Subaru and Nissan's newcomers

Subaru loads up with fresh estate
There are already two estate cars in the Subaru line-up: the Legacy and the Forester crossover model. But could a third be on the way?

At the Tokyo Motor Show, the Japanese company unveiled a new concept wagon called the Exiga (pictured) – and at first glance, it looks like a replacement for one of the current pair.

But according to Masashi Kaneda, the car’s exterior designer, it’s likely to be offered as a separate model in Japan. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the firm’s UK arm revealed that the seven-seater could go on sale in showrooms here.

Luxury Infiniti is set to strike oil...
It’s only a year until buyers will get the chance to buy a luxury Infiniti in the UK – and the maker has confirmed that its models will feature a brand new V6 diesel from launch.

To compete in the executive car class, it’s crucial that the marque has an oil-burner. But it looks as though buyers will not have long to wait before a hybrid joins the line-up, too. Expect a rival to the Lexus GS450h to arrive in 2010, with a focus on strong performance, refinement and economy.

Nissan’s Prius gets underway
Meanwhile, Infiniti’s parent company Nissan is also planning a hybrid model. Set to arrive in two years’ time, it’s already at an advanced stage of development. It will be a standalone dual-power vehicle, similar to the Toyota Prius, rather than a petrol/electric version of an existing car.

The Japanese firm will also launch a global all-electric model in the same year. Using technology showcased in the Pivo2 city car concept, the zero-emissions machine will employ new high-power lithium-ion batteries, which have a low operating temperature. The cells have a five-year lifespan, after which they can be recycled.