Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Ghosn orders Nissan USA to double sales by 2017]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/ghosn-orders-nissan-usa-to-double-sales-by-2017/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/ghosn-orders-nissan-usa-to-double-sales-by-2017/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/ghosn-orders-nissan-usa-to-double-sales-by-2017/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn makes a gun gesture with his fingers - pew-pew!

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has just one teensy-weensy request for its United States arm: Double your sales by 2017.

"China was not our biggest, I would say, disappointment. It was mainly the United States. We were expecting a strong year in the United States. It didn't happen," Ghosn said, speaking at a conference after announcing Nissan's 2012 fiscal results, Automotive News reports. Because of this, Ghosn has ordered his US executives to iron out the problems that affected new vehicle launches and to strengthen the company's dealer network.

In 2012, Nissan's US sales rose to 1.1 million units - a five-percent increase, and a record, at that. But the company's overall market share fell from 8.2 percent to 7.7 percent, putting the company further away from its goal of having a 10-percent stake overall.

Automotive News reports that the plan to increase sales includes increasing the number of dealerships in the US, doubling per-store sales and boosting its marketing efforts in key demographic groups. All we can say is: Good luck.

Ghosn orders Nissan USA to double sales by 2017 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnnissannissan salesnissan usaMon, 13 May 2013 13:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20566718/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/13/ghosn-orders-nissan-usa-to-double-sales-by-2017/20566718/article-detail.xml 20566718 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/ghosn_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/ghosn.jpg <![CDATA[How and why Nissan nearly killed off Infiniti]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/25/how-and-why-nissan-nearly-killed-off-infiniti/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/25/how-and-why-nissan-nearly-killed-off-infiniti/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/25/how-and-why-nissan-nearly-killed-off-infiniti/#commentsFiled under: ,

http://wardsauto.com/management-amp-strategy/palmer-nissan-considered-killing-infiniti

Launched in 1990, Infiniti was expected to be Japan's answer to BMW (Lexus would end up chasing Mercedes-Benz). Yet things went awry almost right out of the gate. Overlooking the fledgling automaker's now infamous early marketing campaign, its product line over the past twenty-four years has been a roller coaster ride of strong hits (Q45, FX35 and G35) and frustrating misses (M30, I30 and QX4).

In a recent interview with Ward's Auto at the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer revealed that the company's luxury brand was almost cancelled by CEO Carlos Ghosn as unnecessary. Infiniti, like most premium marques owned by a volume manufacturer, had fallen into the trap of losing autonomy and pushing its high-end product just like its mainstream models.

The one obvious exception to this industry blunder, said Palmer, was VW Group's Audi brand. Realizing that Audi's impressive comeback over the past two decades shamed even that of actor Robert Downey Jr., Nissan hired Audi veteran Johan de Nysschen to bring Infiniti to its intended glory - and protect it from extinction. Check out the complete interview here.

How and why Nissan nearly killed off Infiniti originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Carlos Ghosninfiniti cancelledinfiniti shut downJohan de NysschennissanFri, 25 Jan 2013 10:44:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20437844/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/25/how-and-why-nissan-nearly-killed-off-infiniti/20437844/article-detail.xml 20437844 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/1998-infiniti-qx4628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/1998-infiniti-qx4628.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan's Ghosn urges Japan's new PM to stabilize yen, patch things up with China]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/03/nissans-ghosn-urges-japans-new-pm-to-stabilize-yen-patch-thin/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/03/nissans-ghosn-urges-japans-new-pm-to-stabilize-yen-patch-thin/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/03/nissans-ghosn-urges-japans-new-pm-to-stabilize-yen-patch-thin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn gestures during speech

Shinzo Abe was sworn in as Japan's new prime minister - its seventh in six years - barely a week ago. To count him as the seventh PM is a bit disingenuous, in fact, since he was the prime minister in 2006 and 2007 but had to retire due to medical issues. His return came after a campaign that stressed repairing the nation's economic issues - a platform that should give you an idea of the issues Japan has had at the top step of its government. Chief among the nation's woes? An economy still suffering from two decades of deflation and, more recently, a yen that is gaining so bullishly that it's tearing up the china shop.

Yet even before he took office, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn had a message for prime minister Abe: "Please bring [the yen] back to the neutral territory so that we can do our job without a handicap." By "neutral," Ghosn was referring to an exchange rate of one dollar to 100 yen, by "our job" he meant Nissan's ability to build cars for export on the island nation even though Bloomberg posits that it already produces 75 percent of its units outside of Japan.

