2005 Nissan Quest S Minivan on 2040-cars

Auto blog

This new Renault would make a great Nissan Maxima wagon

A new Renault station wagon wouldn't ordinarily show up on our radar. But this one gets us thinking. It's the new Talisman Estate, and we can't help but wonder if it wouldn't make a good addition to Nissan's North American lineup. If you recognize the name, you may recall that Renault launched the Talisman sedan on the other side of the pond last summer. At the time, we noticed some striking similarities to the Maxima sedan we get here, though Nissan told us the two were unrelated. But that wouldn't necessarily stop the wagon from sporting a different badge on the nose and making the transatlantic journey to American showrooms. The long-roofed version of the Talisman measures 191 inches long making it only a little longer than the BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon we get here, while riding on the same 110-inch wheelbase. But where the Bimmer offers up to 53 cubic feet of cargo space, the Renault can fit nearly 60. It also boasts electronic dampers and four-wheel steering to keep it light on its toes, and offers a selection of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines ranging from 110 horsepower up to 200. Related Video: Featured Gallery Renault Talisman Estate View 31 Photos News Source: Renault Nissan Renault nissan maxima

Ghosn flight prompts renewed focus on Japan's strict justice system

TOKYO — Carlos Ghosn's daring flight from Japan, where he was awaiting trial on charges of financial wrongdoing, has revived global criticism of the nation's "hostage justice," but in Japan is prompting talk of reversing more lenient curbs on defendants. The ousted boss of Japan's Nissan and France's Renault fled to Lebanon, saying on Tuesday that he had "escaped injustice" and would "no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system." Ghosn was first arrested in November 2018 when his private jet landed in Tokyo and kept in jail for more than 100 days as prosecutors added more charges, all of which he has denied. He was released on $9 million bail in March — only to be arrested and bailed again the following month. He was facing four charges, including underreporting his Nissan salary and transferring personal financial losses to his employer's books while he ran Japan's No. 2 automaker. His apparent escape from Japan's legal system — Tokyo and Lebanon don't have an extradition treaty — will likely halt or even reverse a trend of recent years toward granting bail in more cases, said Colin Jones, a law professor at Doshisha Law School in Kyoto. “I would expect it to be more difficult for foreign defendants to get bail,” Jones said. In Japan, suspects who deny the charges against them are often detained for long periods and subject to intense questioning without a lawyer present, a system critics call "hostage justice." Japanese civil rights groups and the main bar lawyers association have long criticized a system that convicts 99.9% of criminal defendants. They say it gives too much power to prosecutors, who can detain suspects for long periods before indictment, and relies too much on confessions, some later found to have been forced and false. Ghosn's escape is clearly a shock to Japan's legal establishment. "This case raises the extremely serious issue of whether it's all right to continue the trend toward bail leniency," said former prosecutor Yasuyuki Takai. "The legal profession and lawmakers need to quickly consider new legal measures or a system to prevent such escapes," Takai, who was formerly with the special investigation unit of the prosecutor's office, told public broadcaster NHK.

2013 Nissan Leaf [w/video]

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
Look at the 2013 Nissan Leaf - even one parked next to a 2012 model - and you'll be hard-pressed to spot the differences. Changes and updates have been made, but you have to know the details to tell. It's sort of like listening to a hipster tell you why Interpol and The National have completely different sounds.
Nissan says it didn't reinvent the Leaf because what the company has created is working. Over 25,000 Leafs have been sold in the US - 62,000 around the world - since the car went on sale in late 2010. That may not sound like a lot, but it's heads and shoulders above any other all-electric car available anywhere. The car has its detractors - boy, does it ever - but Nissan knows it's hard to argue with real-world success.