LEXUS’ MULTI STAGE HYBRID SYSTEM TO FEATURE IN THE NEW LS 500h FLAGSHIP SEDAN

by News Feeder, 11-01-2025, 08:54 AM

Lexus’ new LS 500h flagship sedan is to benefit from the company’s Multi Stage Hybrid System, a breakthrough technology that transforms the performance and driver appeal of hybrid power. The new LS 500h will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show on 7 March.



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Nissan emphasizes work-life balance with new 'Happy Friday' initiative

by News Feeder, 11-01-2025, 08:54 AM

YOKOHAMA, Japan (February 22, 2017) – Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. will introduce a workplace improvement initiative called “Happy Friday” in Japan, in which all employees working outside the company’s manufacturing plants will be encouraged to leave the office at 15:00 on the last Friday of every month. The initiative, which will launch this week, aims to further improve employees’ health and the quality of time spent at both work and home.Since the formation of the Renault-Nissan Alliance in 1999, Nissan has been actively positioning diversity and maintenance of work-life balance as core company strengths. Nissan was among the first to carry out workplace reforms in a global manner, with the goal of ensuring that employees with varying life needs are able to maximize their productivity in a global business environment.In 2015, Nissan kicked off the “Happy 8” program to further promote workstyle revolution. By encouraging employees in Japan to work eight hours a day, the company aims to increase individual and organizational productivity and in ensure that a fair work-life balance is maintained.Introducing the new initiative, Nissan Co-CEO Hiroto Saikawa said, “As a key element of our ongoing globalization and diversity programs, workstyle revolution has helped Nissan cater to the diverse working styles of employees, and has encouraged a fair work-life balance. We will continue to make efforts to create an environment where employees with varying life needs, for example those dealing with child-rearing and nursing care, can draw upon diverse sets of values and make the most of their potential, while playing an active role in improving our global working conditions.” Nissan’s workstyle revolution to date include:Promoting the use of annual leaveOn average, employees take over 18 days paid time off per year. This represents an increase of roughly 40 percent in the past fifteen years, and places Nissan at the highest level among Japanese companies. Super FlextimeNissan introduced flextime without core hours in 1994, well ahead of most other companies.Work-at-Home ProgramThe company’s Work-at-Home Program, introduced in 2006, is now available to all non-manufacturing employees. About 4,000 employees used the program in fiscal 2015, and Nissan aims to increase the number to 6,000 in fiscal 2017.Family Support LeaveIntroduced in 2008, Nissan’s Family Support Leave program caters to employees with responsibilities such as childcare and eldercare. About 1,700 employees used the program in fiscal 2015.Onsite daycareNissan currently has three onsite daycare centers, the first of which opened in 2005 at Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Currently, a total of 500 employees use the daycare centers. In 2017, Nissan’s first onsite daycare at a production facility will open at the Oppama Plant in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture.About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2015, the company sold more than 5.4 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 12.2 trillion yen. Nissan engineers, manufactures and markets the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan manages operations in six regions: ASEAN & Oceania; Africa, Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America and North America. Nissan has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and Mitsubishi Motors since 2016 under the Renault-Nissan Alliance.For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/. You can also follow @NissanMotor on Twitter.# # #

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INFINITI co-developed second generation ERS unveiled with all-new R.S.17

