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Auto News Recap For 5.13.16 | Autoblog Minute

Senior Editor Greg Migliore recaps the week in automotive news, including a look at Hyperloop One's desert propulsion test, Chrysler 300 rumors, and Nissan's purchase of Mitsubishi. Chrysler Mitsubishi Nissan Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video hyperloop

Suspects in Ghosn's Japanese escape stand trial in Turkey

ISTANBUL - Seven suspects went on trial in Turkey on Friday over their alleged involvement in former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn's dramatic escape from Japan to Lebanon via Istanbul at the end of last year. Ghosn, once a titan of the global auto industry, had been arrested in Japan in late 2018 and charged with underreporting his salary and using company funds for personal purposes, charges he denies. The ousted chairman of the alliance of Renault, Nissan Motor Co and Mitsubishi Motors Corp had been awaiting his trial under house arrest in Japan when he made a dramatic escape in December to Beirut, his childhood home. An executive from Turkish private jet operator MNG Jet and four pilots were detained in early January soon after Ghosn's escape and charged with migrant smuggling, a sentence carrying a maximum sentence of eight years in jail. They appeared in white protective overalls, masks and gloves as a measure against the coronavirus, as the court in Istanbul began hearing their defence. Two flight attendants, charged with failing to report a crime - a charge carrying a sentence of up to one year - were also there. The first defendant to speak was a pilot on the Osaka-Istanbul flight, Noyan Pasin, who denied the charge. Prosecutors, in their indictment, had said MNG Jet operations manager Okan Kosemen - who is one of the seven on trial - knew before the Osaka flight that Ghosn would be on board and would transfer to Beirut. Kosemen, who also pleaded not guilty, said in court on Friday he was only told via phone about Ghosn's presence mid-flight from Osaka and cooperated under duress. The prosecution said Kosemen used WhatsApp to communicate with pilots before, during and after the Osaka-Istanbul flight, using terms like "luggage" and "consignment" to refer to Ghosn. The five other suspects also deny the charges, according to the indictment. SAGA SHAKES AUTO WORLD According to the indictment, Kosemen told prosecutors a price of $175,000 was agreed for the flight with a Lebanese broker and paid into MNG Jet's bank account. At the time of the incident, MNG Jet said Kosemen acted without the knowledge of the company and it had filed a criminal complaint for the illegal use of its aircraft. Japan has formally asked the United States to extradite two Americans - a former Green Beret and his son - who also stand accused of helping Ghosn flee Japan. They were arrested in Massachusetts in May.

Infiniti confirms new "premium compact" to be built in UK

Aside from certain naming-related news, Infiniti has actually had some decent product news to announce this week. The company's president, Johan de Nysschen, alluded to a new 550-horsepower performance sedan, and now the automaker has confirmed that a new "premium compact" will go into production in 2015. Based on the fact that this new model will be built alongside the Nissan Leaf at the automaker's Sunderland, UK assembly plant, we could only hope that it's a production version of the LE Concept (shown above).
Sunderland already produces Nissan products like the Qashqai, Juke and Note, and as a part of an investment of 250 million British pounds (around $406 million USD) for the new model, the plant would add an extra 280 jobs with the capacity to build 60,000 of the new Infinitis annually. Adding the premium compact at Sunderland means that Infiniti will have to change its plans for another new model, a bigger "C-segment hatchback," which could very well be a production version of the Etherea Concept.