Above that neutral territory, production in Japan begins to get massively more expensive with every incremental rise in the yen; right now the 100 yen is about $1.15 - and that's after a ten-percent drop over the course of 2012 - and Bloomberg calculates that every single-digit increase in the yen's value against the dollar robs Nissan of $232 million in yearly operating profit. Just down the coast in Toyota City it's even worse - Bloomberg figures each single-digit increase in the yen costs Toyota $402 million every year.

Nissan is one among all the Japanese makers monitoring tensions in China, too. A territorial dispute last year caused Chinese buyers to shun Japanese cars to such an extent that overall car sales fell in China and Japanese automakers cut production and sales forecasts in the world's largest auto market. Ghosn was less pointed in his comments on the matter, saying only that if the antagonism keeps up then "obviously we will have to reflect it in our long-term plans." It was Akio Toyoda's comments, however, that were probably a good reflection of the private wishes of the new prime minister: "I want it to be a peaceful year where nothing goes wrong."

Nissan's Ghosn urges Japan's new PM to stabilize yen, patch things up with China originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>akio toyodacarlos ghosncurrencycurrency exchangenissanshinzo abetoyotayenThu, 03 Jan 2013 18:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20415671/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/03/nissans-ghosn-urges-japans-new-pm-to-stabilize-yen-patch-thin/20415671/article-detail.xml 20415671 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/nissan-ceo-carlos-ghosn-hands-on_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/nissan-ceo-carlos-ghosn-hands-on.jpg <![CDATA[New Datsun models to be based on Lada platform]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Russian Lada

Although we haven't heard much official news about the return of the Datsun brand since Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn made the announcement back in March, we now have a little more information about Nissan's new budget brand. Automotive News Europe is reporting that the new breed of Datsun products will go on sale by the end of 2013 and will be based on cars from the Russian automaker, Lada, which is currently part of the Nissan-Renault family.

With a goal of creating low-cost cars for emerging markets like Russia, India and Indonesia, the unknown Datsun models will reportedly be produced in Togliatti, Russia, alongside Lada cars as well as the Nissan Almera (the Russian version of the Nissan Versa sedan). Since these cars will be focused mainly on price, it's more likely that they will be basic vehicles rather than more stylish products like the Lada Xray Concept. Either way, the report says that Datsuns will look different than its Lada counterparts despite using the same underpinnings.

Initially, Datsun will launch with just two cars with a third model planned for 2015, and as far as pricing goes, the report says that the brand will be targeting a starting price of just 2,300 euros (around $3,000 USD) to compete with low-cost Chinese cars.

New Datsun models to be based on Lada platform originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosndatsunladalow-cost carnissanplatform sharingrussiaWed, 02 Jan 2013 07:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20414015/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/20414015/article-detail.xml 20414015 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/lada-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/lada-628.jpg <![CDATA[Ghosn: Another plant in North America is needed]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/ghosn-another-plant-in-north-america-is-needed/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/ghosn-another-plant-in-north-america-is-needed/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/ghosn-another-plant-in-north-america-is-needed/#commentsFiled under: , ,



With hopes of grabbing a 10-percent market share in the US by 2017, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the automaker is planning on increasing production capacity in North America, which includes building more Infiniti models outside of Japan. In an interview with Automotive News, Ghosn touched on freeing up existing capacity and adding new lines in North America for both brands, and he gave an indication as to where the Infiniti brand might be heading in the near future.

The report says that Nissan's combined market share in the US has dropped slightly to 7.9 percent - partially attributable to a lack of US capacity - but this could change over the next couple years. First, Nissan plans to open a new plant in Mexico next year. Next the opening of a Brazilian facility in 2014 should allow for extra capacity at the current Mexican plant, which builds cars for North and South America.

As far as Infiniti goes, Ghosn says the automaker is too dependent on Japan for these luxury cars, and adding a line of Infinitis to one of Nissan's Mexican plants seems to be the course of action we should expect. Ghosn also touched on future product saying that Infiniti should worry about selling more high-volume cars rather than getting a low-volume halo car based on recent concepts like the Emerge-E. A production version of the Leaf-based Infiniti LE Concept is still planned for 2014, though, and the new G is said to debuting in January at the Detroit Auto Show.

