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Nissan may take control of struggling Mitsubishi Motors

Update: The reports were largely correct. Nissan will take a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi for roughly $2.2b. Read all about it here. Reports say Nissan will buy a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors, either 30 or 34 percent, for about 200 billion yen or $1.84 billion. Nissan and Mitsubishi motors are currently part of a joint venture, NMKV, to build minicars together. Nissan is also responsible for reporting fuel-economy discrepancies with cars built under the joint-venture agreement, which put Mitsubishi in its current weakened state. Earlier today, reports surfaced that the fuel-economy issues were wider ranging than originally thought. Mitsubishi now admits that all of its Japanese-market cars sold since 1991 could have had faked fuel-economy data. Shares of Mitsubishi Motors have dropped by about half since the scandal was uncovered, opening the door for a takeover. While Nissan is a much larger company, it can benefit from Mitsubishi's 60-percent share of Japan's minicar market. The two companies also had plans to build electric vehicles together in the joint venture. Japan's Nikkei reports that talks are ongoing between the company and that a decision could be made Thursday by the companies' boards. Related Video: News Source: Nikkei Green Mitsubishi Nissan

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.

2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Review and Buying Guide | Long in the tooth

The 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport subcompact crossover may seem like the right type of car for the times, but it falls short in its execution. Brand new tiny crossovers have been popping up left and right from other manufacturers, but the Outlander Sport feels like it's stuck in the past. If we're looking at it with the glass of water half full, the exterior styling sets itself apart from the rest of the homogeneous little ones out there. It's taut, angular, a little muscular and has some great looking wheel options. Unfortunately, that expressive exterior styling isn't carried over inside. Even in its most expensive form, the entire interior is a black plastic paradise. Powertrain options are a mixed bag with a lot more choices than most other subcompacts provide. What's new for 2019? Not much is new for the 2019 model year. SE trim models now have more standard safety equipment, including blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning. The highest-priced GT trim adds forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning and automatic brights. This Outlander Sport belongs to the first-generation model, which debuted for the 2011 model year. What's the interior and in-car technology like? It's difficult to find a more drab and boring interior in a new car today than the Outlander Sport's. Even all the trim and contrasting accents are made of plastic that's hard and unpleasant to touch. Mitsubishi inexplicably put glossy plastic along the inner rim of the steering wheel in the GT model we drove, and it's terrible to hold for longer periods of time. One neat touch is the big "4WD" button sitting in front of the shifter to turn on all-wheel drive. Mitsubishi takes great all-wheel drive seriously (RIP the Evo) so it's nice to see some recognition of the brand's heritage. One other sporting touch found on the GT is the suede inserts on the seats that looked good and make sure you don't slide around. One thing this crossover has going for it is the tech update it received for the 2018 model year. A 7-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is included on the higher trims. Other features like heated seats and an auto-dimming mirror are available, but this is not a high-tech car by any means. How big is it? The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is on the bigger side of subcompact crossovers at 171.9 inches in length.