Nissan Motor Co. is recalling 200,000 2007-2008 cars and SUVs to address an electrical issue that may cause the passenger side airbag to not operate in an accident. The problem appears to mainly affect the Nissan Altima, but owners of the Infiniti EX35, G35 Sedan and G37, along with Nissan 350Z, Murano and Rogue may also receive notification of the problem.

Nissan’s explanation is a bit vague: Simply that an “electrical component” could cause an interruption in the airbag sensor signal, preventing the ‘bag from deploying.

Of the 200,000 cars and SUV’s, 140,000 are Nissan Altima cars from the 2007-08 model years. A Nissan spokesman says there have been no injuries or crashes. Most of the recalled vehicles are in the United States; others are in Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Persian Gulf.

Who’s gonna win the non-so-lucky-lotto?

In the latest round of customer surveys conducted by U.S. market research institute J.D. Power, Mercedes-Benz has become the recipient of not 1… not 2… but 3 accolades. Receiving 2 gold awards for the highest vehicle quality in their respective market segments are the E-Class and CLK-Class, while the Platinum Award was bestowed upon Mercedes Benz’s Sindelfingen plant. The Platinum award makes it the assembly facility with the best delivered quality worldwide. Overall, Mercedes improved one place over last year – ranking fourth in overall quality – and it was also the only European brand to win an individual model award.

How does J.D. Power arrive at the results? Market researchers investigate the satisfaction of American customers within the first 90 days of their vehicle purchases, evaluating the quality of both the concept and execution of the purchased vehicle. This year, the opinions of some 80,000 verified owners were tabulated, all of whom owned 2008 model year vehicles.

To learn more about the latest J.D. Power Quality Study as well as how the Mercedes-Benz brand fared, you can find the full details below and at J.D. Power’s Website.

Enjoy.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Latest J.D. Power Quality Study from the U.S.: Mercedes-Benz receives three awards for best product quality

Stuttgart – Mercedes-Benz is one of the most successful auto brands in this year’s customer survey conducted by U.S. market research institute J.D. Power. The Stuttgart car brand receives two gold awards for the highest vehicle quality in their respective market segments, and is also honoured for the world’s best production plant. This outstanding result is one outcome of the initiative launched by Mercedes-Benz to raise customer satisfaction and product quality.

In conducting the annual study, market researchers investigate the satisfaction of American customers with new vehicle purchases within the first 90 days, and evaluate the quality of both the concept and execution of the vehicle. Overall, Mercedes-Benz moved up one place against last year from fifth to fourth, and is the only vehicle brand with three models (CLK, E and S-Class) within the top ten passenger vehicles.

This year saw the E-Class and the CLK each receive gold J.D. Power Awards. According to the U.S. study, these models are the highest quality vehicles in their market segments. Furthermore, Mercedes’ Sindelfingen plant receives the Platinum Award, making it the assembly facility with the best delivered quality worldwide.

Copyright © 2008, Daimler AG

What makes a proper Road Trip? Do you have to cross political boundaries? Some minimum mileage that must be travelled? Do you have to be gone for days or weeks at a time? No freggin’ clue. But neither do the folks at Kelly Blue Book (KBB) who decided to compile an interesting mix of vehicles to meet the task of a Road Trip – ranging from the obvious choices like the Dodge Grand Caravan to surprises like the spirited Audi S5 and venerable Bugatti Veyron. And there’s even the VW Eos, not a car we’d enjoy to be crammed into for a long journey, but to each their own. The full list and press release below.

KBB.COM NAMES 2008 BEST NEW ROAD TRIP VEHICLES

IRVINE, Calif., May 20, 2008 – The expert editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com (www.kbb.com), the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information, today announce their picks for Kelley Blue Book’s 2008 Top 10 Best New Road Trip Vehicles. Memorial Day weekend ushers in the beginning of the summer driving season, and record gas prices will play a large role in trip-planning this year. But even with gas prices reaching $4 per gallon, Americans are still expected to hit the road in droves for summer road trips. From the two-person weekend getaway to the full-family excursion, this year’s Best New Road Trip Vehicles list is certain to accommodate any road trip.

In choosing this year’s Best New Road Trip Vehicles, the kbb.com editors evaluated all tangible and intangible attributes that would enhance any long drive, such as driving enjoyment, passenger comfort, cargo space and of course, fuel economy. Because not all road trips are the same, Kelley Blue Book’s 2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles provide a potential perfect ride or two for every type of driver and every type of journey. Each vehicle offers different perks such as entertainment options, interior accommodations and driving performance to keep road-trippers satisfied. Depending on the type of trip and the number of companions the right vehicle could be a coupe, sedan, crossover, SUV or minivan.