Ghosn: Another plant in North America is needed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnInfinitinissannissan mexico plantnissan productionTue, 06 Nov 2012 11:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20371313/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/06/ghosn-another-plant-in-north-america-is-needed/20371313/article-detail.xml 20371313 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ghosn-plant_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ghosn-plant.jpg <![CDATA[How Detroit is being dragged down by the ills of Europe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/04/how-detroit-is-being-dragged-down-by-the-ills-of-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/04/how-detroit-is-being-dragged-down-by-the-ills-of-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/04/how-detroit-is-being-dragged-down-by-the-ills-of-europe/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Big Three Bracing For Bad News From Overseas



Folks in Detroit could be in for some bad news in a few weeks, and that has nothing to do with who they're planning to vote for in the upcoming election.

In fact, General Motors and Ford will be rolling out their third-quarter earnings just in time for the presidential balloting, and while the U.S. economy has buoyed the industry at a level few might have expected at the start of 2012, the latest quarterly numbers will be hard hit by events on the other side of the Atlantic.

Between them, General Motors and Ford are likely to lose in excess of $500 million - some analysts put the red ink closer to $1 billion - for the July-September quarter. And for the full year, the domestics could run up a deficit closer to $4 billion if you include Fiat SpA, the Italian partner of Chrysler, according to analysts' consensus estimates.

Paul EisensteinPaul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

Continue reading How Detroit is being dragged down by the ills of Europe

How Detroit is being dragged down by the ills of Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alan mulallycarlos ghosnchevroletchryslerdan akersondetroiteuropefeaturedgeneral motorsmartin winterkornopelsergio marchionnesteve girskyvolkswagenThu, 04 Oct 2012 19:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20342023/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/04/how-detroit-is-being-dragged-down-by-the-ills-of-europe/20342023/article-detail.xml 20342023 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/ilfullxfull.307243403-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/ilfullxfull.307243403-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan GT-R future in doubt?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/nissan-gt-r-future-in-doubt/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/nissan-gt-r-future-in-doubt/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/nissan-gt-r-future-in-doubt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2013 Nissan GT-R - black - dynamic front three-quarter view

Next up in the "Whoa, what?!" department is a report on Inside Line wondering whether the current Nissan GT-R will be the last Nissan GT-R. The website's sources have learned that Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has yet to sign off on a next-generation car, which suggests the future model hasn't even begun development. And those same sources say they're not sure Ghosn will ever give the green light.

We're only speculating, but perhaps the problem - if there really is a problem and this isn't Ghosn machinating - has to do with this tidbit taken from the IL story: "Ghosn approved the original GT-R only after being assured that it would make money for the company even at low volumes." We wouldn't be suprised if the shade under 6,000 sales in four years is quite a bit lower than the "low volumes" predicted in Nissan's original cost/benefit calculus.

At launch, the 480-horsepower GT-R MSRP was $69,850, or $71,900 if you wanted the Premium model. Peanuts are cheaper, which is probably why the GT-R has cost substantially more every single year: after its first year, the price jumped to $76,840 for the base model and $79,090 for the Premium; the next year brought a price bump to $80,790 or $83,040 for the Premium; the following year, the base model disappeared and the Premium rose by a premium of $1,020 to $84,060; in 2012 the price took another leap to $90,950; and for 2013, it was another gulp-worthy price boost to $96,820. Yes, the 2013 iteration has 55 more horsepower than the original model and a 2.7-second 0-to-60 time, and yes, you'd look a long time for a sub-$100K car to match its performance, but at that price, the GT-R is mixing with the kinds of sexy metal that can bring attributes to the table that the GT-R can't match.

But of course, along with not knowing if Ghosn will approve a followup to the current car, we don't know why he hasn't done it already - maybe he's changed his mind about that Infiniti GT-R after all, or maybe he hopes you'll be satisfied with the Juke-R. If this car is a "one-hit wonder," though, it was certainly a wonder, if perhaps not enough of a sales hit.