by News Feeder, 10-01-2025, 07:31 PM

INFINITI reaffirmed its long-term technical partnership with Renault Sport Formula One at the Team's new race car unveil today.The all-new R.S.17 incorporates for the first time the INFINITI co-developed second generation Energy Recovery System.INFINITI also provides the Renault Sport Formula One Team with new and diverse talent through its highly successful INFINITI Engineering Academy.HONG KONG – INFINITI has reaffirmed once again its long-term technical partnership with the Renault Sport Formula One Team at the team's 2017 race car unveil and driver line up presentation in London today.Following the successful debut of the INFINITI and Renault Sport Racing collaboration in 2016, the newly launched R.S.17 introduces for the first time the INFINITI co-developed second generation Energy Recovery System (ERS).This new generation ERS has been developed by the team together with a group of INFINITI Performance Hybrid technology engineers based at the Renault Sport Racing powertrain R&D facilities in Viry-Châtillon (France), and will be in use from the upcoming 2017 season."Performance Hybrid technology is one of INFINITI's major strengths," said Tommaso Volpe, INFINITI Global Motorsport Director. "We launched our first performance hybrid car in 2011 and we were the first car manufacturer to use this technology to boost performance rather than to reduce consumption. So when the Renault Sport Formula One Team decided to develop their ERS technology in-house, INFINITI emerged as the perfect partner to support them, as part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. We are gaining invaluable experience in Performance Hybrid technology as a result of the collaboration with the Team, and this experience is being transferred back to our core business to improve future technology." Open the PDF Press KitCyril Abiteboul, Managing Director of the Renault Sport Formula One Team, also commented: "The Energy Recovery System element of our Formula 1 Power Unit is extremely complex, and INFINITI has brought significant experience and expertise in hybrid technology to the team. The INFINITI engineers based in our facilities are working very closely with our engineering team and playing a key role in extracting the maximum possible performance from our ERS."In addition to its expertise in Performance Hybrid technology, INFINITI also brings an international diversity of young, fresh-thinking engineering talent to the Renault Sport Formula One Team through its highly successful INFINITI Engineering Academy.This year marks the fourth edition of this global recruitment program that offers engineering students from all over the world a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a unique automotive-to-Formula 1 placement, thanks to the technical partnership and collaboration between the two companies. In fact, a key pillar of the INFINITI Engineering Academy is exploring crossover opportunities and the sharing of technology between INFINITI road car and Renault Sport Formula One Team race car projects."For INFINITI this is very strategic collaboration," said Volpe. "We are part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, and with this partnership we extend the important technical synergy of the Alliance also to Formula 1, generating together R&D on hybrid technology."For media images, video and additional information, please visit:INFINITI in Formula OneTM: http://www.infiniti-gp.comINFINITI Engineering Academy: http://www.academy.infiniti.comINFINITI product press kits: http://www.infinitipresspacks.com About INFINITI INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with sales operations in over 50 countries. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and China. INFINITI plans to also expand manufacturing into Mexico by 2017.INFINITI design studios are located in Atsugi-Shi near Yokohama, London, San Diego and Beijing.INFINITI is in the middle of a major product offensive. The brand has been widely acclaimed for its daring design and innovative driver-assistance technologies.From the 2016 season, INFINITI is a technical partner of the Renault Sport Formula One team, contributing its expertise in hybrid performance.More information about INFINITI and its industry leading technologies can be found at infiniti.com. You can also follow INFINITI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and see all our latest videos on YouTube. # # # ContactJon Walsh Senior Manager, INFINITI Global Communications INFINITI Motor Company Ltd., Hong Kong Phone: +852 3948 0129 Mobile: +852 9447 9705 Email: [email protected]is Jordan Manager, INFINITI Global Communications INFINITI Motor Company Ltd., Hong Kong Phone: +852 3948 0209 Mobile: +852 9447 9974 Email: [email protected]

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Celica GT Four from Ledbury

by teapot, 10-01-2025, 09:08 AM

Hi guys!

Been looking for a decent forum to join, currently waiting for delivery on a 1998 Celica GT Four and own a Civic Sport EP2 as my daily.

Looking forward to chatting with you all! Any other ST205 owners here?

See you around!

Passion for design lights up 10th edition for lexus at milan design week

by News Feeder, 10-01-2025, 07:03 AM

February 17, 2017 – Lexus International today announced the ‘LEXUS YET’ exhibition as part of Milan Design Week 2017, the world’s largest design exhibition, also known as Salone Del Mobile. The Lexus exhibition will be held April 4th through April 9th, at the La Triennale di Milano, the Design and Art Museum in Parco Sempione – considered the center of Milan Design Week.



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Nissan signs actor Margot Robbie as its first electric vehicle ambassador

