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

by News Feeder, 06-01-2025, 12:23 PM

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 and NISMO announce global motorsport program for 2017

by News Feeder, 06-01-2025, 12:23 PM

Nissan and NISMO aim to retake SUPER GT title with new 2017 spec Nissan GT-R NISMO GT500Nissan and NISMO to strengthen Customer Racing programs with the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, racing engines for Daytona Prototype International (DPi), LMP1 (privateers), and LMP3.To greatly enhance its competitiveness NISMO to begin development on a newly evolved Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 (R35) YOKOHAMA, Japan – The 2017 motorsport season is about to start, and on behalf of Nissan, Takao Katagiri, CEO and president of NISMO, has now officially announced Nissan/NISMO's motorsport activities for 2017. These are as follows:1. SUPER GT GT500With sights firmly set on reclaiming the GT500 championship title, Nissan/NISMO will field four newly developed Nissan GT-R NISMO GT500 entries in 2017. Having won the SUPER GT GT500 Championship two years in a row in 2014 and 2015, but missing out on a third consecutive title after leading the championship until the last event in 2016, NISMO will be back at the track with the driver pairing of Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli in Nissan's ace car #23.Fresh from the GT300 class, GT Academy graduate Jann Mardenborough will step up to GT500, making his GT500 debut with TEAM IMPUL together with teammate Hironobu Yasuda. For the first time in seven years, João Paulo de Oliveira will return to KONDO Racing, which took two victories last year, and will team up with Daiki Sasaki. MOLA will continue with the same strong driver combination from last year, with veteran Satoshi Motoyama challenging the series alongside young gun Katsumasa Chiyo.Toshikazu Tanaka, corporate vice president of NISMO, remains as Nissan's team executive director. The complete roster:#23 - NISMO - Tsugio Matsuda / Ronnie Quintarelli Team Principal: Yutaka Suzuki MOTUL AUTECH GT-R / Michelin#12 - TEAM IMPUL - Hironobu Yasuda / Jann Mardenborough Team Principal: Kazuyoshi Hoshino Calsonic IMPUL GT-R / Bridgestone#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 / MichelinNissan's new GT500 racer, which incorporates the distinctive design of the standard 2017 Nissan GT-R NISMO, was developed in compliance with the 2017 SUPER GT technical regulations and inherits the competitive and hard-charging spirit of previous incarnations of the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT500.Officially revealed last November, the car has undergone testing in Japan as well as in Sepang, Malaysia. The updates will be made just before the opening round and are expected to result in an even stronger, more competitive GT-R that will build upon the previous championship winning car's legacy of dominance within the history of motorsports. Related Story: Nissan GT-R NISMO GT500 for 2017 revealed at Twin Ring Motegi Click image to enlarge2. CUSTOMER RACING PROGRAMS Nissan / NISMO will be expanding its Customer Racing program, supplying race cars and engines to teams around the globe.Customer Racing - GT3 Program The Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 debuted in 2012, and since then 33 cars have been sold to compete in Japan, Europe, the U.S., Australia and China – 20 of which participated in global GT3 race series in 2016. The car took numerous victories world-wide and in the Super Taikyu Series; the GT3 GT-R was crowned ST-X class champion. In 2017, NISMO will continue to support Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 customers by providing vehicles and technical assistance.While providing technical support to all the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 users in SUPER GT, Super Taikyu, and other championships, Nissan / NISMO will support the teams in the following series:Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup Nissan/NISMO will continue to support the Bob Neville managed Team RJN NISSAN in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (Pro Class). The driver lineup once again uses drivers from Nissan's global motorsport family. The 2015 championship winning pair of Katsumasa Chiyo and Alex Buncombe will team up with GT Academy's inaugural winner in 2008, Lucas Ordóñez.# 23 Team RJN NISSAN - Katsumasa Chiyo / Alex Buncombe / Lucas Ordóñez Team Principal: Bob Neville Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 / PirelliSuper GT GT300 NDDP Racing, which focuses on the development of young drivers, will enter the SUPER GT GT300 class with Mitsunori Takaboshi alongside Kazuki Hoshino as his mentor. The operation continues to be managed by B-MAX.