LJ's (2004–2006 Unlimited models) and JK (2007–present). Military versions of the Wrangler have carried the J8 designation. YJ models were manufactured between 1987 and 1992 at AMC Brampton Assembly Plant, and subsequently at the Toledo South Assembly Plant plant. In 2006, Wrangler production was moved to Toledo Supplier Park. The Jeep YJ, sold as the Wrangler, replaced the much-loved but slower-selling Jeep CJ in 1987 and was built in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, until the plant closed on April 23, 1992.

The Lincoln MKZ, initially named the Lincoln Zephyr, is a mid-size, entry-level luxury car from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKZ was the first in a series of new "MK"-named Lincolns, and has since been followed by the MKX, MKS, and MKT. A hybrid version was launched in the U.S. market in September 2010. The MKZ Hybrid was the first (and as of July 2011, the only) hybrid in the market priced the same as its conventional gasoline-engine version (although the hybrid model's engine has two fewer cylinders than the gasoline-engine model). Since 2008, the MKZ has been Lincoln's best selling vehicle. An all-new second generation MKZ is expected in dealer showrooms by the fall of 2012. The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr was initially unveiled in concept form at the 2004 New York International Auto Show as a new entry-level luxury sedan intended to appeal to a younger generation of luxury car buyers. Many of the design elements of the Zephyr concept made their way into the production model, albeit with some revision. The front fascia of the Zephyr's exterior was adorned with Lincoln's signature waterfall grille and jeweled quad projector beam headlights (HID headlights were

The Mercury Grand Marquis was a full-size rear-wheel drive sedan sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company; the Grand Marquis was the flagship of the Mercury lineup. The nameplate itself had been in use since 1975 as the premium trim level of the Mercury Marquis; the Grand Marquis became its own distinct model in 1983. The car was essentially Mercury's twin of the Ford Crown Victoria with which it shared its Panther platform along with the Lincoln Town Car. After the discontinuation of retail sales of the Crown Victoria at the end of the 2007 model year, the Grand Marquis had largely taken its place as the entry-level Panther-platform model. The Grand Marquis was manufactured at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant in Canada though it was also produced from 1983 to 1985 in Ford's St. Louis, Missouri facility. With the discontinuation of the Mercury brand, the Grand Marquis ended retail production in October 2010 while production for fleet sales continued until January 2011. The last Grand Marquis, which was also the last Mercury ever produced, rolled off the assembly line on January 4, 2011. The Mercury Marquis was introduced as a trim package on the 1967 Mercury

The Nissan X-Trail is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 2001. It was one of Nissan's first crossover SUVs and was released about the same time as several other companies competing car-based compact SUVs including the Suzuki Grand Vitara, Ford Escape and its Mazda Tribute sibling, the Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. The X-Trail is positioned below the truck-based Xterra and Pathfinder. The X-Trail was never offered by dealerships in the United States. The first generation was available in Canada until it was replaced by the Rogue. However, both the Rogue and the X-Trail are sold in Mexico. The Rogue shares the same platform as the second-generation X-Trail and is very similar to the Qashqai. The company currently offers a hydrogen fuel cell model named the X-Trail FCV on lease to businesses. The main production plant of the X-Trail is in Kanda, Fukuoka, Japan; though parts that are produced in Kanda are also assembled by other Nissan plants in numerous countries. Available only in the Japanese market is the SR20VET that produces 206 kW (280 hp) and is used in the X-Trail GT. The Australian model is powered by a QR25DE 2.5 L

The Grand Safari was Pontiac's top-of-the-line full-size station wagon offered from 1971 to 1978. The Grand Safari used the grille and interior trim of the Bonneville and Grand Ville passenger car series, and most (but not all) examples were trimmed with woodgrain paneling on the sides and tailgate. The 1971 to 1976 models were the largest Pontiacs ever built. The 1971-76 GM full-size bodies, at 64.3" front shoulder room and 63.4" rear shoulder room set a record for interior width that would not be matched by any car until the full-size GM rear-wheel drive models of the early to mid 1990s. The Grand Safari wagons, as did other GM full-sized wagons during these years, used a unique rear suspension with multi-leaf springs instead of the coil springs used on other full-sized Pontiacs, and other full-sized GM cars. The Grand Safari wagons also featured a new 'Clamshell' tailgate design where the rear power-operated glass slid up into the roof as the tailgate (manually or with power assist), slid into a recess under the cargo floor. The power tailgate, the first in station wagon history, ultimately supplanted the manual tailgate, which required marked effort to lift from storage. It was

The Subaru Impreza WRX is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an all-wheel drive, four-door passenger vehicle. It is available as a sedan and wagon, or in the third generation as hatchback. Originally introduced in 1992 in Japan, then shortly afterward in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, the WRX features a turbocharged 2.0L (then later a 2.5L) version of Subaru's EJ series flat-4 Boxer engine. Compared to the base Impreza, the WRX also has wider wheels with lower profile tires, larger brakes, and firmer, higher-quality suspension components. The Impreza WRX was first sold in North America in 2001 as a 2002 model year. There have been seven noted versions of the WRX. The STI versions were marketed with consecutive numbers. Another way to determine the version of a WRX was to look at the chassis code. All WRX sold between 1992 and 2000 have the beginning chassis code of GC8 sedan or GF8 hatchback; this is followed by a letter from A to G. The WRX debuted in November 1992 with 240 PS (176.5 kW; 236.7 hp) at 6000 rpm with 31 kg·m (300 N·m; 220 lb·ft) at 5000 rpm. Both front and rear brake rotors were ventilated disks. The vehicle had a curb weight of 1,220 kg (2,690 lb).

The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in the lucrative North American midsize market against competitors Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Higher performance variants of the Legacy are offered as competitive alternatives to compact executive cars such as the Audi A4, Alfa Romeo 159 and BMW 3 Series. The Legacy also serves as Subaru's flagship car. In 1995, Subaru created the Outback trim package on the base model Legacy wagon "L", that primarily consisted of the heavy cloth interior, berber carpet floor mats, a luggage rack and fog lights with a standard height suspension. The 1996 model added raised ground clearance, raised roof-line and introduced the larger 2.5-liter, EJ25D engine (Automatic transmissions only until 1997), and was known as the Legacy Outback until 1999. In 2000, it became its own unique model, known simply as the Outback. It is unique in its class for offering all wheel drive as a standard feature, and Subaru's

The Toyota Ipsum, Picnic, SportsVan or Avensis Verso is a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle produced by Japanese automaker Toyota from 1995 to 2009. It was never produced in North America. The first generation, named Ipsum in Japan and Picnic and SportsVan in export markets, was built from 1995–2001, with export versions arriving in 1996. It had a choice of two inline-four petrol engines, ranging from 1.8- to 2.0-litres, as well as a 2.2-litre diesel engine, the 3C-TE. The second generation, based on the Toyota Avensis platform, was introduced in 2001 in Japan and in Europe, where it is now called Avensis Verso. The car is known as the Toyota Picnic in some markets, including Singapore. It features an enlarged wheelbase and inner room for seven seats. Besides the 2.0- and 2.4-litre petrol engines, it also featured a 2.0-litre 116 PS (85 kW) D-4D turbodiesel engine.

The Volvo S80 is a mid-size executive saloon/sedan from Swedish automaker Volvo Cars, and was introduced in 1998 to take the place of the rear-wheel drive Volvo 960/S90 saloons in the model range. The Volvo S80 was built at the Torslanda Works in Gothenburg, Sweden. Unlike most Volvo models, it did not have an estate / station wagon version for its first generation. The third generation V70 wagon is marketed as the estate version for the second generation S80 saloon. This is a part of a major product overhaul at Volvo, including a luxury large estate and saloon. It serves as the flagship model for Volvo. The second generation Volvo S80, in June 2007, scored the highest "good" rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test performance for frontal, side, and rear impacts, earning it the IIHS Top Safety Pick. The second generation S80 is better engineered than the previous model, in part due to a more rigid chassis. The first generation S80 is based on the Volvo P2 Platform. Over 368,000 first generation S80s were built before the introduction of the new model. This S80 was equipped with numerous safety systems, including Side Impact Protection System (SIPS)

The International Harvester Scout was the first production American civilian off-road sport utility vehicle. It was originally created as a competitor to the Jeep, and like that vehicle, early models featured fold-down windshields. The first generation Scout and second generation Scout II were produced as two-door vehicles with options of a half cab pickup truck or a removable full hard or soft top. Scouts were manufactured from 1961 to 1980, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. International Harvester had been building trucks, pickups and later Travelalls since 1907. In the late 1950s, they began a design plan to produce a vehicle to compete with the Jeep CJ. By late 1960 the first Scout was available: the Scout 80, with a 1961 model year. According to Ted Ornas, the chief designer of the Scout, ...the market potential for a 4 wheel drive recreational vehicle was an unknown quantity in the early 1950s. The only such vehicle offered in the post-war period was the Willys Jeep, a version of the military jeep produced for World War II. It was a flat-sided bare-bones product, and American military personal learned to appreciate its ability to maneuver over rough terrain. Sales volume was very low.

The SJ series Jeep Cherokee was a full-size SUV produced from 1974 through 1983 by the Jeep division of the American Motors Corporation (AMC). It was similar to the Wagoneer that was originally designed by Brooks Stevens in 1963. The Cherokee was a redesigned reintroduction of a two-door body style, with a single fixed rear side window with an optional flip-out section. Previously, a two-door version had been available in the Jeep Wagoneer line (1963–67), although this had the same pillar and window configuration as the four-door Wagoneer. Based on the Wagoneer, the Cherokee was marketed as the "sporty" two-door variant of Jeep's station wagon. The term "Sport Utility" appears for the first time in the 1974 Cherokee sales brochure. A four-door was not added to the lineup until 1977. Other than the base model, the trim levels of the Cherokee included the S (Sport), Chief, Golden Eagle, Golden Hawk, Limited, Classic, Sport, Pioneer, and Laredo. Engine choices consisted of AMC I6 or V8 powerplants. When it was equipped with the powerful 401 cu in (6.6 L) AMC V8 engine, it would outrun just about any other 4x4 in its class, and, with 3.07:1 highway gearing, could reach speeds in excess

The Jeepster was an automobile originally produced by Willys-Overland Motors from 1948 to 1950. The Jeepster name was revived in 1966 on a new model, the C-101 Jeepster Commando, and American Motors (AMC) (successor to Willys-Overland) removed the Jeepster name for 1972, ending production after 1973. The original Willys-Overland Jeepster ("VJ" internally) was produced from 1949 through 1950, although some leftover models were sold under the 1951 model year. After World War II, Jeep trademark owner, Willys, believed that the market for the military-type Jeep would be limited to farmers and foresters, therefore they began producing the "CJ" (or Civilian Jeep) to fill this growing segment as well as producing the new Jeep Wagon in 1946, and then the Jeep Truck in 1947. Realizing a gap in their product lineup, Willys developed the Jeepster to crossover from their "utilitarian" type truck vehicles, to the passenger automobile market. The car was originally only offered with rear-wheel drive, thus limiting its appeal with traditional Jeep customers. While its distinctive boxy styling (created by industrial designer Brooks Stevens) was a hit with critics, it did not catch on with the

The Pontiac 2+2 was a full size high performance automobile manufactured by Pontiac Motor Division. It debuted in 1964 as an interior trim option for the Pontiac Catalina, with special door panels, buckets seats and center console. Pontiac marketed the 2+2 as the "big brother" to the popular Pontiac GTO. Beginning in 1965 the name Catalina was no longer found on the car, although the 2+2 was its own separate series for the 1966 model year only. The 2+2 was given the 421 cubic inch power plant, dual exhaust, heavy duty front springs as well as its own outer body trim appointments. It officially became its own series in 1966, on the same platform, but reverted again to an option in 1967 and was discontinued in the United States the same year due to poor sales. It continued as a series in Canada until 1970. The designation 2+2 was borrowed from European sports cars (i.e. Ferrari) with seating for 4: 2 in front plus 2 in the rear. It was designated officially at Pontiac as a "regular performance" model, and was intended by Pontiac to be to the Catalina platform what the GTO was to the Lemans. Standard on the 2+2 beginning with the 1965 models was a high-compression 421 V8 powered

