2008 Infiniti G37 Journey on 2040-cars

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Infiniti finally adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for 2020

Infiniti is finally bringing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into its 2020 model year lineup. The capability comes via the company’s next generation of Infiniti infotainment systems it announced today. ItÂ’s still called Infiniti InTouch and uses the same dual-screen setup, but the smartphone connection capability is completely new. Previous to this announcement, no Infinitis supported either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, even the recently redesigned QX50 crossover. The Japanese luxury brand has been one of the last holdouts in terms of smartphone connectivity. Almost every 2020 Infiniti will gain the next-gen software for the 2020 model year — the QX60 is the only model that wonÂ’t get it. The next-gen InTouch system is also capable of being a Wi-Fi hotspot for as many as seven devices, so your gang of QX80 passengers can all be on Wi-Fi. Maps for the navigation system are also improved. A 3D city view was added in addition to Google Street satellite imagery. Infiniti says pairing your phone via Bluetooth will be easier, as it has streamlined the interface and adopted a new Bluetooth module and faster processor. Infiniti also promises more stability in the phoneÂ’s pairing to the car on account of the new Bluetooth module. WeÂ’ll note that Infiniti chose to go with a wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connection. Others like BMW, Audi and Ford (just announced) are going the wireless route, with mixed success. The two connectivity features will also be standard. If you're considering an Infiniti and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are important to you (it probably should be), then waiting for 2020 is a good idea. 

Infiniti moves to trademark Eau Rouge

With Formula One taking to Belgium and the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend - boasting a reputation as one of the most beautiful courses on the calendar - all eyes will likely be on the tricky Eau Rouge corner, which challenges drivers' high-speed car control over a rolling, tree-lined hill. Infiniti played on the turn's iconic legacy for its ruby red Q50 Eau Rouge concept, and now the brand hopes to trademark the famous racing name so it can keep using it for a potential production version.
In January, the company filed for a trademark on Eau Rouge for "Automobiles and their structural parts; Fuel cell automobiles and their structural parts; Concept cars" with the US Patent and Trademark Office. According to Bloomberg, the application is still under consideration and not yet a guarantee. It's possible that the track could attempt to block the automaker from earning rights to the name. Alternatively, a trademark lawyer tells Bloomberg that the two of them could also strike a deal where Infiniti would pay a small amount for each car sold bearing the title, which could give Spa a bit of extra money in the bank.
Regardless of the name, a vehicle like the Eau Rouge is something enthusiasts have been wanting for years. It combines a modified, 560-horsepower version of the engine from the Nissan GT-R into a four-door sedan covered in aggressive, carbon fiber aerodynamic parts.

Japan sends official to Lebanon over fugitive Carlos Ghosn

BEIRUT — Japan's deputy justice minister met top officials in Lebanon on Monday over the case of NissanÂ’s fugitive ex-boss, Carlos Ghosn, who fled to his home country late last year while on bail in Japan and awaiting trial. Ghosn was arrested in late 2018 and is facing charges of under-reporting income and breach of trust. He says he is innocent. He led Nissan for nearly 20 years. State Minister of Justice Hiroyuki Yoshiie (pictured above with Lebanese Justice Minister Marie Claude Najm) met President Michel Aoun as well as the Lebanese minister of foreign affairs. Yoshiie did not speak to reporters after the meetings and is scheduled to hold a news conference later in the day. Aoun's office said in a tweet after the meeting that they discussed mutual relations and ways of developing them "in addition to matters that are of interest for both countries." The tweet did not mention Ghosn, who made his first public appearance in Lebanon in early January saying he fled a “nightmare” that would not end and vowed to defend his name wherever he can get a fair trial. On Friday, Japan's Justice Minister Masako Mori said she was dispatching the official to Beirut to explain the Japanese justice system and improve cooperation. She said Japan hoped Lebanon would gain “a proper understanding of the Japanese criminal justice system.” Japan and Lebanon do not have an extradition treaty, and it's unlikely Lebanon would agree to send Ghosn, considered a Lebanese national hero, back to Japan to face trial. Mori acknowledged that there were “various environments” and laws that underpin each country's stance. Nissan, maker of the Leaf electric car and Z sports car, said in a statement regarding the justice officialÂ’s trip that it hoped Ghosn would return to Japan to stand trial, “so that all the facts can be properly established under JapanÂ’s judicial system.” Having spent months in detention and struggling to gain his release on bail under stringent conditions, Ghosn said he fled in the belief he could not get a fair trial in Japan. Japan has requested GhosnÂ’s return through Interpol and issued an arrest warrant after his escape. Lebanese prosecutors issued a travel ban for Ghosn in January and asked him to hand in his French passport following the Interpol-issued notice against him. NissanÂ’s sales have plunged recently, and it sank into losses for the last fiscal quarter. The brand is widely considered to have been tarnished by the controversy around Ghosn.