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Ghosn's first jail interview: I was the victim of 'plot and treason'

TOKYO — Carlos Ghosn said Nissan executives opposed to his plans for closer ties with automaking partner Renault SA resorted to "plot and treason" to disrupt them and were behind the financial misconduct allegations against him. Speaking to the Nikkei newspaper in his first media interview since his arrest on Nov. 19, Ghosn said he had discussed plans to integrate the companies with Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa in September. But Nissan executives employed "plot and treason" to uproot those plans, Ghosn said. Ghosn, who spearheaded Nissan's turnaround two decades ago, had pushed for a deeper tie-up between Nissan and Renault, including possibly a full merger, despite strong reservations at the Japanese corporation. He remains in detention following his arrest and indictment on charges related to breach of trust and understating his salary. His arrest has clouded the outlook for closer ties between Nissan and Renault, along with Mitsubishi Motors Corp, the third member of the automaking alliance Since his arrest, Saikawa has said it was not the time to discuss revising the partners' complex capital ties. Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors have dismissed Ghosn as chairman, while he has resigned from the helm at Renault. Ghosn denied accusations of improper payments to a company run by a Saudi businessman, saying the payment had been approved by a Nissan executive. Ghosn also called accusations by both Nissan and Mitsubishi that he received nearly 8 million euros in improper payment through a Dutch-based joint venture of the two automakers "a distortion of reality," and argued his luxury residences in Rio de Janeiro and Beirut were approved by Nissan's legal department. Nissan has said it was not aware that it had paid for many of Ghosn's properties. On Wednesday, a spokesman said that the company was unable to comment on Ghosn's legal defense. Ghosn, in the 20-minute interview, denied that his tenure at Nissan had been a "dictatorship." "People translated strong leadership to dictator, to distort reality" for the "purpose of getting rid of me," he said. Ghosn added that his health was fine, and that he wouldn't flee if freed on bail. Meanwhile, NHK reported that Saikawa plans to hold his first face-to-face discussion with new Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard on the sidelines of an alliance meeting in the Netherlands on Thursday.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport gets another refresh at Geneva

A mysterious electric SUV isn't the only vehicle Mitsubishi is bringing to the Geneva Motor Show. The company is also showing a refreshed 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (or ASX as it's known in some markets). And yes, despite the fact the Outlander Sport hasn't been completely redesigned since its introduction in the 2011 model year, Mitsubishi is only giving it a mild update. Up front, the entire fascia is changed with all-new headlights, grille and front bumper. It's all more angular, and appears to be a blend of the Eclipse Cross and that electric SUV concept teased recently. It's easily the most successful part of the refresh. The sides are unchanged save for some chrome fake fender vents. The back features new LED taillights and a rear bumper with a faux skid plate rather than a faux diffuser. The inside is almost unchanged except for the new infotainment screen. At 8 inches, it's an inch larger than the old model. It also has the ability to play videos from a USB flash memory stick when the car is parked. Powertrain options for the U.S. haven't been announced, but we expect it will use the same 148-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder currently available, plus its associated drivetrains. The current model can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive, with just a CVT on all-wheel drive models, and an available manual on front-driver versions. One final interesting aspect about the Outlander Sport just getting a refresh again is that it's the best-selling Mitsubishi in America, and the third-best worldwide. It seems strange to give so little love to a relatively successful model. Then again, the crossover has probably mostly paid for itself by now and it keeps selling, so perhaps Mitsubishi is just trying to maximize returns while it works on the smaller next-generation version. Related Video:

Renault-Nissan reportedly partnering with Waymo on self-driving cars

The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance will tie up with Alphabet Inc's Waymo to develop autonomous taxis and other services using self-driving vehicles, the Nikkei reported on Tuesday. Google's self-driving car company Waymo will work with the carmakers and announce a plan for the arrangement as early as this spring, the business daily reported. The partners are considering the joint development of unmanned taxis using Nissan vehicles and a system that handles reservation and payments, Nikkei said. A spokesman at the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, Nick Twork, said, "This (Nikkei) story is based on rumors and speculation. We have nothing to announce." Waymo did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Last month, Nissan Motor Corp said its board remained committed to the carmaker's alliance with Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp, after directors met to discuss the ongoing investigation into former chairman Carlos Ghosn and ways to bolster governance. Among the companies developing autonomous driving technology, Waymo is considered to be far in the lead in terms of test-fleet miles driven. It operates hundreds of vehicles in 25 U.S. locations, and is already operating a taxi service with paying customers in Chandler, Ariz. Related Video: