cvt

LOS ANGELES--The JX crossover that took a bow here at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show is a platform for a few firsts for the Infiniti brand.

It's the first model with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the first implementation of the automaker's Backup Collision Intervention system, and the first model to incorporate the styling cues that debuted on the Infiniti Essence concept.

The JX35 will be the first model in the JX series and will be powered by a 265-horsepower version of Infiniti 3.5-liter workhorse V-6. That engine will send 248 pound-feet of torque through a … Read more

We've been seeing a number of four-door coupes hitting the market, relying on their steeply sloped rooflines to create a sporty look. Nissan takes a different tack at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show with its Ellure concept, a vehicle that embraces its "sedan-ness" with a more traditional profile and a modified hybrid drive system that features components from Nissan's luxury-branded Infiniti M45h.

Starting with the striking exterior, the Ellure features an evolution of Nissan's now trademark boomerang headlamps and taillights. Severe angles and dramatic curves characterize the sedan, which draws inspiration from Japanese imagery, … Read more

Nissan's continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) have historically impressed us with their smoothness and efficiency. Nissan's latest announcement, in conjunction with its transmission supplier JATCO Ltd., could mean that its next generation of transmissions could be even more efficient.

Conventional CVTs work by pairing two variable conical pulleys with a belt to allow for infinitely variable gear ratios within the paired pulleys' ranges. However, due to friction constraints of the belt driven design, most CVTs have been limited to a maximum transmission ratio of 6:1.

Nissan's newest CVT combines the conventional belt-driven operation with an auxiliary gearbox … Read more

Honda has finally buckled down and set an MSRP and a release date for its new Insight Hybrid. Since its unveiling and during our testing, we've been merely speculating on the MSRP of Honda's dedicated-hybrid model, but on March 24 buyers will be able to purchase an Insight LX Hybrid starting at $19,800.

At that price, the Insight undercuts the current Prius' base price by $2,200, but that gap could grow or shrink with the release of the 2010 model.

Those with a bit more change in their purses can step up to the Insight EX … Read more

It's difficult to describe the 2010 Honda Insight without mentioning the current heavyweight champion of the green car world, the Toyota Prius. Both vehicles are dedicated hybrid models and are similarly styled, so it's easy to see why many assume the Insight is Honda's "Prius-killer."

Unfortunately for Honda, the Prius' more sophisticated drive train beats the Insight, offering more power and a higher EPA-estimated fuel economy. However, all is not lost, as the Insight brings a secret weapon to the green car wars: value.

With a much lower estimated price tag, the Insight may not … Read more

"SUV" once meant large, truck-like gas-guzzler that, despite never being taken off-road, seemed better suited to the actual jungle than the urban jungle. Enter the Nissan Murano. Ignoring the SUV's truck roots, Nissan created a vehicle that cast off all rugged pretenses and brought style to the boxy world of the SUV.

The 2009 Nissan Murano has received a styling evolution that is still distinctly "Murano," which is a good thing since the original model was quite a looker. The new model features new body lines that are more pronounced and muscular. The most obvious … Read more