Nissan GT-R future in doubt? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 nissan gt-rcarlos ghosngodzillagt-rgtrnissannissan gtrFri, 27 Jul 2012 14:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20287923/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/27/nissan-gt-r-future-in-doubt/20287923/article-detail.xml 20287923 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/nissangt-rgone_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/nissangt-rgone.jpg <![CDATA[Renault COO Pelata resigns 15 months after espionage debacle]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/24/renault-coo-pelata-resigns-15-months-after-espionage-debacle/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/24/renault-coo-pelata-resigns-15-months-after-espionage-debacle/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/24/renault-coo-pelata-resigns-15-months-after-espionage-debacle/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pelata Renault

A Renault espionage scandal that turned into an espionage hoax scandal soaked up four months of people's lives in early 2011 and resulted in the resignation of company COO Patrick Pelata. An informant with some bad information who was paid €250,000 told Renault that three executives had sold electric vehicle technology to the Chinese and were laundering their money in secret accounts in Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Renault fired the executives, and when the whole thing began to fall apart and it looked like Renault would have to admit it made a huge mistake in doing so, rumor was that COO Patrick Pelata said he would 'take the fall' to protect CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Renault did eat crow, Pelata submitted his resignation, then Ghosn rejected it but the company accepted it, and Pelata was given an advisory job reporting to Ghosn on Renault-Nissan alliance projects. Got all that? Well, now Automotive News reports Pelata has resigned from the alliance, meaning that as of August 16 he will no longer be with any part of the company he had been an employee of for 28 years. It is unclear where he is headed.

Renault COO Pelata resigns 15 months after espionage debacle originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnespionagepatrick pelatarenaultrenault espionagerenault fraudrenault-nissanTue, 24 Jul 2012 08:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20282951/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/24/renault-coo-pelata-resigns-15-months-after-espionage-debacle/20282951/article-detail.xml 20282951 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/pelata-renault_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/pelata-renault.jpg <![CDATA[Infiniti gunning for 100,000 European sales by 2016]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/13/infiniti-gunning-for-100-000-european-sales-by-2016/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/13/infiniti-gunning-for-100-000-european-sales-by-2016/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/13/infiniti-gunning-for-100-000-european-sales-by-2016/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Infiniti Etherea Concept - Geneva Motor Show reveal

Infiniti has its work cut out for it. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn wants the luxury brand to hit a sales target of 100,000 units in Europe by 2016. Last year, the company moved just 12,500 vehicles in the market. According to Automotive News Europe, the goal is part of a larger strategy to swell the brand's global sales to 500,000 units by the same deadline, up from 146,000 in 2011. The report suggests Infiniti expects the planned new premium compact to push most of that increase. The car will likely borrow heavily from the Etherea Concept, and will ostensibly be designed as a suitable competitor to machines like the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Unfortunately, reports suggest it isn't due to hit dealer lots until 2014 at the earliest. The new model will ride on the same chassis as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and will be built by Magna Steyr. The manufacturer says it can produce between 50,000 and 60,000 of the new models per year.

But with former Audi executive Johan de Nysschen now at the helm of Infiniti's global operations and a slew of new diesel-powered sedans and SUVs in the mix, Infiniti certainly has a shot at increasing its sales. Whether or not it can meet its lofty goals remains to be seen.

Infiniti gunning for 100,000 European sales by 2016 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnethereaetherea concepteuropeinfinitiinfiniti ethereainfiniti europeinfiniti sales goalinfiniti sales targetjohan de nysschenWed, 13 Jun 2012 16:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20257123/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/13/infiniti-gunning-for-100-000-european-sales-by-2016/20257123/article-detail.xml 20257123 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/infiniti-etherea-concept-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/infiniti-etherea-concept-628.jpg <![CDATA[Watch Carlos Ghosn get a ride through Nissan's amazing classic car collection]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/watch-carlos-ghosn-get-a-ride-through-nissans-amazing-classic-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/watch-carlos-ghosn-get-a-ride-through-nissans-amazing-classic-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/watch-carlos-ghosn-get-a-ride-through-nissans-amazing-classic-c/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

CEO Carlos Ghosn goes for a ride through Nissan's private collection

Many privileges come with the title of CEO at one of the world's top automakers. As top man at Nissan and Renault, Carlos Ghosn certainly has his share of perks. Take for instance unfettered access to Nissan's heritage warehouse in Zama, Japan where 400 Nissan and Datsun vehicles are stored.

Ghosn was given the special CEO tour of the place recently and met some of the engineers who worked on cars such as the 1967 Datsun Sunny 1000 Sports Deluxe. During the visit, Ghosn was treated to a driving tour of the massive warehouse in the 75-year-old Datsun 17 Phaeton seen above.

The impressive collection also includes the GT-R once owned by Ghosn himself, several rally cars and, as the narrator says, "a collection of classic Zeds." Nissan staff and volunteers keep at least 70 percent of the treasures fully drivable.