by News Feeder, 10-01-2025, 07:03 AM

Suicide Squad and The Wolf of Wall Street actor revealed as the new face of Nissan's electric vehicle and zero emission programIn first mini-movie, Robbie takes Nissan BladeGlider for a midnight spin around Monaco as company moves to attract new audience to the electric revolution PARIS – Actor Margot Robbie has been revealed as Nissan's new electric vehicle (EV) ambassador by racing the carmaker's radical all-electric BladeGlider sports car around the world-famous Monaco Grand Prix circuit, at midnight.The prototype 190km/h Nissan BladeGlider, which hits 100km/h in less than five seconds, challenges the conventional thinking of what an all-electric sports car could look like in the future. Showcasing all the fun and excitement of pure electric vehicles, the prototype is part of Nissan's Intelligent Mobility vision of how cars should be driven, powered and integrated into society.Margot Robbie put the radical three-seater through its paces around the closed Monaco street circuit before racing another BladeGlider. The pair of 272PS performance cars raced through the iconic Tunnel and diced with each other along Massenet before finishing in the glamour of Casino Square.In the film, the Suicide Squad and The Wolf of Wall Street star is also seen demonstrating the drifting prowess of Nissan BladeGlider around one of the most famous corners in the world of motorsport – the iconic Fairmont Hairpin."It's a really exciting time for electric vehicles," said Robbie. "More people are choosing to go electric, leading the way to a more sustainable future and the Nissan BladeGlider hints at the future of smarter performance cars."As the manufacturer of the world's best-selling electric vehicle, the LEAF, Nissan is also revolutionizing the way energy is generated and utilized with products like its intelligent xStorage Home unit and vehicle-to-grid technology, which harness the power of battery technology from electric vehicles."The electric revolution is happening," said Gareth Dunsmore, director of Electric Vehicles for Nissan Europe. "As the global leader in electric vehicles, and with mass adoption just around the corner, it is more important than ever that we showcase all of the benefits of driving an electric car – from energy efficiency, to sustainability, from handling to performance. Having Margot on board will support us in spreading news of the personal and societal benefits of electric vehicles to more people than ever before. Nissan's Electrify the World movement recognizes the importance of us all working together to achieve positive change in our communities. We want to inspire people to take meaningful steps towards cleaner, safer cities."The Nissan BladeGlider will be on display at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show from March 7 to 19, 2017. Developed from a concept car first debuted in 2013, the all-electric sportscar is a precursor to a suite of future technologies that will combine Intelligent Mobility, environmentally friendly impact and sports-car driving capabilities.Embed this cinemagraph on your website Embed this cinemagraph on your website Related: Nissan BladeGlider brings cutting edge Intelligent Mobility to lifeMonte Carlo provided the perfect location for Nissan to reveal its exciting new partnership with Margot Robbie. Monaco has a rich heritage in street racing and an ambitious sustainable strategy to decrease carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030.About Nissan in EuropeNissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseasmanufacturer, employing more than 17,000 staff across locally based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 660,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, commercial vehicles and the Nissan LEAF, the world's most popular electric vehicle. Pursuing a goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan is leading the field with its vision of Intelligent Mobility. Designed to guide Nissan's product and technology pipeline, this 360-degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society. Nissan is positioned to become the most desirable Asian brand in Europe. http://www.newsroom.nissan-europe.comAbout Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2015, the company sold more than 5.4 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 12.2 trillion yen. Nissan engineers, manufactures and markets the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan manages operations in six regions: ASEAN & Oceania; Africa, Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America and North America. Nissan has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and Mitsubishi Motors since 2016 under the Renault-Nissan Alliance. For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/. You can also follow @NissanMotor on Twitter. # # #ContactCedric Ratinaud Nissan Europe Communications [email protected] M: +33 616 64 34 81Yesica Romeo Nissan Europe Communications [email protected] M: +33 782 13 81 89

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From gamer to racer to GT500 factory driver: Jann Mardenborough

by News Feeder, 09-01-2025, 06:58 PM

YOKOHAMA, Japan – Jann Mardenborough is set to embark on the next step of a remarkable racing career that’s only six years old: becoming a factory GT500 driver for Nissan in the Japanese Super GT championship.Mardenborough was announced on Friday as a driver for the No. 12 Team Impul machine, which bears the colors of Calsonic, one of the most iconic liveries in global motorsport. The blue colors have adorned Nissan racecars for many years including in Super GT, Group A Touring cars and even the 24 Hours of Le Mans.Mardenborough made his full-time Japanese debut last year in the GT300 class in Super GT and also drove in the Japanese Formula 3 championship.Race-winning success in both championships have pushed him into the spotlight in GT500 in 2017 alongside Hironobu Yasuda.The complete Super GT500 roster for 2017 is:#12 - TEAM IMPUL - Hironobu Yasuda / Jann Mardenborough Team Principal: Kazuyoshi Hoshino Calsonic IMPUL GT-R / Bridgestone#23 - NISMO - Tsugio Matsuda / Ronnie Quintarelli Team Principal: Yutaka Suzuki MOTUL AUTECH GT-R / Michelin#24 - KONDO Racing - Daiki Sasaki / João Paulo de Oliveira Team Principal: Masahiko Kondo Forum Engineering ADVAN GT-R / Yokohama#46 - MOLA - Satoshi Motoyama / Katsumasa Chiyo Team Principal: Toshiomi Oeki S Road CRAFTSPORTS GT-R / MichelinFormer @GTAcademy winner @Jannthaman talks about his first impressions of driving the new @Nissan #OMGTR GT500 car for Team @IMPUL_official pic.twitter.com/uEiykGZeVY— Nissan NISMO (@NISMO) February 19, 2017"The car is amazing," said Mardenborough. "I tested recently in Sepang for the first time in the new car and it's got so much grip. I didn't expect it to be so particularly quick in the slow speed corners. It's a massive step up from GT3 and anything I've been used to in the past in a car with a roof. There's a lot of testing coming up, and the first round is in Okayama in a few weeks time. I'm very pleased to have been given this opportunity by the team and by NISMO. It's going to be coming up on six years now since I won GT Academy. From complete gamer, no experience in a car to the fastest GT cars in the world, I'm very honored and very happy. Working with the team, the team have got so much history and the team owner – Hoshino-san has won so many races in the past and to have him as a team manager is incredible because all he wants you to do is just push, give 100 percent and push. He's always pushing the drivers to extract everything from the car, and if you make a mistake, you make a mistake, but as long as you push he's happy. So to have him as a team manager in GT500 is fantastic. I'm looking forward to working with everybody, my new teammates, Yasuda-san, and I just can't wait to jump in the car for the next round of testing in a few days time."Related: Nissan and NISMO announce global motorsport program for 2017 NISMO CalendarMarch 16-18 12 Hours of Sebring, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sebring, Florida, USA# # #ContactJane Johnstone Marketing Communications Director Global Motorsport Communications Nissan/NISMO Phone: +44 7979 710646 Email: [email protected] Ryan Marketing and PR Manager Phone: +1 678 644 0404 Email: [email protected]

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What drives Carlos Ghosn chapter 7: Current state of business