#3 - NDDP RACING - Kazuki Hoshino / Mitsunori Takaboshi Team Principal: Masahiro Hasemi B-MAX NDDP GT-R / YokohamaSuper Taikyu Series ST-X KONDO Racing, which took the 2016 series championship with its ThreeBond Nissan Technical College GT-R, will be aiming for two consecutive titles in the ST-X class this year. Tomonobu Fujii has been named as one of the drivers. This collaboration between KONDO Racing and the Nissan Automobile Technical College is a unique program that combines education with motorsports.ST-X – #24 – KONDO Racing - Tomonobu Fujii / TBA Team Principal: Masahiko Kondo ThreeBond Nissan Technical College GT-RDevelopment of Newly Evolved Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 (R35) Nissan/NISMO will be developing a newly evolved Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 (R35), with an eye towards 2018, in order to greatly enhance its competitiveness in the increasingly fierce GT3 market. Masataka Yanagida and Michael Krumm will serve as development drivers and development will be undertaken while carrying out tests in both Japan and Europe.Customer Racing - Engine Supply Programs Nissan/NISMO will be expanding its engine supply programs. Newly introduced programs include IMSA's Daytona Prototype international (DPi) and LM P1 engine supply to a privateer for the FIA World Endurance Series (WEC). Domination in the WEC LM P2 class ended in championship success last year after 37 wins total over the past five seasons, and the company will keep supplying LM P3 engines as sole engine supplier of the globally growing class.IMSA Daytona Prototype international (DPi) A new program sees Nissan/NISMO supplying a GT3 spec based VR38 engine prepared for Daytona Prototype international (DPi) cars to Extreme Speed Motorsport (ESM), based in Florida, USA. The team takes part in the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with two cars.FIA World Endurance Championship LM P1 Another new program has Nissan/NISMO supplying a V6 Turbo 3.0 liter engine (VRX30A evo.) to ByKolles Racing Team, a private team based in Greding, Germany. The team will take part in the LM P1 class of the FIA WEC in 2017. LM P3 Series NISMO will continue to provide VK50 engines (111 units sold in the past three years) and technical assistance to teams competing in the LM P3 class of European Le Mans Series, Michelin Le Mans Cup, and Asian Le Mans Series etc. With a boom in the LM P3 class continuing this year, Nissan's presence on the grid will be significantly increased as the manufacturer looks to dominate once again.Related Story: Nissan Onroak prototypes impress in Daytona debut ESM name drivers for 2017 IMSA season and enduros3. DRIVER DEVELOPMENTNissan/NISMO continue to support young drivers' participation in race series. In addition to the previously listed entry to the SUPER GT GT300 class, the manufacturer will support Mitsunori Takabosi and his B-MAX Racing Team Japanese Formula 3 entry via NDDP. As Takaboshi's executive advisor, the team will welcome GT500 driver, Satoshi Motoyama.#23 – B-MAX Racing Team with NDDP - Mitsunori Takaboshi Team Principal: Masashi Miyata Executive Advisor: Satoshi Motoyama B-MAX NDDP F34. OTHER NOTABLE ACTIVITIES: AUSTRALIA SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPIn Australia, Nissan will continue to contest the Supercars Championship with Rick and Todd Kelly alongside Michael Caruso and new driver Simona de Silvestro with the Nissan Altima.5. PROGRAM SUMMARY Takao Katagiri, CEO and president of NISMO: "We will be competing in this year's SUPER GT GT500 class with a new model based upon the 2017 spec GT-R NISMO. We have a firm determination to retake the series championship and, with this in mind, we have reevaluated our cars, drivers, organization and so on in order to ensure we are more prepared than ever. Our team structure consists of four seriously competitive teams that will all be aiming for the title. We will be pouring our souls into this season so we hope to continue to receive the passionate support that we have received from our fans thus far."We will also be strengthening our global Customer Racing programs. While we continue to support Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 customers around the world, we will also begin working on the development of newly evolved Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3. You can expect to see a new state-of-the-art, highly competitive machine that will ensure customers continue to choose the GT-R from amongst the increasingly large variety of European manufacturers and other rival companies' GT3 vehicles."Furthermore, we will also be expanding our engine supply programs. We will be providing highly competitive racing engines and the technical support that we have cultivated throughout the LM P2 to numerous teams to facilitate their success in acclaimed race categories around the world, including the Daytona Prototype International (DPi), the LMP1 (privateer), and various LMP3 series."In addition to participating in motorsports, the NISMO brand feels that an important part of its mission is to provide accessible motorsports experiences and participatory opportunities to all of our customers. As a part of that effort we have been proactively expanding our range of NISMO road cars and occasions for driving experiences. We are committed to delivering a wide range of excitement to our fans through motorsports." # # #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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Passion for Design Lights Up 10th Edition for Lexus at Milan Design Week