The Toyota Camry ( /ˈkæmri/; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ) is a series of mid-size (originally compact) automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world. Between 1980 and 1982, the "Camry" nameplate was delegated to a four-door sedan, known as the Toyota Celica Camry. The name "Camry" is an Anglicized phonetic transcription of the Japanese word kanmuri (冠, かんむり), meaning "crown". This follows Toyota's naming tradition of using the crown name for primary models starting with the Toyota Crown in 1955, continuing with the Toyota Corona and Corolla; the Latin words for "crown" and "small crown", respectively. In Japan, it is exclusive to Toyota Corolla Store retail dealerships. As of May 2012, the Camry is the best-selling passenger car in North America. The Camry also sells very well in Australia, and a number of Asian markets. Despite international success, the Camry has not sold as well in its home market Japan, or in Europe, where sales ended in 2004. For the East and Southeast Asian markets, high-specification Camry models are seen as executive cars. Since the XV30 series, the Camrys sold in these markets have sported revised

The Toyota Isis is a seven-seat large MPV manufactured by Kanto Auto Works under contract for Japanese automaker Toyota. It is sold in Japan and Singapore and was launched in September 2004. It features sliding doors and is available with either front or four-wheel drive and straight-4 1.8 and 2.0-litre gasoline engines. It competes in Japan with the Honda Stream and the Nissan Lafesta. The Isis uses a unique approach to the sliding doors in that the front passenger door and the rear passenger sliding door interlock together when closed, instead of having a door jamb that the doors attach to. Toyota calls this on the Japanese Wikipedia article "Panoramic Door". This door system is used only on the passenger side. The doors on the drivers side attach with a conventional door jamb. The front passenger seat can be folded flat upon itself and then tilted forward to further provide passenger access. The doors also interlock into the top and bottom door openings so that both doors can be opened independently of each other. This door feature was first used by Toyota on the Toyota Raum. This door approach is also used on the USA-spec 2000–2006 Toyota Tundra Extra Cab. This type of door was

The Toyota Land Cruiser (Japanese: トヨタ ランドクルーザー, Toyota Rando-kurūzā) is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. The Land Cruiser series is the longest running series in Toyota history. Development of the first generation Land Cruiser began in 1951 as Toyota's version of a Jeep-like vehicle and production started in 1954. The Land Cruiser has been produced in convertible, hardtop, station wagon, and utility truck versions. The Land Cruiser's reliability and longevity has led to huge popularity, especially in Australia where it is the best-selling full-size, body-on-frame, four-wheel drive vehicle. Toyota also extensively tests the Land Cruiser in the Australian outback — considered to be one of the toughest operating environments in both temperature and terrain. Main rivals include the Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery, Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Patrol. In 1941 the Imperial Japanese Army occupied the Philippines, where they found an old Bantam Mk II, and promptly brought it to Japan. The Japanese military authorities commanded Toyota to make a similar vehicle but to not model the appearance on the American Jeep. The

The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors (GM) in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model. Opel continued to provide the basis for future generations until the launch of the fourth generation in 2006, which deployed an Australian developed platform. Initially introduced as a single sedan body style, the range expanded in 1979 to include a station wagon, with utility and long-wheelbase Statesman/Caprice derivatives following in 1990. The foundations for a revived Monaro coupé, four-door Crewman utility, and all-wheel drive Adventra crossover were provided by the now discontinued third generation architecture. From 1984, Holden began branding the flagship Commodore model as Holden Calais; the Holden Berlina and Holden Ute followed in 1988 and 2000, respectively. These were known previously as the Commodore Berlina and Commodore utility. Rivalry has come predominantly from the Ford Falcon—also locally built. Prior to the 1988 onwards second generation Commodore, the Holden was positioned a full

The Lexus GS is a series of mid-size/executive cars sold by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Designed as a performance sedan competing in the mid-luxury class, the GS slots between the entry-level/compact executive IS and full-size/flagship LS, and shares its chassis with one of Toyota's oldest platforms: the Toyota "S" which has been used under the Toyota Crown for many decades. Four generations of the GS have been produced since 1993, each available with six-cylinder engines and rear-wheel drive. V8 engines were offered in the second and third generations, and all-wheel drive and hybrid versions debuted in 2005. The first two generations had a Japanese domestic market equivalent, the Toyota Aristo ("Aristo" is Greek for "the best"), which was sold from 1991 until the Lexus marque's domestic debut in 2005. Though largely identical in exterior and interior design, the GS and the Aristo differed in their engine and transmission combinations as well as equipment packages. The first-generation Lexus GS began sales in the United States, Europe and selected markets in Asia in 1993, where it was introduced with an inline-6 engine and exterior bodywork designed by Italdesign

The Ford Model 91 was a car made by the British Ford in 1939 only and was the last of the British pre war V-8 range that had started with the V8 18 in 1932. In total 1878 were made. For the British market it was available as a two door convertible, a two door, five seat estate and a 4 door, 4 seat saloon. It was powered by a 3622 cc Ford Sidevalve V8 and still used the transverse leaf suspension pioneered on the Model T. The Model 91 was also license built by Ford-Vairogs in Latvia as Ford-Vairogs V8 De Luxe.

The Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size automobile that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1950–1975 model years. Hardtops in the Chevrolet Deluxe Styleline model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950 to 1952, but it was not a distinct series of its own until the 1953 model year. Bel Air production continued in Canada for its home market only through the 1981 model year. In 1950, Chevrolet came up with a revolutionary style that would set a pattern for decades. The Bel Air Hardtop (on the DeLuxe line) was styled as a convertible with a non-detachable solid roof. Models like this had been around since the 1920s, including early Chevrolets, with no degree of success. But the newly revised idea, sweeping the GM line from Chevrolet to Cadillac, had finally found its era. First year production reached only 76,662 as buyers cautiously tested the revised concept. The car cost $1,741 and weighed 3,225 lb (1,463 kg). Front suspension was independent, named "knee-action". In 1953 Chevrolet renamed its series and the Bel Air name was applied to the premium model range. Two lower series, the 150 and 210, also emerged. The 1953 Chevrolet was advertised

The Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups. Isuzu, which participated in the design of the truck, began selling its own version in late 2005, named the "i-Series". The Chevrolet Colorado was jointly designed by GM's North American operations, GM's Brazil operations, and Isuzu, based on the GMT355, itself the basis for the GMT 345-based Hummer H3. The vehicles are manufactured at a GM plant in Rayong, Thailand, and in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Colorado/Canyon offer both manual and automatic transmissions. GM also offers either a rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive drivetrain with standard, extended, and four-door crew cab body styles. Most models come with the 2.8 L (171 cu in) LK5 I4 engine as standard, but a more powerful 3.5 I5 comes with the Z71 package on 4-door versions and is optional on all others. The 4-door Z71s also get the 4-speed automatic transmission standard. This package was later dropped in favor of LT2 and LT3. A ZQ8 edition is available with a lower and more road-tuned "sport" suspension than the

The Jeep Patriot (MK74) is a compact crossover SUV introduced in early 2007 for the 2007 model year by the Jeep marque of Chrysler. It debuted publicly in April 2006 at the New York Auto Show and slots between the Compass and Liberty in the Jeep lineup. Market-wise, it is the least-expensive SUV in North America and one of the lowest priced SUV-standard crossovers up to date. The Compass and Patriot are both based on the DaimlerChrysler/Mitsubishi GS platform. These vehicles are differentiated by their styling and marketing: The Patriot is a traditional four-door Jeep wagon, similar to the Cherokee, which was discontinued in the U.S. in 2001, while the Jeep Compass is intended as a sporty crossover, but with more capacity to handle rough roads and poor weather than competitors like the Pontiac Vibe. The Dodge Caliber, also based on the GS platform, is a more direct competitor to the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix, and is more like a small hatchback than either of the Jeeps. The Patriot is manufactured at Chrysler's Belvidere, Illinois assembly plant alongside the Dodge Caliber and Compass. The Patriot uses a four-cylinder 2.0 L or 2.4 L GEMA gasoline I4 engine In the U.S. the base

The Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette were a set of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models. There was also a Chevrolet Trans Sport sold in Europe until 2005 that was a version of the Chevrolet Venture that had some features of the Pontiac Trans Sport. Production of the Trans Sport was discontinued in 1998. The Trans Sport and its sibling models were produced by General Motors to compete with the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. Because the larger Chevrolet Astro and the GMC Safari "mini-vans" were based on a body-on-frame, rear wheel drive truck platform, they appealed to a different segment of the market and did not put a significant dent in Chrysler's almost complete dominance of the minivan market in the late eighties. The GM minivans, while more successful than the Astro/Safari duo in terms of market share, were able to capture a large chunk of the market away from the Chrysler models. First shown to the public in 1986-2005, the Pontiac Trans Sport concept car was extremely well received. It featured futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a

The Mercury Montego was a mid-size vehicle in the Mercury line of Ford Motor Company from 1968 to 1976. The nameplate first appeared in 1967 in Canada as part of the Mercury-derived Meteor line. After 1976, the basic design of the Montego was updated and the nameplate disappeared as the Cougar expanded its lineup. During the mid-2000s, the Montego name was revived for a full-size car; it was rebranded the Sable for 2008. The Montego was introduced for 1968 as an upscale version of the intermediate Mercury Comet, which it eventually supplanted after 1969. It was essentially a twin of the Ford Torino. The Cyclone was a high performance variant of the Montego through 1971. The 1968 models were available in four body styles: four-door sedan, two-door hardtop, station wagon and convertible, in base and fancier MX trim. In 1969, a luxury MX Brougham trim level was added. also in 1969 there was a ski-pac special not just the mx that came with a 351, posi trac system and a heavy duty heater For 1970, the convertible was dropped, but new four-door hardtops and woodgrained MX Villager station wagon were added to the model selection. The 1970 and 1971 Montegos (and Cyclones) were notable for

The Pontiac Grand Prix is an automobile that was produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. First introduced as part of Pontiac's full-size model offering for the 1962 model year, the Grand Prix name was also applied to cars in the personal luxury car market segment and the mid-size offering, slotting below the large Bonneville in the company's lineup. Picking up where the Pontiac Ventura model left off, the Grand Prix first appeared in the Pontiac line for 1962. It was essentially a standard Pontiac Catalina coupe with minimal outside chrome trim and a sportier interior (bucket seats and a center console). The performance-minded John De Lorean, head of Advanced Engineering at Pontiac, contributed greatly to the development of both the Grand Prix and the GTO. Early models had full access to the Pontiac performance option list, including the factory-race Super Duty 421 powertrain installed in a handful of 1962 and 1963 cars. The full-size Catalina-based Grand Prix did very well through the 1960s, and is often credited with the move towards minimal exterior trim seen in the 1960s. Yet its clear resemblance to the other full-size Pontiacs caused some to consider it a lesser

The Tercel is a subcompact manufactured from 1978 to 2000 across five generations, in five body configurations — sized between the Corolla and the Starlet. Manufactured at the Takaoka Plant in Toyota City, Japan, and sharing its platform with the Cynos (aka Paseo) and the Starlet, the Tercel was marketed variously as the Corolla II — sold at Toyota Japanese dealerships called Toyota Corolla Store locations, and was replaced by the Toyota Platz in 2000. It was also known as the (Japanese: Toyota Corsa) and sold at Toyopet Store locations. The Tercel was the first front-wheel-drive vehicle ever produced by Toyota, establishing a layout and frame that was later used in popular Toyota models. For example, Toyota Corolla E80's frame is almost similar to AL20 Tercel's frame. Also, Toyota designed a new A engine for Tercel, attempting to achieve good fuel economy, and performance as well as low emissions at the same time. Choice of body styles increased as well, with the addition of a four-door sedan. The name "Tercel" derives from the Latin word for "one third" as the Tercel was slightly smaller than the Corolla — much the way "tiercel" refers to a male falcon, which is one-third smaller

The Pontiac Catalina is an automobile which was part of Pontiac's full-sized line from 1950 to 1981. Initially, the name was used strictly to denote hardtop body styles, first appearing in the 1950 Chieftain Eight and DeLuxe Eight lines. In 1959, the Catalina became a separate model, as the 'entry-level' full-size Pontiac. The name Catalina was first used on the 1950 Chieftain Series 25/27 hardtop, Pontiac's top of the line model at the time. Originally referred to as 'hard-top convertibles', these vehicles offered pillarless design in the door and window areas, along with the top-grade convertible appointments. The advantage this fixed-roof design offered was its sporty, airy feeling without the expense and drawbacks normally associated with convertibles. With the exception of the 1958 Bonneville, all Pontiac hardtops were designated Catalina from 1950 to 1958. Powered by a flathead straight-8 engine at the time of its debut, it would receive Pontiac's new 287 CID OHV V8 four years later. A one-piece windshield was new for 1954. A padded safety dash became available in 1956. For 1959, Pontiac dropped the name Chieftain for its entry level model and renamed it Catalina, while

