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Nissan recalling 909k vehicles globally over accelerator issue

Nissan is issuing a massive recall that will see the Japanese automaker repair 908,900 vehicles worldwide, with nearly 100,000 of the affected models in the United States. While an official recall notice from Nissan or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not yet available, Reuters has been able to confirm the recall with Nissan.
Nissan's recall is kind of the opposite of the Toyota unintended acceleration, in that it covers a lack of acceleration. According to the report, a sensor in the gas pedal can develop faults, leading to a sluggish acceleration or an outright stall regardless of how much throttle the driver dials in. The huge recall covers mostly Japanese domestic models like the Serena, X-Trail, Lafesta and Fuga, which make up for 764,800 of the 908,900 faulty vehicles. However, 98,300 Infiniti M sedans are being recalled in the US, although it's unclear at this time which model years and trims are affected. The remaining vehicles are found in Europe and Oceania, according to Nissan spokesman Chris Keefe.
No injuries or accidents have been reported due to the faults. The 90-minute repair will see techs replace the accelerator pedal and tweak the engine control programs. We'll update this story as soon as Nissan or NHTSA makes an official statement.

Carlos Ghosn, the cost cutter who cost a lot in compensation

PARIS — In his 40 years in the auto industry, the praise Carlos Ghosn has won for turning around businesses has regularly been matched by criticism over the amount he has been paid to do it. In the latest furore over his finances, Japan's Nissan Motor Co said on Monday it planned to oust Ghosn as chairman after alleging he had made personal use of company assets, among other acts of suspected misconduct. The scandal comes just five months after the 64-year-old head of the Renault-Nissan alliance narrowly won a shareholder vote at Renault over his 7.4 million euro ($8.5 million) pay package for 2017, after losing a 2016 vote. Brazilian-born, of Lebanese descent and a French citizen, Ghosn began his career in 1978 at tire maker Michelin, before moving to Renault in 1996, where he oversaw a turnaround at the French automaker that won him the nickname "Le Cost Killer." After Renault sealed an alliance with Nissan in 1999, Ghosn used similar methods to revive the ailing Japanese brand, leading to "business superstar" status in Japan, blanket media coverage and even a manga comic book on his life. As auto markets in western Europe and Japan struggled, Ghosn championed a cheap car for the masses in emerging markets and embraced the electric vehicle before many others. He also never made it a secret that he believed there were too many carmakers in the world and consolidation would continue — in 2016 he added Japan's Mitsubishi Motors to the alliance. But in recent months, attention has increasingly turned to how the complex web of cross-shareholdings between the alliance partners might be simplified to ensure it can thrive following the eventual departure of its main architect. In March, sources close to the matter told Reuters the alliance partners were discussing plans for a closer tie-up in which Nissan would acquire the bulk of the French state's 15 percent stake in Renault. With Japan's Yomiuri newspaper reporting on Monday that Ghosn had been arrested by Tokyo prosecutors on suspicion of under-reporting his salary, the alliance's plans for the future just got more pressing.Writing by Mark PotterRelated Video: Earnings/Financials Plants/Manufacturing Nissan Renault

2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo priced from $149,990* [w/videos]

Remember when they called the Nissan GT-R a supercar-slayer? You can drop the "slayer" part, because the Japanese brute known as Godzilla has long since grown from an ankle-biter nipping at the heels of giants to a giant in its own right. And if that's the case with the "basic" GT-R, it's certainly the case with the new GT-R Nismo.
While the base price for the GT-R has breached the six-figure mark, the Nismo version has just been priced ten bucks shy of $150k. Factor in the $1,595 destination charge and you're looking at a $151,585 sticker price. That may seem like a lot for a Nissan, but bear in mind what you're getting for all that scrap: the GT-R Nismo's 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 has been optimized to deliver 600 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.
We've yet to see official performance stats, but considering that the base GT-R hits 60 in 2.6 seconds with 55 hp and 18 lb-ft less muscle, the Nismo version ought to teach a lesson or two to exotic supercars costing twice or even ten times as much. Just check it out in the videos and press release below.