JDMpire

This is an official accessory from Nissan. You can give them money for this, no joke.

[Nissan]

Jalopnik has posted pics of the 2010 Nissan Cube caught on the back of a transport truck!

It’s coming, it’s coming, the Cube is coming! As you know I’ve been a long-time admirer of the Cube ever since I first laid eyes on and drove one in Japan. For years, there have been rumors that the funky asymmetrical two-box compact is coming to the US and I have been spasming at the possiblity

Nissan USA announced it officially recently and and has now created a minisite for American Cubists (first 500 people can even get a free T-shirt, which still works at the time of this posting). So why am I not happy? Because the Cube coming to the States is going to be the next-generation model, whose world premiere will be at the LA Auto Show in November. The current Cube is one of the best automotive designs of all time, and it will be hard to top. And in fact, if this spyshot is correct, impossible to top.

Nissan added a new special edition version of the Cube to its lineup on May 27. The Cube Plus Navi HDD Special Edition comes with a touch-panel GPS navigation system that can also play DVD videos, an iPod jack, and a back view monitor to help you drive like a madman in reverse. Or park. (more…)

From the same presentation that leaked photos of the 370Z yesterday comes this image of the next-gen Nissan Cube, the one that goes on sale this November in Japan and will come to the US in 2010. Like the Scion xB, the boxiness has been replaced by something a bit rounder. That would be fine and all, if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s called the Cube. Come on, Nissan, it’s right there in the name. Well, let’s face it. The current Cube is one of the all-time great automotive designs, and there was really nowhere to go but down.

[The Hollywood Extra via Jalopnik]

Nissan issued a press release today, outlining its business plans for the next four years. Among them, the new models coming up in 2008: Teana, Infiniti FX, Maxima, Bakkie successor, Qashqai+2, a mini SUV, Cube, Z and Infiniti G37 Convertible. All are nice and good, but I’m actually more interested in seeing the new Cube than the G37. The Cube is such a classical design; I hope they don’t mess with success.

And now for something completely different. Nissan is teaming up with Chrysler to do some good ol’ fashioned badge engineering. The Titan pickup (which really should have been Toyota’s pickup name because I like alliteration) is due to be replaced in 2011. Only, the truck to replace it now looks to be the Dodge Ram. Um, questions:

• What shall we call this amalgam. Nissler? Chryssan?
• What will happen to the Titan-based Armada SUV and its upscale twin, the Infiniti QX56?
• Why is Nissan such a slut? It’s hooked up with Renault, gets plenty of kei cars from Suzuki and Mitsubishi, and once teamed up with Ford for the completely superfluous Mercury Villager minivan

The grapevine is also reporting that in exchange, Chrysler will get a Nissan-engineered small car with Chrysler bodywork. Based on the fact that it’s on the roster at Nissan’s Oppama plant where the Cube is manufactured, I am already preemptively angry at the fact that anything should dilute the awesomeness that is the Cube. Please, Mr. Bean Ghosn, leave poor little Datsun alone.

[Source: Nissan]