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What happens to Renault-Nissan after Ghosn is gone?

Carlos Ghosn is a very, very busy man. Like, really busy. As in, he heads up three automakers (and their subsidiaries), running facilities in 68 countries and selling vehicles in 170 different markets across the globe. He flies over 300,000 miles per year and works 15 to 16 hours a day, just to manage an alliance between the Japanese and French that's responsible for an expected $140 billion in sales this year alone. The Chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Ghosn has managed a number of remarkable feats during his time at both automakers, but there are some that are questioning how much longer the 60-year-old exec can handle the punishing nature of his responsibilities. According to Fortune, six months ago Ghosn signed a four-year contract to continue running Renault, while his tenure at Nissan will continue until at least 2017. Beyond that, though, the future is rather murky, and it's made worse by the high-level turnover that Renault-Nissan has experienced over the past few years, losing execs like Carlos Tavares, Johan de Nysschen and Andy Palmer. Fortune has an excellent, and lengthy, feature on Ghosn, his responsibilities and the danger posed to Renault-Nissan by his departure. If you're at all curious about what the exec has done for the two automakers, how this alliance has worked when so many other industry partnerships have failed and just what a post-Ghosn future may hold, head over and have a look. News Source: FortuneImage Credit: Lee Jin-man / AP Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Read This Infiniti Nissan Renault datsun dacia lada readthis

2022 Infiniti QX55 Review | Price, performance, size, comparisons with QX50

Carmakers love calling them coupes, but as they have four doors, that's still a tough sell for our dictionary. So, let's go with fastback SUV for now, and say that the 2022 Infiniti QX55 is one of the best-looking examples of the growing bunch. Even if Infiniti wasn't originally intending to lop off the back of its QX50 compact crossover, the afterthought project to turn it into the QX55 was nevertheless a successful one. When parked next to a BMW X4 or Audi Q5 Sportback, we know the QX55 would do the prettiest job sprucing up the driveway. It's nicely proportioned and tastefully detailed with just a hint of Infiniti's forever cool FX SUV at the rear. The interior is also interesting to behold and pleasing to touch. Unfortunately, the QX55's aesthetics are its main selling point. Driving it is a real letdown as its underwhelming handling and soul-sucking continuously variable transmission just aren’t up to snuff for a luxury model. It makes the QX55 feel like you're driving a Nissan Altima. And even if you're less concerned with a car's driving dynamics, the QX55's odd and antiquated tech interface is sure to be a put-off after seeing what BMW, Audi and Mercedes have to offer. Of course, all of this could be said of the QX50. At least the QX55 has aesthetics on its side.   What's new for 2022? The QX55 is an all-new model, although the QX50 upon which it's based has been around since 2019. 2022 Infiniti QX55 View 25 Photos What's the QX55 interior and in-car technology like? The QX55 interior is a highlight. ItÂ’s lifted from the QX50, and thatÂ’s good. ItÂ’s just as flowy as the exterior, and on our Sensory trim level test car, it was fitted with sumptuous red and black leather on nearly every surface, plus some natural-finish wood trim across the dash and doors. Lower trim models arenÂ’t quite as flashy but still feature the same attractive design. It's all suitably elevated for a luxury car. On the other hand, the dual-screen infotainment system is at best bizarre and at worst antiquated.  Most infotainment functions are accessed and operated via the touchscreen at the bottom of the stack. That placement makes it easy to reach but hard to see. The top screen controls the navigation system and Apple/Android integration, is of a noticeably lower resolution, and is controlled either by touch or with a control wheel on the center console next to the shifter.

Infiniti Q50S getting G37's hydraulic steering for 2016

Sometimes, new technology doesn't make things better. Take the march of power steering technology as an example. Electrically assisted systems are in vogue at the moment for their ability to increase fuel efficiency, but tuning them to offer good feedback remains something of a dark art. Some automakers get it, but most don't. The previous hydraulically assisted setups just seem to be inherently more communicative when driven with enthusiasm. And it looks like Infiniti might be learning this lesson the hard way.
In talking with Keith St. Clair, the luxury brand's head of product planning, Car and Driver has learned that the Q50S is probably going to ditch its standard electrically assisted steering in favor of a hydraulic system derived from the old G37, a model soon to be renamed the Q40. The system should make the sedan more engaging behind the wheel, but it still won't help those who tick the option box for Infiniti's controversial Direct Adaptive Steering drive-by-wire system.
According to St. Clair, Infiniti's engineers have heard the complaints of critics and previous G37 owners about the Q50S model's electric steering system, and wanted to see what they could do. They didn't have to go far to figure it out - all it required was taking the steering rack off of a G37 and putting it onto the Q50S. After a little tweaking, "the car is a blast to drive," St. Clair reports. Now, the company is said to be fast-tracking the switch, and it could be ready for the 2016 model year.