The BMW 600 is a four-seat microcar produced by BMW from mid-1957 until November 1959. Partially based on the BMW Isetta two-seater, it was BMW's first postwar four seat economy car. It was not a sales success, but it began the design process for its more successful successor, the BMW 700. BMW needed to expand its model range, but they did not have the resources to develop an all-new car with an all-new engine. Therefore, it used the Isetta as starting point for a new four seat economy car. As a result, the 600 used the front suspension and front door of the Isetta. The need to carry four people required a longer frame, a different rear suspension, and a larger engine. A new perimeter frame was designed, using box section side members and straight tube crossmembers. The rear suspension was an independent semi trailing arm design; this was the first time BMW had used this system. The chassis had a wheelbase of 1,700 millimetres (67 in), a front track of 1,220 millimetres (48 in), and a rear track of 1,160 millimetres (46 in). The 600 was powered by the 582 cc (35.5 cu in) flat-twin engine from the R67 motorcycle/sidecar combination. This engine, which delivered 19.5 horsepower

The Chevrolet S-10 is a compact pickup truck from the Chevrolet marque of General Motors. When it was first introduced in 1982, the GMC version was known as the S-15 and later renamed the GMC Sonoma. A high-performance version was released in 1991 and given the name of GMC Syclone. The pickup was also sold by Isuzu as the Hombre from 1996 through 2000. There was also an SUV version, the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer/GMC S-15 Jimmy. An electric version was leased as a fleet vehicle in 1997 and 1998. Together, these pickups are often referred to as the S-series. In North America, the S-series was replaced by the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, and Isuzu i-Series in 2004. The S-Series ended production in Brazil in 2012, being replaced by the thai Chevrolet Colorado, but still with the name S-10. The first compact truck from General Motors was the rebadged Isuzu KB sold since 1972 as the Chevrolet LUV. The 1973 Arab oil embargo forced GM to consider designing a domestically produced compact pickup truck. As usual, parts from other GM chassis lines (primarily from the GM G-body intermediates) were incorporated. The first S-series pickups were introduced in 1982. The Chevrolet and GMC models

The Datsun Roadster was a light weight automobile produced by Nissan in the 1930s. The series was a predecessor to the Fairlady sports cars, and was an example of the earliest passenger cars produced in Japan. The first car to bear the Datsun name was the 1932 Type 11 Roadster. It was powered by a 495 cc straight-4 10 hp (7.5 kW) engine. The 1931 Type 11 had the same engine and was called a "Datson". The Roadster was replaced for 1935 by the Road Star. It used a 14 hp (10.4 kW) 722 cc engine, and a Coupe model was also available. The engine's output was pushed to 16 hp (12 kW) for 1937. Production ended with Japan's entry into World War II in 1941. Datsun Roadster parts available at www.datsunroadster.com (Rallye Enterprises, Ltd.) Datsun Roadster parts available at www.datsunparts.com

The GMC Acadia is a full-size crossover SUV from GM. The GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook share the new GM Lambda platform. The Acadia went on sale in the United States in December 2006, and in Canada in January, 2007. The Acadia replaces 3 of the 7/8-passenger vehicles on the Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealership network, the mid-size GMC Safari van, the GMC Envoy, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 minivan for the USA Only. As of 2009, the Lambda vehicles have replaced the Buick Rainier, Buick Rendezvous and the Buick Terraza, and then subsequently the GMC Envoy and the Chevrolet TrailBlazer. A Denali version of the Acadia debuted in 2010 as a 2011 model. The Acadia augments GMC with an entry level truck-like SUV and is the first unibody vehicle from the marque. It is also GMC's first front-wheel drive passenger vehicle and GMC's first crossover SUV. The Acadia features seating for eight, generous interior space, and either front or all-wheel drive. With a 5,200 lb (2,042 kg) towing capacity, the Acadia slots between the Envoy and the Yukon. The Acadia is the mid-priced Lambda model between the Chevrolet Traverse and Enclave. The Acadia had average reliability

The Holden Monaro is a Muscle car that was produced by GM Holden Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of General Motors, between 1968 and 1977 and between 2001 and 2005. Since 1968, three generations of the Monaro have been produced. Named after the Monaro region in New South Wales (although pronounced differently), the Monaro was introduced in July 1968 as a two-door pillarless hardtop coupe available in three models: the basic Monaro coupe, Monaro 'GTS' coupe and Monaro 'GTS 327' coupe. The GTS versions had "full instrumentation" which included a tachometer mounted on the centre console. This proved to be a bad location as the drivers knee would obstruct the view and it often rattled (Spotlight on Holden Monaro Page 6-7). The cars could be ordered with a choice of six-cylinder engines of 161 cu in (2,640 cc) capacity (base only) or two versions of 186 cu in (3,050 cc) capacity (GTS with the uprated 186S only), or a 307 cu in (5,030 cc) capacity Chevrolet-sourced V8. The exclusive 'GTS 327' model was powered by the 250 bhp (186 kW) Chevrolet 327 cu in (5,360 cc) V8. The HK Monaro GTS327 also saw Holden's first victory in the Bathurst 500 in 1968 when Bruce McPhee and co-driver Barry

The "M" nameplate has been used on various mid-luxury cars from the Infiniti luxury division of Nissan. The first iteration was the M30 Coupe/Convertible, which were rebadged JDM Nissan Leopard. After a long hiatus, the M nameplate was used for Infiniti's mid-luxury sedans (executive cars). First was the short-lived M45 sedan, a rebadged version of the Japanese-spec Nissan Gloria. The next generations, the M35/45 and M37/56/35h/30d, became the flagship of the Infiniti brand and are based on the JDM Nissan Fuga. The Infiniti M30 (chassis code F31) was a 2-door GT coupe introduced with the Q45 as the start of the Infiniti line in 1990, as a stopgap until other models could be produced. The M30 was basically a Japanese Nissan Leopard built with left-hand drive and rebadged as an Infiniti, and had added luxury features. The other main changes were in the engine, transmission and suspension. The M30 was only sold in the United States. The M30 had no factory options, but dealers offered the addition of a cellular phone and a CD player/changer. The sole engine was Nissan's VG30E, a 3.0 L SOHC V6 that produced 162 hp (121 kW) and 180 lb·ft (244 N·m) of torque, also used by many previous

The Nissan Almera is a small family car built by Nissan from 1995 to 2006 (From October 2011 in Thailand). The Almera name was essentially the European export-market name for the Nissan Pulsar / Nissan Sentra / Nissan Bluebird Sylphy The first Nissan Almera rolled off the production line in late 1995, as a replacement for the Nissan Sunny, a nameplate which had been in use for nearly 30 years. It was almost identical to the N15 Nissan Pulsar sold in Japan, except with different trim options and petrol engine range. Power came from 1.4 GA14DE and 1.6 GA16DE petrol and 2.0 CD20 diesel engines initially in 1995, but a year into production a 2.0 SR20DE-engined GTi was added to the range. The 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0D engines were available in a three- and five-door hatch or a four-door saloon, whereas the GTi was only available in three-door hatch. Almost all Almeras sold in the UK were hatchbacks with three or five doors in contrast to regions such as Ireland, where the saloon version is substantially more commonplace. The level of specification was good, with all models getting power steering, driver airbag, electric mirrors and stereo as standard. Throughout the life of the Almera, many

The Nissan Armada is Nissan's full-size SUV. It shares its body-on-frame F-Alpha platform with the Nissan Titan pickup truck, Nissan Xterra SUV, Nissan Frontier pickup truck, and Nissan Pathfinder SUV. An upscale version of the Armada was sold as the Infiniti QX56 from 2004 to 2010, when it switched to a platform based on the Nissan Patrol. All Armadas are currently built in Canton, Mississippi. The rear door handles are installed on the "C" pillar as a Nissan design tradition started with the 1986 Nissan Pathfinder. When the four-door Pathfinder was introduced, Nissan chose to conceal the door handles as a part of the "C" pillar trim to visually make it appear like a two-door truck with a camper shell, with conventional door handles on the front doors. The Armada has a 5.6 L 317 hp (227 kW) & 385 lb-ft of torque VK56DE V8 engine, a 5-speed automatic transmission, and a choice of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The Armada was designed for North America and introduced for the 2004 model year. The switch to the Armada name was made in 2005, where it got new badges. It was restyled for the 2008 model year. The latest Nissan Armada Platinum edition features a 9.3GB hard drive for

The Smart Forfour was a supermini produced by Smart between April 2004 and June 2006. Unlike the other models of the marque, the Forfour was a more conventional five-door hatchback with a relatively roomy interior, available as a four/five-seater. The car was produced at the NedCar factory in the Netherlands in conjunction with Mitsubishi Motors. This is the same factory that produced Volvo 300 cars in the 1970s and 1980s and the Volvo V40s in the 1990s. To save production costs, the Smart Forfour shares most of its components with the 2003 Mitsubishi Colt. This includes the chassis, suspension and a new generation of MIVEC petrol engines, ranging from the three cylinder 1.1 L (67 cu in) to the four cylinder 1.3 L (79 cu in) and 1.5 L (92 cu in) engines with power up to 80 kW (109 PS; 107 hp). The 1.5 L (92 cu in) common direct injection (cdi) diesel engine, on the contrary, is a three-cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine derived from the four-cylinder used in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and is available with either 68 PS (50 kW; 67 hp) or 95 PS (70 kW; 94 hp). A Brabus-prepared sports version has been available since 2005. It is powered by a turbocharged Mitsubishi 4G15 engine, developing

The Toyota RAV4 is a Crossover SUV from Toyota. It was the first compact crossover SUV, introduced in Japan and Europe in 1994 and beginning sales in North America in 1996. The vehicle was designed for consumers wanting a vehicle that had most of the benefits of SUVs, such as increased cargo room, higher visibility, and the option of full-time four-wheel drive, along with the maneuverability and better fuel economy of a smaller car. Its name stands for "Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive", although not all RAV4s have four-wheel drive, which is optional in some countries. The early success of the RAV4 paved the way for other compact SUVs such as the Ford Escape and the Subaru Forester. In most countries, the RAV4 is the only compact SUV from Toyota. In other markets, it is the crossover counterpart of the FJ Cruiser. Since the 2006 third generation model, Toyota has offered both short- and long-wheelbase versions of the RAV4. Short-wheelbase versions are retailed in Japan and Europe, with Australia and North America receiving the long-wheelbase versions. Toyota in Japan also sells the longer version as the Toyota Vanguard. The RAV4 was originally based on the Corolla

The Holden VH Commodore, an evolution of the previous Holden Commodore VC model, was released in October 1981. The frontal appearance was mildly facelifted with a new horizontal-slat grille and new lighting components designed to give a lower, wider look, and for interest of aerodynamics. It continued to be available as sedan and station wagon, with new tail light clusters utilized on sedan models. The engines were carried over but revisions were made to the 1.9 L and 2.85 L engines to improve fuel economy. Gains of 12.5% and 14% respectively were made to the city cycle fuel economy figures. Mechanical specifications were as before, except for an additional 5-speed manual transmission which was an option only (due to the limits of the transmission-box) on the 1.9 L 4-cylinder and 2.85 L straight six versions. At the same time a reshuffle was made to the range - SL was now the base model and SL/X was introduced as the mid-range car, with SL/E remaining the top-of-the-line sedan. The SL/E also came available with optional cruise control and a trip computer. The trip computer measured average speed and fuel consumption. Wagons were available in SL and SL/X variants. In 1982 the "SS"

The Chevrolet Equinox is a mid-size crossover SUV from Chevrolet based on GM's Theta unibody platform, manufactured at CAMI Automotive (formerly a GM/Suzuki joint venture, now wholly owned by GM) plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada, and introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Equinox is the first crossover SUV from Chevrolet, marketed by GM as a compact SUV. Riding on GM's Theta platform, the unibody Equinox is mechanically similar to the GMC Terrain, Saturn Vue, Pontiac Torrent, and the 2007 Suzuki XL7. However, the Equinox and the Torrent are larger than the Vue, riding on a 112.5 in (2,858 mm) wheelbase, 5.9 in (150 mm) longer than the Saturn. Front-wheel drive is standard, with optional all-wheel drive. The Equinox is not designed for serious off-roading unlike the truck-based Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet TrailBlazer. For the 2006 model year, GM updated the Equinox for the first time, as GM badges were added on the front doors. The Equinox is produced at the CAMI Automotive GM/Suzuki joint venture plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. The 3.4 L LNJ V6 engine is made in China (by Shanghai GM), while the Aisin AF33 automatic transmission is made in Japan. Starting with

The Chevrolet Tahoe (and very similar GMC Yukon) are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992. Chevrolet waited until 1994's introduction of a four-door version to rebadge the mid-size S-10 Blazer as the Blazer, renaming the full-size Blazer as the Tahoe. The Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon currently serve as General Motors' full-size SUVs. Lengthened wheelbase models are available for both as the Suburban for the Tahoe and Yukon XL for the Yukon. A luxury Denali model joined the Yukon lineup in 1998. As of 2002, a Denali version of the Yukon XL has also been available as the Yukon XL Denali. The new GMC Yukon was introduced for 1992, while Chevrolet continued calling their version the Blazer. All were 2-door models through 1994. In 1995 the Chevy changed the name of the Blazer to Tahoe and introduced a 4-door version. The Tahoe was Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year for 1996. The Tahoe/Yukon were shorter than the Suburban on which they were based, but shared that vehicle's GMT400 platform.