by News Feeder, 08-01-2025, 09:38 PM

What's life like as a global CEO? In this special multi-part series, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. CEO Carlos Ghosn shares his life story, offering personal insights and professional lessons on what it takes to succeed. "What Drives Carlos Ghosn" Index PageMore than numbers With Nissan Power 88, Ghosn focused on long-term efforts to build brand valueAt the end of the fiscal year in March, Nissan Motor will close the book on Nissan Power 88, our current medium-term business plan. The two eights in the title refer to our goal for operating margin and our target for global market share at the end of the plan (to be measured in fiscal 2017). Carlos Ghosn announces Nissan Power 88, the medium-term business plan that will wrap up this year.It was in the second half of 2010 that we started brainstorming for Nissan Power 88. At the time, there was no medium-term plan in place at Nissan. I had regularly introduced company plans every three years since I came to Japan in 1999, but we intentionally suspended our fourth installment – called GT 2012 – because of the financial crisis of 2008. We replaced GT 2012 with a tentative rebuilding program called simply the Recovery Plan.Then the earthquake occurred in March 2011, two months prior to our planned announcement of Nissan Power 88. This forced us to delay the announcement of the plan, but the rebuilding of our damaged factories and supply chains progressed rapidly thanks to the efforts of our employees and partner companies. We were able to introduce Nissan Power 88 in June of that year, with its content largely unchanged from before the earthquake.Our goals were ambitious, as they should be, but I emphasized to our executive committee that "those numbers are simply the result." While the numbers themselves had meaning, the most important factor was sustainable growth of our brand power and sales.The use of numbers makes plans, policies and milestones easy to understand. This is why Nissan's previous medium-term plans were largely defined by numerals, such as Nissan 180 and GT 2012. They are an effective communication tool that everyone in a culturally diverse organization like Nissan can understand and share.That being said, I decided that Nissan had moved past the point of relying on just numbers to define its goals. Our cost management and profitability had been steadily rising to the best level in the automobile industry, so both an 8% operating margin and an 8 percent global market share were well within our ability to achieve. I felt that there were more important things we needed to do than just chase numbers. We had to strengthen our brand and improve sales power. So with Nissan Power 88, I tried to craft a plan that would progress at a steady pace over the course of six years.It takes time to raise brand value, but it is critical. With good brand value, we can reduce incentives and discounts. It is about quality, customer satisfaction and innovation. Today, Nissan advertises at major airports around the world and serves as a primary sponsor of soccer championships and other sports events, among other efforts to raise brand awareness and value.The results have been positive. In 2010, for example, Nissan did not even rank among the top 100 global companies by brand value, according to an annual survey we commission. Today – six years later – we have climbed to 46th.The strength of Nissan's brand power is the most effective tool for securing our long-term success. If I can forge a company that sustains quality, customer satisfaction and innovation at a high level, then that company will have a long future ahead of it.We are two months away from the end of fiscal 2016. By then, the company should be approaching an 8 percent operating margin though still short of an 8 percent global market share. But again, it is not about the individual numbers, but the sustainability of our progress. We have improved operational efficiency and increased our competitiveness. And we will turn to our next medium-term plan to further build on our progress and evolve our business for the next six years.This portion of My Personal History: Carlos Ghosn was originally posted on Nikkei Asian Review.Weathering Japan's post-crisis market In Thailand, Nissan found a way to maintain both profitability and quality as the yen soaredIt was after the outbreak of the global financial crisis in 2008 that someone suggested we produce the Nissan March in Thailand. We were dealing with a very strong Japanese currency. Carlos Ghosn celebrates the start of production of the remodeled NOTE subcompact at Nissan's Oppama Plant in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture.The March is one of Nissan Motor's biggest sellers in Japan. As the yen kept increasing in value, this compact car – which was produced domestically and sold for around 1 million yen ($8,798 at current rates) – became difficult to export profitably. I listened to various opinions regarding the transfer of the March's production to Thailand. Some said it would lead to "the deindustrialization of Japan." But even after the financial crisis hit, the yen continued to soar, and we needed to revise our cost structure in accordance with the changing currency rates.I asked our executive committee members,"If we move production overseas, how will quality be affected?" Our Japanese executives and engineers drew up a number of options for such a move and we narrowed them down to just a few. I held firm on our profit targets, despite the harsh business environment surrounding us.Thailand was the most rational solution to our dilemma of how to stay true to our doctrine of great quality and high profitability. At the time, the Thai government had implemented a series of incentives for eco-friendly cars. If an automaker's vehicles met certain conditions, such as getting 20km per liter of gasoline, the government would provide corporate tax breaks and reduce the import duties on production equipment, parts and raw materials.We had long discussions about whether building a second factory for the March in Thailand was a good idea. It would entail a serious investment. But considerable sales growth was expected in Thailand, and the prices of imported cars were rising. Moreover, foreign vehicles imported into Thailand were subject to an 80 percent tariff.Considering all this, the wisdom of producing the March in Thailand looked indisputable. Still, I told my team: "We will do this only if we can keep the quality of the cars equal to those made in Japan." Our Japanese team replied: "Why don't we treat the Thailand plant as an extension of our Oppama factory, one that just happens to be on the other side of an ocean?"It was a good concept, and Thailand became home to the third production line of our Oppama facility, located in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture. After the decision, a large group of engineers from Oppama were sent to Thailand for an extended period to guide the process.At the Thai factory, we decided to introduce a final process called the "elaborate line," in which we shipped cars to Japan only after they went through a comprehensive inspection. Then, after the cars arrived in Japan, we conducted another inspection before delivering them to dealerships. This process was a wonderful display of wisdom and teamwork. Later, when I decided to export the March from India to Europe, it was also because of a suggestion from our manufacturing team. The same could be said when we spun off our Kyushu factory to refine it as an export base. Everybody at Nissan kept in mind our earnings goals while coming up with their own ideas. A company doesn't work well when the ideas only come from the top.Personally, I don't like to "micromanage." I encourage all of our employees to think and act on their own. This concept hasn't changed since the creation and implementation of the Nissan Revival Plan. Neither has our commitment to the Japan market. In the last several months, we introduced many of our most breakthrough products in Japan, including the award-winning Serena, the first Nissan vehicle to be equipped with ProPilot autonomous driving technology. We also unveiled the new e-Power NOTE, an addition to our lineup of efficient powertrains. In Japan, we will continue to produce 1 million vehicles a year, and we will neither change our profit guidelines nor shift production sites from overseas to Japan unless it's economically rational.One of the greatest assets of