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Nissan recalling 841k vehicles overseas for steering wheel trouble

A possible issue with a steering wheel bolt in the Nissan Micra (shown) and Cube from the 2002 to 2006 model years has Nissan recalling roughly 841,000 units on four continents, as well as Oceania and the Middle East. On the affected cars, the bolt may not have been tightened properly, which could lead to a loss of steering in a worst-case scenario. According to Reuters, there haven't been any reports of accidents or injuries due to the fault, however.
The Micras affected were built in the UK and Japan, the Cubes in Japan. Nissan has yet to say when the recall will begin, but when it does, owners can take their cars to dealers for repairs; the bolt with either be tightened or, if necessary, a new steering wheel installed.

Nine cars we wish were convertibles

The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. At the Autoblog Detroit office we feel like our winter hibernation is finally over. And with warmer temperatures come visions of opening up a convertible roof and cruising. You know, just turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast. There are plenty of droptops on sale in the US, and more on the way (like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata). That said, we always want more. More! More! More! In that spirit, we cooked up a list of nine cars aren't currently sold as convertible, but ought to be. Check out our picks, below. Summer's just around the corner. Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S In some parallel universe, this car actually happened. Toyota showed us a FT 86 Convertible concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, and we immediately started licking our chops over the thought of a rear-wheel-drive convertible based on the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S twins. These days, the MX-5 Miata is our only option for affordable roadster fun. A competitor to the Mazda seems like a no-brainer to us, especially since we have naught but good to say about the BRZ/FR-S as-is. Unfortunately in our present timeline, this car is as likely for production as a BRZ STI. Which is to say, not very. Dang. Lexus RC F Unlike the FR-S, a convertible from Toyota's luxury division might actually see the light of day. The current IS convertible is about to be phased out, and the Lexus LF-C2 concept from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show is really a thinly veiled look at a possible RC convertible. A droptop RC would be plenty good, but let's reach for the starts. What we really want is to run topless in an RC F, complete with that powerful, loud, 5.0-liter V8 engine. Lexus says the RC F is a true competitor to the BMW M4. If that's true, it only makes sense for Lexus to mimic the Germans and offer its performance coupe in a folding hardtop form. Maybach Landaulet Maybach is bach back, recast as an upper crust trim level for Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is seriously awesome, and more luxurious than a trip to the spa. But why not go a step into the truly ridiculous levels of extravagence and bring back that open-top Landaulet? We think your local princess will love this idea, and with better S-Class bones underneath, Jeeves will have a pretty enjoyable ship to steer, too. Besides, with that slick new Mercedes design language, a Landaulet redux wouldn't be nearly as hideous as the old model, pictured here.

Nissan GT-R LM Nismo claws its way into Jay Leno's Garage

Nissan has taken a radical approach to its Le Mans entry, giving the GT-R LM Nismo an unusual front-engine, front-drive layout to challenge the mid-engine prototypes put forth by the likes of Audi, Porsche and Toyota. It's so unusual that Jay Leno just had to have it in his garage to get a good look at it – and fortunately he had the cameras rolling when he did. Nissan's LMP1 design will attempt to take advantage of the regulations that are more restrictive on the rear aerodynamics than they are on the front. So the Japanese automaker moved everything up front, including the engine, the driven wheels, and the bulk of the downforce. Whether it will pay off remains to be seen, but we'll be watching closely to see how it fares against the mainstream competition. In the meantime, you can scope out this special 24-minute episode of Jay Leno's Garage to see what Nissan is up to.