2008 Nissan Frontier on 2040-cars

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Panoz and DeltaWing suing Nissan over BladeGlider concept

Similarity is bound to occur in an industry where most of the products follow the same basic formula. But once in a while a new design comes along that doesn't quite reinvent the wheel, but comes pretty damn close. The DeltaWing project was one such design - and Nissan, the car's designers allege, stole that design.
After the DeltaWing proposal was rejected by the IndyCar series, its creators took it to Le Mans and brought Nissan on board to supply the power. Nissan subsequently pulled out of the program and came out with the ZEOD RC hybrid racer (right), bearing a suspiciously similar design with an unusually narrow front track at the end of a long nose cone, and a wider track at the back. The Japanese automaker then displayed the BladeGlider concept (below, right) at the Tokyo Motor Show, envisioning a translation of the same formula into road-going form.
The similarity did not escape Don Panoz, who - after making sports and racing cars under his own name and founding the now-defunct American Le Mans Series - was a central figure in bringing the original DeltaWing to life. Now Panoz has filed a lawsuit against Nissan, soliciting the courts to issue a cease-and-desist order on both the ZEOD RC and BladeGlider projects, naming Nissan motorsport chief Darren Cox and Ben Bowlby (who defected to Nissan from the DeltaWing program) as part of the suit.

What does a world-class downhill skateboarder drive? Something very cool

Kevin Reimer has an interesting career and a fascinating car. The resident of Vancouver, BC is a professional downhill skateboarder - which we now know is a thing you can be - who sees a lot of commonality between his extreme occupation and his cherry 1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R.
The subjects of the latest Petrolicious joint, Racing Champions, Reimer waxes philosophical about skateboarding and driving down some of the same routes. You'll not be surprised to hear that riding the curves of a mountain slope, be it on a deck or in a bucket seat, both rely on grip and nerve in various measure. Scroll down to see for yourself, and don't miss the rest of our Petrolicious library when you're done.

Men accused of helping Ghosn escape can be extradited to Japan, federal judge says

This Dec. 30, 2019, security camera image shows Michael L. Taylor, center, at passport control at Istanbul Airport in Turkey, where Carlos Ghosn was smuggled through to Lebanon.   BOSTON — A federal judge in Boston on Thursday rejected a last-ditch effort by two men to avoid being extradited to Japan to face charges they helped former Nissan Motor Co Ltd Chairman Carlos Ghosn flee the country. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani cleared the way for U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, to be handed over to Japan, after the U.S. State Department approved their extradition. Judge Talwani said that "although the prison conditions in Japan may be deplorable," it was not enough to bar extradition. She added the U.S. has "sufficiently established that the actions the Taylors are alleged to have committed amount to an extraditable offense." Nissan and the Japanese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. The Taylors were arrested in May at Japan's request. Talwani put their extradition on hold on Oct. 29 so she could hear their challenge to the State Department's decision. Prosecutors say the Taylors helped Ghosn flee Japan on Dec. 29, 2019, hidden in a box and on a private jet before reaching his childhood home, Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan. Ghosn was awaiting trial on charges that he engaged in financial wrongdoing, including understating his compensation in Nissan's financial statements. Ghosn has denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors said the elder Taylor, a private security specialist, and his son received $1.3 million for their services. The Taylors' lawyers argued they could not be prosecuted in Japan for helping someone "bail jump" and that, if extradited, they faced the prospect of relentless interrogations and torture. Ghosn in a court filing sought to support their claim, arguing he faced prolonged detention, mental torture and intimidation in Japan and the Taylors would face "similar or worse conditions."