Nissan, Mitsubishi boost ties in mini cars, other vehicles

December 14, 2010 | 16:02

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Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors said Tuesday they would boost ties by cooperating in the production of mini cars in their home market and commercial vehicles overseas.

The companies said they "agreed to expand their current scope of cooperation towards new projects that will further strengthen mutual competitiveness, especially in the Japanese mini car and global commercial vehicle businesses."

The companies have already supplied each other with models that they have marketed under each other's brand names in Japan, under agreements known in the industry as Original Equipment Manufacturing accords.

Under the new deal announced in Tokyo, they would deepen this cooperation, the two companies said in a joint statement.

Nissan will provide a light van/wagon to Mitsubishi Motors for the Japanese domestic market, while Mitsubishi is to provide a sports utility vehicle (SUV) to Nissan for markets in the Middle East.

Discussions are also ongoing for Nissan to provide Mitsubishi with upper-end segment models for the Japanese domestic market, they said.

Additionally, the companies are looking at plans to manufacture the Nissan Navara pickup truck at Mitsubishi Motors’ plant in Thailand, and studying whether to cooperate in building a new generation one-ton pickup truck.

They are also mulling the "establishment of a 50:50 joint venture for product planning and engineering of mini cars for the Japanese domestic market", the two companies said.

AFP

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