The warehouse is closed to the public, but there are hints in the video that Nissan could be planning a museum to house the collection. Check out the video by scrolling below.

Continue reading Watch Carlos Ghosn get a ride through Nissan's amazing classic car collection

Watch Carlos Ghosn get a ride through Nissan's amazing classic car collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnclassic nissandatsundatsun museumheritage warehousenissannissan museumvideozamaWed, 18 Apr 2012 16:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20218535/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/18/watch-carlos-ghosn-get-a-ride-through-nissans-amazing-classic-c/20218535/article-detail.xml 20218535 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/ghosn-warehouse-video_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/ghosn-warehouse-video.jpg <![CDATA[Carlos Ghosn: Still bullish on battery electric vehicles]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/carlos-ghosn-still-bullish-on-battery-electric-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/carlos-ghosn-still-bullish-on-battery-electric-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/04/carlos-ghosn-still-bullish-on-battery-electric-vehicles/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Carlos Ghosn is not backing down.

Giving the keynote speech at the 2012 New York Auto Show today, the president and CEO of Nissan said that he stands behind his prediction that EVs will make up 10 percent of the market by 2020 in the places they are available. He also said that he expects Nissan to sell 1.5 million zero emission cars by 2016.

Ghosh brushed off a question about somewhat slow Leaf sales by pointing out that the Leaf is still constrained by supply, given the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year as well as the strong yen. Leaf production in the UK and U.S. that will start in the near future (later this year for Tennessee, early 2013 for Sunderland) will make the car more available to more people. "I don't want you to take a one-month or two-month sales result in one particular market to try to make your opinion about the evolution of a very important technology for the industry," he said. "I think the electric car will hold its promises. All the stars are lining up to make it a very important segment. ... I am not at all changing my bullish approach."

Ghosn has reason to be bullish. Nissan has sold 27,000 Leafs worldwide since introducing the car in late 2010, and 11,000 of those sales were in the U.S. And, he added, "The Nissan Leaf has had no quality problems."

Looking forward, Ghosn also said that the challenge is to reduce the cost, size and weight of the battery and "we have to do it fast" because government incentives will not last forever. Luckily, the industry has changed enough in the last half-decade to make this possible. He said:

One of the biggest evolutions we are seeing in our industry is the battery. As you know, when we started our electric car goals, it was in 2006, there were not a lot of battery makers in the world. Fortunately, with our drive and with the drive of other carmakers, the number of battery makers and companies investing in batteries has really been impressive. Today, you can find very good batteries, extremely competitive, in Korea, in Japan, in the United States. The Chinese are investing in batteries. ... The life of the battery is going to be longer than the life of the car.

Carlos Ghosn: Still bullish on battery electric vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnelectric vehicleleafnew yorknew york 2012new york auto shownissanWed, 04 Apr 2012 10:52:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20208282/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/04/carlos-ghosn-still-bullish-on-battery-electric-vehicles/20208282/article-detail.xml 20208282 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/carlos-ghosn-nyas-2012_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/carlos-ghosn-nyas-2012.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan confirms return of Datsun]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/20/nissan-confirms-return-of-datsun/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/20/nissan-confirms-return-of-datsun/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/20/nissan-confirms-return-of-datsun/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Carlos Ghosn introduces Datsun

It turns out the rumors were true: Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has officially announced the resurrection of the company's storied Datsun nameplate. The company will use the brand to strengthen its foothold in emerging markets from Indonesia to India and Russia, offering buyers inexpensive, fuel-efficient vehicles with loads of content ride out of the box. Last year, Nissan sold 60,000 units in the quickly growing Indonesian market, and the company aims to see that number swell to 250,000 units by 2014. That may seem ambitious, but total industry volume is set to balloon to nearly double its current size 890,000 units per year by 2017 according to analysts.

