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Nissan and Mitsubishi reportedly working on a 1-ton pickup for the U.S.

We can probably consider it a testament to how far ex-Nissan Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn veered the conglomerate off the straight and narrow that Nissan continues to restate its global aims. Four years ago, Ghosn successor CEO Makoto Uchida announced Nissan Next, part of the plan's global initiatives to "[Focus] on global core model segments including enhanced C and D segment vehicles, electric vehicles, sport cars," "Introduce 12 models in the next 18 months," and "[Expand] presence in EVs and electric-motor-driven cars, including e-POWER, with more than 1 million electrified sales units expected a year by end of FY23." About 18 months later, the automaker expanded on detail with Ambition 2030, which would invest 2 trillion yen ($13.2 billion U.S.) through 2026, part of which would pay for launching 23 new electrified models, 15 of those pure-electric and planned to hit the market by 2027. It's been a tough row to hoe. Now, at the end of Nissan's fiscal year in March, Uchida announced a revised business plan called The Arc. This would put 30 new models on the market by the end of fiscal year 2026 (March 2027), 16 of which will be electrified. Note the climbdown: Ambition 2030 wanted to put 23 electrified vehicles on the market, 15 of them pure-electric, The Arc wants 30 total vehicles, 16 electrified, eight of them pure-electric. A report in Automotive News says one of those BEVs could be an electric one-ton pickup that Nissan will develop with Mitsubishi for the North American market, as well as a plug-in hybrid powertrain that will power an unknown body style and could also serve the pickup. The PHEV would come first, no surprise based on trends in the EV market. Mitsubishi would develop the PHEV powertrain, perhaps an evolution of the system sold in the Outlander PHEV here and the Eclipse Cross PHEV in international markets like Australia. Bringing a PHEV would give Mitsu a third plug-in model, and give Nissan a second to go along with the China-specific Venucia-brand PHEV that launched last year. Beyond giving Nissan a much needed hybrid to sell in the U.S. — the automaker doesn't sell any here now — it would give Mitsubishi dealers some much needed new product.  The pickup, on the other hand, would employ Nissan's EV expertise. It's planned for our market sometime between March 31, 2027, and the same date in 2031. This could make it a part of Nissan's planned family of next-gen modular EVs that debut after the eight models coming by 2026.

Nissan Murano production fires up in America for first time [w/video]

Production of the new, third-generation Nissan Murano has finally kicked off at the company's Canton, MS factory, marking not only the eighth vehicle built on the facility's lines, but also the first global product to be built there since it opened in 2003.
"The strategic investments that Nissan has made in Canton serve as a testament to the flexibility, efficiency and talent of our workforce and suppliers," said John Martin, Nissan's boss for manufacturing, supply chain management and purchasing. "In Canton, we build high-quality vehicles that compete and win globally, and the bold new Murano will build on that reputation."
The addition of Murano production, which joins Altima, Armada, Titan, Frontier, Xterra and NV, brought a further 1,300 jobs.

Nissan cooks up throwback livery for Le Mans

Nissan may not have won the overall 24 Hours of Le Mans before – Mazda remains the only Japanese automaker to have done so – but when it returns to Le Mans this year, it will be armed with other bragging rights. And it's that past accomplishment that Nissan is celebrating with this throwback livery. Twenty-five years ago, Mark Blundell set a blistering qualifying lap in the No. 24 Nissan R90CK, lapping La Sarthe in 3:27.020. That was enough to put the Datsun on pole for the race, and though it never made it to the finish line, it set a record that stands to this day when it hit 227 miles per hour on the Mulsanne straight – even with the chicanes in place. That car wore a blue livery with white and red that still holds a place of honor in the hearts of racing fans. So to mark its return to Le Mans a quarter century later, Nissan is decking out its new GT-R LM Nismo in a tribute livery that will be worn by the third entry the company will be fielding in the race. Nissan celebrates 1990 pole lap of Le Mans with retro livery for LM P1 car LE MANS, France – Nissan today revealed a very special livery that will feature on the No.21 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO at Le Mans. Exactly 25 years ago, at the peak of the Group C era, Mark Blundell put the Nissan R90CK on pole position with a stunning 3:27.020 lap of the Le Mans circuit. The No.21 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO is Nissan's third LM P1 car that will be raced by current Super GT Champion Tsugio Matsuda (JAP) and two winners of GT Academy, Lucas Ordonez (ESP) and Mark Shulzhitskiy (RUS). The No.24 Nissan R90CK will also appear at Le Mans in a special parade to mark the anniversary of the pole lap in the hands of the man who took it to the top of the tables 25 years ago, Mark Blundell. The 1100bhp car may not reach speeds of 366 km/h (227 mph) as it did in 1990, but it is certain to grab everyone's attention. "That lap of Le Mans is certainly a very fond memory for me," said Blundell. "It was one of those moments where time stood still and everything went perfectly. You remember those moments, as they don't happen all that often. It's great to see Nissan celebrating that time with the retro livery on the #21 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO. I can't wait to see it on track at Le Mans." "Our racing heritage is hugely important to us," said Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO.