Renault-Nissan and Mitsubishi to take collaboration further
Back in 2011, Nissan and Mitsubishi came together to form a joint venture company called NMKV. The motive was to create compact 'Kei' cars for the Japanese markets. Coming into this mix now, is Nissan's other alliance partner, Renault. The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation have announced plans to explore new projects covering shared products, technologies and manufacturing capacities.
Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault Nissan Alliance
Earlier this year, the Japanese markets saw two products from the NMKV stable, the Nissan Dayz and the Mitsubishi eK wagon. The ideas being discussed are to come up with a small car with a probable electric version. This will lead to sharing of the latest-generation platforms all the players.
Under the new expanding joint-op, two Renault sedans will be sold under the Mitsubishi brand. The first, a full-size D-segment product, will be marketed to the US and Canada and will be manufactured at the Renault-Samsung plant in Busan, South Korea. The second will be a global C-segment competitor.
The collaboration plans to explore new projects covering shared products, technologies and manufacturing capacities
"Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors have jointly benefited from several collaborations in the past, most recently the successful joint-venture on Kei cars in Japan. I welcome the direction being taken towards this broader cooperation, creating new opportunities for Renault in addition to further leveraging the productive relationship between Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors," said Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Renault-Nissan Alliance.
This collaboration could see Renault approach newer market avenues and Mitsubishi get the partners it needs to make another run in the industry. In India, Mitsubishi now sells only the Pajero Sport and Montero. If the Renault-Nissan alliance extends an helping hand to them here, it may see the Japanese company gain confidence and introduce more youth-oriented cars in India.