Japanese companies is the combined, on-the-ground wisdom of their workers. Tapping this resource at all of Nissan's facilities should enable us to overcome every challenge.This portion of My Personal History: Carlos Ghosn was originally posted on Nikkei Asian Review.Friends in high places Ghosn's network of global connections has helped Nissan-Renault reach its goalsWhen you've been in business as long as I have, you build a global network of contacts and receive invitations to events dealing with global issues. For example, I always look forward to attending the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, held every January. I participated in this meeting for the first time in 1998. Carlos Ghosn got to know Russian President Vladimir Putin through Nissan-Renault's investment in Russian automaker Avtovaz.After the Nissan Revival Plan proved successful, I received another invitation, this time from Klaus Schwab, the founder and chairman of the World Economic Forum. He wanted me to become a member of the board of trustees. This was an exciting opportunity, as I was still in my 40s at the time, and this position would make it possible for me to hear from and talk with many of the world's political and economic leaders. This month, I returned to Davos to exchange views on current challenges in business and economic policy.Davos is not just about the connections, but the content of the conversations. It is focused on mobilizing global leaders to take action and make commitments to improve the world. Being in the automotive industry gives me a unique perspective on these issues. Much of the technology we are developing – from autonomous driving to electric vehicles – is going to benefit society beyond our customers. For example in Japan, there is growing concern about car accidents, especially with the increase in older drivers on the road. Autonomous driving will be one solution to the problem of unsafe elderly drivers. This is where technology matches social needs, and Davos gives me an additional global platform to discuss these opportunities.Government officials often become important partners in reaching business objectives. This was true, for example, in the case of Great Britain, where we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our Sunderland plant in 2016. The plant, based in Sunderland, in northeast England, employs more than 7,000 people and is a significant contributor to the national and local economies. Because of our role as a major employer, I've exchanged ideas frequently with British prime ministers, including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. I also had the opportunity to visit them at No. 10 Downing Street, and Tony Blair was a frequent visitor to our factory in Sunderland, his home electoral district.I have continued this positive association with the current prime minister, Theresa May. When Brexit became a potential issue concerning the competitiveness of Sunderland, we had an open conversation and quickly reached an understanding.And then there is Russia. Renault invested in Russia's largest automaker, Avtovaz, in 2008, as did Nissan Motor in 2012, and we have been able to build a good relationship with the Russian government in the process. When we decided to seek a 25 percent stake in Avtovaz to restructure the automaker, we were competing against two other companies who offered bids, and Renault came out on top. Russian President Vladimir Putin told me the reason was because he trusted us the most to keep the Russian identity of Avtovaz's Lada brand. When he was re-elected president in 2012, Nissan's investment in the Russian automaker was decided: Avtovaz became part of the Nissan-Renault Alliance.This portion of My Personal History: Carlos Ghosn was originally posted on Nikkei Asian Review.Finding a like-minded partner in Daimler Ghosn discusses the 'strategic collaboration' and an unexpected legal challenge Every year, a motor show alternates between Frankfurt and Paris. And every year, I host a press conference with Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche. There, we discuss our partnership on developing engines through the Nissan-Renault Alliance, while lounging in chairs. It is casual, and we invite the press. We have been doing this for the past few years, and I look forward to it every time. Carlos Ghosn (left) and Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche celebrate the launch of their partnership.Our partnership began in 2010 when Nissan Motor and Renault agreed on a business relationship with the German automaker, which included cross-shareholding. This partnership allowed our two companies to jointly develop chassis and engines for many of our respective vehicles, from luxury cars all the way down to compacts. We planned to exchange mutually beneficial information with each other in an open way. We began with three joint projects, but now that total has reached 13.We call this relationship with Daimler a "strategic collaboration." It's different from the alliance between Nissan and Renault in that the latter is based on a high level of cooperation like that of a single corporation (although, as I have said many times, we are not). The bond between Daimler and the alliance, on the other hand, is more limited in scope. We thought it was still important to focus on the common goal of pursuing synergies wherever possible. Daimler, which went through an unsuccessful merger with Chrysler, shares our philosophy and it has worked well.Nissan has always been an open-minded company, especially when it comes to partnerships. The automobile industry is entering an important phase where we all need to respond to new challenges, including taking responsibility to protect the environment and keeping up with new technology. It takes a great deal of time and expense to sustain stable growth while adapting to these new paradigm shifts. I believe that alliances and partnerships are the best way to meet these challenges and help us meet the demands of our era.That said, unexpected things always have a way of coming up. Of all the events of the last few years, the one that sticks out in my mind is the series of negotiations we went through with the French government after the enactment of the Florange act in 2014. This new law awarded double voting rights to equity owners who had held shares for two or more years. I will spare you the details of the negotiating process, carried out with countless government officials, but it was a very big deal for us when we finally reached a settlement at the end of 2015.The Florange act was enacted as a response to the closure of two ArcelorMittal blast furnaces. The Florange act meant that the government had gained double voting rights, and thus a stronger voice, in businesses in which it held equity. And because the French government owned about a 15% share in Renault, it would have gained a more powerful voice in the company. We were also concerned about the implications this law would have for Nissan, in which Renault owned a 43.4 percent share.At the shareholders meeting in April 2015, we offered a proposal to maintain the existing structure. The French government sought to buy additional Renault shares on a temporary basis, and our proposal was rejected by vote. Naturally, tensions between us and the government were heightened.Because I am the president of both Renault and Nissan, the situation was especially complicated. To prevent conflicts of interest, I temporarily resigned as chairman while the topic of voting rights was discussed at the Renault board. Nissan's position was presented by Hiroto Saikawa, now co-CEO, who also served as a Renault director. We took a firm stance that "the developments in France should have no impact on Nissan, which is an independent Japanese company." Otherwise, the alliance of Nissan and Renault that we'd painstakingly built over the course of 17 years would suffer.Ultimately, we were able to reach an agreement that restricted the involvement of the French government. Its voting rights at Renault were limited to certain subjects, and we agreed on a deal that would offer it no voting rights pertaining to Nissan-related subjects. In terms of long-term security, Nissan was in the clear. In fact, this was a highly important development that strengthened the trust with Renault.This portion of My Personal History: Carlos Ghosn was originally posted on Nikkei Asian Review. Chapter 8 will be posted on Friday February 24."What Drives Carlos Ghosn" Index Page # # #

