Torque-tastic: R/C Toy Truck Towing Nissan SUV [Video]

Remote control cars have come a long way. From the little electric fun-buggies that never held a charge long enough, R/C vehicles have evolved into tools and toys - some that even run on fuel and go fast enough to take your legs out from under you (long story) - serving a variety of purposes. After all, aren't those little bomb cars in Black Ops controlled by remote?

Now, it appears, we've found a new use / time waster: towing stuff. In the video below you can see a larger-than-normal R/C hauler actually hauling a Nissan SUV along someone's driveway.

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Hennessey's HPE1000 Escalade Cracks 60 in 3.3 Sec, bests Nissan's GT-R [with Video]

The concept of turning SUVs into pavement-pounding, drag-racing, supercar-shredding monster rods never ceases to amaze me, and by that I mean my jaw is on the floor and I'm completely boggled. I love me some automobiles (and vehicular transportation in general), but there's something about a nigh-three ton box on wheels and oodles of GO that seems...weird.

However, if monster rods - or high performance in general - are your cup of Starbucks soy latte, then Hennessey has got you covered (as if you didn't know that already, what with their cray-cray 1,000+ horsepower Vipers from way back when). Below, for your viewing pleasure, is video of a 2011 Cadillac Escalade drag racing a 2011 R35 GT-R and beating it.

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VIDEO: Nissan Skylines Drifting with the Ladies on Top

There are two things many adolescent boys and men love: cars and women. So it makes sense, both to us and event organizers, that cars and women together are a winning combination. Don’t believe me? Try Megan Fox in Transformers, Jordana Brewster in Fast & Furious or Angelina Jolie in that famous scene from Wanted. Like peanut butter and jelly or beer with kebabs, women and cars work.

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VIDEO: 2012MY Nissan GT-R Trims Nurburgring Lap Time to 7:24.22, Plus Split-Screen with ZR1

At last November’s LA Auto Show, Nissan lifted the sheets off the revised GT-R that recently went on sale as a 2012MY in North America and as a 2011MY in the rest of the world. Key changes over the previous model include a 45HP bump in output to 530HP, plus a series of aero and chassis tweaks.

For those of you wondering how these modifications affected the GT-R’s performance on the notorious Nordschleife, Nissan’s team managed to shave more than two seconds off the 2011MYs time of 7:26.4, dropping it to 7:24.22, allegedly in less than ideal conditions. You’ll have to skip to about 3:20 into the clip for the driving to begin.

We also found a edited film on Youtube that compares the 2012 GT-R and Corvette ZR-1 on the 'Ring in a split format, which was created by synchronizing the two videos at the pit exit. Watch both videos after the jump.

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Ford Sues Nissan Over Brazilian TV Ad that Ridicules the Focus for Being Overpriced [with Video]

Ford’s Brazilian arm has filed a criminal (!) lawsuit against the local division of Nissan for airing an aggressive TV commercial directed at the Focus sub-compact. To make a long story short, the parody-like ad points the finger at Ford for allegedly overpricing its Focus model.

The TV spot, which looks exactly like a rap video, shows two men dressed as Ford engineers living the big life with gold chains and rings, plenty of champagnes, and –the best part- an exotic assortment of sexy women in bikinis dancing around them. And oh, there’s also a silver Ford Focus on the background….

At the end, the commercial announces the price of Nissan’s Tiida sub-compact (sold as the Versa in the States), which in Brazil, costs around BR 3,000 or a little over US$1,800 less than Ford’s rivaling Focus.

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VIDEO: Moscow Street Drifting with Nissan 200SX Pickup Truck and Silvia

In today’s video find, we present a pair of daredevil Russian drifters swooping and sliding their way through the streets of Moscow, Russia in a Nissan 200SX ute [S13] and what appears to be a Nissan Silvia [S15]. The drivers are Evgeniy Satyukov and Geprgiy Stepanyan who took first and second place respectively in the ‘Russian Drift Series 2010’.

