2013 Nissan Quest Sl on 2040-cars

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Nissan will reduce its presence in Europe as part of turnaround plan

TOKYO — Nissan is planning to further reduce its presence in Europe and outsource the sales and manufacturing of its cars to alliance partner Renault, the daily Yomiuri newspaper reported on Friday. As part of its global turnaround plan, which is reversing a rapid expansion led by the ousted former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, Nissan will cut its distribution channels in thirty countries, mainly in East Europe. It is also planning to close its Avila plant in Spain and convert it into a warehouse, the report said. The report didn't provide details of the scale of the outsourcing. Calls to Nissan's public relations office went unanswered on Friday, a public holiday in Japan. The Japanese motor company is currently moving its operations away from Europe and shifting its focus to China, the United States, and Japan. Nissan, which expects to post a record operating loss of 340 billion yen ($3.25 billion) in the year to March 31, is cutting production capacity and model numbers by a fifth and aims to slash operating expenses by 300 billion yen over three years. The company's three-way alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi Motor was plunged into uncertainty in 2018, when Ghosn was arrested on financial misconduct charges, which he denies. He later fled Japan while being monitored by law enforcement and awaiting trial at his residence.

Next Nissan Sentra spied, test driver salutes

Nissan isn't keeping a secret that the Sentra is getting a significant refresh for the 2016 model year, but apparently one of the test drivers isn't so happy about a spy photographer getting an early peek. As you can see in several pictures in the above gallery, the guy flies the finger directly at the camera as it captures this camouflaged compact sedan testing around Metro Detroit. While the 2016 Sentra is supposed to be heavily restyled compared to the current model, Nissan is still remaining tight-lipped about exactly what that means. These shots provide some clear indications, though. Up front, the brand's V-shaped grille is fairly obvious even through the camo in several photos, and the headlights get an angular resculpting to match that style. With its honeycomb grille, the lower air dam looks a slightly sportier, too. The sides are left unaltered in these shots, but the rear gets another big dose of obfuscation. The update back there seems to draw from the newly refreshed Altima, especially with the more pointy taillights. While harder to tell for sure, the trunk and lower bumper also appear to have a more complex design. Overall, the latest model reportedly takes inspiration from the Pulsar in Europe. This revision comes even as Sentra sales remain strong. For the year so far through August, the model is up 8.9 percent with 140,074 units moved. However, the 2016 model has to stand up against the challenge of the all-new 2016 Honda Civic that's entering the market at around the same time, meaning the Sentra has its work cut out for it.

Takata air bag recall list

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed yesterday that 33.8 million vehicles with Takata airbags are going to be recalled. It's the largest recall in automotive history. The already record-breaking rate of automotive recalls this year shows no signs of slowing down, especially since millions of cars with defective airbags made by global supplier Takata are under ongoing scrutiny. The federal government is warning owners that inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed. The faulty air bags have already been blamed for multiple deaths. How do you know if your vehicle is safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released an updated list of vehicles under recall. Sometimes however, the government's website will crash and the list may not be complete. Check your VIN at the NHTSA website to make sure. The list of cars affected by the recall has not been released, but seem to span multiple models over the years for many of the automakers.