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Infiniti installs Taisuke Nakamura as new design chief

The cubicles and corner offices at Infiniti HQ in Japan continue to change hands. Infiniti Global Design Chief Karim Habib, only in that position for about two years since leaving BMW in 2017, has left the Japanese luxury brand "to pursue other opportunities." In his place, Nissan has elevated Taisuke Nakamura, a 26-year company veteran who is currently Nissan's program design director responsible for global design strategy, and concept car and production vehicle design. Nakamura has a stout design resume in service to both Nissan and Infiniti, having worked on the Qs Inspiration sedan concept (above) shown at the Shanghai Motor Show in April, the QX Inspiration crossover concept shown at the Detroit Auto Show this year (below), and the Prototype 10 speedster concept revealed at Pebble Beach last year (bottom). All of those were electric concepts, making Nakamura the point man for Infiniti's push into electric vehicles and hybrids, and the carmaker's introduction of a new design language. Last year, Infiniti said it would have a new EV on the market in 2021, as well as "e-Power" series hybrids with small battery packs charged by gas-powered generators.   Those EVs should fully embody the brand's new design DNA, seen initially in the recent concepts. The automaker said around the Qs reveal that the new "aesthetics are underpinned by Infiniti's desire to challenge convention and design cars which are engaging, enriching, enabling and enchanting – what the company calls its ‘4ENÂ’ approach to design." At the QX reveal in January, Habib said that as engineers made a "shift towards smarter, more compact and less intrusive powertrains, we were able to create an alternative form with flowing gestures, more engaging in character and more enriching in experience. With its long cabin, balanced proportions and muscular stance, the concept heralds in a new era for Infiniti models.” Infiniti said Nakamura takes up his post next week, Sept. 1, and will report to the same boss he has now, Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan's global design head. Aside from Habib, other top non-Japanese Nissan executives such as Daniele Schillaci, Jose Munoz and Trevor Mann have left the Japanese automaker in the recent past, since the arrest of Carlos Ghosn. The former chairman, who faces charges of fraud and misconduct, is awaiting trial in Japan over charges including enriching himself at a cost of $5 million to Nissan, Japan's No. 2 automaker.

Nissan introduces new Lannia sedan in China [w/videos]

Take a good look at the vehicle you see here, because you may never see it again. That's because it was designed specifically for the Chinese market and is not likely to ever be exported far beyond its borders. It's called the Nissan Lannia, and it's the production version of the Friend-Me concept showcased two years ago in Shanghai and the Lannia concept unveiled in Beijing last year. It's a sedan targeted specifically at trendsetting Chinese buyers in their 20s and 30s, designed and developed locally by Nissan Design China and unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show. The styling bears many hallmarks of the Japanese automaker's latest design language, particularly up front with its V-shaped grille treatment and sharply shaped headlights. The C-pillar looks signature Nissan as well, but leads to what looks like rather ungainly rear proportions somewhat disguised by dynamic styling elements. Details remain few and far between, but you can bet it packs a small engine driving the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Introducing the All-New Nissan Lannia April 20 – Shanghai – Nissan unveiled the all-new Lannia at Auto Shanghai 2015 on Monday, a culmination of vision taking the car from concept to reality. Two years ago in Shanghai, Nissan introduced the Friend-Me Concept, followed by the Lannia Concept in 2014 at the Beijing Motor Show, and Lannia is the tangible expression of the company's commitment to China. Building on Nissan's longstanding success in the sedan market, it's the first product developed and designed for young Chinese generations, especially those in their 20s and 30s, seen as the nation's trendsetters. "Edging forward is not enough. The market in China is moving very fast, especially with the post-1980s generation," says Titus Liu, Creative Design Manager at Nissan Design China. "They do not want to stick with the status quo, so we are dedicated to finding the next great breakthrough. This is important for us." Design and development was led by Nissan Design China, backed by the Nissan Global Design Center. Lannia's styling speaks to rising Chinese who want to set themselves apart as both edgy and sophisticated, resulting in a stylish new look for a sedan that goes against conventions.

Nissan GT-R convertible offered in three flavors from NCE

Newport Convertible Engineering, the Southern California company that can't keep its top on, has revealed on its website that it is now producing three different droptop versions of the Nissan GT-R Convertible. It's just another page in its work with high-end offerings like the new Range Rover and the Jaguar XJ. NCE owner Al Zadeh tells Autoblog that the superfast speedster came about during a trip to Abu Dhabi, when clients of his that collectively owned ten GT-Rs said they wanted him to engineer a convertible. They didn't want to see pictures, though, "They wanted to touch it and see it," he said.
So he built a convertible with a traditional, unadorned soft tonneau cover (the white one in our gallery) and another with hard tonneau cover fitted with roll hoops and a low-rise dual cowl (the blue one). When the clients saw it, "They said they wanted something more glamorous," Zadeh said. So he came up with the black version above with a hard tonneau cover and can't-miss-it cowling that, frankly, looks pretty good to us in that color and with those wheels.
Clients satisfied, the order books have opened for other GT-R owners around the world. The most restrained version runs $29,500 to build, the other two retail for $49,000, and all of them require a donor GT-R and eight weeks to finish. With facilities in SoCal, Europe and the Middle East, you won't even have to send your Godzilla too far away if this is the look you've decided it just has to have.