by News Feeder, 06-01-2025, 12:23 PM

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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Q&A: Your future driving experience with auto expert, Bill Russo

by News Feeder, 05-01-2025, 11:54 PM

Few observers of the evolution of the automotive scene have had a better vantage point than Bill Russo. With more than 30 years in the industry — half of that time as an auto executive with experience in China and Asia — Russo nowadays heads up the Automotive practice for Gao Feng Greater China, working as the company's senior representative in Shanghai. We spoke with Bill recently for our third installment of our Q&A series to get his take on the impact of autonomous driving and the emergence of smart vehicles on the roads.Q: How will the driving experience change in the Autonomous Age?A: The potential is there for a complete redefinition of what we mean by transportation, both in terms of comfort and convenience. With the advent of autonomous driving, we're talking about a transition from a device where we really had to focus on the road — because we were the brains of the car — to where we can focus on other things. That is time given back to us that will allow us to do other things because we won't have to monitor what's going on with the vehicle itself.Q: Thinking back to how the public reacted to other major technology shifts in transportation, such as trains or commercial aviation – To what extent were these shifts driven by the user-convenience factor?A: When you look back in history, the greatest inventions by humans — the wheel, the bicycle, the steam ship, the train, the airplane — they all exist to give us the ability to travel over increasingly greater distances. Over time, each invention added more convenience and more new features to make the experience of mobility much more enjoyable and less painless. And as each of these solutions became commercially viable and affordable, they did so by offering users a benefit versus whatever preceding form of transportation they had favored up to that point—a benefit for which they were willing to pay.Q: How important was the pace of technological progress?A: It's not about creating a technology for the sake of having the technology; it's about providing a more comfortable and convenient way for people to travel the distances that we travel each day. They have to provide a tangible benefit for people to be willing to pay and use the new mode of transport. For example, trains reduced the amount of time that it took to travel across the country from months to days. The commercial airplane reduces that same time to a matter of hours. We can circle the world in a jet in little more than a day. Not so long ago, in historical terms, that journey took people years in a boat and they may not even have lived to tell the story.Q: Where do cars fit in the historical narrative?A: The car became a primary means for the average person to satisfy their daily needs for mobility. We've designed city and transportation networks that were basically designed for vehicular transportation. In the 21st century, we're seeing a phenomenon — particularly in emerging markets in Asia — where there are now very densely populated urban centers. That urbanized context is not really well suited for the car that we know today. Today's cars are designed really for highway transportation. So in an increasingly urbanized world, we're going to experience the next evolution of convenience and mobility which I think will be an autonomous mobility solution.Q: Will perceptions of autonomous driving vary by country due to local conditions?A: Absolutely. First of all, comfort and convenience are solutions to mobility “pain points” and the degree to which people experience pain points varies greatly based upon where they live. Mobility pain is much higher in densely populated cities, like New York or Paris or Delhi — and virtually all major cities in China. A city like Beijing experiences gridlock several times a day. And the driving experience in a highly urbanized country like China can be horrific. You can spend an hour going less than 10 miles in a car. So the joy of being behind the wheel and driving is not really there. It's a big difference from the driving experience of getting out on the open highway. New forms of electric and autonomous mobility—like the advent of on-demand mobility where a user pays only for the time they are in the car, rather than owning it 24/7 and using it only seldom — will be a common solution to address the mobility pain points in many places.Q: What does it mean when we have autonomous vehicles on the road that are designed from a user-centric perspective as opposed to the current driver-centric mindset?A: With autonomous cars, we will be able to transform travel time into productive time — especially for longer distance commutes. There's the potential to participate in the digital ecosystem, offering users in autonomous cars access to services and content that they can consume while mobile. Convenience services could include infotainment or watching news or doing emails and conference calls. The car thus becomes a connected rolling space that transports us to places where we live, work, and play.Q: As autonomous technology removes the drudgery of mundane tasks associated with driving, how does that reshape how we relate to vehicles?A: Vehicles will have the intelligence to diagnose the situations that they're in and make the more complex decisions that human beings today make. That not only reduces the pain points of driving, it also is going to make the overall experience more convenient, safer, and enjoyable for the occupants.With autonomous driving, we're arriving at a point where we can define a new paradigm that refocuses how the passenger conducts and uses their transportation time. Observing what happens outside of the car, for instance, moves from being a requirement to a choice. You don't have to look outside the window any longer. You can — if that's what you want to do. But you really don't have to concern yourself with what you see outside. It's like being an airline passenger looking out the window. You can look out the window but do you really need to?Think about the “cockpit” space that's now allocated in vehicles for the purpose of giving drivers information they need to make decisions. You can repurpose all of that from a driver-passenger perspective to a connected user perspective. You will be able to provide people display space that allows them a more productive use of information that they may need to go about their day. While the purpose of the car doesn't change - it's still a transportation system - this new concept of how to offer a convenience-oriented autonomous vehicle to the occupant(s) is different.# # #

