2016 Nissan Altima 2.5 S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.
Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.
As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

Carlos Ghosn to step down as Nissan CEO on April 1

Carlos Ghosn announced he will be stepping down as CEO of the Nissan on April 1, to be replaced by current Nissan co-CEO Hiroto Saikawa. The move comes after close to two decades of leadership and the rebuilding of a company that was close to disaster. Ghosn isn't finished with the company he helped rebuild, as he will remain on as chairman of the board and continue on as leader of the Renault-Nissan Alliance following the change of guard. In addition to running Renault-Nissan, Ghosn has taken over as chairman of Mitsubishi Motors after acquiring a 34-percent stake in 2016, a move he spearheaded. Ghosn stated, "I am confident that the management team I have developed at Nissan over the past 18 years has the talent and experience to meet the company's operational and strategic goals. Having recently taken on new responsibilities at Mitsubishi Motors, and taking into consideration the upcoming Nissan general shareholders meeting, I have decided that the time is right for Hiroto Saikawa to succeed me as Nissan's CEO." A release from Renault-Nissan said the move allows Ghosn to focus more attention on bringing together the three companies. Saikawa, his replacement, has been with Nissan since 1977 and has overseen operations in the company's markets worldwide. Related Video: Image Credit: Reuters Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Mitsubishi Nissan Renault ceo nissan renault

Nissan to bring Friend-Me concept to Shanghai

Nissan's got a big ol' show planned for its immersive space at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show where visitors will see, touch, hear and smell the Nissan world. Sitting among 20 offerings that include the GT-R, Quest, Murano and Teana will be the Friend-Me concept (click image above to enlarge), the first show car created with "key input" by Chinese designers at Nissan Design China in Beijing. Its USP is "Four seats, one mind connectivity" that promotes information sharing among all the occupants.
The Friend-Me has the "vibrant, young" Chinese demographic in mind, our guess being Nissan thinks there's no reason to stop the digital sharing just because you're sitting in a car. We'll find out on April 20 exactly what's being exchanged in the Friend-Me. Until then, there's a press release below with a little more info.