I want to preface this list by saying that there were many factors going into the reasons as to why each one of these cars made the cut. Some of you will agree with my choices and others will not. You see, when I do a list like this I don’t just go with who’s got the highest hp numbers, or which is the best car from 60-0. I try to be objective and look at things like, everyday usage, price, reliability, performance and roominess. I look at these cars from the vantage point of using them as an everyday driver, which means 24/7/365. Yes, some will be pricey and deservedly so and others will be more budget oriented. So, now that you know the parameters, lets get down to business.

In a statement made to the press at the Tokyo Motor Show this week, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed Infiniti’s intention to produce a zero-emissions, electric vehicle. Unlike the full-sized M hybrid scheduled to hit the U.S. in 2010, Infiniti’s future plug-in will be stylish, compact 4-seat presumably entirely electric-powered. Despite the many problems currently plaguing the relatively primitive lithium ion battery market, Ghosn assured that the new Infiniti EV would complete the seemingly fictitious plug-in trifecta, successfully marrying electric propulsion, Tier 1 performance, and a reasonable sticker price.

These are some dark days in the Land of the Rising Sun. Following Toyota’s set of fairly serious problems comes Nissan’s announcement regarding a potential recall of roughly 143,000 cars. While no official recall will be issued until November, the NHTSA is still expressing public concern over a defect in its tire-pressure monitoring system. Apparently, heavy concentrations of road salt may cause the bolt in the system to corrode and crack, which could in turn cause it to become dislodged from the sensory device it pins together. Should this happen and the driver fails to acknowledge the tire monitoring system warning lamp that Nissan claims will light up, the driver could experience an unexpected flat tire that could possibly result in an accident.

Infiniti must be really excited about the new M, as they spent a lot of money developing an admittedly pretty cool virtual reveal, and now they’ve dropped the development dollars on creating the first-ever Infiniti hybrid car to spice up their mid-sized BMW 5-series fighter. The regular M goes on sale in spring of 2010, and this hybrid version should come out about a year later. Under the hood you can expect to find a version of that ubiquitous Nissan VQ 6-cylinder, coupled to a parallel hybrid system and putting power down through the rear wheels. The hybrid drive is an in-house design, so apparently they wiped the slate clean after borrowing Toyota technology for the Altima hybrid, and consists of a single electric motor paired with a twin clutch system (no, not a DSG unfortunately, the clutches simply mesh the gasoline and electric motors to the transmission). However, the new arrangement is allegedly smoother than the sometimes jerky gas-to-electric transition in other hybrids.

Sorry, Infiniti. I know you were trying to be nice and give a few dealers/executives a peek at your new QX, but some asshat in attendance had to go all MI6 on you. So here we have the 2011 QXsomethingorother. Looking like a Range Rover cross-bred with a Land Cruiser, it’s sporting some huge rims, smooth bodywork and fender vents (are we done with these yet?). Even the blackened pillars come straight from the Land Rover LRX concept. Hit the jump for the booty shot.

We weren’t on hand personally to see the new Infiniti M’s “virtual reveal” this past weekend, but we did swing by the tent later to check out the static display. The new M incorporates a lot of the design language of the sexy Essence concept that we showed you earlier in our coverage of the concept lawn. We were pretty impressed, so we dug up this video of the actual reveal ceremony for you viewing enjoyment. Make the jump to watch the new M in virtual action.

While the Infiniti “G” models, especially the coupe, are widely praised for their sporty attributes and fetching style, the “M” is largely ignored. Why the lack of interest? We put the Infiniti M under our microscope to find out why Nissan’s luxury flagship remains so neglected.

If you caught CNN’s ridiculous display of technology on November 4th then you’ll probably agree that while holograms of stuff is cool, nothing beats the real deal. However, getting a C in marketing has taught me that if you don’t have something interesting to present, present it in an interesting way. At Pebble Beach in August, Infiniti will unveil the next-generation M sedan to the public in the form of a full-scale rendering using projectors. Infiniti senior manager of product communications praises the virtual mapping and reminds us that from a distance it will look like a real car. But it won’t be. I only wish I could be there to see some hammered aristocrat, drunk on mimosas, try to climb inside. The non-fictional version is set to arrive in dealerships in the first quarter of 2010.

[4wheelsnews]

Nissan 370Z

Nissan has been promising their own hybrid for some time while offering a hybrid version of the Altima in the short-term that utilizes Toyota propulsion and technology. Now there is buzz circulating that one of the first vehicles in the Nissan lineup to receive the in-house hybrid treatment will be the 370Z.

Popular Used Car: 2006 Acura TL

Not surprisingly, while new cars sales take a steady beating, used car sales continue to stay up.  Naturally, some used cars are more popular than others, not only because of a specific car’s perceived fuel efficiency or utility, but as a result of the longevity or sheer number of each model’s production.  So for those in the market for a newer but not new car, here is a breakdown of the Top 10 Used Cars for 2009 based on sales numbers compiled by the auto information statisticians at Edmunds.com.  Some of these results may surprise you.