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OneRepublic to Headline 2017 Honda Civic Tour

by News Feeder, 05-01-2025, 11:27 AM

Civic Tour Continues 16 Years Strong with Powerhouse Lineup for 2017: http://honda.us/Announce Special Guest Fitz and The Tantrums and James Arthur Support Massive North American Summer Tour Ticket Presales Begin Monday, February 20 Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated quintet OneRepublic announced with Honda today they will tour North America this summer when they embark on the 2017 Honda Civic Tour, promoted by Live Nation. The Honda Civic Tour is in its 16th year and has become an annual live-mu...

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Toyota Launches Redesigned "Prius PHV" in Japan

by News Feeder, 04-01-2025, 10:05 AM

Toyota Motor Corporation announces the launch of the redesigned Prius PHV in Japan, and sales will begin at all Toyota, Toyopet, Toyota Corolla and Netz dealers nationwide on February 15.

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What Drives Carlos Ghosn chapter 6: Crises and opportunities

by News Feeder, 03-01-2025, 09:44 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 PageNissan in crisis modeThe outbreak of the global recession prompted a quick rethinkIn the spring of 2008, six months before the financial markets would come crashing down, my instincts told me that the economy was about to go into a period of reassessment. But there was no clear indication, at least to those of us in the auto industry, that we were on the brink of economic collapse. Nissan had to revise its midterm business plan after the global financial crisis made holding onto cash a top priority. Then, on Sept. 15, we experienced the "Lehman shock," or as they call it in the U.S., the start of the Great Recession. Economic and financial systems all over the world were paralyzed. Even companies on solid financial footing were no longer able to borrow money. Automakers, too, had to face harsh realities, because we needed to move large sums of money to finance purchasing and sales, while also supporting our suppliers.I was in Paris at the time of the crash. As soon as I heard the news, I immediately made a phone call to Nissan Motor headquarters. I told the chief operating officer, Toshiyuki Shiga, to assemble all of the executives in Ginza for an executive committee meeting. It was a holiday in Japan, but we couldn't wait to make critical decisions. In the meantime, I told the Nissan management team to create plans of action for each department – purchasing, development, production and sales. I didn't know exactly what would happen, but we had to be prepared.The most important consideration was cash management. Nissan had launched a medium-term plan called GT 2012, which emphasized profitability through active investment. However, since the financial system was paralyzed, we could not afford to let go of any cash. We had to refrain from investing as much as possible. We suspended the plan immediately.Overnight, the world had changed completely. Nissan, like every other company on the planet, was forced into an unstable situation. But because of our quick action and the cooperation of Nissan employees, we were able to rebound relatively quickly. In addition to suspending our medium-term plan, we also reduced production, froze new parts orders and took other measures, such as reducing overtime. Even our corporate-sponsored baseball team suspended its activities to conserve funds. All management positions took a 5 percent pay cut.I returned to Japan on Sept. 23 as planned. We held a town hall-style meeting with employees and told them that while we may need to take further cost-reduction measures, we would not compromise investments in important projects that would affect the future growth of Nissan. We had to focus not only on the short-term but also the long-term sustainability of our business.When the economy crashes, even large companies like Nissan can become helpless. Ultimately, governments had to come to the rescue. Government agencies, government-affiliated financial institutions and central banks in various countries, led by the U.S., took measures to keep big businesses from failing by lending them money or assisting them through special programs. Compared to the U.S. and Europe, the Japanese authorities were more cautious about becoming directly involved and took