Academy Award-winner Brie Larson channels Farrah Fawcett in new Nissan ad

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Photo courtesy of Nissan North America

On the court, you know what you need to do. Get the win. You may have to pivot, stop to catch your breath, and change up the plan along the way, but that's all part of the game. Whether it's March Madness or a Nissan company plan, both follow a similar route.

Nissan, an official NCAA partner, debuted "Thrill", a new ad campaign starring Brie Larson during the NCAA Men's Final Four over the weekend. The new spot, named "The New Nissan" aims to showcase the company's heritage and future.

The New Nissanwww.youtube.com

The spot opens with Larson experiencing some of Nissan's most iconic heritage vehicles through the decades, asserting that cars once played important roles in pop culture, but noting that the feeling has been lost in recent years. The story takes a sudden turn to feature Larson driving spiritedly in a Z Proto, then off-roading in a Frontier, driving an all-electric LEAF, and behind the wheel of a Rogue. The spot ends with Larson driving away in the Nissan Ariya, followed by a wide shot displaying the new Nissan product portfolio.

"At Nissan, we want to thrill people at every turn and we're excited to showcase this with our completely refreshed product lineup," said Allyson Witherspoon, vice president and chief marketing officer, Nissan U.S. "We've been working with Brie for more than a year and she definitely brings the spirit of our message to life in this latest campaign."

This isn't the first time that Larson has worked with Nissan. She was the face of the "Refuse to Compromise" campaign for the redesigned Sentra. She also was part of the launch of the 2021 Nissan Rogue.

In the coming months, Nissan will launch the redesigned 2022 Pathfinder and Frontier, and debut the next-gen Nissan Z. That's all before the Nissan Ariya arrives on U.S. shores closer to the start of 2022.

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Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG

Do you agree? Volkswagen picks the best movies starring VWs

Starring Role

The drive-in movie theater is making a comeback. With the memory of a drive-in comes with nostalgia of movies of years past. Volkswagen recently picked their favorite movies starring VWs, vintage and modern. Scroll down to see them all.

"The Love Bug"

"The Love Bug" (1968): A down-on-his-luck race car driver and his mechanic discover a white 1963 Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own. Starring: Dean Jones, Michele Lee, David Tomlinson

"Footloose"

"Footloose" (1984, 2011): When a teenager gets pulled over for listening to rock-n-roll in his yellow 1972 Volkswagen Beetle, he realizes his small town is overdue for some change. Starring: Kenny Wormald (2011), Julianne Hough (2011), Dennis Quaid (2011), Kevin Bacon (1984), Lori Singer (1984), John Lithgow (1984)

"Pretty in Pink"

"Pretty in Pink" (1986): A high school misfit drives her light pink 1959 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia to the prom – a perfect accessory to her homemade, puffy-sleeved dress. Starring: Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Harry Dean Stanton

"Happy Gilmore"

"Happy Gilmore" (1996): The transformation of a hockey hack into a pro golfer takes many hilarious turns, including an attack with a white 1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle. Starring: Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen

"50 First Dates"

"50 First Dates" (2004): An art teacher suffering from short-term memory loss drives a sunny yellow 1973 Volkswagen Thing as she goes on dates around Hawaii. Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider

"Little Miss Sunshine"

"Little Miss Sunshine" (2006): A dysfunctional family comes together as they road-trip to California in a yellow 1971 Volkswagen T2 Microbus. Starring: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear

"Horrible Bosses"

"Horrible Bosses" (2011): Three disgruntled employees plot revenge against their oppressive bosses from a silver 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. Starring: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis

"Bumblebee"

"Bumblebee" (2018): When a teenager discovers a beat-up yellow 1967 Volkswagen Beetle in a junkyard, she unwittingly brings an extraterrestrial civil war to Earth. Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Cena

"Once Upon A Time in Hollywood"

"Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" (2019): An actor's stunt double drives a baby blue 1964 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia as he struggles to find meaningful work in the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

"Between Two Ferns: The Movie"

"Between Two Ferns: The Movie" (2019): In his quest to earn a show on network TV, a comedian drives his 2006 Volkswagen Passat wagon across the country, interviewing celebrities along the way.

Photo courtesy of Nissan North America

Academy Award-winning actress Brie Larson stars in new Nissan Sentra campaign

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The Nissan Sentra has been completely redesigned, front to back, top to bottom. It's bolder and much, much better than before for the 2020 model year. A new ad campaign starring Academy Award-winning actress Brie Larson aims to get buyers focused on the upgrades.

"The 'Refuse to Compromise' campaign demonstrates the idea that if the all-new Nissan Sentra can punch above its weight class and aim higher, so can its drivers," said Allyson Witherspoon, vice president, Marketing Communications and Media, Nissan North America. "The radical redesign of this mid-size sedan delivers impressive design, handling, performance, and more standard safety technology than any other car in its class; it's one more proof-point that Nissan can deliver exactly what customers want at an incredible value in this segment."

