1986 Nissan D21 Long Bed " Purple", 135,000 K, 5 Speed, Has A Z24 4cyl Motor! on 2040-cars

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'Charge lock' on Nissan Leaf doesn't actually prevent cable theft

Is it a feature or a bug? According to AutoblogGreen reader Francois Viau, the locking mechanism that holds the 110V trickle charge cable to his Nissan Leaf is too weak, and that's a problem. That's because while he thought the cable was locked to his car during a charge session at work, someone stole the cable, and it cost him $2,200 to replace it (in Canadian dollars, from the Nissan dealer). To see just how easy it is to unlock the mechanism, Viau had a "small assistant" jimmy it open with a plastic comb on video (watch it below). "The charge lock feature on Nissan Leaf is not intended to prevent theft of the charging cordset." – Brian Brockman We wondered if this was a common problem and, through the magic of Facebook, we had AutoblogGreen reader Phil Tipper try it out on his 2013 SL Leaf. He said he used an insulated handle flat screwdriver and was not able to defeat the lock. "I admit that I didn't want to force the mechanism for fear of breaking it, it didn't look like that kid used much force at all," he said. "Maybe this guy's mechanism was damaged in the theft and now it's very easy to trip the lock out of the way." Fifty percent of a sample size of two isn't a reliable metric, but if you're worried about locking your cable in place, you can see some of Viau's anti-theft solutions here (in French, with pictures). Turns out, though, that the white plastic bit that prevents the cable handle from working during a charge isn't really an anti-theft device. Brian Brockman, senior manager of corporate communications for Nissan North America, told AutoblogGreen that, "The charge lock feature on Nissan Leaf is not intended to prevent theft of the charging cordset. It is designed to discourage someone from unplugging the vehicle while a charging session is in progress. The trickle charge cable features a small hole in the release button to allow the owner to insert a lock to reduce the chance of theft." So, now you know. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Nismo mashes it up with Sentra 370Z and Altima GT-R

Nismo was a tuning division once content (or required) to restrict itself to just one or two models at a time, but these days Nissan is taking the gloves off and allowing its motorsport department to tune just about everything's it's got.
Now in its thirtieth year, Nismo tunes versions of the GT-R, 370Z, Juke and Versa Note, and will soon be working its magic on the Sentra and European-market Qashqai and Pulsar. And that's not even taking into account its considerable racing programs. At this rate, Nismo is going to run out of vehicles to tune pretty quickly, so what has it done? Invent new ones!
No, we're afraid that Nissan is not letting its Nismo division produce its own stand-alone product, but it has released two sets of amusing renderings combining two vehicles into one. One depicts a GT-R crossed with a Teana sedan (better known in these parts at the Altima), while the other crosses a Sentra with a 370Z.

Renault, Nissan limit French government interference

Renault and Nissan are taking action to limit the influence that one can exercise over the other's operations. The measures, announced by both automakers after meetings of their respective boards in Paris and Tokyo, aim to keep each other at arm's length. But more than that, they seek to cap the degree of influence which the French government can bring to bear on either automaker. The steps are being taken in response to investment moves by the French state. While the government's investment arm – known as the Agence des Participations de l'Etat (or state participation agency) – previously controlled 15 percent of Renault's shares, it increased its holdings this April to 19.73 percent. The action sparked concerns at Renault that the French government would attempt to dictate operating procedures to both automakers, potentially to favor production in France over other locations. Given that Renault holds a 43-percent stake in Nissan, the Japanese automaker grew concerned over potential French state interference as well. To assuage those concerns, Renault, Nissan, and the French government came to an agreement with three vital clauses. Most importantly, despite its nearly 20-percent holdings, the French government will be granted only 17.9 percent of voting rights in Renault (to be extended up to 20 percent under certain exceptional circumstances). Renault (and by extension the French government) will also be prevented from interfering in Nissan's governance. With those measures in place, Nissan will not seek more voting rights based on the 15-percent stake which it, in turn, holds in Renault. Having successfully concluded the deal and hedged against the threat of government interference, the Renault board reasserted its confidence in Carlos Ghosn. Through the unique terms of their alliance, Ghosn serves as chairman and CEO of both Renault and Nissan. The two cooperate closely and share resources extending far beyond their chief executive, but remain distinct companies rather than merge, as Fiat and Chrysler have. Renault Board approves alliance stability covenant between Renault and Nissan As early as 16th April 2015, the Renault Board of Directors unanimously reiterated that the sustainability, success and resilience of the Alliance since its very inception in 1999 were based on a balance of shares held by Renault and Nissan.