The Chrysler 300 "letter series" were high-performance luxury cars built in very limited numbers by the Chrysler Corporation in the U.S. from 1955-1965. Each year's model used a new letter of the alphabet as a suffix (skipping "i"), reaching 300L by 1965, after which the model was dropped. The 300 "letter series" cars were among the vehicles that focused on performance built by domestic U.S. manufacturers after World War II, and thus can be considered one of the muscle car's ancestors, though much more expensive and exclusive. Chrysler has recently started using these designations again for sporting high performance-luxury sedans, using 300M from 1999, and continuing the 300 series with a new V8-powered 300C, the top model of a relaunched Chrysler 300 line, a new rear-wheel drive car launched in 2004 for the 2005 model year. Unlike the first series, the second does not have 300 hp (220 kW) engines, except for Chrysler's current top-line 300C models. This first of the letter series cars didn't actually bear a letter; it can retroactively be considered the '300A'. The 'C-' designation was applied to all Chrysler models, however for marketing purposes the numerical series skipped more

The Ford Fairlane was an automobile model sold between 1955 and 1970 by the Ford Motor Company in North America. The name was taken from Henry Ford's estate, Fair Lane, near Dearborn, Michigan. Over time, the name referred to a number of different cars in different classes; the Fairlane was initially a full-size car, but became a mid-size car from the 1962 model year. The mid-sized model spawned the Australian-built Fairlane in 1967, although it was considered a large car there. For 1955, the Fairlane name replaced the Crestline as Ford's premier full-size offering. Six different body styles were offered, including the Crown Victoria Skyliner with a tinted, transparent plastic roof, the regular Crown Victoria coupe with lots of stainless steel trim, a convertible Sunliner, the Victoria coupe, and traditional sedans. All featured the trademark stainless-steel "Fairlane stripe" on the side. Power options were a 223 CID (3.7 L) straight-6 engine and a 272 CID (4.5 L) V8. Few changes were made for 1956; a four-door Victoria hardtop and two new, more powerful V8 options, of 292 CID (4.8 L) and 312 CID (5.1 L), the latter available up to 225 brake horsepower (168 kW), were introduced.

The GMC Typhoon is a high-performance version of the GMC Jimmy SUV. Produced in 1992 and 1993, the Typhoon was based on the 1991 GMC Jimmy SUV. Both the GMC Syclone and Typhoon trucks featured a Mitsubishi TD06-17C/8 cm turbocharger and Garrett Water/Air intercooler attached to a 4.3 L LB4 V6 intake manifolds, fuel system, exhaust manifolds, and a 48mm twin-bore throttle body from the 5.7 L GM Small-Block engine. All Syclones and Typhoons had a GM 700R4 transmission (4L60) 4-speed automatic transmission and a BorgWarner 1372 (Syclone)/4472 (Typhoon) transfer case splitting torque with 35% forward and 65% to the rear wheels. Both trucks featured all-wheel drive, upgraded brakes, and sport modifications to the standard suspensions. Unlike the Syclone, the Typhoon featured an air-operated self-leveling rear suspension. Output was officially 280 hp (209 kW) and 360 lb·ft (488 N·m), but some stock Typhoons have been measured at over 300 hp (224 kW) on a dynamometer. The Typhoon was capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds and could do a quarter-mile run in 14.1 seconds at 95 mph (153 km/h). Car and Driver compared the Syclone's performance favorably to the Ferrari 348ts,

The Holden VN Commodore was the sixth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car produced by the Australian automotive marque, Holden. It is essentially made out of an Opel donor body mated to either a Buick V6 or Holden V8, depending on the model, with slight tweaks to the front and rear ends and the Holden lion rebadging. This and subsequent versions based their bodywork on the Opel Senator and Omega, and the car was released on 17 August 1988. As well as being highly based on the Opel Senator, the VN also was similarly based on the Opel Omega, but this time, the previous Holden VL Commodore floor plan was widened and stretched. The Commodore could now match the rival Ford Falcon for size. The VN Commodore was available in Executive, S, SS, Berlina and Calais specification levels, although a more basic SL model (opt. code A9K) was supposedly offered to government and fleet buyers, as it was not officially listed as part of the Commodore range. The VN Commodore was also awarded Wheels Car of the Year for a second time in 1988. From August 1990, a Commodore-based coupe utility was offered for the first time, known as the Holden VG Utility. The Holden VQ Statesman and Caprice

The Mazda CX-9 is a full-size crossover SUV manufactured by Mazda at their Ujina 1 plant in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The CX-9 is built on the Ford CD3 Platform shared with the Ford Edge, and it uses the same 3.7L V6 engine used in the Ford lineup. Although outwardly similar, the CX-9 and Mazda CX-7 do not share platforms. The CX-9 has either a front-wheel drive or All-wheel drive configuration. The 2007 CX-9 was fitted with a 3.5 litre Cyclone V6. Standard safety equipment includes Dynamic Stability Control, traction control, Roll Stability Control, front side impact airbags and three row side curtain airbags. The CX-9 offers options such as DVD navigation system, handsfree Bluetooth phone link, backup camera, rear entertainment system with Bose 5.1 surround sound. For the 2008 model year, Mazda increased engine displacement to 3.7 litres. Mazda states that the new engine generates 204 kilowatts (273 hp) and 366 Newton metres (270 lb·ft) of torque. The engine went into production in June 2007 at Mazda’s engine plant in Japan. The 2008 CX-9 uses an Aisin F21++ six-speed automatic transmission with a console-mounted shifter in a complex gate. Mazda also introduced a Blind Spot

The Mercury Mountaineer was a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) that was sold by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company from 1997 until 2010. Sharing many of its features with the Ford Explorer, the vehicles were virtually identical, in terms of hardware. Externally, they were styled somewhat differently, and the Mountaineer was positioned with a more upscale interior, with the Mountaineer's MSRP coming in at $1,000–$6,000 more than the Explorer. It was last redesigned for the 2006 model year with a new frame, looking very similar to its previous model. Some controversy resulted after the media highlighted a number of rollovers involving Explorers and Mountaineers fitted with Firestone tires. The Mountaineer has been praised for its excellent handling and stability. The Mountaineer was never sold in Canada. As part of the discontinuation of the Mercury brand, production of the Mountaineer ended in late 2010. Although the redesigned Explorer had already been out for two years, Mercury introduced an Explorer twin called the Mountaineer. The Mountaineer was only slightly different from the Explorer, although it did offer a few extra luxury features that the Explorer lacked,

The D21 generation was the successor to the Datsun "720". The company used the name "Datsun" from 1980-1981 then renamed itself "Nissan" beginning with the 1982 model year line of trucks and cars alike. Nonetheless, the Nissan pickups continued to be marketed in the Japanese home market as the "Nissan Datsun". The D21 series were unofficially called Nissan Hardbody in the United States. The truck's name, "Hardbody", refers to its double-wall bed and overall styling. The Hardbody was produced for the U.S. Market from 1986.5 until 1997, and were direct competition to the Toyota compact pickup. The move from the 720 to the D21 Nissan series body style changed mid-year 1986.5 so the new 'D21' 1986.5 and later Hardbody can easily be distinguished from the earlier 720 body style by its two large headlights rather than four smaller lights and a less boxy, more aggressive appearance. The Nissan Pathfinder was derived from the Hardbody Truck and started in the same model year with chassis code WD21. In the US, the Hardbody cab styles were 'Standard' and 'King' (also known as 'Extended'). Bed lengths were 'standard' 6-foot (2 m) and 'long' seven foot. International markets also received the

The Pontiac Le Mans /ləˈmɑːnz/ was a model name applied to compact and intermediate-sized automobiles offered by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1962 to 1981. The Le Mans was replaced by the downsized Pontiac Bonneville for the 1982 model year. In 1987, for the 1988 model year a badge engineered Daewoo LeMans was sold briefly until 1993. Introduced as the top-of-the-line version of the compact Pontiac Tempest at the end of 1961 on GM's new Y body platform, the Tempest Le Mans was essentially a trim package featuring sportier and more luxurious trimmings than the Tempest, including different badging and bucket seats. That year the name was used only on a two-door pillared coupe. In 1962, Le Mans continued on this path, adding a convertible to the offerings and I4 4bbl carbureted engine. Though all four body styles—coupe, sedan, convertible and station wagon—were available as Tempests, there was no four-sedan or station wagon Le Mans. There was also no pillarless hardtop version of either Pontiac. The next year, in 1963, the Le Mans name was still used only on coupes and convertibles, but the name was officially made its own model. This would last for just one year. It's

Maybach 57 was a car produced by Maybach.

Nissan Navara is the name for the D22 and D40 generations of Nissan pickup trucks sold in Asia while in the North, Central and South America and the Philippines it is sold as Nissan Frontier. The line was started in 1998, and its immediate predecessor is the D21 Nissan Hardbody truck. As of 2002, the D22 series Nissan Truck is no longer sold in Japan, with the primary market having been relocated to North America. It is now built at the Smyrna, Tennessee Nissan factory. Nissan was the pioneer of the "Hardbody" or "Nissan Frontier" since 1986. The first was the D21, considered to be a small pick up. After more than 10 years with the D21, the second generation Navara was manufactured from 1998 and went until 2005 which was classed as a compact sized pick up. It was replaced with the bigger, taller, longer D40, which Nissan now considers to be a mid-size pick up truck. The Navara gets its name from the Navarre region of northern Spain, and the European version is built at the Nissan factory in Barcelona. The Frontier was introduced in 1997 for the 1998 model year as a replacement for the aging 1986.5–1997 Nissan Hardbody Truck. Nissan first offered the Frontier with a 4-cylinder

The Plymouth Satellite was an automobile introduced in 1965 as the top model in Plymouth's mid-size Belvedere line. The Satellite remained the top of the line model until the 1967 model year, where it became the mid-price model with the GTX taking its place as the top model. The Fury name was moved to Plymouth's mid-size models for 1975, at which time the Satellite name disappeared. The Satellite was built on Chrysler's mid-size "B" platform. When a new, larger Plymouth Fury was introduced for 1965 on Chrysler's full-size C platform, the Plymouth Belvedere name was moved to Plymouth's "new" mid-size line for 1965, in what was really a continuation of Plymouth's full-size 1962–1964 models. The Belvedere Satellite was the top trim model in the series, above the Belvedere I and II. It was only available as a two-door hardtop or convertible. Offered with bucket seats and center console as standard, the Satellite was available exclusively with V8 engines. For 1965, the standard engine was the 273 c.i.d., and optional choices were the 318, and 361, 383 and 426 "Commando" engines. This 426 had the wedge combustion chamber design, and is not the 426 "Hemi" offered in 1966. The front end

The Saturn Outlook is a crossover SUV that debuted at the New York International Auto Show, and is based on the new GM Lambda platform, which it shares with the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia. The Outlook features the second-lowest sticker price among GM's Lambda SUVs, slotting between the baseline Chevrolet Traverse and the mid-line GMC Acadia. Following the withdrawal of a bid by Penske Automotive to acquire Saturn, the Motors Liquidation Company of General Motors announced in September 2009 that it expected to phase out the Saturn brand by October 2010. The Outlook is powered by the 3.6 L V6 DOHC 24-valve HFV6 engine with Variable Valve Timing, available with either single or dual exhaust. Both versions use the Hydra-Matic 6T75 six-speed automatic transmission, and are available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The Outlook can seat eight in a three-row setting. The front row consists of two bucket seats, and the second row is available as either a 60/40 split-folding three-passenger bench seat or two individual "captain chairs." The third row is a 60/40 split-folding three-passenger bench seat. In the press release accompanying the Outlook's

