Daimler and Renault extend partnership and will share production

Experiences of past weddings always serve as a lesson for new relationships. You learn so much about the frustrations as with relationships that worked out. In the business world is no different. The Union with the American Chrysler, between 1998 and 2006, left bitter memories for the Daimler group. But the partnership with Renault/Nissan, which has lasted three years, still has a way to honeymoon. The cooperation agreement began to move forward with the decision to make exchanges of engines. The next step will be to share car platforms. This commitment tends to be even more serious when the parties conclude discussions to produce vehicles under the same roof.
Sitting side by side in a joint news conference, Carlos Ghosn and Dieter Zetsche, two of the most influential executives of the auto industry, concluded yesterday in Frankfurt, three years of partnership, announced they want to expand. The news about the intention of sharing a factory came from Ghosn, President of Renault/Nissan alliance. According to him, it's idea is to join the production line cars Infiniti, Nissan's luxury brand, with the models called MFA platform of Mercedes-Benz. This same platform will serve for the GLA, the SUV Mercedes launches now in Frankfurt and which will be produced in Brazil. "This information [the Union in Mexico] is not yet confirmed, but it is likely to happen," said Ghosn.
You're right, though, that the next generation of the Renault Twingo, and the super compact Smart, Daimler, will have the same platform. This includes the future version of Smart for four passengers, displayed for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which opens to the public on Saturday.
While Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler group worldwide, uses the failed marriage with Chrysler as a lesson for the new partnership, Ghosn also carries the successful learning French Renault's Alliance with the Japanese Nissan, which for 14 years has managed to overcome shocks from completely different backgrounds and cultures.
The groups will begin to produce together, engines in a factory that has just been built in Tennessee
A clear demonstration of intimacy is the exchange of engines, which are nothing more than the heart of any vehicle. The two groups will begin to produce together, engines in a factory that has just been built in Tennessee (USA). Now begins the analysis around the possibility of joining forces for the development of light commercial vehicles.
Pacts that also serve to reduce costs at a time when the industry is suffering pressures to develop technologies aimed at reducing emissions and fuel economy. In this case, a third partner, Ford, was called to join forces with Daimler and Renault/Nissan. The trio's engineering teams have joined to develop hydrogen-powered engines, the main industry bet for the cars of the future. "Divided by three, these costs represent a significant reduction in costs," said Zetsche. "We are going beyond the originally planned".
The Union is so good that not long ago heard rumors in Brazil that Daimler could occupy a space of the factory which Nissan builds in Resende (RJ). But it won't be this time. The German group has chosen to build its own factory of Mercedes-Benz automobiles. Was in doubt between two States-Santa Catarina and São Paulo. But must announce, in brief, the option for Santa Catarina.
When asked by a journalist if the partnership is a marriage, Ghosn was blunt: "I don't know if the name's wedding, engagement, or chance encounter. All I know is that we're together; We have objective reasons for that. "