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Nissan could report first quarterly loss since March 2009

TOKYO — Nissan may report its first quarterly loss in more than a decade on Thursday because of slumping sales, sources familiar with the company said, adding more pressure on efforts to rebuild the company after Carlos Ghosn's ouster. Deteriorating profits underscore the challenges facing Nissan, which is unwinding many of the expansionist strategies championed by ex-Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Ghosn by slashing jobs, production sites and product offerings to save cash and ensure its survival. In addition to slumping sales, production disruptions caused by China's coronavirus outbreak could also drag profits lower. Three senior officials at Japan's No. 2 automaker told Reuters that they anticipate a poor results announcement on Thursday, with one of them calling the figures "dismal". Two of the officials cautioned that there is the possibility of an operating loss, which would be the first quarterly loss since the period ending in March 2009. Nissan said it could not comment on its financial results ahead of its official announcement. The company is likely to report operating profit of 48.6 billion yen ($442.5 million) for the quarter ending in December, less than half the 103 billion yen profit a year ago, according to SmartEstimate's survey of three analysts, who revised their forecasts in January. However, those forecasts were issued before the release of the December vehicle sales figures on Jan. 30, which show third-quarter sales dropped by 11% from the year earlier period, according to Reuters calculations. That is the biggest quarterly slump of its current sales downturn that began two years ago. That sales decline led one auto equities analyst based in Japan to scrap his forecast and also warn that Nissan could post a loss. "It will be a question of whether there will be a profit or a loss. For the quarter, a loss is a possibility," he said, declining to be named as his forecast had not been updated to reflect his latest view. One of the three Nissan officials said there is a risk the automaker may cut its full-year profit forecast of 150 billion yen, which would be an 11-year low. The company announced that forecast in November after an initial 230 billion yen outlook.

The Infiniti QX80 Monograph concept is fully revealed ahead of New York

The big Infiniti QX80, the largest SUV in the company's range and related to the Nissan Patrol sold around the world, is frankly in need of a facelift. The last time the big lug went under the knife was in 2014, and it was a pretty mild nip and tuck. The aging SUV was never much of a looker anyways, although it is certainly distinct. The Monograph concept, which is coming to the New York Auto Show next week, is a preview of where the QX80 is headed. And as we saw in the teaser last week, this styling direction is an improvement. The headlights migrate higher on the front fascia, making the thing look a little less like a sad porpoise and more like a tech-heavy SUV with serious presence. Some of this is simply concept car fantasy, sure – note the lack of mirrors, a favorite concept car trope that'll be replaced by real mirrors for production. But as Infiniti says, the concept "illustrates how the design of INFINITI's QX80 could evolve". Translation: expect the general shape and overall styling to make it to a production vehicle, unless somehow this concept gets roundly panned at the show. Since it seems to be an inarguable improvement over the current vehicle, the inevitable march towards production seems assured. Related Video: Design/Style New York Auto Show Infiniti SUV Luxury infiniti qx80 infiniti qx80 monograph

First Infiniti QX30 Concept image released ahead of Geneva Motor Show

After releasing a shadowy glimpse of the rear of the QX30 Concept a few days ago, Infiniti is finally shining some light on the premium compact crossover's backside ahead of the vehicle's full debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show on March 3. The QX30 is a thorough reworking of the brand's Q30 Concept from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Many of the same styling elements show up on the latest luxury crossover interpretation, but the touches are tweaked to better align with Infiniti's latest look. In addition to jacking up the ride height by 1.2 inches, the CUV gets hard creases in its sheetmetal and complicated 21-inch aluminum wheels that really grab the eye. The rear wears a contrasting dark purple stripe that separates the hatch area from the exhaust tips housed in the skid plate, and both concepts share a coupe-like proportion with the backseat door pulls hidden for a cleaner line. While not pictured, the company says the vehicle has a glass roof. Infiniti still isn't showing the aluminum-trimmed front of the concept yet, but the automaker admits that the styling on display here hints at the possibility of a future premium compact crossover, which isn't really a surprise. The company has talked about a production QX30 several times in the past. First image release of strong and stylish Infiniti QX30 Concept • Concept combines elevated crossover stance with strong coupe contours • World premiere at 2015 Geneva International Motor Show • Enhanced crossover is 30mm taller than Q30 Concept HONG KONG – Infiniti today provides the first full glimpse of the QX30 Concept, which will have its world premiere at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. The crossover concept hints at a future premium compact vehicle and gives a strong indication of the brand's commitment to this segment. Pushing design boundaries, the QX30 Concept combines the sleek lines of a coupe with the distinguishing features and higher stance of a crossover. Looking poised for action, yet fluid, it promises to deliver effortless capability with style. "We wanted the spontaneous fluidity of the QX30 Concept design to cut through the urban clutter and rigidity, reflecting its go-anywhere and spur-of-the-moment nature," said Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director.