2007 Nissan Murano Sl on 2040-cars

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Renault shares hit six-year low on rumors of Nissan split

LONDON — Renault shares hit six-year lows on Monday after a media report that Nissan has accelerated secret contingency planning for a potential split from the French carmaker, the latest sign that the downfall of former boss Carlos Ghosn is roiling the 20-year alliance. At 1027 GMT, the shares were down 3.7%, languishing at the bottom of Paris' CAC 40 and the pan European STOXX 600 index. The plans include war-gaming a total split in engineering and manufacturing, as well as changes to Nissan's board, the Financial Times newspaper reported on Sunday citing several sources. Nissan's contingency planning has ramped up since the dramatic escape of Ghosn, the former head of the Renault-Nissan  alliance, from Japan in late December, it said. The tie-up has been in management turmoil since Ghosn's arrest in Tokyo in November 2018 on allegations of financial misconduct, which he denies. He was awaiting trial in Japan when he fled to Lebanon. "We firmly believe the relationship between (Renault and Nissan) and hence the Alliance is broken and is likely beyond the point of repair," Evercore ISI analysts Arndt Elinghorst and Chris McNally wrote in a note on Monday. They have an 'underperform' rating on the French car company. Renault was not available for immediate comment. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Earnings/Financials Mitsubishi Nissan Renault

Nissan Sway could see production

After unveiling the Sway concept at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Nissan was crystal clear that the showcar previewed the potentially bolder shape for a future compact hatchback. While it's likely a peek at the future Micra sold in other markets, not much is stopping similar styling from arriving to US showrooms, too. According to Nissan design boss Shiro Nakamura to Automotive News, the Sway was specifically designed to attract interest to visitors in Geneva. However, he believes that the shape could be attractive to buyers in other parts of the world. The showcar's styling blends elements from earlier Nissan concepts with the deeply V-shaped front end off the Lannia Concept and the floating roof from several others. The company isn't divulging a possible powertrain quite yet, though. Nissan is considering spinning the Versa Note off into its own product likely just called the Note, according to Automotive News. When it comes time for a new model around 2018, one way to really differentiate the newly independent vehicle might be to take on the Sway's much more radical styling. Related Video:

2015 Nissan Leaf gets B mode standard, new MorningSky Blue color

The Nissan Leaf is getting a few updates for the 2015 model year, some functional, some purely aesthetic. The appearance options will be made available later than the rest, and include a new exterior color called MorningSky Blue, as well as standard 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels for the SV trim level. In terms of driving, the 2015 Leaf gets a dedicated B-mode for every trim level, including the base S car (it was formerly only available in the SV and SL levels). This provides more aggressive regenerative braking when the driver is not on the accelerator - perfect for making the most of those downhill grades. Now every Nissan Leaf includes Normal, Eco-Mode and B-Mode, regardless of trim level. SV and SL trim levels also get a couple new convenience features. For those who find it impossible to disconnect while driving, the Hands-Free Text Messaging Assistant allows them to communicate without taking their eyes off the road, taking their hands off the wheel or risking a distracted driving ticket (perhaps you might want to rethink using it, though). Additionally, SV and SL customers will Voice Destination Entry to make spontaneous rerouting to the theme park a little easier. Of course, a lot of other Nissan cars got some cool upgrades this year. The Quest, NV200 Compact Cargo and V6-powered Altima, for instance, eke out another mile per gallon highway and combined. See what's new in the Leaf and the rest of the Nissan lineup in the press release below. The 2015 Nissan Lineup: Charting the Changes Nissan's U.S. sales have significantly outperformed the industry in 2014, up 12.7 percent CYTD through June. Sales have been led by the recently redesigned Altima, Rogue and Sentra – along with other models such as LEAF (+29.4%), JUKE (+44.9%), Frontier (+22.6%) and NV200 (+439.3%), which have shown strong results month after month. This gives the Nissan lineup great momentum heading into the 2015 model year. Headlining the changes for 2015 is the upcoming launch of the all-new Nissan Murano (due in late 2014). As the halo vehicle for Nissan's expanding range of bold crossovers and SUVs, the dramatic 2015 Murano features a new V-motion front end, LED boomerang lights and a unique "floating" roof. Murano's breakthrough exterior design carries into the interior, which offers an engaging social lounge feel through features such as advanced NASA-inspired Zero Gravity front and outboard rear seating and oversized Power Panoramic Moonroof.