Nissan Becoming A Trend-Setter

After Carlos Ghosn began running the Nissan Motor Co. in 1999, he installed Shiro Nakamura, from Isuzu, as its chief designer. Five years later, Ghosn is widely seen as a management wizard, having engineered a stunning turnaround in the company’s fortunes, and Nakamura has established Nissan as a leader in automotive design.

Under Nakamura, Nissan has risen in prominence, becoming the first Japanese automaker to gain respect for its pace-setting designs rather than simply for engineering or quality. The New York Times goes on to say:

"The praise for Nissan’s new look has come from all corners: from journalists impressed by the bold concept cars at auto shows; from customers, who have embraced many of the distinctive cars and trucks in Nissan and Infiniti showrooms; and from designers and executives at competing companies, including Robert A. Lutz, vice chairman of General Motors, and Peter Schreyer, chief of design at Volkswagen."

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