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Next Nissan Titan will get turbocharged diesel V8 from Cummins

Toyota might be content to eke out an existence in the fullsize pickup market with its lightly refreshed Tundra, but Nissan looks like it'll be a bit more aggressive with its next-generation Titan. The next Titan will make use of a 5.0-liter, turbodiesel V8 from Cummins, the Japanese company announced at the start of its Nissan 360 industry showcase.
Nissan's commitment to a fullsize pickup isn't really open for debate - it made waves back in April when it lured Fred Diaz, CEO of Chrysler's Ram pickup division, down to its Franklin, Tennessee headquarters. But this news of a monster turbodiesel is big. As of this writing, only Ram is set to offer a diesel engine in a non-heavy-duty pickup. Its 3.0-liter, EcoDiesel V6 will arrive in the Ram 1500 in the not-so-distant future, but that engine will still be a far cry from what's promised with this Cummins mill.
The 5.0-liter V8 is expected to generate well over 500 pound-feet of torque - likely closer to 550, based on the language in the press release - along with over 300 horsepower. Those figures aren't just a shot across the bow of Ford, Chevy, GMC and Ram, they're an opening broadside, meant to demonstrate Nissan's willingness with its next light-duty truck. As Diaz said, "There is no question that the new Titan will turn heads, and with the available Cummins 5.0-liter V8 turbodiesel, we expect to win new fans and attract buyers looking for this unique configuration."

Andy Palmer leaves Renault-Nissan to serve as CEO of Aston Martin

Aston Martin has been without a helmsman since Ulrich Bez stepped down from the chief executive office at the end of last year, stepping back to serve as non-executive chairman in a semi-retired ambassadorial capacity. The British automaker, now on the cusp of a new era, has been running without a CEO since, but has now named Bez's replacement in Andy Palmer.
If you don't recognize the name, you should: Palmer has worked under the Renault-Nissan Alliance for decades now, rising through the ranks to become one of the top executives under Carlos Ghosn. Most recently he was serving as executive vice president of the entire group and chairman of the Infiniti brand, but like Carlos Tavares, who recently left Renault to run Peugeot, Palmer is now embarking on a new mission as CEO of Aston Martin.
Once the transition period is complete at the start of October, Palmer's role as Chief Planning Officer at Renault-Nissan will be assumed by Philippe Klein, who steps up from his current role as executive vice president of product planning for Renault. Read the statements from both companies below.

2014 Nissan Rogue earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ [w/videos]

The 2014 Nissan Rogue has scored a Top Safety Pick+ award following positive crash test results by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The new crossover scored good results (the highest rating) in the group's five crashworthiness checks and a basic rating for front crash prevention.
The IIHS found that the Rogue also performed well in its small overlap front test with a low risk of injuries, and the driver's space maintained its structure well. It was an improvement over the previous generation, which received a marginal rating in that evaluation. The Rogue's optional forward collision warning system was enough for a basic rating in avoiding accidents.
To qualify as a Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations, plus a good or acceptable result in the small overlap front test. To receive the additional Plus rating in 2014, it must also have a basic, advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention. The IIHS scores vehicles as good, acceptable, marginal or poor, and avoidance systems are scored basic, advanced or superior, depending on the type of system and its performance. Scroll down to watch the videos of the small and moderate overlap crash tests and read the full IIHS statement.