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Infiniti serves up ‘Carigami’ models to ease coronavirus quarantine boredom

To the list of things car enthusiasts can do to combat coronavirus quarantine boredom, or keep their restless kids diverted, Inifiniti is serving up what it’s calling “Carigami.” ItÂ’s exactly what it sounds like: origami for cars, more or less. Three models are offered — the Q50 sedan, QX80 SUV and the now-discontinued FX crossover — all in 1:27 scale. All you need is a printer and paper, a craft knife and some glue. ItÂ’s not the first time Nissan has turned to the Japanese art form, having commissioned a full-scale origami version of the Juke on its fifth anniversary in 2015. Outside the Nissan realm, we also recently saw a downloadable origami version of the Tesla Cybertruck. You can download all three Infiniti templates and instructions at Infiniti.com. We especially dig the use of a record turntable as a way to replicate the life-size design turntable automakers display new models on at auto shows.

NHTSA opens investigation into Nissan's handling of airbag recall

In March of 2014, Nissan recalled eight models among its Nissan and Infiniti brands, totaling more than one million vehicles, over faulty occupant classification system software controlling the passenger airbag. The company discovered a variety of factors that would interfere with the system's ability to detect an adult passenger in the shotgun seat, resulting in an illuminated warning on on the dashboard and the passenger airbag not deploying in an accident. Yet 124 complaints submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since the recall allege that the dealer-installed fix hasn't actually fixed the problem; some consumers say the problem persists after multiple trips to the dealer. The Detroit News reports that NHTSA is opening an investigation into the matter to determine whether a new recall is needed. The occupant sensor has been a bugbear for Nissan over the past couple of years; a much smaller recall for the issue in 2013 covered five of the eight vehicles that were recalled in 2014, and that earlier recall also continued to generate complaints after the issue had supposedly been fixed. At the same time, the company learned that in two instances there was another twist, where the dashboard warning wasn't illuminated but the passenger airbag still didn't go off in an accident. Nissan isn't alone, though, with airbag recalls on a steep upswing across the industry even before the Takata debacle.

Infiniti previews its own Vision Gran Turismo

Every automaker and its parent company is lining up to design its own set of wheels for the GT6 as part of the Vision Gran Turismo program, and this latest one comes from Infiniti. Although nothing in the way of details were disclosed at this point, the two teaser images released today show that, like most of its compatriots, Infiniti's design is for a low-slung, track-focused, two-door sports car. Its long bonnet suggests a front-engined layout, with an intriguingly ovoid windshield framed by raised buttress A-pillars and Infiniti's signature dog-leg rear pillars. The aerodynamic profiling looks suitably advanced for a mythical beast like this one, with deep extractor vents cut into the hood, intersecting side sills running from the front brake vents, an enormous rear diffuser and an even bigger rear wing. More than that we couldn't tell you at this point, but we're sure video racers will enjoy driving this super-Datsun as much as the Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo released back in June.