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Infiniti rolls out new badge, brand experience — even a brand scent

Infiniti kicked off a brand refresh Thursday, showing off a new logo (and corresponding changes to its physical emblems), dealership aesthetic and what brand representatives described as elements of its "multisensory experience." Do you know what Infiniti is supposed to smell like? Well, you're about to learn.  The alterations to the logo are subtle from dead on, but as you can see from our featured image above, its physical form is far more intricate and three-dimensional. This is the fourth generation of Infiniti's signature since the brand was launched in 1989. Yep — Nissan's upscale division is 35 years old this year. Can you believe that? The most significant visual difference is the alterations to the "road" in the center of the logo. Infiniti says this was done to emphasize the notion that the road is endless — infinite, if you will. The clipped point represents the horizon. The physical badges will be illuminated, "boldly" announcing the car's arrival.  "Our aim was to subtly evolve the INFINITI logo in support of the bright new chapter that lays ahead," said Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti SVP of global design. "Adding greater emphasis to the point where the infinite road intersects with the horizon, we are showcasing our steadfast commitment to always look forward to the future and to new horizons." The new badge will also be accompanied by a new signature scent and signature sound. The former is a blend of Japanese cypress, cedar and yuzu. The sound "creates a sense of anticipation by marrying powerful musical elements with more serene sounds to deliver a harmonious balance" and will be employed in marketing materials, advertising, dealership experiences and other consumer-facing assets.  A new architectural and interior design direction accompanies the update. The aesthetics are based on the Japanese concept of Ma — "a philosophy that considers the space between things," Infiniti said. The result looks modern, sophisticated and convincingly upscale, reminding us of a cross between a Volvo and Mercedes-Benz showroom. Not a terrible place to be.  Infiniti's new look rolls out today across its digital spaces.

Japan calls Ghosn's escape inexcusable and vows tighter immigration checks

TOKYO — Japan's justice minister on Sunday called the flight of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn as he awaited trial on financial misconduct charges inexcusable and vowed to beef up immigration checks. Justice Minister Masako Mori said she had ordered an investigation after Ghosn issued a statement a few days ago saying he was in Lebanon. She said there were no records of Ghosn's departure from Tokyo. She said his bail has been revoked, and Interpol had issued a wanted notice. Departure checks needed to be strengthened to prevent a recurrence, Mori said. While expressing deep regret over what had happened, Mori stopped short of outlining any specific action Japan might take to get Ghosn back. Japan does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon. “Our nationÂ’s criminal justice system protects the basic human rights of an individual and properly carries out appropriate procedures to disclose the truth of various cases, and the flight of a suspect while out on bail is never justified,” she said in a statement. MoriÂ’s statement was the first public comment by a Japanese government official after the stunning escape of Ghosn, once a superstar of the auto industry. Tokyo prosecutors issued a similar statement Sunday. They had opposed Ghosn's release on bail, arguing he was a flight risk. First arrested in November 2018, Ghosn was out on bail over the last several months, and more recently had moved into a home in an upscale part of Tokyo. He has repeatedly said he was innocent. His statement from Beirut said he was escaping injustice. Japan's justice system has come under fire from human rights advocates for its long detentions, the reliance on confessions and prolonged trials. The conviction rate is higher than 99%. Even if Ghosn had been found innocent, the prosecutors could have appealed, and the appeals process could have lasted years. Ghosn's trial was not expected to start until April at the earliest. During that time, he had been prohibited from seeing his wife, and was only allowed a couple of video calls in the presence of a lawyer. Ghosn had been charged with underreporting his future compensation and breach of trust in diverting Nissan money for his personal gain. Although the details of his escape are not yet clear, Turkish airline company MNG Jet has said two of its planes were used illegally, first flying him from Osaka, Japan, to Istanbul, and then on to Beirut, where he arrived Monday and has not been seen since.

Only 3 new cars cost under $20,000. Here’s what you should buy used instead

Looks like some more people have realized something we pointed out late last year. There are only three new cars under the magic $20,000 price limit currently for sale in the United States. Those three vehicles are the Nissan Versa with a starting price of $16,925 (all prices here include destination fee), the Kia Rio at $17,390 and the Mitsubishi Mirage at $17,650. Should push come to shove, so to speak, we'd probably pick the Nissan as our top choice among those three due to its practicality, comfort and overall polish when compared to its similarly priced peers. But really, as we've suggested before, there are better options. Our top pick for a used vehicle under $20,000 remains the Chevy Volt. It's stylish, comfortable, practical and, above all else, efficient, assuming you can plug it in at home. If you don't have access to a plug at home, you'll likely be able to find a very gently used car for the same price as one of the budget options above. We'd check out the Honda Fit, Kia Soul, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla hatchback and Volkswagen Jetta from the  model years and aim for something with under 20,000 miles and with a year or two left of its factory warranty. A quick inventory search shows that some of those cars, notably the Impreza and Jetta, can even be found Certified Pre Owned in most parts of the country. For a more thorough breakdown of some of the available used-car options we'd recommend, check out our guide to the Best Cars Under $20,000. For what it's worth, with the average new car transaction price hovering alarmingly close to $50,000, we wouldn't expect to see any more options coming any time soon for well under half that sum. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Kia Mitsubishi Nissan Car Buying Used Car Buying Sedan