Nissan may have been one of the last Japanese auto brands to enter the ever-growing Chinese market, but it has certainly made the best of its short time. The Japanese brand has now soared past its rivals, Toyota and Honda, in this burgeoning market. Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn recently stated to Reuters TV: "We want to be a global car maker, presenting every single kind of product you can find in the Nissan brand - from the luxury, with Infiniti, and the entry level with affordable cars under Venucia. We're going to be everywhere."¹ So far, Ghosn and Nissan seem to be making good on this promise.

In today's world, it's almost impossible to go "off the grid." Nearly everyone is connected through smart phones, social media, and the internet. Staying "in the loop" has never been more important. That's why Nissan is currently focusing a ton of its energy on connected car technologies. A few weeks ago, the company revealed several new technologies it's been working on, including a new generation of NissanConnect systems (which will debut on the all-new 2013 Nissan Altima and an innovative twin-display system (as shown in the Infiniti LE Concept). The brand has also been becoming chummy with top technology companies like Pandora Radio, Intel, and Google.

Japanese auto manufacturer Nissan believes that one day, auto accidents could be a thing of the past. The brand's Safety Shield concept, which addresses pre-collision, collision, and post-collision risks is looking towards the future, and it certainly seems to be a bright one. As technologies become more advanced and accessible to all, so does the likelihood of using them to keep drivers safe.

Nissan is expanding. Recently, the Japanese auto manufacturer announced plans to grow its manufacturing centers in several budding auto markets around the globe- including Brazil and Indonesia. And, it's not just the emerging markets in which Nissan is prospering. We can't help but notice that this year's new Nissan models are more popular than ever.

Even though we have a world full of technology designed to make our lives easier, sometimes these gadgets can be more distracting than they are helpful. One advancement that has been helpful in saving both time and reducing one's impact on the environment, however, has been online banking and paperless billing statements. Now, Nissan is joining in on the paperless billing trend, so you can save some of your valuable time.

Nissan has been producing its amazing line of Nissan NV200 Combi vans in Europe for a few years now. These vans are great for families that need a ton of space and for small business owners that need to store large items. Now, the vans are contributing to a philanthropic mission: transporting cancer patients on their journeys to and from hospitals and home. The Newcastle, UK-based charity "Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care" has ordered 25 of these Nissan van models to become a part of their initiatives in the next two years, with an additional 25 vans slated to be dispersed by 2014. The vans will carry up to a thousand patients every week- after all of them are in place- adding up to 50-thousand patients a year.

Many of our drivers may not know that Nissan is involved in many projects besides its standard 2012 Nissan vehicle offerings. Take its maritime vehicles, for example. The Japanese auto manufacturer has been transporting vehicles across the seas with cargo ships for years, but now the company will be doing this with more efficient maritime vessels. Nissan recently unveiled a new, energy-efficient, sea-worthy vehicle and parts carrier.

Here at Randy Reed Nissan, we consider the Nissan Versa to be one of the most impressive vehicles in our current lineup, due to its fantastic features, including: high fuel economy ratings, excellent value, and huge cargo and cabin space.

Nissan fans in Kansas City, MO can expect a fantastic treat coming fall 2012: the next-generation Nissan Pathfinder. Those readers who have driven or been a passenger in this Nisan model know that it's both fun to drive and ride in due to its adventurous spirit and roomy interior. The next-generation Pathfinder, however, will take this spirit to a new level with a completely new design. That's right; the Pathfinder is getting a makeover!

If you've seen the Fast and Furious films, you know that they inspire a cult following- despite the fact that they aren't very critically acclaimed. The films have launched actors like Paul Walker, and the sporty vehicles in the films have garnered quite a following as well. Recently, a replica of one of the cars from the film, the legendary R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R, which is similar to the 2012 Nissan GT-R Coupe, was sold on online marketplace eBay for $30k. The R34 precedes the current Nissan R35 supercar, which will be sold around the globe as a 2013 model.