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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.

Green self-driving cars take center stage in Tokyo

Visions of cars that drive themselves without emitting a bit of pollution while entertaining passengers with online movies and social media are what's taking center stage at the Tokyo Motor Show. Japan, home to the world's top-selling automaker, has a younger generation disinterested in owning or driving cars. The show is about wooing them back. It's also about pushing an ambitious government-backed plan that paints Japan as a leader in automated driving technology. Reporters got a preview look at the exhibition Wednesday, ahead of its opening to the public Oct. 30. Nissan Motor Co. showed a concept vehicle loaded with laser scanners, a 360 degree camera setup, a radar and computer chips so the car can "think" to deliver autonomous driving. The Japanese automaker called it IDS, which stands for "intelligent driving system." Nissan, based in Yokohama, Japan, said it will offer some autonomous driving features by the end of next year in Japan. By 2018, it said vehicles with the technology will be able to conduct lane changes on highways. By 2020, such vehicles will be able to make their way through intersections on regular urban roads. Nissan officials said they were working hard to make the car smart enough to recognize the difference between a red traffic light and a tail light, learn how to turn on intersections where white lane indicators might be missing and anticipate from body language when a pedestrian might cross a street. Nissan's IDS vehicle is also electric, with a new battery that's more powerful than the one currently in the automaker's Leaf electric vehicle. Although production and sales plans were still undecided, it can travel a longer distance on a single charge and recharge more quickly. A major challenge for cars that drive themselves is winning social acceptance. They would have to share the roads with normal cars with drivers as well as with pedestrians, animals and unexpected objects. That's why some automakers at the show are packing the technology into what looks more like a golf cart or scooter than a car, such as Honda Motor Co.'s cubicle-like Wander Stand and Wander Walker scooter. Instead of trying to venture on freeways and other public roads, these are designed for controlled environments, restricted to shuttling people to pre-determined destinations. At a special section of the show, visitors can try out some of the so-called "smart mobility" devices such as Honda's seat on a single-wheel as well as small electric vehicles.

Ghosn calls Renault and Nissan financial results 'pathetic'

PARIS — Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn took a swipe at his old employers in a newspaper interview on Sunday, calling the Renault and Nissan results "pathetic," driven as much by a lack of joint leadership than the COVID-19 pandemic. Ghosn, who was also the chairman of Mitsubishi Motors, was arrested in Japan in late 2018 on charges of underreporting his salary and using company funds for personal purpose — charges he denies. He fled to Lebanon from Japan. "There is a market confidence problem in the alliance. Personally, I find the results of Nissan and Renault pathetic. The two companies are looking inwards. There is no longer any real mix of management between Renault and Nissan, but a distrustful distance," he told Le Parisien newspaper. Ghosn compared the share price fall from November 2018 to June 2020 of competitors General Motors and Toyota of 12% and 15% respectively to Nissan dropping 55% and Renault 70%. "All of these manufacturers are facing the same COVID crisis, but Renault and Nissan are being punished more than the others,' he said. Ghosn fled Japan to Lebanon, his childhood home, in December as he awaited trial on charges of underreporting earnings, breach of trust and misappropriation of company funds, all of which he denies. Ghosn was questioned in Lebanon in January. He has said he will cooperate fully with the Lebanese judicial process, but it is unclear what cooperation there will be between Tokyo and Beirut. French prosecutors have also stepped up their investigation into alleged misappropriation by Ghosn of funds at Renault and had summoned him in France on July 13, but he did not attend. "There is a technical obstacle. My passport is in the hands of the attorney general in Lebanon, because Japan has issued an international arrest warrant for me," Ghosn said. "I also want to be sure that my security is assured and that I am guaranteed freedom of movement." Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. CES 2020 and Carlos Ghosn | Autoblog Podcast #609