2015 Nissan Versa 1.6 Sv on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Carlos Ghosn: What misconduct is he accused of?

TOKYO — Japan was shocked by news that Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was widely respected for rescuing the carmaker from near bankruptcy, was arrested on Monday for alleged financial misconduct. Nissan said that Ghosn, who is also chairman and CEO of Renault and chairman of Mitsubishi Motors, would be fired from his post as Nissan chairman on Thursday. What is Carlos Ghosn accused of? Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa told a packed press conference on Monday night that the company had found that Ghosn had been using corporate money for personal purposes and under-reporting his income for years in official company filings to the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Another board member, Greg Kelly, was also deeply involved in the misconduct, Nissan said. Saikawa said he couldn't elaborate as the cases are being investigated by prosecutors, who have declined to comment. Prosecutors said that Ghosn and Kelly conspired to understate Ghosn's compensation over five years starting in fiscal 2010 as being about half of the actual 9.998 billion yen ($88.9 million). Public broadcaster NHK said Nissan paid billions of yen to buy and renovate homes for Ghosn in Rio, Beirut, Paris and Amsterdam, citing unnamed sources. The properties had no business purpose and were not listed as benefits in TSE filings, NHK said. Ghosn, 64, has not been formally charged. The Asahi newspaper reported that he and Kelly had submitted to prosecutors' questions after getting off a plane on Monday afternoon at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. Saikawa confirmed they had been arrested. Ghosn and Kelly have not been seen since, and their exact whereabouts are not known. Suspects are typically taken to the Tokyo Detention Center, which is linked to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. How did this come to light? Nissan's Saikawa said Ghosn's alleged improprieties came to light through a whistleblower, after which the company began an internal investigation and informed prosecutors. Japanese media reports say the informant is a member of Nissan's legal department. The Asahi reported, without citing sources, that the informant gave the prosecutors information in a plea bargain, implying the person may have provided evidence in exchange for a lighter sentence. How much control did Carlos Ghosn have? After becoming CEO of struggling Nissan in 2001, Ghosn was hailed as the automaker's savior by implementing an aggressive cost-cutting plan.

48-MPG Nissan X-Trail Hybrid comes to Japan

Next month, Nissan will start selling a hybrid version of its X-Trail compact crossover in Japan. While the Japanese automaker is touting all the bells and whistles like "Intelligent Parking Assist," the model really makes its mark in fuel economy figures. The marquee number is 20.6 kilometers per liter, or about 48 miles per gallon. This is using the more lenient Japanese driving cycle, but it's still something to be proud of. The model also delivers more torque than that typically generated by a 2.5-liter engine while cutting nitrogen oxide emissions by 75 percent relative to the standard gas-powered version. In fact, the X-Trail Hybrid will generate tax exemptions because of its high fuel economy. The model's price in Japan will range from about $23,300 for the base two-wheel-drive version to about $27,000 for the top-of-the-line all-wheel-drive version. The Nissan X-Trail Hybrid goes on sale in Japan May 13. We'd first reported on the X-Trail when it was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013, noting at the time that the car's styling was identical to that of the Nissan Rogue. Take a look at Nissan's press release for the X-Trail is available below. Nissan Releases New X-TRAIL HYBRID YOKOHAMA, Japan (April 7, 2015) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of the new Nissan X-Trail Hybrid, which goes on sale on May 13, 2015 at Nissan dealers throughout Japan. The current generation X-Trail has garnered good reviews from customers for its excellent driving performance, realized by features such as its ALL MODE 4X4-i system and advanced chassis control technologies that have been adopted as world-firsts – as well as a variety of safety features such as Emergency Brake and Around View Monitor with Intelligent Parking Assist. Equipped with the 2.0-liter MR20DD hybrid engine that enables both driving and environmental performance, the new X-Trail Hybrid delivers a comfortable driving experience with its powerful acceleration and remarkable quietness, which eclipse those of typical 2.5-liter gasoline engines. In addition, all the grades achieve tax exemptions. In addition, the new X-Trail Hybrid will have Forward Emergency Braking as standard equipment, expanding its safety technology features. Nissan is planning to introduce Forward Emergency Braking as standard on major models in Japan, by the end of autumn 2015.

Here's how to follow this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans

In the pantheon of motorsports, the 24 Hours of Le Mans stands as one of the great endurance challenges to man and machine. This year's event in France already looks to be one for the ages with Porsche setting record-breaking times in practice and the competition debut of Nissan's front-engine, hybrid racer. Thankfully, there's a massive list of ways to follow this automotive attraction. Reilly Brennan, the Executive Director of the Revs Automotive Research Program at Stanford University, and a friend of Autoblog, has once again assembled a helpful couch-kit to organize many of the options. Unfortunately, the old-school way of just turning on the television might be the most frustrating way to watch Le Mans this year. Fox Sports 1 and 2 are carrying about half the race, but the coverage bounces between them seemingly at random. The broadcast begins on Fox Sports 2 at 8:30 AM Eastern ahead of the 9:00 AM start and lasts there until 12:00 PM. Things don't pick up again until 7:00 PM Eastern on Fox Sports 1 for an hour, and the channels swap back and forth more from there. The Fox Sports Go streaming app offers more, but even it stops showing the race a few times. Thankfully, streaming Le Mans is easy. If you can't dedicate 24-hours on the couch, Radio Le Mans lets you listen to audio commentary anywhere with some of the best announcers in the biz. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the governing body for the race, also offers an official video stream in an app for $9.99. For a really low-tech solution, the official Twitter is another choice. Brennan is keeping his list updated with coverage changes. You can also check out and download the spotter's guide (from Nissan) in the gallery above. Enjoy this year's race. If you miss anything, don't worry; expect a full report from Autoblog. In fact, editor-in-chief Mike Austin is attending Le Mans this year, so follow him on Twitter for on-the-fly impressions. Featured Gallery 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans Spotter's Guide News Source: Reilly BrennanImage Credit: Nissan Motorsports Audi Nissan Porsche Toyota Hybrid Racing Vehicles