time to fully analyze the situation.I was in frequent contact with government officials, both in Japan and overseas, to exchange ideas and offer advice, based on Nissan's situation. The experience reminded me that cash is the lifeblood of the economy. We, along with other businesses, had to adjust our management philosophy completely. It was a bumpy few months, but Nissan's fighting spirit came roaring back, like a muscle memory from the early days of our revival. Whatever happened next, we would be ready. This portion of My Personal History: Carlos Ghosn was originally posted on Nikkei Asian Review.Going electric and disproving the doubtersThe LEAF validated Nissan's decision to skip hybrids and focus on electrics As I wrote previously, even in the midst of the financial crisis, it was critical to not pull back on the investments that were positioning us for the future. At the top of that list was the development of electric vehicles. Skeptics doubted Carlos Ghosn's decision to develop an electric car, but Nissan's LEAF has proved a success. Many people have said that we made a big bet on electric vehicles, but in reality, it was the result of research and deep analysis. There were a few forces accelerating our development of electric vehicle technology. For one, prices of crude oil were skyrocketing, and electric vehicles would allow us to move away from a dependence on oil. There was also growing concern about the environment, and an industry responsibility to reduce carbon emissions. Meanwhile, environmental regulations in the U.S. and Europe were becoming ever stricter – all reasons to move away from fossil fuels and toward zero-emissions power.Despite this overwhelming evidence, when we announced our plans to build an electric vehicle in 2008, we were met with skepticism. Some critics said that we were focusing on electric vehicles because we lacked hybrid-vehicle technology, but that was incorrect. We made a strategic decision to focus on electric vehicles. Other companies had tried to do so but failed due to a lack of battery technology. Nissan Motor, on the other hand, had succeeded in developing electric vehicle batteries that could provide the same performance as a gasoline-powered car. We had the technology to build an all-electric vehicle; why wouldn't we leapfrog over hybrids?In December 2010, we introduced the world's first mass-produced, affordable electric car, the LEAF. The race for a zero-emission car had begun. Those same automakers who doubted us seven years ago are now following in our footsteps. Because of tougher environmental regulations, no auto company can compete without an electric car. Delivery of the World's First Nissan LEAF 12/11/10: a key moment in automotive history as the world's first mass-market electric car is delivered. Revisiting the Temple: A First Owner of Nissan LEAF Anyo-in Temple's Chief Priest Wasei Hirai was one of the first to take home a Nissan LEAF electric car. This increase in competition is good because it makes the industry stronger. But other companies still have a ways to go to catch up to us.This shift in attitude reminds me of one of my favorite books, "The Alchemist," written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. When it first came out, the book only sold one copy in the first month. His editors told him to stop trying to sell it, but he fought them for a year. Today the book is one of the best-selling in history, and it has set a Guinness World Record as the most-translated work by a living author. I reread it last fall and was reminded that sometimes you need to ignore the critics and go forward. I'm glad we did. Today, the Renault-Nissan Alliance accounts for more than half of all electric vehicles sold worldwide, and we are committed to maintaining this advantage into the future. This portion of My Personal History: Carlos Ghosn was originally posted on Nikkei Asian Review.Disaster strikes: Japan's March 11 earthquakeNissan plants hit harder than most, but employees pull off "miraculous" recovery Like anyone who lives in Japan, or has a close connection with the country, March 11, 2011 is imprinted in my memory. I was in Paris to attend a Renault management conference. I received an email early in the morning with two foreboding sentences: "Big earthquake occurred. We are now investigating the damages." Carlos Ghosn, fourth from left, shouts words of encouragement to employees