It takes longer in Europe and Japan because customers are more brand-conscious. First on his shopping list is a full-sized pickup truck that will give Ford and Chevy some competition, followed by a big sport utility along the lines of the Dodge Durango. Ghosn hopes to get another winner after he chooses from among three competing designs for the successor to the iconic Datsun 2402 sports car, which was originally introduced in 1969. In the past Nissan has blitzed the market with new models only to run out of gas, but Connelly is convinced it won't happen this time. One thing Connelly doesn't expect to see are any Renault cars on Nissan dealers' lots.
Customers have long memories about the reliability of French cars.
Closing plants, reducing head count, and increasing purchasing efficiencies are chapters out of the standard turnaround playbook, and Ghosn has been there, done that. Getting designers out from under the thumb of the chief engineers and giving them more room to be creative is a start. Ghosn has moved his family of six to Tokyo, and he is studying Japanese. Weekends, he takes competitors' cars out onto the crowded highways around the city. He is expected to remain at Nissan for three to four years.