Top Ten Cars of the Decade Countdown 7 Nissan 350Z

2003 – 2008 Nissan 350Z Coupe
Like the Altima on this list, the rebirth of the Z-Car was a pivotal development for the turnaround of Nissan. Having no sporty offering in their lineup for a stretch of several years, Nissan was losing precious ground to the competition.

But that all changed with the introduction of the 350Z in 2003. Equipped with an award-winning 3.5-liter V6 making 286 horsepower and based on Nissan’s solid FM platform, this Z-Car elevated sports car standards to new levels. With reasonable pricing, good looks and outstanding performance, the 350Z truly was the second coming of the original Z-Car.

2009 – present Nissan 370Z Coupe

This success continued into the current 2009 370Z, which offers better looks, even better handling and more power from its 332-hp 3.7-liter V6. The Z-Car may have helped save Nissan, but its real legacy lies in the enthusiasm its fans hold for this special car—which by itself would probably be enough to grant it a spot on this list.

To find Nissan 370z pricing and incentives your neighborhood, click here.

*If you prefer to find a used Nissan 350Z, click here.

Top Ten Cars to Look Forward to in 2010 Nissan Leaf

Nissan’s foray into EVs will be consummated later this year with the introduction of the 2011 Nissan Leaf.

While dedicated hybrid models like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight—as well as upcoming plug-in hybrids like the 2011 Chevy Volt—are currently in vogue, Nissan has made the push for all-electric vehicle technology.

To fully recharge the battery, it will take between 4-8 hours using a 220-volt home charging unit, or, 26 minutes when utilizing DC quick charge stations which will be setup for public usage. It should however be noted that 26 minutes will only charge the Leaf’s battery to about 80% in that time. The Leaf’s range is estimated to be just over 100 miles between charges.

All of these advancements have made electric cars a more viable alternative to those powered by internal combustion engines. Nissan plans to start selling the Leaf in five major metropolitan U.S. markets late this year (December 2010). Experts estimate that the Leaf will be priced within 2 to 3% of most compact cars, which would compare favorably to the Volt, Prius and Insight. Our guess is somewhere around $24,000. With $7,500 of government subsidies applied to the Leaf, it becomes even more of a bargain.

Although you probably won’t be taking any cross-country trips in this car, the Leaf is perfectly capable of handling the average commute. Government data suggest that roughly 75% of Americans drive 40 miles per day, or less.

For more click to the dedicated Nissan Leaf website.