Car News

Lotus has issued a recall for two examples of its 2018 Evora over concerns a build issue could cause a steering fault. The British sports car specialist reports 'select vehicles' could have a steering column cartridge screw that isn't to specification. If the condition occurs, the screw could disengage from the cartridge thread, causing the "actions of the steering column" to become unpredictable. Lotus says the fault could result in serious injury or even death to the vehicle's occupants.

Mini has confirmed a new stripped out John Cooper Works GP is being developed, ahead of an on-sale date at some point in 2020. Previewed by the John Cooper Works GP concept revealed in 2017, the car will follow in the footsteps of the 2006 JCW GP and 2012 JCW GP. Both those cars had just two seats, manual transmissions and roll cage, and both were built in very limited numbers.

Reports from Japan indicate Carlos Ghosn, current chairman of Nissan and its former CEO, was arrested on-board his private jet. Sources have told NHK funds from Nissan and its affiliates were used to purchase and renovate luxury homes for Ghosn's personal use in Paris, Amsterdam, Rio de Janeiro, and Beirut.

Renault has extended its light-commercial vehicle warranty to unlimited kilometres, instead of the existing 200,000km cap. The new warranty term applies to all new vehicles sold after November 1, 2018. Although the kilometre cap has been lifted, the three-year term remains. It applies to the compact Kangoo, the mid-size Trafic, and the large Master. The wider range maintains its five-year term, while Renault Sport vehicles are still covered by a three-year policy.

During an extraordinary hour-and-a-half long press conference, Hiroto Saikawa, CEO of Nissan, talked candidly as he could about the events leading to Carlos Ghosn's arrest, and his influence on the company. In a spartan room, notable for the complete lack of Nissan branding, Saikawa read from notes for over 20 minutes, repeatedly stating the danger of concentrating too much power in one individual and referencing Ghosn's "long regime".