The Holden VY Commodore is an automobile which was produced by Holden in Australia between September 2002 and August 2004. The VY Commodore, which was the twelfth Holden Commodore series, was the successor to the VX Commodore. A VY Series II was released in August 2003 and that made way for the updated VZ Commodore range in August 2004. The VY Commodore was available in several models. These are the Commodore Executive, Acclaim, S, SV8 and SS and the Berlina and Calais models which were not badged as Commodores. All the models in the VY range were offered as sedans and the Executive, Acclaim and Berlina were also available as wagons. Unusually, the VY also introduced a limited edition SS wagon featuring the same 235 kW (315 hp) (245 kW (329 hp) for Series II) V8, bodykit and sports suspension as the SS sedan. However, it was equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels as opposed to the 18 inch wheels on the sedan. 500 such wagons were produced for Series I and 350 for Series II. The VY was the last Commodore to use the 3.8 litre ECOTEC V6 engines. Sales of the VY Commodore failed to match those of the earlier VT model. The front and rear of the body had minor restyling, with new front

The Ford Fusion, code named CD338 for the first generation (2006–12), is a mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year. The 2010 model was awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year and its hybrid version won the 2010 North American Car of the Year Award. The Fusion is manufactured at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, where the similar and now discontinued Mercury Milan and the Lincoln MKZ were also built. All three cars utilize the CD3 platform. Production on the first Fusions began on August 1, 2005. The Fusion replaced the Mondeo for the Latin American markets—except in Argentina (where the current European Mondeo is available) and in the United States and Canada (where it superseded the then mid-size Taurus). By United States Environmental Protection Agency size category, the Fusion is positioned between the compact Ford Focus and full-size Ford Taurus. However, in the Middle East it is sold alongside the Mondeo. Versions sold there are available only with the 2.5-litre engine. The V6 engine is not available in that region, unlike in the United States, Canada and Latin America. The same is true in South Korea,

The Chrysler 300 is a full-size sedan first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the high-performance version. The Chrysler 300 is also marketed in Australia, as the first full-size Chrysler vehicle sold there since the Valiant was discontinued in 1981. The car is sold in Europe as the Lancia Thema. However, it remains branded as the Chrysler 300C in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. The Chrysler 300 is based on the rear-wheel drive Chrysler LX platform which features components derived from the W211 Mercedes-Benz E-Class of 2003 to 2009. For years it was incorrectly believed that the LX platform shared components from the older Mercedes W210, but it has been recently revealed by an LX chassis engineer that it wasn't the case. "One thing that a lot of people said at the time and probably still think is that when we were doing that car, that we were just giving the old E-class stuff and that’s not true at all. They were doing the new E-class, which is called the 211,

The Ford Aerostar is a minivan produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market; the first such design by Ford, it was sold from the 1986 to the 1997 model years. It was sold in both passenger van and cargo van configurations in two body lengths with both rear wheel drive and all wheel drive configurations. The Aerostar was sold only under the Ford brand; the first minivan sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division was the 1993 Mercury Villager. Production was ended after the 1997 model year after its replacement by the Windstar in the 1995 model year; both product lines were sold from 1995-1997. The role of the Aerostar cargo van was left unfilled until the 2010 introduction of the Transit Connect. The aerodynamic styling (.37 coefficient of drag) resembled the Ford Taurus introduced alongside it for 1986. An early commercial ad campaign compared the side profile of the Aerostar to that of the NASA Space Shuttle. For much of its later life, the Aerostar would be marketed as part of Ford's light-truck lineup. The first-generation Aerostar was introduced in July 1985 as a 1986 model. Originally unveiled in concept form in 1984, the body of the production version differed

The GMC Syclone is a high-performance version of the GMC Sonoma pickup truck. Produced in 1991, the Syclone spawned the similarly powered 1992-1993 GMC Typhoon SUV. Another vehicle, the GMC Sonoma GT, offered less performance but was seen as a companion model. At the time it was introduced, the Syclone was the quickest stock pickup truck being produced in the world. Auto magazines compared its acceleration favorably to a variety of sports cars including the Corvette and - in a memorable comparison test in Car and Driver magazine - a Ferrari. Featuring a turbocharged 6-cylinder engine, all wheel drive, and 4 wheel anti-lock brakes, the specifications had more in common with a Porsche than most other pickup trucks. Both the Syclone and Typhoon trucks featured a Mitsubishi TD06-17C 8 cm² turbocharger and Garrett water/air intercooler attached to a 4.3 L LB4 V6 engine with unique pistons, main caps, head gaskets, intake manifolds, fuel system, exhaust manifolds, and a 48mm twin bore throttle body from the 5.7 L GM Small-Block engine. All Syclones and Typhoons had a 700R4 (4L60) 4-speed automatic transmission. A Borg Warner all wheel drive transfer case split torque with 35% forward and

The Honda Element is a compact crossover SUV based on a modified CR-V platform, manufactured in East Liberty, Ohio and offered in front-wheel and all-wheel drive formats in the United States and Canada from model years 2003 through 2011. The Element followed a concept vehicle called Model X, developed by a core group of Honda R&D engineers in 1998 and debuted at the 2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Model X was designed to be an activity-oriented vehicle combining features of a pickup truck and a sport utility vehicle. The 4-seat Element is optimized to carry large loads. The floor is made of easily cleanable textured urethane; the fabric is stain-resistant; the individual rear seats recline, fold up and are removable. The rear clamshell tailgate arrangement is large and the vehicle is tall, allowing large loads. The rear side doors open outwards from the front but are not referred to as suicide doors, as they cannot be opened if the conventional front doors are not. To accommodate elimination of the B-pillars, which provides unobstructed access for side loading, the Element features a chassis reinforced joints, strengthened lower side sills, larger cross

From 1995 to 1998 Nissan applied the name "200SX" to two different lines of automobiles in different markets these years. In 1995, Nissan reintroduced the 200SX nameplate in United States and Canada to designate a two-door version of the Nissan Sentra (B14 chassis, a front wheel drive car), known in Japan and Mexico as Lucino, replacing the Sentra coupe and Nissan NX (discontinued in 1993). In Canada, it also replaced the Nissan Sentra Classic, a re-badged Nissan Sentra B12. The 200SX came in base, SE, and sportier SE-R models. All shared their front-end appearance, front-drive chassis, dashboard, and many dimensions with the Nissan Sentra (Japanese: Nissan Lucino). Base and SE editions shared Sentra's twin-cam GA16DE engine 4-cylinder engine. The SE-R inherited the 140-horsepower 2.0 L SR20DE engine used in the previous 2-door Sentra SE-R. All three came with a 5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed automatic, and were equipped with dual airbags. Antilock brakes were optional in the SE and SE-R. The price, new: $15,269-17,549. The USA B14 200SX was never supplied to the USA with the SR16VE, a 1600cc engine that produces 173 hp (129 kW) nor the very rare 200 bhp SR16VE N1. 1996

The Nissan Crew was a midsize sedan manufactured by Nissan Motors, sold only in Japan and available only as a rental or taxi commercial vehicle only. Its main competitor is the Toyota Comfort. It was introduced in June 1993 and was updated in 1998, 2001 and 2005. It was discontinued in June 2009. As of 2004, the Crew was offered with the RB20E inline-six (130 PS) and a 2.8 litre RD28 inline-six diesel engine. The trim levels consists of the base model LS-F and the more comprehensively equipped LS and LX. The Crew forms the basis for the Galue I sedan by Mitsuoka.

The Pontiac G6 was a mid-size car produced under the Pontiac brand of American automaker General Motors. It was introduced in the fall of 2004 to replace the Grand Am. The car was built on the GM Epsilon platform which it shared with the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3 along with other General Motors vehicles. Styling was redone in a more conservative fashion, and the ribbed cladding and rear spoiler that were prevalent on the Grand Am was replaced by standard sheet metal. Features included a remote starting system (standard on GT, optional on base model), traction control/ABS, automatic headlights as well as a panoramic sunroof option. When the G6 was introduced in 2005, it had two trim levels, base "V6" and sportier "GT". Both trims, however, used a 3.5 L pushrod V6 producing 200 horsepower (150 kW) and 220 lbf·ft (300 N·m) of torque. Matched to a four-speed automatic transmission, the GT featured TAPshift, where the driver could select the gears manually. Base models were well equipped, featuring power locks, windows and mirrors with keyless entry, six-speaker CD stereo, power drivers seat, air conditioning and split folding rear seat. GTs added an eight-speaker Monsoon stereo,

The Pontiac GTO is an automobile built by Pontiac Division of General Motors in the United States from 1964 to 1974, and by GM subsidiary Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. It was a classic muscle car of the 1960s and 1970s. From 1964 until midway through 1973 it was closely related to the Pontiac Tempest/Le Mans and for the 1974 model year it was based on the Pontiac Ventura. The 21st century GTO is essentially a left-hand drive Holden Monaro, itself a coupe variant of the Holden Commodore. The GTO was the brainchild of Pontiac engineer Russell Gee, an engine specialist; Bill Collins, a chassis engineer; and Pontiac chief engineer John DeLorean. In early 1963, General Motors' management issued an edict banning divisions from involvement in auto racing. At the time, Pontiac's advertising and marketing approach was heavily based on performance, and racing was an important component of that strategy. With GM's ban on factory-sponsored racing, Pontiac's young, visionary management turned its attention to emphasizing street performance. In his autobiography “Glory Days,” Pontiac chief marketing manager Jim Wangers, who worked for the division’s contract advertising and public

Safari was a name first applied to Pontiac's version of the 2-door Nomad station wagon. The body style, originally exhibited as a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Motorama concept car, was shifted to Chevrolet and Pontiac full-size 1955 production vehicles because of the perceived greater sales potential. After 1959, the name Safari was applied to Pontiac's full-size four-door station wagon vehicles in its Catalina, Executive and Bonneville ranges. The 1955 Safari was built using shared body components with the Chevrolet Nomad station wagon, which would also allow both divisions to share in the tooling costs for the special bodied wagons. The Safari was fitted with Pontiac's unique front-end bumper/grille assembly and sheet metal and rear tail light design, both created by Pontiac stylist Paul Gillan. Gillan received a United States patent for the bumper/grille design. The Safari featured sport-coupe front doors, extra chrome adorning the tailgate and interior, and sliding rear-seat windows. Like the Nomad, the "B" pillar of the station wagon was raked forward, a flourish not shared with other GM two-door station wagons from that era. Interior trim, upholstery and bright work were equal to

The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for the North American, Chilean, Argentinian, and Brazilian markets for model years 1983 to 2012. The "Ranger" nameplate had previously applied to a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks, beginning in 1965. In 1983, the Ranger was introduced as the replacement for the Ford Courier, a badge-engineered version of the Mazda B-Series, in a segment largely defined by the pickup trucks from Datsun and Toyota. From 1987 to 2004, the Ranger was the best-selling compact pickup in America. Rebadged variants of the second-generation Ranger were marketed by Mazda as the B-Series with Mazda using the engine displacement in their model designation; the B2500 had a 2.5 L I4 engine and the B4000 has a 4.0 L V6. For 2002, the B-Series was renamed to simply Mazda Truck in the United States. The Ranger and Mazda B-Series were manufactured at Ford's Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul, Minnesota, at Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky until 1999 and Edison Assembly in Edison, New Jersey until the plant's closing in 2004. Declining sales of the compact truck segment as a whole

The Toyota Cressida was a mid-size sedan marketed by Toyota from December 1976 to February 1993 through four generations. It was the flagship sedan of Toyota in the United States. The same chassis with slightly different bodies was available in other countries as the Toyota Mark II, Toyota Chaser and Toyota Cresta. The Cressida name was retired in 1992 (1993 in Australia), but the chassis and Mark II, Chaser, and Cresta names continued production in Japan until the early 2000s. In total, Toyota sold 353,053 Cressidas in the United States. The Cressida was available worldwide in a variety of body styles and engines — including the 6-cylinder G-series, M-series, and the 4-cylinder R-series gasoline engines, as well as the 4-cylinder L series diesel. The name "Cressida" derives from the lead character in William Shakespeare's play Troilus and Cressida. All Cressidas were manufactured at the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. The first generation Cressida (designated X30 series) was available as a sedan (X30, X32), estate wagon (X35, X36) or hardtop coupe (X30, X31). In Japan, it was sold as both the Toyota Mark II and the more upmarket Cressida. Depending on the market it