Datsun now marks the third brand in the Nissan stable alongside Infiniti. The automaker retired the Datsun nameplate in 1981 after reestablishing itself in the States as Nissan. With a new focus on low cost, small-displacement hardware geared toward emerging markets, we sadly don't expect to see the Datsun name reemerging on our shores any time soon. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

Continue reading Nissan confirms return of Datsun

Nissan confirms return of Datsun originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosndatsunindonesianissannissan motorsTue, 20 Mar 2012 09:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20196941/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/20/nissan-confirms-return-of-datsun/20196941/article-detail.xml 20196941 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/carlos-ghosn-reintroduces-datsun_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/carlos-ghosn-reintroduces-datsun.jpg <![CDATA[Book: Ghosn would've taken top spot at Ford, but only if named CEO and Chairman]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/12/book-ghosn-wouldve-taken-top-spot-at-ford-but-only-if-named-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/12/book-ghosn-wouldve-taken-top-spot-at-ford-but-only-if-named-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/12/book-ghosn-wouldve-taken-top-spot-at-ford-but-only-if-named-c/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn at podium

With just a day until Bryce Hoffman's American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company is released, more revelations from the book are hitting the headlines. Among the juiciest: Nissan-Renault chief Carlos Ghosn was offered the top job at Ford prior to Alan Mulally, but turned it down because he didn't want to work for then-CEO Bill Ford.

According to excerpt from the book published by Automotive News, Ford made Ghosn a formal offer in early 2006, but Le Cost Cutter insisted the only way he would come to Ford was if he was named both the CEO and chairman of the board. When Mulally was eventually hired as CEO, Bill Ford stepped aside but retained his position as chairman of the company that shares his surname.

Despite Bill Ford's power at the company that bears his family's name, other excerpts from the book reveals that he didn't always get the straight scoop from other executives. One soon-to-be-famous example concerns the second-generation Ford Focus, which went on sale in Europe in late 2004. Just as most journalists did at the time, Bill Ford wanted to know why the new model wasn't coming to North America. According to the excerpt, then-president Jim Padilla gave his boss a PR-spin-worthy line about "product cycles [that] don't line up."

Ford was unpleased with the explanation, according to the report: "This is all a bunch of [expletive], he fumed as he left the meeting. Nobody will give me a straight answer."

Book: Ghosn would've taken top spot at Ford, but only if named CEO and Chairman originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american iconbill fordbryce hoffmancarlos ghosnfocusfordford ceoford chairmanford focusghosnjim padillaMon, 12 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20191213/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/12/book-ghosn-wouldve-taken-top-spot-at-ford-but-only-if-named-c/20191213/article-detail.xml 20191213 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/carlos-ghosn-at-podium_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/carlos-ghosn-at-podium.jpg <![CDATA[Ghosn rules out Renault returning to U.S.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/13/ghosn-rules-out-renault-returning-to-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/13/ghosn-rules-out-renault-returning-to-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/13/ghosn-rules-out-renault-returning-to-u-s/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Carlos Ghosn, Renault-Nissan boss standing at podium

Fiat may have returned to the U.S. market, but Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn doesn't plan on seeing the his French marque stage a comeback in the Land of the Free. According to The Detroit News, Renault will instead focus its efforts on introducing the brand to the Chinese market. Ghosn said Renault won't return to the U.S. within the foreseeable future. That's no real surprise given how fiercely competitive the fully mature U.S. market is compared to the explosive growth possibilities in China. According to the report, Chinese car buyers took home 17.3 million vehicles last year. That number is up from just 600,000 in in 1999.

Ghosn made the comments at the Automotive News World Congress, which ran along with the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The executive also made mention of the fact that Nissan has 65 models as of right now, and all of them are either profitable or on their way to becoming so. That wasn't always the case - In 1999, the company featured 43 models. Only four of those were profitable for the company at the time.

Ghosn rules out Renault returning to U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnghosnnissanrenaultrenault usrenault usarenault-nissanFri, 13 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20146447/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/13/ghosn-rules-out-renault-returning-to-u-s/20146447/article-detail.xml 20146447 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/carlos-ghosn-renault-nissan_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/carlos-ghosn-renault-nissan.jpg <![CDATA[Renault-Nissan reports annual sales of over 8M in 2011]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/renault-nissan-reports-annual-sales-of-over-8m-in-2011/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/renault-nissan-reports-annual-sales-of-over-8m-in-2011/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/renault-nissan-reports-annual-sales-of-over-8m-in-2011/#commentsFiled under: , ,



In spite of contraction in Europe and a series of natural disasters in Japan and Thailand that crippled supply, Renault-Nissan - with a tiny bit of help from Russian partner Avotvaz - sold 8.03 million cars in 2011. The record year outdid 2010 sales by 10 percent, with Nissan's sales growing 14% and Renault improving by 4.6 percent.

