New projects to drive global product coverage and capacity utilization

 

Amsterdam, Netherlands / Tokyo, Japan  (November 5, 2013) – The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced their joint intention to explore several new projects covering shared products, technologies and manufacturing capacity among the automakers. As a consequence, it has been agreed that the strategic cooperation between Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors could be expanded across the broader Renault-Nissan Alliance.

 

Between Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, it is expected that the existing NMKV joint-venture company will be extended to co-develop a new small-segment car including a specific electric version that can be sold on a global basis. The basis for this product will be from a jointly-developed ‘Kei car’ platform of the type popular in the Japanese domestic market. Further details of all products, markets and manufacturing will be announced separately.

 

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation are also confirming their intention to share technologies and product assets related to electric vehicles and latest-generation platforms. Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors were among the first to pioneer the introduction of mass-marketed zero emission products.

 

Based on the current direction of discussions between Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, it is firstly expected that two new sedan models would be launched under the Mitsubishi brand, based on vehicles from the Renault portfolio. Secondary and additional studies around other projects will then be considered.

 

President and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Carlos Ghosn said: “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.”   

 

Osamu Masuko, President of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation commented: “As a result of the development of collaborative projects with Nissan Motor up to now, Mitsubishi Motors is pleased to work again with Nissan and now Renault towards achieving further collaborations. The new opportunities could be described as evidence that the ongoing collaborative projects between Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan have brought positive results, and Mitsubishi Motors hopes that any new collaborative projects with the Renault-Nissan Alliance would bring us further merits.”

 

Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors have an existing joint-venture company called NMKV which was established in June 2011 for the purpose of co-developing a range of Kei cars for both brands. The first of these products – the Nissan Dayz and Mitsubishi eK wagon – went on sale in Japan this year. Both products are manufactured at the Mitsubishi Mizushima plant in Japan.

 

 

About the Renault-Nissan Alliance

The Renault-Nissan Alliance is a strategic partnership between Renault (based in Boulogne-Billancourt, France) and Nissan (based in Yokohama, Japan), which together sell one in ten cars worldwide. Renault and Nissan have been strategic partners since 1999 and sold 8.1 million cars in nearly 200 countries in 2012. The Alliance operates strategic collaborations with numerous automakers, including Germany’s Daimler, China’s Dongfeng, and with regional manufacturers such as Ashok Leyland in India. 

 

 

About Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is a global vehicle manufacturer, selling and servicing wide range of vehicles including minicars, minivans, SUVs, pickup trucks and sedans in more than 160 countries. Mitsubishi Motors is known throughout the world for its engineering prowess in every aspect of automobiles –creating state-of-the-art engine, four-wheel-drive, safety, and now electric vehicle technologies. Mitsubishi Motors launched the zero-emission i-MiEV battery-powered electric vehicle in 2009 as part of a corporate mission to offer consumers more environmentally responsible modes of transportation.

For more information: http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/index.html

 

 

Contacts:

Mia Nielsen

Renault-Nissan Alliance

+33 (0)6 10 83 31 33

[email protected]

blog.alliance-renault-nissan.com

 

Rochelle Chimenes

Renault SAS

[email protected]

+33 (0)6 85 32 65 50

 

Toshitake Inoshita

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

[email protected]

+81 (0)45-523-5552 

 

Shigeru Jibiki

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Public Relation Department

[email protected]

+81 (0)3-6852-4274