Auto car sports

In what could be seen as a rather desperate move to keep the troubled Smart brand alive and kicking in the United States, parent company Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has teamed up with Nissan to launch a Toyota Yaris-sized five-door hatchback on the market in the fourth quarter of 2011. "The new vehicle will expand smart USA's product lineup, offering five-seat capacity while maintaining the core principles of efficiency and conservation," said Smart USA President Jill Lajdziak. The company said the B-segment car is to be sold solely in the United States and will be based on vehicle architecture from Nissan, without getting into any more details. However, the maker of the tiny Fortwo released two teaser sketches of the car, clearly depicting Nissan's latest Micra supermini with a Smart-like fascia, headlights, tail lamps and detailing. The sketches are rather crudely done (for official material), and not to mention a tad deceiving as the Micra has been squashe...

At the 2010 Paris Motor Show, which opens on 30 September, Nissan will lift the wraps off a new electric car concept called the Townpod. The Japanese automaker will release full details at the show but for now, all we have about the concept model is this cropped photo of the front headlamp and Nissan's claims that "it combines eye-catching design with a spacious and practical interior," and that " it heralds a new-era of flexible, stylish vehicles that will bring electric-vehicle mobility to the masses." The Townpod will share the Nissan stand with the European version of the all-electric LEAF that's 'fuelled' by an in-house developed laminated lithium-ion battery with a power output of more than 90kW, the new Juke small crossover, the next generation of the Micra supermini and the facelifted X-Trail SUV.