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How a powerful Nissan insider brought down Carlos Ghosn

Hari Nada   We may never truly know all the corporate skullduggery that went on at Nissan to get former boss Carlos Ghosn arrested and incarcerated in Japan, a country he ultimately fled in a box in what may be the greatest escape caper in corporate history. Nor may we ever truly know which accusations against Ghosn are or are not true. But Bloomberg News thinks it has a pretty good fix on the mastermind of the putsch, a Nissan senior vice president named Hari Nada. Nada, Bloomberg says, is "an insider known for his aggressive tactics and fondness for Marlboros, French cuff shirts and strong cologne." In a 4,600-word investigative piece, Bloomberg dials in on Nada, 56, as having directed other senior executives in a plot to bring down Ghosn, starting a year before his arrest in Tokyo. "The aftermath has been messy," Bloomberg puts it mildly, with Nissan losing billions of dollars, its management in disarray, and the alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi strained to the limits. The fortunes of the three automakers were sent reeling, with the coronavirus pandemic piling on. For his part, Ghosn is living in Lebanon as an international fugitive. Nada's role was basically as chief of staff to Ghosn, a position from which he could see that the chairman intended to strengthen the alliance, bringing the players together in one holding company. Nissan executives have long resisted closer ties and chafed at the company's junior-partner relationship with Renault, though ironically Ghosn's plan would have brought Nissan more of the parity it has always craved. Ghosn also wanted to expand, possibly by a merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.  Among Bloomberg's new discoveries: Nada arranged to have Ghosn's corporate email hacked, unbeknownst to key IT personnel or Nissan's CEO. This began months before Nada began working with prosecutors in a secret deal that afforded him immunity. Jose Munoz, a former Nissan exec and ally of Ghosn's, feared arrest — and refused to Tokyo when summoned — after being tipped off by the U.S. and Spanish ambassadors to Japan. Munoz is now chief operating officer at Hyundai. Top Nissan corporate counsel Ravinder Passi says he was retaliated against after raising complaints against Nada to Nissan's board. He says Nissan initiated a police raid of his home, which Bloomberg has on video. Nada purged other executives deemed rivals or disloyal and apparently became quite unpopular.

2014 Nissan GT-R squeaks in under $100k*, Murano CrossCabriolet priced, too

Another year, another price hike for the ridiculously awesome Nissan GT-R. When the GT-R was introduced for the 2008 model year, it had a starting price of $69,850, increasing steadily each year up to $96,820 for 2013, and now Nissan has announced that the 2014 GT-R will have a base sticker price of $99,590 (*not including the destination charge, which has not been announced yet).
More than just a simple price hike, the 2014 GT-R gets some upgrades, continuing the model's other longstanding tradition - continuous improvement. While there has been no increase in power, Nissan says the 545-horsepower, twin-turbo V6 now has better response in its mid- and upper-rpm ranges. Nissan has also improved the car's handling, giving it different shock absorbers, springs and a reworked front anti-roll bar, along with "increased body rigidity," though it doesn't specify how the latter is accomplished. The changes are said to lower the coupe's center of gravity and further improve its (already spectacular) handling. A few styling tweaks include the addition of a Premium Interior Package offering hand-stitched red leather seats, a color pattern for the steering wheel on the $109,300 GT-R Black Edition and an engraved aluminum plate showing the owner who built their car's engine.
Along with the announcement of the 2014 GT-R, Nissan also released details for the 2014 Murano CrossCabriolet. The big - but not surprising - news is that Nissan has lowered the price of its slow-selling crossover convertible to $41,995, representing a price drop of just over $2,500. Aside from price, model year changes include two new exterior colors and redesigned 20-inch wheels.

Recharge Wrap-up: BYD building e6 for Taiwan, Formula E announces season two test dates

The West Coast Electric Highway in Oregon and Washington offers EV drivers a lot of freedom to travel. With fast chargers available along I-5 and many other highways, drivers can travel through large parts of the Northwest without worrying about being stranded. Most chargers are 20 to 30 miles apart throughout the network - which is helpful considering the extra energy needed to climb the many hills - but things get a little more difficult at the border with California. From Ashland, Oregon southward, there isn't another fast charger for about 200 miles. Read more at Green Car Reports. The BYD e6 will be built in Taiwan for the Taiwanese market. AJ Greentech Holdings will manufacture the electric crossover taxi, which can travel 186 miles on a single charge. "This contract will ensure that our initiative for revolutionizing green energy transportation is carried out," says AJ Greentech Holdings CEO Chu Li An. "By driving this e6 electric taxi, drivers will save 10,000 Taiwan dollars a year on transportation costs, an unparalleled deal, while at the same time, providing a safer environment for all the citizens of Taiwan." Read more at Hybrid Cars. Nissan and Ricker Oil are partnering to bring EV fast charging to Ricker's Convenience Stores in Indianapolis. Nissan Leaf customers who purchase beginning April 1 will be able to charge for free at the nine locations as part of the automaker's "No Charge to Charge" program. "In Indianapolis, we are taking bold steps to reduce our city's oil dependence," says Mayor Greg Ballard. "Growing our citywide network of EV charging stations is important as we transition the city's entire fleet off foreign oil and work with residents to increase their access to electric vehicles." Read more at Convenience Store News. Formula E has announced its preseason test dates for its second season. Testing will take place in August at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England, where Formula E has its headquarters. Teams will be testing cars with powertrains from eight new manufacturers for the second season. The public is welcome to come watch on the last day of testing, August 25. See the full testing schedule and read more from Formula E.