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Nissan bringing GT-R LM Nismo to Le Mans in 2015 [w/videos]

The Nissan Zeod RC hybrid racecar is certainly cool with its pointy looks, we're excited to see it run, but it isn't built to win races so much as push boundaries. But we might not have too to wait long for one of the Japanese brand's vehicles to claim an overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well. The company is announcing the GT-R LM Nismo racecar with a two-car, full factory effort in the top LMP1 class of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship, including Le Mans.
Details about the new racer are almost nonexistent at the moment. The only glimpses that we have are its silhouette under a sheet (above) and the briefest peek at its quad circular taillights in one of the teaser videos. However, the team is making some big promises about the car. "We want to win in a very different way to that of our rivals. We won't be turning up in a vehicle, which is a basically another hybrid that looks like another Porsche, Audi or Toyota - they all look the same to me," said Nissan's Chief Planning Officer and Executive Vice President Andy Palmer in the official announcement. Mechanically, Nissan is revealing even less about the GT-R LM Nismo for now. We are just going to have to wait and find out.
The brand will be aiming for a win in the 24-hour race, but it won't come easy. Nissan will absolutely face stiff competition from the combined forces of Audi, Porsche and Toyota in the top LMP1 class. Scroll down to watch two teaser videos for the newest member of the GT-R family and read the full announcement.

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

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla will sell Model S on Alibaba in China, Wrightspeed electrifies garbage trucks

Tesla will sell cars in China using Alibaba's Tmall website. Customers will be able to use the Chinese shopping site to place an $8,200 deposit toward a Model S. Tmall will feature 18 preconfigured versions for customers to choose from, which won't offer quite the level of customization as Tesla's US site. Bloomberg's Jamie Butters calls it a "defensive move" on Tesla's part, and still expects the company to sell cars in China the traditional way. Watch the video at Bloomberg or read more at Bidness Etc. Tesla co-founder Ian Wright's company Wrightspeed is converting garbage trucks to EVs. The same brand that created the exciting X1 EV is making trash collection much cleaner. "Garbage trucks are the perfect driving cycle for us: they get two or three miles per gallon, drive 130 miles a day with 1,000 hard stops that chew on the brakes," says Wright. The system puts an electric motor at each of the truck's drive wheels, and includes an on-board generator that runs on diesel or natural gas to extend driving range. Read more at Xconomy. British company Hillside Leisure is converting the Nissan e-NV200 into a camper van. The electric RV, called the DalburyE, debuted at the UK's Motorhome and Caravan Show in Birmingham. It sleeps up to four people, and features a pop-up roof, a gas stove, fridge, sink and other amenities. It's a great way to take full advantage of an RV park's electrical outlet to charge the van while camping in it. Read more at Transport Evolved, and see more photos at Hillside Liesure's blog. Featured Gallery Tesla Model S View 10 Photos Related Gallery Nissan e-NV200 Electric Van View 24 Photos News Source: Bloomberg, Bidness Etc, Xconomy, Transport EvolvedImage Credit: Tesla Green Nissan Tesla Electric recharge wrapup