Kbb.com Editorial Comments: 2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles

Audi S5

Combining a silky 354-horsepower V8 engine, impeccably tuned suspension and quattro all-wheel drive, the Audi S5 delivers high levels of both performance and comfort, along with the elegance to arrive in grand fashion.

Bugatti Veyron

If the price of fuel has impacted your yacht time more than your driving habits, you might find the $1.5-million, 1,001-horsepower, 16-cylinder, quad-turbo, 250-mph Bugatti Veyron an ideal alternative the next time the jet is in the shop. Just keep in mind that at full speed, the Veyron burns through its 26-gallon fuel tank in about 12 minutes.

Chevrolet Malibu

We recently drove six top-selling mid-size sedans in a back-to-back comparison test, and the remarkably quiet and comfortable Chevy Malibu handily outshined the competition on the highway. The first car in the category to combine a flexible six-speed automatic transmission with a gas-sipping four-cylinder engine, the Malibu is capable of an impressive 32 highway miles per gallon.

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

While the Tahoe Hybrid’s highway fuel economy rating of 22 mpg is only 2 mpg better than that of its gas-only counterpart (the hybrid’s bigger advantage is in city driving), it’s nevertheless the most fuel-friendly full-size SUV on the road and provides seating for eight, plenty of cargo solutions and the ability to tow your boat to the lake.

Dodge Grand Caravan

They say that getting there is half the fun. In the Dodge Grand Caravan, getting there can easily be all the fun. The Grand Caravan’s wide variety of entertainment options includes multiple DVD players, video game inputs, two overhead video screens, SIRIUS Satellite TV and radio as well as rearward-swiveling second row seats, all helping to transform the once humble minivan into a virtual party on wheels.

Ford Flex

Due in dealerships this summer, Ford’s new full-size, three-row crossover will be turning heads from coast to coast all year, while treating occupants to cold drinks with its class-exclusive refrigerated console.

Infiniti EX35

In addition to a plush, flexible interior, the EX35 offers a Lane Departure Prevention System that can help keep any driver — quite literally — in line. A small camera detects lane markers in front of the vehicle and, when inadvertent lane departure is detected, the system applies a small amount of left or right brake force to nudge the vehicle back on course.

MINI Cooper Clubman

With excellent fuel economy and a fun-loving attitude, the MINI Cooper has earned its way onto our list of top road trip cars for the second year in a row. The new Clubman offers more passenger and luggage space than the standard Cooper, making the largest member of the MINI family an even more ideal long-haul companion.

Toyota Prius

The iconic Prius doesn’t just deliver the best highway mileage of virtually anything on four wheels, it also features a flexible hatchback design and enough interior volume to qualify as a mid-size vehicle.

Volkswagen Eos

The Volkswagen Eos is a sporty coupe that’s also a sexy convertible, thanks to a sleek, sophisticated retractable hardtop. This chameleon also has an exceptionally wide glass sunroof for when you want the open-air experience without getting that wind-swept look.

The full report is here.

Its to our surprise there’s no mention of ANY Mercedes-Benz or BMW…

Like a family crest, most Automotive emblems actually represent something important to their maker. Whether it be something historically important for the founder, ideals the brand strives towards, or a testament to someone’s ego, the symbol of each company has a history.

We stumbled across this encyclopedia of sorts that has cataloged the origins and meanings for almost every one of the worlds major automakers, and we must say, it’s pretty darn interesting. For instance Chevy’s logo has come about from…

…Popular legend has it that the Chevrolet logo was inspired by wallpaper in a French hotel where William C. Durant was staying (the legend says he saw the pattern marching off into infinity as a design on the wallpaper and tore a piece of it off to keep to show to friends and later turn into the company logo). However, his wife says that the bowtie emblem was first seen by her husband in a Virginia newspaper on a vacation around 1912, upon which he told her that the thought it’d be a very good emblem for the Chevrolet (per Chevrolet Pro Management Magazine, October 1986).

Or, Smart’s logo…..Apart from the Smart name (all lowercase), the Smart logo features a ‘C’ for ‘Compact’, and an arrow for ‘forward thinking’.

Cool Stuff, I Swear!

Take a look at the full list here.