Daimler-Renault-Nissan
April 7th, 2010 by Richard Aucock
DAIMLER is to team up with the Renault-Nissan Alliance to help the car brands save big in the future.
A plan to team up in developing future platforms and engines has just been announced.
This will see the future Smart range share underpinnings with the next Renault Twingo, and both the Smart and Twingo budget-end ranges will expand. This will signal a return of the 4-seat Smart Forfour. These cars will start flowing from 2013.
Smaller Mercedes and Renaults will also share Renault-designed petrol and diesel engines. In return, posh Infiniti will share premium Mercedes engines.
That’s not all, either – the 3 giant brands are likely to find many other areas to share efforts. This will save all parties billions of pounds.
The announcement sees Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance take a small 3.1 percent stake in one another.
Daimler AG chairman Dr. Dieter Zetsche said ‘Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance are combining common interests to form a promising foundation for a successful, strategically sound cooperation.
‘Our skills complement each other very well. We know that we can make brand-typical products based on shared architectures.
‘The individual brand identities will remain unaffected.’
Renault-Nissan Alliance chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn said ‘this agreement will extend our strategic collaboration and create lasting value for the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler.’
What do you think about today’s big car industry news?
By Richard Aucock