The 71-year-old former executive of Nissan, Renault, and their alliance has been speaking to French news broadcaster BFM TV, and in typical Ghosn fashion, he's not holding back. He claims he foresaw "the decline of Nissan and the disappearance of the alliance." Well, he got the first part right – Nissan isn't exactly setting the automotive world alight these days – but the alliance still exists, albeit in a weaker form than during Ghosn's tenure, with cross-shareholdings decreasing from 15 to 10 percent. According to Ghosn, Nissan's problems stem from "decisions that were too slow" and "most of the problems lie with Nissan's management." Which is either a startlingly accurate assessment from a man who knows the company inside out, or a bit rich coming from someone who allegedly misused company assets, committed money laundering, and engaged in corruption. Possibly both. Corporate bedfellows: when desperate times call for desperate measures One of the more eyebrow-raising moments in Ghosn's interview was his claim that Nissan is "forced to go begging for help from one of its main competitors in Japan" – referring to Honda. Yes, there were indeed talks of a mega-merger between these two Japanese automotive giants, but they fell apart faster than a chocolate teapot in a sauna. Ghosn describes the proposed Nissan-Honda merger as a "desperate move" that "doesn't make sense." And for once, he might be onto something. Honda later admitted it wasn't looking for a merger of equals but was planning to make Nissan a subsidiary – a "disguised takeover" that would have put Honda "in the driver's seat," as Ghosn puts it. "Honda proposed changing the structure from establishing a joint holding company—where Honda would appoint the majority of directors and the chief executive officer based on a joint share transfer as initially outlined in the MOU—to a structure where Honda would be the parent company and Nissan the subsidiary through a share exchange," Honda explained when the talks collapsed. So Honda essentially wanted to absorb Nissan rather than create a genuine partnership. It's the corporate equivalent of suggesting a romantic dinner date but then asking your companion to sign a prenuptial agreement before the appetizers arrive. Not exactly the foundation for a beautiful relationship. Pot, kettle, black: Ghosn's assessment of his former corporate home Ghosn doesn't stop at criticizing Nissan's failed merger attempts. He goes on to describe the existing alliance with Renault as "small and fragile" and says Nissan has become "boring" and "mediocre." In his latest interview, he claims the company is "in the doldrums." It's like watching a bitter ex continually trash-talking their former partner on social media. Yes, there might be some truth to the criticisms, but at some point, you have to wonder if it's more about settling scores than offering genuine insights. There's no denying that Nissan has problems. The company that once gave us the GT-R, 350Z, and revolutionary Leaf electric car now seems to be treading water, producing competent but uninspiring vehicles that struggle to stand out in increasingly crowded segments. Their design language has gone from bold to bland, their technological edge has dulled, and their market position has weakened. But is this all down to the post-Ghosn management, or might some of the seeds of Nissan's current troubles have been planted during his 18-year tenure? After all, product planning cycles in the automotive industry are long – cars being sold today were likely conceptualized and approved years ago, possibly during Ghosn's time at the helm. It's worth remembering that Ghosn earned the nickname "Le Cost Killer" for his ruthless approach to cutting expenses. While this approach helped save Renault and later Nissan from financial ruin, cost-cutting can be a double-edged sword. Cut too deeply, particularly in areas like research and development or quality control, and you might boost short-term profits at the expense of long-term competitiveness. Some industry observers have suggested that Nissan's current product lineup suffering from exactly this problem – the result of years of prioritizing cost reduction over innovation and quality. If that's the case, then Ghosn criticizing Nissan's current state is a bit like an arsonist complaining that a building isn't as nice as it used to be. Of course, Ghosn vehemently denies the allegations against him. He maintains that he was set up by Nissan executives who were unhappy with his plans to further integrate the Japanese automaker with Renault – a claim that's not entirely implausible given the historical tensions between the two companies. His dramatic escape from Japan in December 2019 is the stuff of Hollywood thrillers. Initially, it was reported that he was smuggled out of the country in a large case designed for audio equipment. Ghosn later denied this specific detail in an interview with Fox Business Network, insisting: "I was not in a musical box." The precise mechanics of his escape remain somewhat mysterious, but we do know it involved a private jet and multiple passports, and resulted in an international arrest warrant that ensures he won't be leaving Lebanon anytime soon. So here we are, with Carlos Ghosn continuing to offer his unsolicited opinions on Nissan's predicaments from his safe haven in Beirut, while Nissan struggles to recapture its former glory in an increasingly competitive and rapidly electrifying automotive landscape. Is Nissan truly in a "desperate situation" as Ghosn claims? The company certainly faces challenges. Its global market share has shrunk, its profits have dwindled, and its product lineup lacks excitement. But "desperate" might be an overstatement. Nissan still sells millions of vehicles worldwide, has a strong presence in key markets, and has the resources to engineer a turnaround if its management can find the right strategy. What's undeniable is that both Nissan and Ghosn have fallen from grace. Once celebrated as one of the most successful executives in automotive history, Ghosn is now an international fugitive. And Nissan, once praised for its innovation and bold designs, is now struggling to define its place in a rapidly changing industry. Perhaps there's a lesson here about the dangers of building a company around a single charismatic leader, or about the risks of prioritizing short-term financial results over long-term vision. Or maybe it's simply a reminder that in the cutthroat world of global automaking, today's success is no guarantee of tomorrow's relevance. And on that bombshell, it's time to end. Carlos Ghosn and Nissan – a corporate love story that ended not with a whimper, but with a private jet to Lebanon and years of bitter recriminations.