The Toyota J40 is the model designation for a Toyota Land Cruiser 40 series made from 1960 until 1984 (in Brazil, where it was known as the Toyota Bandeirante, it was made from 1959 until 2001). Most 40 series Land Cruisers were built as two-door vehicles with slightly larger dimensions than a Jeep CJ. The model was available as the FJ40 series (with F engines) and also BJ40/41/42 (short wheelbase), BJ43/44/46 (middle wheelbase) or HJ45/47 (long wheelbase) designation where it had a Diesel engine. Brazilian built Land Cruisers (Bandeirantes) with Mercedes-Benz engines received OJ50-series model codes. References to the series in this article will be to the J40 series unless referring to one of the petrol (FJ40/42 – 2WD) or diesel (BJ4#/HJ4#) models specifically. For the history of the J series from the original 1951 Toyota Jeep BJ through the J20 series see Land Cruiser History from 1950 to 1955. Over the years Toyota has changed the engines used in the J40 series. The B series motor is a 4-cylinder diesel, and the H series a 6-cylinder diesel. The diesel-engined trucks were never sold to the general public in the USA, though some found their way in as mine trucks. The engines are

The BMW 1 Series (E81/E87 and E82/E88 models) is a small family car produced by the German automaker BMW since 2004. The 1 Series is unusual in its class as it features rear-wheel drive, 50:50 weight balance, a longitudinally-mounted engine and an advanced aluminum multilink suspension. It is currently BMW's second best-selling automobile worldwide, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the total sales in 2008. The 1 Series was launched globally in Autumn 2004 and shares many structural, chassis, powertrain, hardware and electronic elements with the larger 3 Series. The model was started to provide a lower point of entry into the BMW range as the 3 Series moved gradually up-market. Initially launched as a five-door hatchback, a three-door version was also launched in July 2007. The 1 Series is priced between the MINI and the current E90 3 Series. Because the coupe is the only rear wheel drive vehicle in its class, it is often considered the successor to the BMW 2002. The 1 Series coupe (E82) and convertible (E88) went on sale in the United States and Canada in model year 2008 (30 June 2007) as the 128i and the 135i. Other countries received the 120i and 125i in both platforms. The

The Chevrolet Malibu (named after Malibu, California) is a mid-size car produced by General Motors. The Malibu began as a trim-level of the Chevrolet Chevelle, but became its own model line beginning in the 1978 model year. Originally a rear-wheel drive intermediate, GM revived the Malibu nameplate as a front-wheel drive car for MY 1997. Traditionally, the Malibu was marketed primarily in North America, but the new Malibu model introduced in CY 2012 will be sold in most global markets. The first Malibu was a top-line subseries of the mid-sized Chevrolet Chevelle from 1964 to 1972. Malibus were generally available in a full-range of bodystyles including a four-door sedan, two-door Sport Coupe hardtop, convertible and two-seat station wagon. The Malibu was genuinely created and marketed for Chevrolet more famine customers, as it replace the chevelle. Interiors were more lavish than lesser Chevelle 300 and 300 Deluxe models thanks to patterned cloth and vinyl upholstery (all-vinyl in convertibles and station wagons), deep-twist carpeting, deluxe steering wheel and other items. The Malibu SS was available only as a two-door Sport Coupe hardtop or convertible and added bucket seats,

The Ford Falcon was an automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from 1960 to 1970. It was a huge sales success for Ford initially, handily outselling rival compacts from Chrysler and General Motors introduced at the same time. During its lifespan, the Falcon was offered in a wide range of body styles: two-door and four-door sedans, two-door and four-door station wagons, two-door hardtops, convertibles, a sedan delivery and the Ranchero pickup. For several years, the Falcon name was also used on passenger versions of the Ford Econoline van. Variations of the Ford Falcon were manufactured in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile and Mexico. Edsel Ford first used the term "Falcon" for a more luxurious Ford he designed in 1935. He decided the new car did not fit with Ford's other offerings, so this design eventually became the Mercury. Historically, the "Big Three" auto manufacturers (GM, Ford and Chrysler), focused purely on the larger and more profitable vehicles in the US and Canadian markets. Towards the end of the 1950s, all three manufacturers realized that this strategy would no longer work. Large automobiles were becoming increasingly expensive thanks to wage inflation, making

The Mercury Capri was marketed in North America by the Lincoln-Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company. The Mercury Capri was sold in the US as three distinctly different cars over three decades. The Capri for the 1971-74 model years and Capri II for 1976-77 were Ford captive imports made by Ford of Europe in Germany. At its peak, Capri sales in North America were the highest for any import model except the Volkswagen Beetle. These Capris, now fairly rare, are becoming sought after for restoration because of their styling, performance & relative affordability. The Capri from 1979-86 was a rebadged Ford Mustang made in the US, and from 1991–94, a convertible from Ford Australia. The origin of the name after the Italian island of Capri, dates back to the Lincoln Capri of the 1950s. The European Ford Capri was developed as a "baby Mustang" for that market, a 2-door car with a short trunklid (later hatchback) and a long hood. See also Ford Capri The Capri was built in Cologne, Germany, and was sold through Lincoln-Mercury dealers in North America. The European Capri was first sold in the US in April 1970 but did not carry the Mercury marque identification. The only type initially

The Nissan Cedric is a large automobile produced by Nissan since 1960. It was developed to provide upscale transportation, competing with the Prince Skyline and Gloria which were later merged into the Nissan family. In later years, the Nissan Skyline was positioned as a sports sedan/coupe, whereas the Nissan Gloria was turned into a sporty version of the Cedric (with identical styling but using a different radiator grille and front & rear light clusters). In Japan, the Cedric/Gloria series was affectionately called Cedglo, and this long-running series finally came to an end in October 2004, replaced by the Nissan Fuga. The Cedric name is still in use, on the Y31 series fleet vehicle traditionally used as a taxi, where it competes with the Toyota Comfort, and is still in production. Throughout the many versions of the Cedric, it was always considered to be the prime competitor to the Toyota Crown. The hood ornament was inspired by the diamond pattern used by Lincoln but was changed to two right angles set next to each other. The Cedric name was inspired by the main character, Cedric, in Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel Little Lord Fauntleroy by the Nissan CEO at the time Katsuji

The Nissan Patrol is a four-wheel drive vehicle manufactured by Nissan in Japan since 1961. The Patrol has been available as either a short-wheelbase (SWB) three-door or a long-wheelbase (LWB) five-door chassis. The LWB version has also been offered in utility and cab chassis variants alongside the wagon. Between 1988 and 1994, Ford Australia marketed the Patrol as the Ford Maverick. The Maverick was available alongside the Nissan-branded Patrol. Also, in some European countries the Patrol was, for a short while marketed as Ebro Patrol. Since 1980, in Japan, it has been known as the Nissan Safari. The Patrol is available in Australasia, Central and South America, South Africa, parts of Southeast Asia and Western Europe as well as Iran and the Middle East but not in the USA and North America. In 2010, it became available in North America as the upscale 2011 Infiniti QX56, which had shared the same platform as the US-built Nissan Armada from 2004 to 2010. The Patrol was always regarded as a tough 4×4 in Australia and New Zealand, Middle East, Europe, Japan, and the Caribbean. The second generation Y60 (GQ) platform is still manufactured as a military vehicle in the countries of Asia

The Pontiac Sunfire was introduced for the 1995 model year as the compact car to replace the Sunbird. Not only was the name changed, but dramatic styling changes were included as well. The new styling was shared with the redesigned Chevrolet Cavalier. Along with the fresh new look the J platform was updated structurally to meet more stringent safety standards for the 1996 model year. The Sunfire could be purchased as a sedan, coupe, or convertible. All three variations came in the standard SE trim level. An upscale GT trim level was available on the coupe and convertible. The GT trim level came standard with the 2.3 liter LD2 engine in 1995 or the 2.4 liter LD9 "Twin Cam" engine (1996–2002), 16-inch alloy wheels, dual exhaust, and a more aggressive looking front fascia. The SE trim was the standard for the Sunfire which included the 2.2 liter 2200 OHV Engine. The 2.3/2.4 DOHC Engine was optional. Both the SE and GT trim levels were dropped after the 2002 model year, along with the 2.2 OHV and 2.4 DOHC engines. The 2.2 liter Ecotec was the only available engine as of the 2003 model year. Originally the convertible was only in the SE trim level until the 1999 model year where it

The DeLorean DMC-12 (commonly simply the DeLorean) is a sports car manufactured by John DeLorean's DeLorean Motor Company for the American market in 1981-82. Featuring gull-wing doors with a fiberglass "underbody", to which non-structural brushed stainless steel panels are affixed, the car became iconic for the appearance of a modified version as a time machine in the Back to the Future film trilogy. The first prototype appeared in March 1976, and production officially began in 1981 in Dunmurry, a suburb of south west Belfast, Northern Ireland (with the first DMC-12 rolling off the production line on January 21). During its production, several features of the car were changed, such as the hood style, wheels and interior. Approximately 9,000 DMC-12s were made before production halted in late 1982. The DMC-12 was the only model produced by the company which would go into liquidation as the US car market went through its largest slump since the 1930s. Today, about 6,500 DeLorean Motor cars are believed to still exist. Texas entrepreneur Stephen Wynne started a separate company in 1995 using the "DeLorean Motor Company" name and shortly thereafter acquired the trademark on the stylized

Ford Model AA is a truck from Ford. As the Model T and TT became obsolete and needed to be replaced, Henry Ford began initial designs on the Model A and Model AA in 1926. Basic chassis layout was done rapidly and mechanical development was moved forward quickly. Body design and style was developed and then outsourced to various body manufacturers, including Briggs and Murray. The designs of the Model A shared parts and materials with the Model AA Ford, notably the body, engine and interior. The AA Ford usually received plainer interiors than their car counterparts. The Model AA Ford followed similar design changes that the Model A Ford underwent during the four year production, but often those changes followed on a delay, anywhere from three to nine months. The mechanical changes and upgrades were done during production of the vehicles. Body changes that occurred between 1929 and 1930 were also integrated into the Ford AA production, but leftover parts were used longer in the heavy commercial trucks. The Model AA Ford is powered by the same 201-cubic-inch (3.3 L) engine I4 engine that the Model A Ford used. The engine produced a maximum of forty horsepower at 2,200 rpm. The engine

The Mercury Mariner is a compact crossover SUV that was introduced in 2005. It is a sibling of the Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape, although it is more upmarket than the other two. The Mariner is Mercury's first car-based SUV, and is slotted below the Mountaineer in the lineup. When Ford eliminated the Mercury brand, the Mariner ended production in October 2010. The Mariner was officially offered in the U.S., Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the U.A.E. Introduced during the 2005 refresh of the Ford Escape, the Mercury Mariner was positioned above both it and the Mazda Tribute. It also includes stylistic differences, such as a two-tone interior, turn signal repeaters borrowed from the European-market Ford Maverick, monotone cladding, and the signature Mercury "waterfall" front grille. Unlike its counterparts, a manual transmission was not part of the powertrain lineup. The Mariner was the first Mercury with a four-cylinder since the Mercury Cougar was dropped in 2002. For 2006, the lineup was expanded with the introduction of the Mariner Hybrid. For the 2008 model year the Mariner was significantly updated with a new look although it remained on the Ford CD2 platform used by the

The Pontiac Bonneville was a full-size automobile built by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1957 to 2005. It was introduced as a limited production performance convertible during the 1957 model year. The Bonneville (known as the Parisienne in Canada until 1981), and its platform partner, the Grand Ville, are some of the largest Pontiacs ever built; in station wagon body styles they reached just over 19 feet (5.8 m) long, and were also some of the heaviest cars produced at the time (2.5 short tons, 5,000 lb or 2,300 kg). The Bonneville name first appeared in 1954 on a pair of bubble-topped GM Motorama concept cars called the Bonneville Special. It entered the production lineup as a high-performance, fuel-injected luxury convertible within the Star Chief line in the 1957 model year and was loaded with every conceivable option as standard equipment with the exception of optional air conditioning. This put the Bonneville in a Cadillac-like price range of $5,000 - more than double the base price of a Chieftain four-door sedan. A fully equipped Bonneville could cost more than a Cadillac. Only 630 units were produced that first year, making it one of the most collectible

