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2016 Nissan GT-R gets 45th Anniversary Gold Edition

The Nissan GT-R is going for the gold again in 2016 after 2012's special Usain Bolt one-off. This time the precious metal paint job is going on just a few more cars to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the original Skyline GT-R. The 45th Anniversary Gold Edition of the GT-R paints the Premium trim of the twin-turbocharged sports coupe a somewhat subdued golden shade called Silica Brass. The VIN plates are in a similar hue, and there's a commemorative plaque on the center console. Nissan spokesperson Dan Passe tells Autoblog that based on projections, the company plans to sell 30 or fewer anniversary editions in the US. The special models carry an extra $1,000 on top of the Premium's starting $101,770, plus a destination charge of $1,595 on all vehicles. Because of the limited numbers, Passe recommends interested customers place an order through dealers soon. The anniversary edition isn't the only thing new to the lineup, though. The Premium and Black Edition models both get an extra five horsepower to push output to 550 hp, but the the Nismo remains unchanged with 600 hp and 481 lb-ft. The Premium trim also now wears 20-spoke forged aluminum wheels from Rays to replace the earlier 10-spoke design. One thing not changing for the GT-R is the pricing, after going north of $100,000 for the 2015 model year. The Black Edition still retails for $111,510 and $149,990 for the Nismo. Related Video: NISSAN ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR 2016 GT-R 16/03/15 from Nissan Pricing remains unchanged for 2016; GT-R Premium and GT-R Black Edition receive five additional horsepower; GT-R Premium adds new 20-spoke wheels NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan today announced pricing for the 2016 Nissan GT-R supercar, which is on sale now at select Nissan dealers in the United States. Prices* for the three 2016 GT-R models remains unchanged from last year, despite several significant enhancements, including: Additional five horsepower for the GT-R Premium and GT-R Black Edition All-new 20-spoke wheels for the GT-R Premium New 45th Anniversary Gold Edition, featuring a special exterior paint color The 45th Anniversary Gold Edition, built off of the GT-R Premium model, commemorates the GT-R's long heritage of world-class high performance. Featuring a special gold paint color, the limited edition model also includes a special gold-tone VIN plate located inside the engine compartment and a special commemorative plaque on the interior center console.

Renault plans to sail — literally, sail — on new class of cargo ship

Going green on the ocean may take another step toward reality in about two years, when Renault is expected to load automobiles aboard wind-powered ships for delivery around the world. The partnership between the car maker and Neoline, a French-based company, aims to reduce Renault’s global carbon footprint by eliminating many of the emissions from traditional fuel-powered cargo ships. Neoline officials said that, when propelled solely by the wind, their sailing ships' total emissions drop by as much as 90 percent. The roll-on-roll-off ships will use solid sails that are 50 meters tall. The company says it will start testing the program in 2024 by transporting vehicles to North America and other locales from Saint-Nazaire, in western France. Renault has pledged to achieve zero carbon in Europe by 2030 and worldwide by 2050. Renault, now part of an alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi, hasnÂ’t sold cars in the U.S. market under its own brand name since 1987. A U.S. return as been considered for years, and the partners are now in talks that could reshape the alliance. The shipper's intent to deliver vehicles to North America is an intriguing wrinkle to those talks. The firm says that about 300 to 400 vehicles can be shipped on each Neoline vessel, although the loading will take longer that it would using a traditional cargo ship. A demonstration vessel shown was 446 feet in total length and had more than 45,000 square feet of sail. The partnership between Renault and Neoline was first announced in 2018.   Green Mitsubishi Nissan Green Culture

FCA scion John Elkann tries to pull off a Marchionne-sized merger

MILAN, Italy — When John Elkann lost his ally last year with the sudden death of Sergio Marchionne, some questioned whether the softly-spoken scion of the Agnelli clan would be able to emerge from his shadow to ensure Fiat Chrysler's future. But New York-born Elkann, who became Fiat chairman in 2010, acted decisively to fill the vacuum left by the larger-than-life Marchionne and get closer to the big merger deal the legendary executive was unable to deliver. At just 28, Elkann was thrust into the role of Fiat vice chairman after the deaths of his grandfather and great-uncle "because there was really nobody else" to take the wheel. For Elkann, who got his first taste of the car industry as an intern at a factory producing headlights in Birmingham, England, the first 18 months with responsibility for the family-owned carmaker and its long heritage were "terrible." But from that low point, Elkann, 43, is now trying to merge Fiat Chrysler (FCA) with French rival Renault to form the world's third largest carmaker and tackle new challenges facing the industry. Elkann will become chairman of the merged FCA-Renault if the deal goes ahead, ensuring the Agnelli dynasty plays a central role in the next chapter of automotive history. At an event in Milan on Monday, the usually-shy Elkann looked happy and confident. His first big break came with an instrumental role in persuading Marchionne, who was running one of the businesses owned by the Agnelli family, to become chief executive in 2004 and give Fiat "a new start," Elkann said in a "Masters of Scale" podcast last year. Fiat was at the time almost on the brink of collapse. This involved a "very long night ... and many grappas" but proved to be a turning point in the fortunes of the Italian company founded by Elkann's great-great-grandfather Giovanni Agnelli, which built its first car in 1899. In 2005, Elkann backed Marchionne in negotiating the breakup of an alliance Fiat had entered into with General Motors in 2000, receiving $2 billion from GM in return for canceling a deal that could have required GM to buy the remainder of Fiat Auto. Marchionne then used GM's money to fund a turnaround at Fiat, which involved taking the Italian carmaker into a transformation alliance and then full-blown merger with U.S. automaker Chrysler as Elkann agreed to the Agnellis loosening their grip.