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Car OBD theft blocker

by Sparkystav, 07-01-2025, 09:29 AM

Recently there's been a rising trend in cars getting stolen through the OBDII ports. Generally in Ford circles but it happens by the criminals gaining entry to the car by good old fashioned window smashing, then plugging a programmer into the OBD port and coding a new keyless card that they carry. This then allows them to properly unlock the car and start it.

All this can happen in seconds! There's videos on YouTube of it happening.

Anyway one of my friends has a Ford that's at risk so recently spent some money buying a kit to prevent this happening. Having looked at that kit it's a good idea, so without revealing what the kit is or how it's fitted to his car below is my suggestions for improving your own car safety. These can work for any car really.

Basically they are programming via the OBD port so there's a few options:


Remove the OBDII port - just cut it out. Prevents them having that option, but can also be a pain if you ever need it.

Hide the port - most ports are just clipped into place, unclip it and hide it away back in the loom. Remember these criminals will have the alarm going off as they've broken into the car to get to the port. They don't want to spend ages looking for a hidden port!

Security switches - these can be fitted on various parts of the engine system. Basically and additionally on/off switch that breaks the circuit and stops the system working properly.
This can be put onto data wires of the OBD to prevent that working, or the fuel pump power, or igniter power, alsorts of critical wires.
Again a thief isn't going to spend ages diagnosing a problem, but relies on you flicking a hidden switch every time.


Remote security switches - an alternative to a manual switch is a remote one. Basically an additional remote that you have to press when you're in the car to reconnect the wire you've broken in to to immobilise the car.

Something like this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272510318361

Wire it onto a switched live so that you have to turn the ignition on, then press the remote, then the car will start/OBD port will work.



Hope this helps as a simple deterrent and cheaper option than full alarm system.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid and CR-V Earn High Environmental Scores from the American Co

by News Feeder, 07-01-2025, 04:07 AM

The Honda Accord Hybrid was named to the "Greenest Vehicles of 2017" list from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for being one of the most environmentally responsible nameplates available to consumers for the 2017 model year and for scoring in the top 1.3 percent of all vehicles scored. The Honda CR-V (1.5L FWD), America's most popular SUV, was also honored by the ACEEE in its "Greener Choices 2017" list for scoring in the top 11 percent of all vehicles. Vehicles that ...

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