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Nissan dealer: 2016 Leaf will have 110-mile battery option

Leave it to a local dealer in Indiana to spill the beans about the beans about the changes to the upcoming 2016 Nissan Leaf. Maybe. There's a dealer near Indianapolis called Andy Mohr Avon Nissan near Indianapolis and its website says that the new Leaf will come with two battery packs. The dealer says that the 2016 Leaf will come with two different battery trim levels. You can choose a car with the same pack as the 2015 Leaf has (and, thus, still get 84 miles of official range) or you can opt for the higher trim level, which will give you, "as much as 25 percent increased capacity, delivering a driving range of as much as 110 miles." Now, let's take all of this with some grains of salt and combine it with previous rumors. First, this does not seem to be any sort of information about a second-gen Leaf. We've heard plenty of rumors that the 2016 Leaf will have a 30-kWh battery pack that can go over 100 miles, but this is sort of a version 1.5 Leaf, since this longer range will be available in an updated current model and not yet the next-gen model. Nissan's Paige Presley, from Nissan's EV and technology communications, said simply that she, "can't comment on future products." We spoke with Joe Kline, the internet manager at Andy Mohr Avon Nissan, and he said that it was likely that the information about the two battery packs came directly from Nissan but he wasn't 100 percent sure. Kline said that the Andy Morh Avon Nissan dealership probably sold around 10 Leafs in the past year, mostly because the infrastructure isn't as built out as it could be in central Indiana. "They're not quite up to par with the charging stations around here," he said. With the longer-range version, the dealership's website says, "the new Leaf can find a home in even more garages." Related Video: Featured Gallery 2015 Nissan Leaf View 12 Photos News Source: Andy Mohr Avon Nissan via Green Car Reports Green Rumormill Nissan Electric

Nissan GT-R takes a bloody whack at supercar rivals in fake ads

A big part of what makes a supercar super is how it makes you feel, but the performance stats and bragging rights are undeniably a big part of the equation as well. Which means you can't ignore the fact that, even with its price ever escalating, the Nissan GT-R makes minced meat out of European exotics costing twice or three times as much.
That's the inspiration for this trio of fake ads from photographer Tim Kent. In this mock campaign, Kent has depicted the GT-R as a butcher's knife and the European exotics as pieces of slaughtered meat. Ferrari is symbolized by a package of horse meat, Porsche by a pack of sausages and Lamborghini as a pair of, um... "prairie oysters".
Of course the ads are never going to run anywhere, and if you're squeamish (or vegetarian) we wouldn't suggest looking at them in close proximity to your lunch. But we have to admit they're creative, and effective.

Tokyo court rejects Carlos Ghosn's bail request

TOKYO — A Tokyo court rejected former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn's latest request for bail on Tuesday, more than two months after his arrest. A statement from the Tokyo District Court announcing its decision gave no explanation for prolonging a detention of the 64-year-old executive, which has drawn international scrutiny of Japan's justice system. Ghosn had promised to wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, give up his passport and pay for security guards approved by prosecutors in his latest attempt to gain release from a Tokyo detention center. His family said they will appeal. Ghosn has been in custody since Nov. 19. He had a bail hearing Monday. A Tokyo court rejected an earlier request for bail last week. Ghosn, who led Nissan Motor Co. for two decades, has been charged with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his compensation from Nissan over eight years, and with breach of trust, centering on allegations Ghosn had Nissan temporarily shoulder his personal investment losses and pay a Saudi businessman. Ghosn has said he is innocent, explaining that the alleged compensation was never decided, Nissan didn't suffer losses and the payment was for legitimate services. His wife, Carole Ghosn, appealed for his release through Human Rights Watch earlier this month, saying Ghosn's treatment has been harsh and unfair. Her views echo widespread criticism of Japan's criminal justice system both inside and outside Japan. Suspects who insist they are innocent get held longer. Suspects are held in a cell and routinely grilled daily by investigators without a lawyer present, although lawyers are allowed to visit. Ghosn's lawyer Motonari Ohtsuru has acknowledged Ghosn's release may not come until the trial, which may be six months away. A date for the trial has not been set. Nissan officials say an internal investigation has found that Ghosn had schemes to hide his income and that he used company money and assets for personal gain. A special committee Nissan set up after Ghosn's arrest to strengthen governance held its first meeting Sunday. Seiichiro Nishioka, a former judge and co-chair, told reporters after the meeting that Ghosn had shown questionable ethics, and too much power within the company had been focused in one person. The committee's findings are due by late March. Ghosn's pay was long a sticking point in Japan, where executives generally get paid far less than their American and other Western counterparts.