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Indeed, after an extended drought, Nissan is roaring back with what Ghosn calls a "product offensive." New models include the redesigned Sentra sedan, the subcompact Versa hatchback and, coming next year, a crossover called Rogue. At the Los Angeles Auto Show on Nov. 29, Nissan plans to unveil a coupe version of the Altima, due to go on sale next summer. "When you put so much energy and investment in, you're always nervous," says Ghosn. "Until you see the first few months of sales, you have doubts...
...tire giant Michelin, where he developed his restructuring chops. But he had never run a car company, let alone a Japanese one, and almost everyone bet against him: a foreigner with a funny name tackling Japan Inc. He proved them spectacularly wrong, turning Nissan into an auto power with industry-leading profits and such stylish vehicles as the 350Z sports car, Murano SUV and Altima. Ghosn's success made him a mythic figure in Japan. In France they crowned him Le Cost Killer. And in 2005 he added a couple more job titlespresident and CEO of Renault...
...also serious about finding a North American partner for his two-headed animal, despite a very public and unsuccessful mating dance with General Motors this summer and fall. Kirk Kerkorian, a large GM shareholder, wanted the flailing auto giant to join the Nissan-Renault family, hoping Le Cost Killer could wield le knife at GM and help boost the stock. Having witnessed the leaps that two former mediocrities like Nissan and Renault could make by partnering, Ghosn found the idea of pooling forces with GM appealing. And he figured GM could help his carmakers save billions of dollars on everything...
...Nissan is losing its styling edge, ceding ground to Honda and Toyota (whose Camry was named Motor Trend's 2007 Car of the Year). "Once you get into the trap of saying 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it,' that's very dangerous," says John Casesa, an auto-industry consultant. "Nissan has to innovate to grow...
DIED. Robert McCurry, 83, auto-industry executive who developed Toyota's luxury Lexus line in 1989 and, at Chrysler, created cash rebates to sell cars, now a standard practice in the industry; in Rehoboth Beach...