Haha, it's the big shots at Ford including Jimbo that should be askin' BMW about how to do a little less talk, a little more action (as was discussed in another thread). 😄   BMW customers can already place orders for its new generation Neue Klasse iX3 (NA5) and i3 (NA0). Ford customers are still waitin' for the order bank to open for its new generation CE1 products.

Don't know about winnin' the lottery, but at least a few Nissan big shots are actually thinking long-term as the company recovers from yet another near bankruptcy:   Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO, said: "This is the right moment to articulate Nissan's long‑term vision as we move beyond the Re:Nissan recovery plan and set a clear path for the future. Our vision defines where Nissan is headed, with customer experience as our guiding priority. By advancing mobility intelligence, we will deliver intuitive, advanced, and reliable products and technologies that offer outstanding value and enrich how mobility is experienced."   Christian Meunier, chairman, Nissan Americas, added: "Across the Americas, our focus on execution is making the region a key contributor to Nissan's turnaround, driven by both revenue growth and disciplined cost reduction. We delivered significant year-over-year increases in U.S. retail share, making Nissan the fastest-growing mainstream brand since August 2025. We're also seeing solid progress in Canada and continued growth in Mexico, where we have maintained the #1 position for 18 consecutive years – proof that getting the fundamentals right matters. Our balance of strong execution today and smart, impactful investments in the future will strengthen our business and drive sustainable growth."   As Nissan looks ahead, the Re:Nissan plan remains on track in its final year of execution, delivering a competitive cost base, improved capacity utilization, and strong new‑product momentum that lays the groundwork for future growth.

Wow. Did they win the lottery? all the recent talk about partnering or merging and then suddenly they have a suite of new US-built BOF vehicles in development. Possibly some will extend to Mitsubishi and Renault?

If it is, that would be awesome!

Yea, exactly. Looks like the big shots at Mercedes didn't get the message from Peter Holderith of The Drive five years ago:  

I think it looks fine, quirky but nice, which kinda suits the Xterra vibe. It kinda looks like this thing is an EV though, with most of the front end being blocked off with that body colored design element where the grille usually is. Maybe this thing just has larger air intakes lower in the bumper? But I feel like that would be a terrible choice for an off-road where you're wading through water and other gunk. 

Yea, with respect to using series hybrid architecture in which mechanical transmission between the ICE engine and the drive wheels is discarded. But the similarity ends there. Nissan e-Power in the 2027 Rogue is Concept F in the chart below, upcoming Ford EREV is Concept H.      

Yuck!   And there ain't no way I'd own a vehicle with a steering wheel like that.  Period.  Exclamation mark!  WTH?

Ford's approach will allow the vehicle to be plugged in (at least I'm assuming it will).  I don't know why you wouldn't allow it to be plugged in.   I can see advantages doing it this way, eliminating a transmission and likely making things simpler.  The engine can run at a fixed RPM, making it more efficient and eliminating a lot of emissions issues.  But, why not allow it to be plugged in??

Is this not the same approach Ford is about to take with their EREVs?