Nissan

Nissan 370Z roadster
If you like your muscle cars open to the elements, keep an eye out for the Nissan 370Z Roadster in 2010. We got behind the wheel of the Japanese drop-top back in September (although it won’t hit UK showrooms until April), and were blown away by its taut, muscular exterior and its tail-happy, rear-wheel-drive handling.

A fabric roof keeps weight down, while the rev-matching manual gearbox is a marvel of engineering. While it still can’t beat the Porsche Boxster for
driving thrills, the Nissan is a considerable £10,000 cheaper.
 
Nissan Cube
At last, Nissan’s squared-off city runabout has arrived. The car for drivers who think outside the box goes on sale here in January, with prices from £14,000. Basic Cubes get Bluetooth and cruise control, while top-spec models benefit from sat-nav and climate control, and cost £1,100 more. A 108bhp petrol is the only engine option from launch, although a diesel version will be added in April.

Nissan Qazana
After the success of the Qashqai, Nissan is pinning its hopes on another quirky crossover. The new Qazana compact 4x4 is positioned as a rival to the MINI Crossman, and was previewed by a concept version at Geneva last March. Certainly, if the show car’s unusual proportions are anything to go by, it will stand
out from the crossover crowd.

Boomerang rear lights are borrowed from the 370Z, while chief designer Matt Weaver has confirmed that the motorbike-inspired centre console and door mouldings will be carried over to the finished model. The Qazana is to be produced at Nissan’s Sunderland plant, securing around 11,000 jobs in the UK, and goes on sale in October.