According to Google Trends via AutoblogGreen, the Nissan LEAF is crushing the Chevy (er…Chevrolet – more on this in a minute) Volt in terms of search volume on Google, more than doubling it at times.  The LEAF is set to arrive at area Indianapolis Nissan dealers sometime in the fall of 2010, and the Volt will be coming out around that time, as well.  If the LEAF and Volt’s side-by-side arrival isn’t being billed as a showdown, perhaps it should be.

In one corner is the Volt, supposedly a return to form for GM, a potent symbol that the government bailout was worth it and is indeed working.  In the far corner is the LEAF, somewhat of an underdog to everyone but Nissan dealers in Indianapolis and Nissan’s mom.  The reason for this underdog status is, again according to Google Trends via AutoblogGreen, the media is writing more stories about the Volt and thus giving undue coverage to it despite the LEAF’s superior internet popularity, which could be taken as a somewhat representative sample of the car-buying public (although there is some speculation Google Trends did not take into account some people are searching ‘Chevy Volt’ and some are searching ‘Chevrolet Volt’ and this is why there is such a large discrepancy in search volume for the LEAF vs. the Volt, so maybe the search volume isn’t quite so one-sided after all).

But search and news trends aside, it’s worth mentioning the LEAF created its own buzz in late April when over 6,500 people signed up to reserve their own model in just over 65 hours.  Just imagine the number of people who will travel to their Nissan dealer in Indianapolis and surrounding areas when the LEAF hits the market for real next fall.  The LEAF has people excited over its range of 100+ miles on full charge, top speeds of 90 mph, and a battery pack able to be charged in less than 8 hours off a standard home outlet.

As for the Volt and its buzz, late last year GM gave noted car enthusiast Jay Leno a Chevy Volt to test drive, hoping he would serve as a spokesman for the EV.  Well, let’s just say Leno’s test drive went about as well as NBC’s test drive of the Leno/O’Brien experiment last year.  First of all, Leno compared to the Volt to the Cobalt—not exactly a put-down-what-you’re-doing-and-check-out-this-awesome-vehicle endorsement, which is exactly what GM expects the Volt to be.  In addition to that comment, Leno thought that the Volt was nice and all, but it was more of “a people mover, not a people-impresser.”  Ouch.

So there are the preliminaries.  Indianapolis Nissan dealers, along with gearheads and most likely the public in general, are waiting to see how this will all shake out next fall.  Is there room enough at the top for two EVs?  We shall see.

The end of summer is fast approaching, which means the time for cruising down the road in a sleek looking roadster with the windows down and the warm breeze blowing through your hair is winding down too.  Before we know it the leaves will be changing colors and the air will have a slight chill in it.  And then – winter.  But thanks to the competitively priced Nissan 370Z, these daydreams may still have a chance to become a reality this summer.  Below, check out the history and amazing statistics of this classy ride and then head to Butler Nissan today to check the car out yourself!

Drivers of Indianapolis Nissan 370Z roadsters have been on the road for some time now, and thus purchasing one might not put you in the category of “keeping up with the Jones.”  However, it would prove to be a smarter move financially and, in this day in age, that just might put you ahead of the Jones.

Butler Nissan, an Indianapolis used Nissan Dealer, can offer you the sleek looking 2010 sports car for a starting price tag of just $31,000.  That means a 370Z gently used would be even more affordable!  The car has recently earned a spot on the “Best Car for the Money” list.  A great car to drive in big cities such as Indianapolis, Nissan 370Z drivers can cruise around at ease knowing they are driving a car with reliable engineering and high safety standards.  In addition, the Nissan 370Z boasts a new chic design on top of its already eye-catching shape.  Finally, the car has proven to have a strong resale value, which is evident at your Indianapolis used Nissan Dealer – a 370Z doesn’t sit on the lot for long!  All of these factors and more helped to earn the roadster its award.

The Nissan 370Z sports a V-6 engine and 332 horsepower.  In addition, the coupe reaches 60 miles-per-hour in less than five measly seconds.  So assuming you aren’t bumper to bumper in rush hour traffic, that means you can get from point A to point B very quickly (just make sure you cop spot!).  And in case you do live in reality and do find yourself in that daily traffic grind, the roadster does well in stop-and-go traffic also.  Just be sure everyone else remembers to stop and go too.  They likely will be staring at your stylish ride!

Nissan is quite literally getting ready to turn over a new leaf in 2011 by bringing one of the first all-electric cars to market: the Nissan Leaf. With a low operating cost and overall price, it’s hard to imagine this Leaf falling. The Nissan Leaf has no internal-combustion engine; instead, an 80 kW electric motorpropels the vehicle up to 90 mph, and Nissan says that the Leaf is capable of driving up to 100 miles on a single charge — a range that should cover the commutes of 95 percent of Americans. The federal government will issue a $7,500 tax credit for the purchase of the Leaf, making it very easy to be green. The vehicle should be available in late 2010. For more information, visit your  Nissan Leaf Carmel Indiana dealer.