Breaking the eight-million barrier is likely to mean a little more shuffling at the top of the global sales chart: analysts suggest General Motors will take the top slot with around nine million sales, followed by Volkswagen and its record breaking 8.16 million sales, then Renault-Nissan in third taking the space everyone assumed would belong to Toyota. A tumble from first to fourth would convey just how difficult Toyota's year has been, extricating itself from the recall maelstrom only to get sucked into an earthquake, a tsunami and flooding.

Even with more pain expected from the European quadrant, Ghosn expects 2012 to break the record again.

Renault-Nissan reports annual sales of over 8M in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avtovazcarlos ghosnnissannissan salesrenaultrenault salesrenault-nissanThu, 12 Jan 2012 08:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20147856/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/12/renault-nissan-reports-annual-sales-of-over-8m-in-2011/20147856/article-detail.xml 20147856 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/136695748-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/136695748-628.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan agrees to make engines for Mercedes in Tennessee]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/10/nissan-agrees-to-make-engines-for-mercedes-in-tennessee/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/10/nissan-agrees-to-make-engines-for-mercedes-in-tennessee/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/10/nissan-agrees-to-make-engines-for-mercedes-in-tennessee/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

zetsche and ghosn photo op

Mercedes-Benz and Nissan plan on working together in the future, sharing the Mercedes A-Class platform and engines in an effort save cash on engineering and manufacturing resources. A big part of that collaboration is now official with a joint engine announcement.

Nissan will produce high-end four-cylinder engines at its Decherd, Tennessee facility. The engine will find its way under the hood of Mercedes and Infiniti models beginning in 2014, with a max capacity of 250,000 units per year.

Both automakers are understandably excited about the strategic announcement. Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn called the tie-up "our most significant project outside of Europe so far." Daimler Chairman Dr. Dieter Zetsche added that the co-op will help Mercedes achieve its expansion goals, adding that the engine agreement will "make optimum use of synergies arising from the cooperation."

Hit the jump to read over the Nissan press release. Daimler also issued the exact same release, except the German automaker swapped names so that Daimler appeared before Nissan.

Continue reading Nissan agrees to make engines for Mercedes in Tennessee

Nissan agrees to make engines for Mercedes in Tennessee originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosndaimlerdecherdfour-cylinderinfinitimercedesmercedes-benznissanplantstennesseezetscheTue, 10 Jan 2012 08:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20143167/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/10/nissan-agrees-to-make-engines-for-mercedes-in-tennessee/20143167/article-detail.xml 20143167 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/par3162322opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/par3162322opt.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan's Ghosn directly confirms next-generation Titan pickup]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/09/nissans-ghosn-directly-confirms-next-generation-titan-pickup/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/09/nissans-ghosn-directly-confirms-next-generation-titan-pickup/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/09/nissans-ghosn-directly-confirms-next-generation-titan-pickup/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This afternoon at a Detroit Auto Show media roundtable event, Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn unequivocally confirmed that Nissan will build a next-generation Titan pickup. "We are going to replace it. We are going to present in every segment in the market in the United States." Previous news stories indicated that Nissan was pursuing a new Titan, but persistent reports indicated that the automaker would pursue an outside partner for the vehicle's development.

A subsequent Autoblog discussion with a Nissan official revealed that not only is the company developing the next-generation Titan right now - internally and without another automaker as a partner - it's not that far off. Our source confirms that Nissan will first show the truck "in about a year's time" and the vehicle will likely go on sale as a 2014 model, consistent with earlier reports.

One of the chief issues the current Titan has faced, according to our source, has been its limited configurability versus competitors' offerings. But the next-generation Titan won't make this same mistake - it will offer multiple engines and cab configurations.

Nissan first introduced the Canton, Mississippi-built Titan in 2004, but it's suffered from slow sales and limited updates. More recently, The Japanese marque entered the North American commercial truck market with its NV van line, but in 2011, it only managed to sell around 6,500 units.