2020 Nissan Sentra Brie Larson commercial adActress Brie Larson drives a woman around downtown Los Angeles in a effort to prove to her that you don't have to settle for something you don't want.Photo courtesy of Nissan North America

The commercial features a young professional woman who is about to compromise on her career plans. As she is about to accept defeat, Larson arrives in a Monarch Orange Metallic 2020 Nissan Sentra SR, pickings her up and taking her on an action-packed joyride through downtown Los Angeles. Larson uses the Sentra to inspire the woman to make a case for what she deserves.

"It's great to partner with Nissan on this inspiring campaign which is essentially about advocating for yourself and believing that you deserve a seat at the table," said actress Brie Larson, "It's a powerful message in a bottle that I'm so proud to be a part of."

The spot launches on national television this week, along with behind-the-scene footage on Nissan channels.

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Automotive Map is moving to Your Test Driver

New website

Big news! Automotive Map has moved to a new site and has changed its name to Your Test Driver. You'll notice the same format, writing style, and content on the new site. That's because Your Test Driver is run by Chris Teague, the former editor of Automotive Map. We hope to see you there for continued coverage of news, reviews, and features from around the automotive industry.

2023 Nissan Leaf pricing announced

Updated EV

Nissan is nearing the release of the Ariya, its first new EV in several years. Even so, the brand hasn't forgotten about its first mass-market EV, the Leaf. It was an early entrant in the space, and has been an efficient, affordable, commuter car for over a decade. The car got a mild facelift for 2023, with updated wheels and exterior styling accents. Today, Nissan announced pricing for the Leaf, which starts at just under $29,000.

2023 Nissan LeafThe Leaf feels lively, despite middling power numbers.Nissan

The base Leaf comes with a 40-kWh battery capable of delivering a 149-mile range. Its 110-kW electric motor produces 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The Leaf SV Plus features a 60-kWh battery for a range of 212 miles. It comes with a 160-kW motor that makes 214 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Nissan backs all Leaf models with an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty.

ProPilot Assist comes standard for the Leaf SV Plus, and brings a full suite of advanced driver aids that include adaptive cruise control, driver alertness features, and a surround-view monitor. All Leaf models get Nissan Safety Shield 360, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warnings, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking.

2023 Nissan LeafThe Leaf SV Plus offers up to 212 miles of range.Nissan

The new Leaf starts at $28,895, which includes a $1,095 destination charge. The Leaf SV Plus starts at $36,895. The 2023 Nissan Leaf is on sale now, and may be eligible for federal tax credits of up to $7,500. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to receive a state tax credit or other incentives.

2022 Nissan Altima: Three things to know

Comfortable midsize sedan

The Nissan Altima may not get the attention or the praise that the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord get, but it's a solid entry in an ultra-competitive segment. It's also one of few options in its class with available all-wheel drive. We spent a week with the 2022 Nissan Altima SR Midnight Edition with AWD and came away from the experience impressed. Here are three things to know about the car.

The 2022 Nissan Altima is a Good Value

With a starting price in the mid-$20,000 range and available all-wheel drive, it's hard to complain about value here. The Altima is still reasonably priced at the top end, where it maxes out at around $35,000 before options and fees. That's a great value for a spacious, comfortable car like the Altima, and with all-wheel drive it's a great all-weather commuter.

2022 Nissan AltimaNissan offers the Altima in several configurations.Nissan

2022 Altima Interior Space and Comfort are Generous

It's easy to ignore Nissan's Zero Gravity seats as another marketing buzzword, but they are legitimately comfortable and supportive in a way that not many others are. Available leather upholstery and contrast stitching give the interior an upscale feel, but even lower trims' cloth upholstery feels nice and works well from a visual standpoint. Up front, there's room for both passengers to stretch out, and the driver won't feel cramped on leg or headroom. Back-seat passengers get a similar treatment, as there's plenty of space for adults and kids. Parents will find an easy time loading and unloading car seats as well.

2023 Nissan AltimaThe Altima gets an update for 2023 with fresh styling and more tech.Nissan

The 2023 Nissan Altima Gets an Update

Nissan is refreshing the Altima for 2023 with a facelift, new tech, and better safety features. The new car will go on sale in the fall of 2022 and will come in several trims, including one with Nissan's truck VC-Turbo engine. The Altima's most noticeable update will be its front fascia, which is all-new for 2023. Nissan gives the car a fresh grille design that varies depending on the trim, and LED headlights will be standard. Nissan Safety Shield 360 is standard, and the Altima is available with all-wheel drive, ProPilot Assist, and more.

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