The Indianapolis Nissan Leaf is a compact 5-door hatchback that will not produce any local air pollution, contributes to the reduction of oil consumption and enhanced energy security, and its total cost of ownership improves as the price of gasoline rises. The Leaf’s battery is guaranteed to last for eight years or 100,000 miles. In January 2010, the Leaf received the Green Car Vision Award by the Green Car Journal, and Time magazine called the Nissan Leaf one of the 50 best inventions of 2009.

But the Leaf isn’t the only car to come out of Nissan in 2011: the company is also planning on bringing a new take on the CUV to market next year called the Juke. The high-riding, 4-door hatchback has a 180-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission. The Juke’s optional torque vectoring AWD system is capable of splitting torque up to 50/50 between the front and rear, while torque can be split from side to side at the rear axle. Nissan will also use the Juke to debut an integrated control system, which offers the choice of three drive-select modes: normal, sport and eco. Depending on desired performance, the system will adjust throttle, transmission and steering functions. Look for the 2011 Juke to arrive in showrooms by spring of 2011.

For more on the Leaf and Juke models, visit your Nissan Leaf Carmel Indiana dealer today.

Automobiles continue to become more futuristic and although some of us may be resistant at first many of the new features greatly benefit all car drivers. Technology may be scary but it is helping keep our roads safer with each new development. It seems likely that in the very near future all automobiles will feature five new technologies to benefit every driver. Indianapolis Nissan Leaf drivers are eager to add these new safety features to their vehicles very soon.

One of the newest features developed for our safety is called the Emergency Steer Assist System. This system does not steer for the driver, but it does let you know when it is a good idea to swerve. The steer assist system works with the now mandatory electronic stability control and brake assist systems to help drivers avoid accidents. The car determines when it is too late to brake and then suggests the driver turn the wheel and swerve in order to avoid an accident. The electronic stability control then helps diminish the effect of the swerve.

The Active Force Feedback Pedal and the Intelligent Tire System/Fill Assist are two other new automobile technologies. The feedback pedal varies in motion from pulsing to becoming very heavy or light. The variation in feeling will allow the driver to be informed of different information without having to read it off the dashboard. The intelligent tire system will come in handy in the future when cars have the ability to communicate with each other. Tires will be able to gauge information about the road and send that information to cars behind them. The tires will also let the driver know when to switch tires or purchase new ones.

Nissan Leaf Indianapolis drivers are also excited about the new technology developed for the inside of their automobiles. The AutoLinQ is an android based system designed to bring the benefits of a smartphone to your car. Everything from email to a variety of apps will be available for the AutoLinQ system.  Continental has also developed a completely LCD interface to change the inside of all automobiles. The interface will be interactive, when the driver takes an action like driving in eco or sport mode the dashboard will change its appearance. These technologies will combine to create a whole new type of car to fit our future needs.

I just took a look at the press kit for the 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe in preparation for writing this blog entry, and I found myself mildly overwhelmed by all the information it was trying to give me. Every Indianapolis Nissan dealership could probably give you a three-minute summary of what this relatively new automobile is all about, but I’d like find some way to meet you in the middle—nothing too long, but nothing too brief. There’s a lot of good and interesting things to say about this car, but I don’t want to sell you short. You know what I mean?

There I go, already giving too long-winded an introduction, so let’s get down to business. This is the third year that Nissan has offered the sportier two-door version of the Altima, and it packs one of two engines: a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6. Updates for the 2010 model include refined styling on both the inside and the outside, more color options, and updated GPS and a ridiculous Bose stereo system.

Indianapolis used car dealers have done well with the first two years’ worth of Altima Coupe offerings, but it’s the new one generating the most buzz of late. The front bumper and grille has been completely redesigned, as have the headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels. Inside there is new fabric and finishers, including red leather accents and those all-new Bose stereo offerings. That system includes a 4.3-inch LCD screen in the dash, seven high-quality speakers throughout the vehicle, XM radio, USB port for MP3 players, and a Bluetooth hands-free phone system integrated into the car.

Beyond that, it’s pretty much the same great car Nissan patrons have come to expect in this particular coupe. The updates are good ones that really tailor themselves to what consumers have proven they wanted. That, after all, is the whole point of making big changes, isn’t it?

Hopefully this was an appropriate summary of what the 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe is all about. I didn’t want to sell you short on what the vehicle had to offer, but submitting you to a 3,000 word press kit would’ve been a little much for just about anyone outside of the most serious Nissan junkies. If that’s you, by all means Google it and do all the extra reading. If not, though, this blog is the place for you to have things simplified for you. I know it’s what I’d rather read, but then again, I’m me.