at Nissan's quake-hit Iwaki plant, in Fukushima Prefecture. I replied immediately: "I want you to put all your efforts into the recovery, whatever the situation."From that moment, information flowed into Paris in a continuous stream. We learned that the damage to the Tohoku region, in Japan's northeast, and to our factories and supply chains was significant. Of all the Japanese automakers, Nissan Motor was the hardest hit. Major damage forced us to stop production at two important facilities. Nissan immediately established a disaster countermeasures office to respond.I prepared to return to Japan immediately, but I was confronted by two obstacles: One was the closure of Japanese airports. Because of the extensive damage caused by the earthquake, the subsequent tsunami and the nuclear power plant meltdown, activities at major airports in Japan were suspended. The pilot of our corporate jet couldn't take flight – even when departures from Japan were allowed, arrivals from overseas were not permitted for an extended period. The other problem concerned a pressing management issue at Renault that required my attention in Paris.Because of these complications, it wasn't until March 21 that I finally made it to Japan. On the 29th, I traveled north to our Iwaki factory in Fukushima Prefecture, where the most damage had occurred. I wanted to go as soon as possible to inform our employees that I planned to rebuild the factory immediately. I had heard that, since the day of the earthquake, everyone had become worried about the future of the factory, but I had no intention of closing it.I also needed our suppliers to come to the disaster area. It was a difficult situation, as the damage to the nuclear plant was happening at the same time, but it was imperative that we assist each other in the rebuilding. The best course of action for me was to go to the factory and deliver the message personally. The management team told me they were committed to bringing the factory back to life.When I returned on May 17, 2011, barely two months after the disaster, I saw the miraculous result of their efforts. The plant had returned to nearly full operations. During that visit, employees shared with me their experiences during the crisis, and the aftershocks and subsequent earthquake that hit a few weeks later. Their commitment to restoring operations despite these odds made a significant contribution to the recovery of Nissan, and in a symbolic way, to all Japan.Nissan's quick recovery was, in large part, due to the mindset we developed during our near-death experience in 1999, when Nissan was on the brink of bankruptcy. Overcoming that crisis and putting Nissan on the road to growth and sustainable profitability taught us many lessons that were reinforced by the Fukushima disaster and by the negative impact last year's earthquake had on operations in Japan's Kyushu region.The Chinese character chosen in Japan to symbolize the year 2011 was "kizuna," which can be translated as ties that can bind a family, a nation, or even a company together. The response to the disasters powerfully underscored the strength of those bonds, and taught us important lessons about how to be a stronger company in the face of crisis.Kizuna: The Ties that Bind Before the fifth-year anniversary of the disasters that struck Northeast Japan on March 11, 2011, Hirono town in Fukushima prefecture welcomed volunteers, including Nissan staff, who looked to support further recovery. Habitat for Humanity Volunteers Filling Tohoku Cracks Miyagi Prefecture - More than three years after a tremendous earthquake struck northeastern Japan, the cracks and debris from that day in March can still be found, but help came recently in the form of Habitat for Humanity volunteers. Roadmap to Fukushima Recovery: Volunteerism Nissan volunteers traveled to Hirono, Fukushima to support recovery efforts in the town, still impacted from disasters in March 2011. The town was struck by an earthquake and tsunami, and later was temporarily evacuated because of a serious nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi facility. Residents began to return to Hirono from September 2011,but the population still remains below pre-disaster levels. This portion of My Personal History: Carlos Ghosn was originally posted on Nikkei Asian Review.Chapter 6 will be posted on Monday, February 20. "What Drives Carlos Ghosn" Index Page # # #

