Auto blog

Nissan's Kelly examined at Japanese hospital after securing bail

TOKYO — Nissan director Greg Kelly was being examined in a hospital on Wednesday, a source said, a day after he was released on bail from a Tokyo jail where his former boss Carlos Ghosn is still being detained. Kelly, an American who was released late on Christmas Day after more than a month in detention, has been charged with conspiring to under-report Ghosn's income. He posted bail of 70 million yen ($640,000). Their Nov. 19 arrests jolted the global car industry and has strained Nissan's alliance with French car maker Renault SA. Nissan's board last month fired Ghosn as chairman and Kelly as representative director, although both men technically still remain board members who can only be removed by shareholders. Kelly suffers from spinal stenosis, causing numbness, tingling and shooting pain in his extremities, according to a video message last week from his wife, Dee Kelly, appealing for his release. The condition compresses or pinches the spinal cord. Those symptoms worsened during his five weeks in the Tokyo Detention Center, his wife said, citing Kelly's lawyer. Kelly was scheduled to have surgery on Dec. 7 in Nashville, Tennessee, but flew to Japan last month after being told that he was needed in person at a board meeting, Dee Kelly said in the video. Kelly was arrested soon after his arrival. Under the conditions of his bail, Kelly is barred from traveling overseas and his residence must be restricted to a designated place, the Tokyo District Court said. Lawyers say that travel exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis. Kelly walked out of the detention center around 10:45 pm (1345 GMT) Thursday night wearing a light-colored jacket and was whisked away in a black taxi. Japanese media showed footage of Kelly entering a hospital around midnight. After his release from detention, Kelly issued a statement through his lawyer saying he had not falsified any documents and looked forward to restoring his honor in court. "I believe my innocence will be revealed in the trial," he said. Kelly also said in the statement he wanted to see a doctor immediately and get the appropriate treatment or operation originally scheduled for early December. The office of his lawyer, Yoichi Kitamura, did not respond to requests for comment. Ghosn was re-arrested on Friday based on suspicions that around October 2008 he shifted personal trades to Nissan to make it responsible for 1.85 billion yen ($16.6 million) in appraisal losses, prosecutors said.

2013 Nissan NV200 hauls itself into McCormick Place

Nissan has already announced that its NV200 will be New York City's Taxi of Tomorrow, but now small businesses can also take advantage of the compact commercial van when it goes on sale this April. Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, the Nissan NV200 bound for North America has been stretched by almost eight inches compared to the same van that has been on sale in other global markets since 2009. The 2013 Nissan NV200 will be built in Cuernavaca, Mexico and sold at select Nissan dealerships with a starting price of $19,990 (*excluding the $845 destination charge).
At that price, the NV200 costs thousands less than lead competitors like the Ford Transit Connect and the Ram C/V Tradesman, although it does deliver less cargo volume than both as well. Despite its longer body, the NV200's 122.7 cubic feet of volume comes in just under the 129.6 cu-ft for the Ford and well under the Ram's 155.5 cu-ft cargo capacity. The split rear doors and dual side sliding side doors will give plenty of access to the NV200's cargo area, however, and Nissan says the van is wide enough to accommodate a standard pallet.
The NV200 was designed as much to be a mobile office as it is a hauler, so Nissan made the cabin as such. The passenger seat back can fold down creating a flat space for a laptop, and the center console has been specifically designed for hanging file folders. The base NV200S includes power windows, a two-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system and a 12-volt power outlet, while the NV200 SV (starting at $20,980) adds features such as cruise control, six floor-mounted cargo tie downs, power mirrors and door locks and remote keyless entry. Options include the $950 Technology Package (available on SV only and adds navigation, backup camera and satellite radio), $250 for Bluetooth and $190 for glass added to the rear cargo doors.

2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs. small crossover SUVs: How they compare on paper

In the midst of the crossover SUV boom, each traditional size segment has become saturated. As a result, automakers are beginning to fill the gaps that separate classes, giving us some interesting in-between options. The all-new 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross jumps right into one of those in-between categories bookended by compact and subcompact crossovers. It's a niche that offers more space and feature content than the smallest vehicles, with an extra dose of style and a lower price than bigger ones. Because of the Eclipse Cross' in-between nature, though, there's not really an obvious direct competitor. As such, we've selected a diverse group of small crossovers that are similar to the Eclipse Cross in some but not all key areas: size, price, feature content, style and likely buyers. The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2018 Toyota C-HR and 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport each have elements in common, but are different enough to provide useful points of comparison. A chart of specifications and key standard features is shown below, followed by more in-depth analysis. And if you wish to compare these crossovers with others not listed, be sure to check out our comparison tools. Engines and Drivetrains One of the Eclipse Cross' biggest advantages in this segment will be its engine. Subcompact crossovers, including the other three we've chosen, are sluggish to say the least. This new Mitsubishi should be different as it packs a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that belts out a whopping 184 pound-feet of torque. We say whopping, because the C-HR, Crosstrek and Rogue Sport all have between 139 and 147 pound-feet. Horsepower is similarly unimpressive at just 152 horsepower - the same as the Crosstrek - but that torque should make passing and on-ramp runs much more satisfying. The appeal of crossovers for many people is the availability of all-wheel-drive, and this is where the Subaru gets an advantage. Like with all Subarus that aren't a BRZ, the Crosstrek has standard all-wheel drive. The Mitsubishi comes close, making all-wheel drive standard on every trim level except the very base ES trim level. On the Rogue Sport, all-wheel drive is an option on all trim levels. Depending on where you live, though, being able to have front drive on a high-trim crossover could be a plus because it will save some money and improve fuel economy. The C-HR loses this battle as it's only available with front-wheel drive.