Renault-Nissan Alliance & Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Explore Wide Ranging Global Product and Technology Cooperation

AMSTERDAM and TOKYO, November 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

New projects to drive global product coverage and capacity utilization

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.

• The first sedan, to compete in the full-size D-segment markets of the United States and Canada and would be manufactured at the Renault-Samsung plant in Busan, South Korea.

• The second sedan model would compete in the global C-segment. The manufacturing location for this product is under discussion.

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."  

Full press release available here: http://www.media.blog.alliance-renault-nissan.com/news/4621

Contacts:
Mia Nielsen
Renault-Nissan Alliance
+33(0)6-10-83-31-33
mia.nielsen@renault.com

Rochelle Chimenes
Renault SAS
rochelle.chimenes@renault.com
+33(0)6-85-32-65-50

Toshitake Inoshita
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
t-inoshita@mail.nissan.co.jp
+81(0)45-523-5552

Shigeru Jibiki
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
shigeru.jibiki@mitsubishi-motors.com
+81-(0)3-6852-4274