The creators of the film are quick to point out that “all the stunts in the film are performed by professionals on the blocked streets” and that viewers should “not try to do this on public roads”. Drift past the break to enjoy the video.

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VIDEO: Hennessey’s Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon vs Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 Turbo

American tuning firm Hennessey has crafted some pretty insane vehicles over the years. One of its most recent tunes is based on the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon, which leaves GM’s factory with a 556-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 lump, but once Hennessey’s engineers perform their magic under the hood, output is lifted to 650 horsepower.

To show off the tuned CTS-V Sport Wagon’s potential, the Texas-based company brought the Cadillac to the track and drag raced it first against a stock 480HP Porsche 911 Turbo [997] and then a standard 485HP 2011 Nissan GT-R. Watch what happened in the video after the jump.

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VIDEO: Nissan Esflow Sports Coupe Concept in Some Tron-Like Digital Action

Leaving aside the name which sounds like something a German (no offense) would say to an English bloke that stole his parking space, Nissan's Geneva motorshow-bound Esflow concept is a very interesting proposal for a pure-electric sports coupe. It uses the Leaf's battery technology but with a lot more juice from the electric motors that motivate the rear wheels and a dramatic coupe styling. Following an initial release with photos and preliminary details (see here), Nissan has now published a CGI video of the sports coupe study that you can watch right after the break.

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Nissan Prices 2011 Quest from $27,750*, Releases new TV Spot

The new fourth-generation Quest minivan has arrived at Nissan's U.S. dealerships with prices ranging from $27,750 for the entry level S to $41,350 for the fully equipped LE model. Keep in mind that none of the above prices (*) include destination and handling charges. Available with one-touch sliding doors and three rows of seats that can accommodate up to seven passengers, the redesigned Quest is offered in four trim levels (S, SV, SL and LE), all powered by a standard 260-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine matched to Nissan’s Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).

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VIDEO: 2012 Nissan GT-R vs 2011 Nissan GT-R Drag Race

Back in 2009, Nissan GT-R owners had to face an odd dilemma: even though the car came with a launch control system, using it meant voiding the warranty. In the ensuing controversy, the Japanese maker simply dropped it for the 2010 model year, stating that it doesn’t want to deal with the “warranty nightmare” anymore.

However, the launch control is back on the 2012 GT-R’s equipment list in a revised form that allows customers to use it four times in a row, before shutting off in order to protect the transmission. Just like the original, the new system (LC4) launches from 4,000 rpm, but it’s better at minimizing wheel spin, making the latest and more powerful (+45HP) iteration of the Japanese sports car a lot faster compared to the 2010MY GT-R in a straight line race. Hit the break to watch the videos.

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Nissan 350Z Poses as a Porsche Panamera Convertible...

[Updated gallery] The Tokyo Auto Salon is always a blast featuring all sorts of unique tuning proposals, like this here Porsche wannabe. When our Tokyo show man Phil e-mailed the above photo, we assumed it pictured a Porsche -possibly a Boxster- modified to resemble a Panamera Convertible. We were quickly proven wrong, however, when he sent over an image of the interior and some video footage revealing that the Porsche Panamera tune was actually a...masqueraded Nissan 350Z Roadster. More photos after the jump.

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Nissan Ellure Concept: Video, Plus Live Photos from LA Show Floor

We've already covered the Nissan Ellure Concept, so you've probably seen our gallery consisting of 55 pictures. However, those images don't do it justice. The swooping lines and sharp edges are not so evident, neither is the balance between the boomerang-themed headlamps and aggressive front grille. But fear not, even if you don't make it to the LA Show, you can get a better view of the Ellure through the video (and the live shots) we have added after the jump.

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Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet: Live Photos from LA Show Plus Video

We're not sure if you've had enough of the new Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet yet, but either way, if you follow the break, you'll find live photos of the Japanese firm's two-door / SUV / convertible mishmash from the Los Angeles motor show floor, along with the first official video of the model with some B-roll footage. If this strange combo has hit a cord with you, click here to read our detailed analysis of the new Murano which is scheduled to reach U.S. dealership early next year.