See also Avanti cars (non-Studebaker) The Studebaker Avanti was a personal luxury coupé built by the Studebaker Corporation between June 1962 and December 1963. It was developed at the direction of the automaker's president, Sherwood Egbert. "The car's design theme is the result of sketches Sherwood Egbert "doodled" on a jet-plane flight west from Chicago 37 days after becoming president of Studebaker in February, 1961." Designed by Raymond Loewy's team of Tom Kellogg, Bob Andrews and John Ebstein on a 40-day crash program, the Avanti featured a radical fiberglass body design mounted on a modified Studebaker Lark Daytona 109-inch convertible chassis with a modified 289 Hawk engine. The car was fitted with front disc-brakes which were British Dunlop designed units, made under license by Bendix, "the first American production model to offer them." A Paxton supercharger was offered as an option. The plan was to build the car bodies at Molded Fibreglass Body Co., at Ashtabula, Ohio, the same company that built the fibreglass panels for the Chevrolet Corvette back in 1953. Egbert planned to sell 20,000 Avantis in 1962, but could build only 1,200. The Avanti was publicly introduced on

The Jeep Wagoneer was the first luxury 4x4, sold and produced under various marques from 1963 to 1991. A "sport utility vehicle" (SUV) for decades before the term was even coined, the 4WD Wagoneer saw only minor mechanial changes during its 28-year plus production run, the third longest in US automotive history. The Wagoneer pioneered the sport utiliy vehicle marketplace, the most car-like 4x4 in spite of its massive boxy shape. Compared with offerings from International Harvester and Land Rover — which were producing utilitarian work-oriented vehicles with spartan truck-like interiors — the Wagoneer's luxury set it apart. Based on the Jeep SJ platform, the revolutionary Wagoneer sported an advanced overhead cam inline 6 cylinder, and offered features unheard of in any other 4WD vehicle made it at the time such as power steering and automatic transmission. The Wagoneer made its debut seven years before Land Rover launched its Range Rover in Great Britain, and 24 years before that upscale marque appeared in the United States. It was succeeded by the Jeep Grand Cherokee. With competition from the "Big Three" advancing on Jeep's four-wheel-drive market, Willys management decided that

The Mercury Sable is a mid-size (model years 1986–2005) or full-size (2008–2009) upscale sedan car model created by the Ford Motor Company and sold under the Mercury brand. It served as a rebadged variant of the Ford Taurus, with a few cosmetic changes. The Sable was a milestone design for both Mercury and the entire American automotive industry, as well as a very influential vehicle in the marketplace, with Mercury assembling 2,112,374 cars during its first 20 years of production through 2005. The Sable's design was so futuristic, that it was called by the press "The car that came from the moon". An important feature of the Sable's design was its front "lightbar", a low-wattage lamp between the front headlamps. This later became mainstream for Mercury's line-up, and was copied by many automakers in the early nineties. The Sable was refreshed in 1992 and received its first complete redesign in 1996. The 1996 model remained the basis for the vehicle up through the 2005 model year. A major sheet metal and interior redesign occurred in 2000, softening some of the controversial design vestiges of the 1996 model which the Taurus also endured. Minor styling changes in 2004 further

The Nissan Prairie, introduced in Japan in 1981 and Europe in 1982, was a car from Japanese manufacturer Nissan. It was also known as the Multi in Canada and the Stanza Wagon in the United States. The second generation was renamed the Nissan Axxess in North America, but due to disappointing sales, was no longer offered and replaced by the larger Nissan/Ford joint venture called the Nissan Quest, and in Europe it was replaced by the Nissan Serena. When the third generation of this vehicle was introduced in Japan, it was renamed initially Prairie Liberty, with the "Prairie" name eventually dropped in November 1998. This vehicle was discontinued and replaced with the Nissan Lafesta December 2004 in Japan. The Nissan Prairie, known in Canada as the Multi and the United States as the Stanza Wagon, was equipped with a 4 cylinder engine, with either a manual or automatic transmission. Available with front wheel drive or optional four wheel drive, the vehicle had rear passenger sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle, and a folding rear seat, designed to increase the carrying capacity of the passenger compartment. The rear tailgate opened upwards as one complete unit, in a similar

The Datsun DC-3 was a lightweight automobile produced by Nissan and sold under the Datsun brand in 1952. The series was a predecessor to the Fairlady sports cars, and succeeded the pre-war Road Star. It was powered by the 860 cc Nissan D10 straight-4 engine which produced 20 hp (15 kW) and could propel the DC-3 to 70 km/h (43 mph). The side badges said "DATSUN 20" (20 meaning 20PS). Leaf springs were used in the suspension, and a 3-speed manual transmission was specified. Four people could ride in the DC-3. Only 50 DC-3's were ever built. A variant of the DC-3 was the Datsun 5147 pickup.

The Pontiac Chieftain was an automobile produced by the Pontiac Motors Division of General Motors from 1949 to 1958. Chieftains were one of the first all new car designs to come to Pontiac in the post World War II years. Previous cars had been 1942 models with minor revisions. In 1949 the A-body Chieftain replaced the Pontiac Torpedo as Pontiac's smaller and lower priced model. However, the newly redesigned B-bodied Pontiac Streamliner was now very similar (if not exact) in dimensions, engines, trim levels and options. This was the first time since 1934 that all Pontiacs had the same wheelbase. They had standard automatic interior lighting. The Chieftain was initially introduced with four models: Sedan, Sedan Coupe, Business Coupe and Deluxe Convertible Coupe. In 1950, a Catalina Coupe was added to the range while a station wagon was added in 1952, with the demise of the top of the line Streamliner wagon. First generation Chieftains came with a choice of four engines: The horsepower differences between each of the 6- and 8-cylinder engines were due to changes in compression ratios. Some of the more interesting optional items available for the first generation Chieftain included a

The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, dubbed as a "1964½" model by Mustang fans, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A. The model is Ford's third oldest nameplate in production and has undergone several transformations to its current fifth generation. The Mustang created the "pony car" class of American automobiles—sports car-like coupes with long hoods and short rear decks—and gave rise to competitors such as GM's Chevrolet Camaro, AMC's Javelin, and Chrysler's revamped Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Challengers. It also inspired coupés such as the Toyota Celica and Ford Capri, which were exported to the United States. The Ford Mustang was brought out five months before the normal start of the 1965 production year. The earliest versions are often referred to as 1964½ models, but VIN coded by Ford and titled as 1965 models with production beginning in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964 and the new car was introduced to the public on April 17, 1964 at the New York World's

The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American Ford lineup. It has had a more upscale Mercury branded version entitled the Sable (1986–2005; 2008–2009), as well as a performance variant, the Ford Taurus SHO (1989–1999 and 2010–); in addition, it served as the basis for the first-ever front-wheel drive Lincoln Continental (1988–1994). It was a front-wheel drive mid-size car until 1999, and has been a full-size car since 2000, and available in front- or all-wheel drive since 2008. It has been built on the D3 platform since 2008. The original Taurus was a milestone design for Ford and the entire American automotive industry, as well as a very influential vehicle that brought many new features and innovations to the marketplace. Since its launch in 1986, Ford had built 7,519,919 Tauruses through the 2007 model year, making it the fifth best selling North American nameplate in Ford's history; only the F-150, Escort, Model T, and Mustang have

The Jeep Commander (XK) is a mid size SUV produced from 2006 to 2010. The first use of the Commander name on a passenger vehicle was the popular Studebaker Commander which was produced from the 1920s through 1966. The Jeep Commander was first introduced at the 2005 New York Auto Show. While in production, it was sold as a 7-passenger counterpart of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Commander's styling was much more boxy than the Grand Cherokee, with an upright windshield and squared-off sides. It featured a stepped roof for the second and third-row seats (which were mounted higher than the first-row seats), but as on the GMC Envoy XL and Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT, this was cleverly disguised by the roof rack. Another interesting feature was its three moonroofs called "Command View". The Commander came with the optional entertainment package which included a DVD player, TV, and rear parking camera. Jeep is the 4th company to produce a vehicle called the Commander, after the Studebaker Commander, the Scammell Commander and the Mahindra Commander. While the Jeep Wagoneer was the Commander's initial inspiration, it was built upon the WK Grand Cherokee and resembled the discontinued third

The Nissan Leopard is a line of luxury sports cars built by Japanese carmaker Nissan. The Leopard began life in 1980 and was discontinued in 1999. Leopards were initially based on the Japanese market Nissan Skyline and Nissan Laurel and the American Datsun 910/Nissan Maxima, then later based on the chassis of their Nissan Cedric and Nissan Gloria contemporaries and were rear wheel drive. Final versions were the contributing factors to Nissan's Infiniti M and J products. The Leopard was sold exclusively in Japan at Nissan Blue Stage dealerships. The first Leopard (also known as Leopard TR-X) was introduced in September 1980 as a contender in the upper medium class of cars, including its primary Toyota contender, the Toyota Chaser. The angular body, available as a two-door hardtop coupé and a four-door hardtop sedan, featured very slim C- and D-pillars and large glass surfaces. The wind resistance coefficient of the two-door version is 0.37. At the time of introduction, the two body styles both carried the same price tags. The Leopard featured some industry firsts, for instance a fuel consumption gauge in the dashboard. Originally the Leopard was available with naturally aspirated

The Pontiac Aztek was a mid-size crossover, the first offered by General Motors, that was produced by Pontiac from the 2001 model year to the 2005 model year. The Aztek was heavily criticized on its exterior styling, with Time magazine in 2007 calling the Aztek one of the worst cars of all time, and again in 2010 as one of the 50 worst inventions of all time. A poll in The Daily Telegraph in August 2008 placed the Aztek at number one of the "100 ugliest cars" of all time. An article by "The Street", an investor's advisory online journal, placed the car at the top of the list of the "10 Worst Cars of All Time" not only because of its perceived ugly appearance, but also because it had "a singular distinction: it destroyed an 84-year-old automaker." Given that many sport utility vehicles (SUVs) were rarely driven off-pavement, a new car-based "crossover" was marketed with hopes of providing an appealing subset of SUV-like elements that most SUV owners actually used. These features included large cargo capacities and elevated seating. The vehicle was marketed to younger drivers who could picture the Aztek as complementary to an active outdoor lifestyle with fewer of the drawbacks

The Subaru Alcyone SVX, also known outside of its home market Japan as the Subaru SVX, is a two-door grand tourer coupé that was sold by Subaru, the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI). Produced from 1991 to December 1996, it was FHI's first attempt to enter the luxury/performance car market. Its intention was to combine two seemingly contradictory elements—comfort and performance. The name "Alcyone" (pronounced "el-SIGH-uh-nee") refers to the brightest star in the Pleiades star cluster, on which the Subaru logo is based. The Subaru Alcyone SVX made its debut, as a concept car, at the 1989 Tokyo Auto Show. Italian automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign designed the slippery, sleek bodywork, incorporating design themes from many of his design concepts, such as the Ford Maya and the Oldsmobile Inca. Subaru decided to put the concept vehicle into production and retain its most distinguishing design element, the unconventional window-within-a-window. Subaru called this an "aircraft-inspired glass-to-glass canopy," which was borrowed from the previous model Subaru Alcyone with an additional extension of

The Pontiac Grand Ville was the top-trim model in the division's full-sized line from 1971 to 1975. It displaced the Pontiac Bonneville which had served as Pontiac's top-trim model since 1958. The Bonneville itself was not discontinued during this period, but was demoted in status, in effect replacing the discontinued Pontiac Executive. The Grand Ville and Bonneville shared a number of trim and design elements that distinguished them from the Catalina, but the 1971-72 Grand Villes were built on a stretched wheelbase version of the GM "B" platform that nevertheless had identical interior dimensions to all other full-size Pontiacs. In addition to more luxurious interior trimmings, the Grand Ville had distinctive chrome up front and taillight trim at rear to set it apart. For 1974 only, the Grand Ville had its own parking lights, which wrapped around the corner of the front fender. The car was often seen with deluxe appearance options, such as sport wheels and vinyl tops. Rear fender skirts were featured on the 1973 to 1975 models. Standard equipment on Grand Ville models included a 455 cubic-inch V8 engine (1971-74 models, 400 cubic-inch V8 standard and 455 optional for 1975),