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Lexus to Unveil the All-New LS 500h at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show

by News Feeder, 03-01-2025, 09:39 AM

Following the World Premiere of the LS 500 featuring a twin-turbo 3.5l V6 petrol engine at this year's Detroit Auto Show, Lexus will introduce the all-new LS 500h full hybrid at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

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Valentine’s passions run high as INFINITI gauges emotional responses to driving

by News Feeder, 02-01-2025, 09:39 PM

INFINITI measures emotional responses of drivers at the wheel of powerful new Q50 Red Sport 400Drivers experience greater levels of excitement and passion while driving INFINITI's 400 hp sports sedanQ50 Red Sport 400 powered by 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engineHONG KONG – The INFINITI Q50 Red Sport 400 invokes passion, excitement and engagement in drivers, according to new scientific research carried out by INFINITI in the run-up to Valentine's Day.At a time of year devoted to the expression of emotion, love and passion, INFINITI measured real-time neural reactions of 100 drivers as they drove the Q50 Red Sport 400. The test measured drivers' emotional response while at the wheel of the most powerful version of INFINITI's best-selling sports sedan.INFINITI collaborated with EMOTIV – a bioinformatics company specializing in electroencephalogram (EEG) technology – to monitor brain activity during the test drives. Data from participants was then evaluated against the Hebbian-Yerkes-Dodson behavioral performance model. The scientifically-validated Hebbian-Yerkes-Dodson model suggests that greater mental arousal and engagement is required to realize the best possible performance in an activity, such as driving.The data found that a drive in the Q50 Red Sport 400 elicited greater levels of mental excitement, focus and engagement when compared to a generic, simulated driving experience. EMOTIV's independent interpretation of brainwave activity, captured by the EEG, mirrored the shape of the Hebbian-Yerkes-Dodson curve – drivers experienced optimal peak levels of emotional engagement with the act of driving the sports sedan, which produces a thrilling 400 hp from its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine. Click image to enlargeParticipants in the Q50 Red Sport 400 test drive reached the optimal "excitement" zone during their drive (mean 0.582), according to the Hebbian-Yerkes-Dodson model, compared to a mean 0.507 of a generic driving experience, carried out on a racing simulator. However, EEG data from the Red Sport 400 drive also showed a peak in mental "arousal" of around four times" that experienced by drivers on the driving simulator. Conversely, brainwave activity captured during the driving simulator showed relative excitement levels remained flat throughout the drive.Alfonso Albaisa, INFINITI's Executive Design Director, who oversaw the design of the Q50 Red Sport 400, commented: "A car is more than just a machine, and the best of them – the ones which drivers love the most – should provoke an emotional response. In an era when emotionless, autonomous appliances dominate the headlines, this test backs up a long-held belief of ours – that INFINITI cars invoke a true passion for driving."About INFINITIINFINITI 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 http://www.INFINITI.com. You can also follow INFINITI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and see all our latest videos on YouTube. # # # ContactFor Global Communications, please contact:Jodie Davies Senior Manager T: +852 3948 0903 M: +852 9542 1717 [email protected] *MSRP excludes applicable tax, title, license and destination & handling fees of $905. Dealer sets actual price. Prices and specs are subject to change without notice.

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Nissan announces Nissan Art Award 2017

