In a strongly-worded analysis published by autoevolution on May 16, 2025, Gustavo Henrique Ruffo challenges Nissan management’s narrative, arguing that their claims against Carlos Ghosn don’t hold up under scrutiny.
The article highlights key points:
- Nissan’s new CEO, Ivan Espinosa, suggested the company’s crisis began in 2015 when Ghosn set an ambitious goal of about eight million annual vehicle sales. Yet in 2024, actual sales reached only ~3.35 million units.
- Ruffo notes that Nissan not only met but exceeded that sales benchmark under Ghosn, achieving 5.42 million units in 2015, and peaking at 5.79 million in 2017, more than doubling 1999’s figures.
Reflecting this tone, the article argues:
Espinosa was elegant enough not to mention Ghosn directly…the numbers tell quite a different story.
And continues:
Nissan had already done that [meeting ambitious targets] …sales continued to climb after the plan was announced.
16 May 2025