The Holden VB Commodore is a mid-size car that was produced by the Australian subsidiary of General Motors, Holden. The car was officially launched on 26 October 1978 with show rooms receiving the first examples on 13 November 1978. Production of the VB only lasted seventeen months, the shortest reign of any Commodore. The VB Commodore was effectively the successor of the Holden HZ, although most models in that series continued to be produced until the introduction of the facelifted Holden VC Commodore on 30 March 1980. 95,906 units of the VB Commodore were manufactured during the car's lifespan, and during 1979 the VB became Australia's number one selling car. Also in 1979, the VB won the first of Holden Commodore's five Wheels magazine Car of the Year awards, with the car being praised in the media for its value for money and engineering sophistication. The VB Commodore was loosely based on the 1977 Opel Rekord E bodyshell but with the front grafted on from the Opel Senator to accommodate the larger Holden six-cylinder and V8 engines, giving it a similar appearance to the Opel Commodore. Overall, the body was strengthened substantially to withstand the harsh conditions of the

The Chevrolet Two-Ten, or 210 was the midrange model of the Chevrolet car from 1953-1957. It took its name by shortening the production series number (2100) by one digit in order to capitalize on 50's numerical auto name trend. The numerical designation '"210"' was also sporadically used in company literature. It replaced the Styleline DeLuxe model available in previous years. This model was dropped following the 1957 model year to be replaced by the Biscayne. The Two-Ten series, introduced for the 1953 model year, replaced the Styleline DeLuxe series. It was actually the best-selling Chevrolet model during 1953 and 54, offering a balance of style and luxury appointments unavailable in the base 150 series, but was less costly than the glitzy Bel Air. Two-Tens offered the widest choice of body styles for 1953, including a convertible, Sport Coupe hardtop, two- and four-door sedans, and four-door station wagons. As the American public began to prefer posh to economy, the Bel Air began to outsell the lesser series, including both 150 and 210 models. As a partial answer to this, Chevrolet re-introduced the Two-Ten Sport Coupe hardtop in the middle of the 1955 model year, and also added

The Datsun Sports (called Datsun Fairlady in the home market), was a series of roadsters produced by Nissan in the 1960s. The series was a predecessor to the Z-car in the Fairlady line, and offered an inexpensive alternative to the British MG and Triumph sports cars. The line began with the 1959 "S211" and continued through 1970 with the "SP311" and "SR311" line. The Fairlady saw competitors follow its introduction, with examples called the Honda S500, the Toyota Sports 800, and the Daihatsu Compagno. The first Datsun Sports model was the 1959 S211. It used a 988 cc C-series straight-4 producing 37 PS (27 kW; 36 hp). The S211 was based on the Datsun 211 sedan. Incorporated into the side trim were the side badges, which said "Datsun 1000". It was designed by Yuichi Ohta, who had previously designed the Datsun DC-3 and the prototype to the S211, the A80X. Both the A80X and S211 featured fiberglass bodywork. Only 20 examples of the S211 were built, making the S211 the rarest of all Datsun models. The SPL212 was introduced in 1960. This was the first Datsun sports car imported to the USA. The letter of "L" means "Left hand drive". Now with steel bodywork, it was built in slightly

The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois (it was also assembled in Hazelwood, Missouri until the plant closed on March 10, 2006). The Ford Explorer was instrumental in turning the SUV from a special-interest vehicle into one of the most popular vehicle types on the road. Model years through 2010 were traditional mid-sized SUVs, with the redesign for the 2011 model year classifying it as a full-sized crossover SUV. It is slotted between the larger Ford Expedition and the smaller Ford Escape. Although outwardly similar, the Explorer and Ford Edge do not share platforms. The Explorer has also been involved in controversy, after a spate of fatal rollover accidents in the 1990s involving Explorers fitted with Firestone tires. Both two-door Explorer Sport and four-door models of Explorer have been sold. Part-time four-wheel drive is an available option, and since 1995 this has been a 'shift on the fly' system with full protection against being engaged at high speed. A specially modified Special Service Vehicle

The Nissan Versa is a subcompact car from Nissan sold in the North America market. The Versa is the North American name of the Nissan Tiida sold in Europe, Australia and Japan, originally introduced on September 30, 2004. Built on the Nissan B platform (the same platform used by the Renault Clio), it is available in hatchback form, with a sedan version planned for release sometime in 2007. The Versa will become Nissan's new entry level model in North America, while the Nissan Sentra, the previous entry level model, will move upmarket with its latest re-design. Versa models will be manufactured in Aguascalientes, Mexico.The Tiida is currently built in Japan. Nissan has reported a Nismo-trim Versa will be available, which will include a sport suspension, a more aggressive wheel and tire package, and some distinguishing interior / exterior styling cues. Several attractive accessories are available for the Tiida, but there is no word yet from Nissan when they will be brought to North America. The EPA lists the Versa as a midsize car. Sales of the Versa have been limited by short supply. Many dealers are pre-selling and charging additional markups. Just 2,956 Versas were sold

The Ford Model TT is a truck made by the Ford Motor Company. It was rated at 1 short ton (0.91 t). It was based on the Ford Model T, but with a heavier frame and rear axle. The rear axle had a worm drive and crown wheel, unlike the Model T's crown wheel and pinion. The worm was located at the end of the drive shaft and above the crown wheel. The wheelbase of the Model TT was 125 inches (3,200 mm), compared to 100 inches (2,500 mm) for the Model T. It was often equipped with an accessory gearbox, such as the Ruxtell or Jumbo gearboxes, which allowed the truck to have intermediate gears between low and high, useful for hill climbing. It was often sold as a chassis with the buyer supplying the truck body as needed. Mass production with Ford produced bodies ran from 1925 to 1927, but production of the Model TT had started with the first chassis being released in 1917. In 1923, it cost $380. In 1925, a hand operated windshield wiper was added. It was very durable for the time, but slow when compared to other trucks. With standard gearing, a speed of not more than 15 mph (24 km/h). was recommended, and with special gearing, a speed of not more than 22 mph (35 km/h) was recommended,

The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. The name "Mondeo" derives from the Latin word mundus, meaning "world". The initial generation of the Mondeo was developed as a "world car", along with North American models marketed as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique until 2000, and as the Ford Fusion from model year 2013 and on. The Mondeo has been largely hailed as a class-leader since launch, critically considered far superior to its main rival, the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra, and dynamically superior also, to the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia. The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk. The Sierra had been built there since its launch in 1982, although until 1989, right hand drive Sierras had also been built in UK at the Dagenham plant. Intended as a world car, it replaced the Ford Sierra in Europe, the Ford Telstar in a large portion of Asia and other markets, while the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique replaced the Ford

The Ford Shelby Cobra is a concept car that the Ford Motor Company unveiled at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. The Shelby Cobra concept is a roadster based on the original AC Cobra that AC Cars developed in 1961. Ford's Advanced Product Creation team designed and built the Shelby Cobra concept in five months. The project was led by Manfred Rumpel. Like several other Ford vehicles developed in the early 2000s (such as the Ford GT40 concept, the Ford GT and the fifth-generation Ford Mustang), the Shelby Cobra concept is a modern interpretation of an older vehicle. In the case of the Shelby Cobra, the design is reminiscent of the AC Cobra MkI. The first Cobra featured a large, high-performance Ford Windsor engine inside a small roadster that AC Cars had modified at Shelby's request. Likewise, the Shelby Cobra concept car is small and minimalist, eschewing conveniences found in most modern cars (such as air conditioning, a radio, anti-lock brakes, and even windshield wipers). In a press release to announce the debut of the concept car in 2004, Shelby echoed the aim of the design team: "That's the formula [...] It's a massive motor in a tiny,

The Honda Pilot is a large crossover SUV. Newer Honda Pilots are built in Lincoln, Alabama and older models were produced in Alliston, Ontario, Canada until April 2007. The first generation Pilot was released in the summer of 2002 as a 2003 model, and in 2006 it received new front and rear fascias, a redesigned interior, and various standard safety features. The second generation Pilot was released in late 2008 for the 2009 model year. The Pilot was designed to fill a large American demand, particularly a larger SUV with third-row seating. Prior to the introduction of the Pilot, Honda only had the compact crossover SUV CR-V, and the Honda Passport (a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo) which is truck-based and intended as a quick-fix, as the company recognized the competition from other refined mid-sized SUVs and crossovers. The Pilot shares underpinnings and the powertrain with the Acura MDX luxury SUV, and their platforms are shared with the Odyssey minivan and the Honda Accord sedan. The Pilot’s unibody construction and independent suspension is designed to provide handling similar to that of a car; however, it is also fortified with integrated perimeter frame rails, which helps it withstand

The Infiniti G20 was Infiniti's entry-level luxury car in the United States during most of the 1990s and into the 2000s. It was virtually identical to the Japanese/European market Nissan Primera sedan, although the G20 offered higher levels of standard equipment. It was launched in 1991 to compete with the Acura Integra, BMW 3-Series, Lexus ES 250 and Volvo 200 series; later advertisements emphasized its European heritage with the tag line "Born in Japan. Educated in Europe. Now Available in America." However, despite the lofty ambitions of the Nissan marketing department, it only achieved niche status as a competitor to other contemporary offerings. Two generations of the G20 exist in the United States, the HP10 (P10), built from 1991 to 1996, and the HP11 (P11), built from 1999 to 2002. All G20s were front-wheel drive and were built in Oppama, Japan. The first 1991 G20 was completed on July 10, 1990. The final 1996 G20 was completed on July 19, 1996. The P10 featured the first application of Nissan's multi-link front suspension in a front-wheel-drive car, with an independent MacPherson strut setup in the rear. It came standard with a 5-speed manual transmission. The only options

The Nissan Laurel was introduced by Nissan in 1968 as a new model designed to slot above the 1968 Bluebird 510, with the same sense of luxury found in the Nissan Cedric 130 but with slightly reduced dimensions. The first Laurel was developed by the Nissan Tsurumi R&D Division and assembled at the Musashimurayama Plant of the former Prince. There were both 2-door and 4-door variants. It was released as a Nissan after Prince merged with Nissan. Laurels for years shared many components and architectures with the Skyline range. The Laurel was not sold new in Japan at dealerships that sold the Skyline and Gloria, former Prince products. Instead the Laurel was sold at Nissan Motor Shop as the top model. Since 1968, eight generations of Laurel have been produced in Japan. Nissan intermittently listed the Laurel for sale in various Asian and European markets (it was also sold in Chile, as the Datsun Laurel, starting in the late seventies), and then discontinued the export of this model from 1989. In April 1968 Nissan presented its new Laurel in four-door deLuxe and Super deLuxe versions, both equipped with a 1.8 L inline-four engine and independent rear suspension. In June 1970 a two-door

The Nissan Maxima is a mid-size/entry-level luxury car manufactured by Nissan, marketed as the "four-door sports car". The origins of the Maxima began in July 1976 as the Datsun 810, an upscale six-cylinder version of the Bluebird, and was spun into its own line in 1981, having been made continuously since then. The "Maxima" name was applied gradually, beginning in 1981. Most pre-2004 Maximas were built in Oppama, Japan, until the current North American Maximas started being assembled in Smyrna, Tennessee. The "Maxima" has also been applied to Cefiros and Laurels in various markets. The Maxima model line began with the six-cylinder Nissan Bluebird G6, which was available in the US as the Datsun 810 from February 1977. With a longer nose than the regular Bluebird, to accommodate a longer inline-six engine, it was powered by two versions of the SOHC L-series I6 engine: a 2.0 L displacement for the Japanese market and a 2.4 L unit (as found in the Datsun 240Z) for the US market. The Bluebird G6 used a carburetor for the base model and fuel injection for the sporty version. The 2.0 L engine was good for 122 PS JIS (90 kW), while the bigger American engine could reach 125 hp SAE

The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s. The Valiant was built and marketed worldwide in countries including Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, as well as other countries in South America and Western Europe. Road & Track magazine considered the Valiant to be "one of the best all-around domestic cars." In May 1957, Chrysler president Lester Lum "Tex" Colbert established a committee to develop a competitor for the increasingly popular small imports. Virgil Exner, Chrysler's chief stylist, designed a car that was smaller and lighter than a full-size car without sacrificing passenger and luggage space. Originally named the Falcon after Exner's 1955 Chrysler Falcon concept car, the vehicle was renamed the 'Valiant' honoring Henry Ford II's request to use the name for the Ford Falcon. The Valiant debuted at the 44th International Motor Show in London on October 26, 1959. It was introduced as a 1960 model and was officially