by News Feeder, 02-01-2025, 09:37 AM

YOKOHAMA (February 13, 2017) –Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is announcing that it will hold the third edition of the Nissan Art Award in 2017. This year, for the first time, the Nissan Art Award will run in parallel with the Yokohama Triennale 2017. The Triennale is one of the most important international contemporary art exhibitions in Japan and is held every three years in Yokohama, where Nissan’s global headquarters is located.The Nissan Art Award was created in 2013 as part of the company’s 80th anniversary celebrations. It supports top talent in Japanese contemporary art and helps to develop culture in Japan for future generations. The Grand Prix winner is chosen by an international jury and receives a monetary award as well as the opportunity to practice at an artist residency overseas and disseminate their work internationally.“Nissan is proud to again support emerging Japanese artists and the cultural community through this award,” said Nissan Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn. “We are especially proud that this year the Nissan Art Award will coincide with the prestigious Yokohama Triennale. We look forward to celebrating the work of top Japanese contemporary artists and hope the award will inspire others to support the arts here in Japan.”The Nissan Art Award serves as a steppingstone for finalists to appear at major art festivals, exhibitions and fairs around the world and also have their work appear in influential art publications. For example, one of the 2015 finalists, Takahiro Iwasaki, was selected to represent Japan at the Venice Biennale in May, known as the Olympic Games of contemporary art.As part of the Nissan Art Award program, Nissan also adds the artworks of finalists to its corporate art collection. Part of this is presently on display at the Nissan Global Headquarters in Yokohama. In the future, Nissan will work in partnership with the City of Yokohama to loan out the collection and create opportunities for more audiences to enjoy it.Latest Exhibits of Nissan Art Collection A total of 8 exhibits from the work of the finalists for the 2013 and 2015 awards are now on display at the Global Headquarters of Nissan Motor for employees and visitors. In September, artworks from the collection will be exhibited at the ground floor gallery of the YCC Yokohama Creative City Center. Left: Display at Nissan Motor Global Headquarters of 2015 finalist Takashi Ishida’s artwork from the Nissan Art Collection. Right: Installation view of 2015 Grand Prix winner Yuko Mohri’s open studio event at Camden Arts Centre, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Camden Arts Centre Nissan Art Award 2017 Facts Organized and Sponsored by: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Directed, Coordinated and Exhibition Curated by: Arts Initiative Tokyo [AIT] Nissan Art Award Website: http://www.nissan-global.com/JP/CITIZENS...Exhibition Overview Title: Nissan Art Award 2017 Exhibition Exhibition Period:Saturday, September 16 – Sunday, November 5, 2017 Closed: every second and fourth Thursday. Venue:BankART Studio NYK 2F, 3-9 Kaigan Dori, Naka-ku, Yokohama Exhibition Support by:BankART1929Nissan Art Award 2017 Vision of Nissan Art Award The Nissan Art Award is a biennial award presented to the emerging generation of Japanese artists to further their careers, enhance their presence in the international art world and create a social environment where people familiarize themselves with art. The award is intended to celebrate new developments in Japanese contemporary art and help provoke debate about visual art by promoting creative emerging artists. Through a prolonged commitment, the award can contribute towards outlining a history of Japanese contemporary art and artists, focusing particularly on their activities in the past two years. As a continuation of the award, Nissan Motor Corporation also adds the works of art to its collection for exhibiting internally and externally with the aim of providing a point of reference on Japanese contemporary art in the international art scene.Artist Nominations and First Selection At the end of December 2016, a panel of ten nominators each selected three candidate artists. Comprising curators, researchers and members of non-profit art organizations, the varied panel members have followed the careers of Japanese artists in a global context. Five international jury members will then select a shortlist of five finalists for the award, which will be announced through the official website and a press release in early June 2017. All candidates must be Japanese passport-holders. International Jury Members:Fumio NanjoDirector, Mori Art Museum (Tokyo, Japan) / Jury ChairJean de LoisyDirector, Palais de Tokyo (Paris, France)Sunjung KimDirector, Art Sonje Center / Artistic Director, Real DMZ Project (Seoul, South Korea)Jessica MorganDirector, Dia Art Foundation (New York, USA)Lawrence RinderDirector and Chief Curator, Berkeley Museum and Pacific Film Archive (California, USA) Candidates Nomination Committee Members:Azusa HashimotoCurator, The National Museum of Art, OsakaMakoto HashimotoArt Producer / Director, Nomad Production (Tokyo)Hiroyuki HattoriIndependent CuratorShihoko IidaIndependent Curator / Associate Professor, Tokyo University of the ArtsReuben KeehanCurator, Contemporary Asian Art, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, AustraliaEriko KimuraCurator, Yokohama Museum of ArtChieko KitadeCurator, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, KanazawaRoger McDonaldDeputy Director, Arts Initiative Tokyo [AIT]Hajime NariaiCurator, Tokyo Station GalleryMizuki TakahashiSenior Curator, MILL6 FOUNDATION (Hong Kong)Listed in alphabetical order of surnames after the Chair Production and Exhibition of New WorksThe five finalists will each receive prize money of one million JPY as well as a further one million JPY to pay for the production of new works of art, which are included in an exhibition of the finalists’ work in September 2017.Final Selection and Award CeremonyAn international jury is responsible for the final screening of the exhibits and the winner of the Grand Prix will be announced at an award ceremony in September 2017. Visitors to the exhibition are able to vote for the Audience Award, which is announced at an award ceremony held during the exhibition period.PrizesFinalists: 1 million JPY Grand Prix: A total value of 5 million JPY (comprising finalist prize money and additional 2 million JPY as well as an overseas residency program with expert counseling and subsidy for travel, living and research costs) + TrophyBlue Citizenship: Blue Citizenship is the commitment of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. to realize our vision of Enriching People's Lives. We commit to our customers, shareholders, employees and the communities where we do business to deliver engaging, valuable and sustainable mobility for all. Through our business activities, we aim to create economic value and to actively contribute towards the development of a sustainable society 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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