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Carlos Ghosn's jail time extended, as family says he was framed

TOKYO — Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn will be detained at least through Jan. 11, the Tokyo District Court said Monday, as the once-revered auto industry figure faces allegations that have marked a stunning downfall. Ghosn, who led Nissan Motor Co. for two decades and helped save the Japanese automaker from near bankruptcy, was arrested Nov. 19 on suspicion of falsifying financial reports. He also faces a breach of trust allegation, for which his detention had been approved previously through Jan. 1. The Tokyo District Court said in a statement that it had approved prosecutors' request for a 10-day extension. Ghosn has been charged in the first set of allegations, about under-reporting Ghosn's pay by about 5 billion yen ($44 million) in 2011-2015. Related: Top 10 automotive stories of 2018 Those close to Ghosn and his family say he is asserting his innocence as the alleged underreported amount of money was never really decided or paid, and Nissan never suffered any monetary losses from the alleged breach of trust. It is unclear when Ghosn may be released on bail. Tokyo prosecutors consider Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, a flight risk. In Japan, formal charges can mean a suspect will get detained for months, sometimes until the trial starts, because of fears of tampered evidence. Some experts are puzzled that the allegations against Kelly and Ghosn are about underreporting income from Nissan. Nissan is in charge of filing such financial reports, not individual executives. Over the weekend, The New York Times published an article, "The Rise and Fall of Carlos Ghosn," describing his arrest as well as his almost legendary ascendance as the outsider who saved Nissan: "He was a person who was above the clouds," said one Nissan employee. But it's clear from the article that his autocratic style has long rankled the Japanese. In a sidebar, the NYT also covered accusations from Ghosn's daughters that Nissan had set him up for a fall, part of a mutiny against his explorations of a merger between Nissan and Renault. They point out that Hiroto Saikawa, the chief executive of Nissan, complained about the nature of the alliance in the first news conference following Ghosn's arrest. "Wow," daughter Caroline Ghosn said. "He didn't even waste a breath. He didn't even try to cover up the fact that the merger had something to do with this." The NYT articles included Ghosn family photos showing a softer side to the stern auto executive.

Mitsubishi to debut Concept G4 sedan in Bangkok

With the Bangkok Motor Show coming up at the end of this month, Mitsubishi is giving us a teaser of a new concept vehicle called the Concept G4. Standing for "Global 4-door," the G4 shows what Mitsubishi has planned for its global compact sedan, which is known as the Mitsubishi Lancer in most parts of the world.
This single sketch doesn't provide too many details about the new concept, but we can see cues like the oversized headlights, a six-sided grille, vertical foglight bezels and sharp body lines. From what we can tell of the teaser, Mitsubishi might be moving away from the in-your-face, gaping-grille design introduced on the current Lancer, but we're also getting a lot of Kia and Nissan vibes. This will be Mitsubishi's third concept vehicle to debut this month following the Concept CA-MiEV and Concept GR-HEV we saw in Geneva.
In a press release posted below, Mitsubishi says that this car will be powered by a 1.2-liter MIVEC engine paired to a continuously variable transmission, and that many aspects of the car's development will help reduce weight.

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage: Hey, it sort of looks better

I've never really been too kind to the Mitsubishi Mirage. Sure, its bargain-basement MSRP is appealing, and there's plenty of content within. But in the end, it's just sort of a dumpy little thing. Thankfully, Mitsubishi is offering a number of updates for the 2017 model year, and the redone Mirage shows its freshened face to the world at the 2015 LA Auto Show. First and foremost, it looks better. There's some more assertive styling baked into the nose, including LED running lamps and a stylized lower grille. That said, it's the same ol' Mirage out back. Inside, a number of new fabrics and trim pieces are found throughout the cabin, and the infotainment system is updated to include the popular Apple CarPlay and Android Auto apps. Mitsubishi's wheezy little three-cylinder still resides underhood, making 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. That's actually four more horsepower than last year's car, but I'm sure the Mirage will continue to sprint at its usual, glacial pace. Overall drivability might see an improvement, too, as Mitsubishi is fitting larger brakes and a retuned suspension. I'll be sure to give the Mirage a fair shake next year. Until then, I'll just gaze lovingly into the purple hatch's new eyes, in the gallery above. THE 2017 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE: NEW EXTERIOR DESIGN AND ADDED PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENTS - The new Mitsubishi Mirage continues to deliver outstanding fuel economy - 2017 Mirage will feature Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™ - Attractive pricing and 10-year warranty distances the competition CYPRESS, Calif. Nov. 18, 2015 – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today announced details for the fuel-efficient 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage featuring a new exterior design, improved performance and enhanced interior appeal. Despite all that is new for Mirage in 2017, a few things didn't change at all—Mirage still offers impressive fuel economy, attractive pricing and industry leading new vehicle and powertrain warranties. The Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback will be available at dealers in spring 2016. "Mirage has gained popularity with its affordable and practical appeal," said Don Swearingen, executive vice president, MNNA. "Mirage owners are looking for a vehicle that does its job well and is reliable. The Mirage continues to deliver all of those attributes, and the improvements to the 2017 model year will expand the Mirage's appeal even more." The changes for the 2017 model year are led with the new exterior design.