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Senner Tuning Presents Nissan 370Z Asphalt Surfer with 365 Ponies [+ Video]

Senner Tuning, probably best known for last year's disastrously named "White Power" RS6, has released pictures and details of its latest project car: the Nissan 370Z Asphalt Surfer.

The German tuning house has modified the 370Z with an ECU tune, sports air filter and cold air intake, boosting power to 365 hp (272 kw) and torque to 400 Nm. Twin 63.5 mm (2.5 inch) sports exhaust, door mirror caps / B-pillars capped in carbon fibre and black painting front / rear splitter round out the exterior package.

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Nissan Juke Ad: Crossovering to Cross-dressers?

I've watched this bizarre Nissan Juke ad about four times (that I'll admit to), and I still can't for the life of me get the point. For all intents and purposes, it's about dreaming, energy, and possibly angled at people who are emo/hip or worse; all this while the Juke is on your mind. Then your hair gets frizzy and washing machines blow their loads.

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VIDEO: JDM Nissan with One Helluva Negative Camber

Here's a video showing a VIP style Nissan sedan -if we're not mistaken, it's a JDM Cedric of the 1990s- with a ridiculous negative camber on the wheels that was caught cruising on the road. VIP or "Bippu" themed cars are based on Japanese domestic market models (usually on RWD drive sedans) and feature oversized rims shod in beefy wheels with an extreme camber, a lowered ride height, prominent exhaust tips and bling-style accessories.

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Bugatti Veyron vs Nissan GT-R Take 2: This Time, Godzilla Beats the 1,001HP Beast

A couple of weeks ago we showed a video (see it here) with a Bugatti Veyron crushing a pair 730HP Nissan GT-R Switzer models in a straight-line duel in Moscow, Russia. Now a second video has appeared on the web with some Russian guys pitting the 1,001HP Veyron model once again against the Nissan GT-R at a drag strip.

We don't know if it's the same cars or not, but this time, the Veyron gets its bulbous buttocks whipped by the GT-R. Don't ask us how Godzilla managed to pull that out - maybe it was hooked up to up to a nitrous bottle or something, maybe the Veyron had some sort of problem, we have no idea- but it did. Watch the second round after the jump.

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VIDEO: 730HP Nissan GT-Rs are no Match for Bugatti Veyron 16.4

When it comes to straight-line acceleration, there are a few (if any...) street-legal cars in this world that can compete with the VW Group's 1,001-horsepower-strong Bugatti Veyron 16.4 supercar.

As you can see in this video that was most likely shot in Russia, even a pair of heavily-modified Nissan GT-Rs tuned to churn out some 730HP (or so it is claimed) are having a hard time keeping up with the Veyron. Of course, the Bugatti costs as much as two-dozen or so Nissan GT-Rs, but that's another tale for another time... For now, follow the jump to watch the clip.

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Japanese Grudge Match: Nissan GT-R vs. Lexus LFA

There's only so much that can be said about a drag race between a Nissan GT-R and the Lexus LFA. It's a traditional competition pitting Japan's two Euro-fighting high-tech supercars against each other in an attempt to figure out which one is faster in the quarter mile.

No matter who's faster, the better buy should be clear. At a $300,000+ price gap, it won't be hard to figure it out; on the other hand, exclusivity has no price.

Thankfully, Motor Trend showed us how the duel would play out. While informative, it ain't Top Gear with the Jezza. To watch it through Motor Trend's eyes, check it out after the break.

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Senner Launches New Sport Exhaust System for Nissan 370Z

Germany's Senner Tuning is marketing a new sport exhaust system for the Nissan 370Z sports car. Priced at €1,450 or about US$1,900 at today's exchange rates, the custom made exhaust system comes with 130mm wide oval tailpipes and according to the tuner, aside from producing a more sonorous note, it also adds an extra 16-horsepower raising the 3.7-liter V6's total output to 347HP. Video and pictures after the jump.

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