Nissan's Ghosn directly confirms next-generation Titan pickup originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcanton mississippicarlos ghosndetroitdetroit 2012detroit auto shownissannissan titantitantitan pickupMon, 09 Jan 2012 16:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20144355/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/09/nissans-ghosn-directly-confirms-next-generation-titan-pickup/20144355/article-detail.xml 20144355 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2012-nissan-titan-4-1317654021-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2012-nissan-titan-4-1317654021-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan expanding role of Nismo further into road cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/29/nissan-expanding-role-of-nismo-further-into-road-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/29/nissan-expanding-role-of-nismo-further-into-road-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/29/nissan-expanding-role-of-nismo-further-into-road-cars/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Nismo Badge

Nissan has announced that the company plans to expand its Nismo offerings in the near future with performance variations of the company's mainstream models. Until now, buyers have only been able to take home factory-tuned versions of the 370Z, but company CEO Carlos Ghosn said that the time was right to allow ordinary buyers to sample Nissan's performance DNA. What does that mean, exactly? For starters, vehicles like the Juke Nismo Concept may actually make it to market, and other models may get the go-fast treatment soon thereafter. Nissan has also made it clear that Nismo will get its own global headquarters.

The company says that the new HQ will put all of Nissan's road-race and performance expertise under one roof while giving Nismo fans a central location for fan events. The site will also sell performance products and include a heritage center with plenty of vintage race metal on hand.

We like the idea of more performance-oriented vehicles on the road so long as it doesn't translate into the dilution of the Nismo brand. The world doesn't need a Nismo CrossCabriolet. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Nissan expanding role of Nismo further into road cars

Nissan expanding role of Nismo further into road cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnjukejuke conceptjuke nismo conceptnismonismo conceptnismo global headquartersnissannissan jukenissan performanceTue, 29 Nov 2011 13:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20116539/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/11/29/nissan-expanding-role-of-nismo-further-into-road-cars/20116539/article-detail.xml 20116539 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/nismo-badge-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/nismo-badge-628.jpg <![CDATA[Infographic: Wage gap between CEO and employees]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/19/infographic-wage-gap-between-ceo-and-employees/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/19/infographic-wage-gap-between-ceo-and-employees/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/19/infographic-wage-gap-between-ceo-and-employees/#commentsFiled under:



As you're probably already aware, Ford CEO Alan Mulally earned well over $26 million last year. Fiat and Chrysler head Sergio Marchionne was next in the ranks of highest-paid CEOs among automakers with $17 million in compensation, and Nissan/Renault chief Carlos Ghosn was third at $13 million.

None of this is news, really. We already knew that. But what you may not know is how those figures compare to the income of the average autoworker. According to the infographic you see above (click here to enlarge), the average annual salary earned by autoworkers in America as of February 2010 was $48,000... but that figure varies a good deal, depending on factors such as the company paying the bill and the number of years employed.

For a more complete breakdown of CEO compensation versus the rest of an automakers' employees, check out the full graphic after the jump.

Continue reading Infographic: Wage gap between CEO and employees

Infographic: Wage gap between CEO and employees originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alan mulallyautoworker wagesautoworkerscarlos ghosnceoceo wagesdan akersonsergio marchionneFri, 19 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20022048/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/19/infographic-wage-gap-between-ceo-and-employees/20022048/article-detail.xml 20022048 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/ceo-wages-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/ceo-wages-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Infiniti GT-R back on the table?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/04/infiniti-gt-r-back-on-the-table/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/04/infiniti-gt-r-back-on-the-table/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/04/infiniti-gt-r-back-on-the-table/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Nissan GT-R Egoist

When Japanese automakers crank out a supercar, it is, first of all, a rare occasion. And it usually wears the badge of its respective luxury division. Toyota's is the Lexus LFA. Honda's was the Acura NSX (at least here in the States). But not Nissan. That company's supercar - the GT-R - is a Nissan through and through. But that hasn't always been taken for granted.

Infiniti has long been rumored to get a vehicle based on the GT-R, but that scuttlebutt appeared to reach a dead-end a year ago or so. However, the gossip mill has now cranked back up thanks to a certain Monsieur Carlos Ghosn.

The Renault-Nissan CEO has reportedly gone on the record with the UK's CAR, indicating that his luxury marque could - but won't necessarily - build a luxury GT-R. Ghosn stopped short of confirming that a project was in the pipeline, but left the possibility open for the future. So there's some hope. The question is whether an Infiniti supercar would have much room to improve over the existing beast we know as Godzilla, particularly when the above-pictured Egoist model already offers nearly all the trimmings you could ask for.

Infiniti GT-R back on the table? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carlos ghosnghosngt-rgtrinfinitiinfiniti gt-rnissan gt-rnissan gtrThu, 04 Aug 2011 09:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20008545/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/04/infiniti-gt-r-back-on-the-table/20008545/article-detail.xml 20008545 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/027-nissan-gt-r-egoist_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/027-nissan-gt-r-egoist.jpg -1 2