Auto News 5

To the outside world, the North American International Auto Show is just that: an auto show. One of the world's largest, certainly, but still an auto show nonetheless.

For the automotive media and public relations representatives from each automaker, it's a social engineering battle zone. The assembled press can bring carefully crafted questions directly to executives to which they must reply with the pertinent information without giving too much away about future plans.

Following the reveal of Nissan's Sports Sedan Concept, I had some time with Senior Vice President, Shiro Nakamura, to talk about the company's design direction and the concepts on display. Instead of calling the concept by its given name, I substituted it for Maxima, sometimes correcting myself, and sometimes not.

Then it happened... Shiro himself started calling it “Maxima.”

Photo: Nathan Leach-Proffer

It's no surprise really, and Nissan knew everyone would make the connection, as they listed the dimensions of the concept along with the official press release. The current Maxima and this new Sport Sedan Concept are so close in measure, I wonder if Nissan will just give the old Maxima some new clothing and call it a day.

Featuring the same V-Motion design as the rest of the range, the Sport Sedan Concept receives a very flamboyant version of this Nissan design language. Up front, the grille treatment, with the V-chrome hoop, is evident. As are the boomerang headlights that first showed up on the 370Z back in 2008.

However, the V-Motion language is not the only influence for what will be the new range-topping sedan. As Shiro pointed out to me, being the top sedan in the Nissan stable also comes with certain responsibilities.

“This car is the top end of the Nissan lineup, except for GT-R, and design-wise this needs to be a symbol for what Nissan design can achieve,” explained Shiro.

“Compare this to the GT-R, even the front grille shape is similar; the shape of the hood is similar. I think the Sport Sedan Concept connects the GT-R with the rest of the lineup. That is another allure of this car.”

Photo: Nathan Leach-Proffer

The Sport Sedan Concept may also be fairly flashy compared to a road-going sedan for public consumption, but Nissan has been investing highly in this new, expressive design language. Following the Resonance (Murano) and Friend-Me concepts, the Sport Sedan Concept continues certain, distinctive design elements -- such as a “floating roof” -- that are bound to stay and put into production.

It will be produced. During the press conference, as the “Maxima” sat spinning on its turntable between the IDx Freeflow and NISMO, Chief Planning Officer, Andy Palmer proudly proclaimed, “Today, I can tell you that we have at least two of these models set for introduction within our strategic plan.”

A rose by any other name is just as sweet, and taking away the show-time glitz and incredibly boring Sport Sedan Concept moniker gives us exactly what we expect: a production Maxima, set for introduction sometime in 2015.

Expect the new model to continue using the same 3.5L V6 found in the current Maxima. Though, if we can derive anything from what's being done with the Pathfinder (which now uses a similar front-drive-biased setup), we can also expect the Maxima to get a hybrid version using a supercharged 2.5L 4-cylinder engine.

Photo: Nathan Leach-Proffer

From GMM

Daniel Ricciardo will have to make his own way at Red Bull, champion teammate Sebastian Vettel has declared.

24-year-old Australian Ricciardo, with just 50 grands prix with HRT and Toro Rosso under his belt, has arrived at the reigning title-winning team to replace Vettel's retiring teammate, the highly-experienced veteran Mark Webber.

German Vettel and Webber, who like Ricciardo is Australan, endured a notoriously strained relationship at Red Bull, and now Vettel has made clear he will not be actively helping Ricciardo get up to speed.

"Obviously there's a lot of new things this year that everybody will have to adapt to," he said.

"But I'm sure (Ricciardo) will find his way quickly: to give advice is difficult because everybody has his own style.

"He doesn't have the experience Mark had but he's earned his place and I'm sure he'll give me a hard time," said Vettel.

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull RB10-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

Ricciardo, on the other hand, said he is hoping to "learn as much as I can" from quadruple world champion Vettel, "and hopefully challenge him of course".

David Coulthard, a former Red Bull driver, said he thinks Ricciardo has less pressure on him this year than Vettel.

"If he (Ricciardo) matches him, people will say 'well, he's really got some pace'. If he beats him, then people are going to really sit up and take notice," the Scot told AAP news agency.

"So I think the pressure is off Daniel in many respects," David Coulthard said.

An influential senator, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, warned automakers and technology executives on Thursday that he'll propose regulating in-car use of mobile phones to Internet-connected entertainment and information systems unless they do...

Nissan revealed the 2015 Versa Note SR at the Chicago Auto Show on Thursday.

Here is a roundup of expert analyses of General Motors' fourth-quarter financial report:

During a recent QandA over at Jalopnik, Jerry Seinfeld revealed that the

PSA is sticking to a $4.1 billion stock-sale plan it's negotiating with France and Dongfeng amid criticism by investors and Peugeot family members.

Federal-Mogul said one of its co-CEOs is stepping down to be replaced by a board member and executive affiliated with its controller shareholder -- longtime Wall Street player Carl Icahn.

Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford's Americas unit, took Japan and specifically Toyota to task today for benefiting unfairly from currency manipulation.

Toyota, looking to keep its Camry as the top-selling car in the United States, plans to introduce a sport hybrid version of the family sedan, said Bob Carter, senior vice president for the world's largest automaker.

GM CEO Mary Barra has been named the world's most powerful woman in business by Fortune magazine in its inaugural list of the 50 Global Most Powerful Women in Business.

RM Auctions' inaugural Paris sale concluded yesterday. The event -- which coincides with the annual Retromobile automotive extravaganza -- went fairly well for a debut: Sales totaled $24,086,525.

Last year, the XC60 was Volvo's best seller worldwide. But V40 sales rose rapidly, making it the new number two model. Glenn Brooks tries an updated 'model year 2014' D3 five-cylinder diesel to see how it stacks up against its C-premium segment rivals.

Subaru pulled the sheets off the 2015 Legacy sedan at the Chicago Auto Show on Thursday.

Chevy introduced the 2015 City Express urban work van at the Chicago Auto Show on Thursday.

An redesigned Land Rover Defender seemingly has been in the pipeline for quite a while but it is getting closer to realisation - although a big issue is making the business case.

The new 'baby' Jaguar will break cover this summer ahead of launch next year although the company said there had been no decision on a production version of the CX17 SUV concept.

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Jaguar Land Rover is to start assembly of a third model at its factory in India by the end of this year.