Nissan And Mitsubishi Make Big Babies

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Nissan and Mitsubishi are edging even closer. Now, they inked a production deal where Mitsubishi produces the Navara pickup trucks for Nissan at Mitsubishi’s plant in Thailand. Production will start “in fiscal 2012,” which starts on April 1, 2012.

The one-ton pickup will be produced at Mitsubishi Motors’ plant in the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate in Thailand.

According to Nissan, “this new production is part of an agreement signed in December 2010 to expand the scope of cooperation between the two companies.” Last month, the two established the joint venture NMKV Co., Ltd, to develop kei cars for both in Japan.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • BklynPete BklynPete on Jul 13, 2011

    It's about time that these two took their relationship to the next step. In a dream world, the US would get this to capitalize on $5 gas, as a turbo-diesel made in Normal IL or the Titan plant.

  • DR1665 DR1665 on Jul 13, 2011

    Agreed. From what I've read around the web, the Mitsubishi Triton has been an award-winning top performer in the east. I would buy a 4M41-powered Mitsubishi truck in a heartbeat. (Though I'd be happy with an old, 4D55-powered, grey market Delica van sourced through Canada.) Kinda makes me wonder why we even bother discussing M&A anymore. They're all incahoots, ya know? Mitsubishi/Citroen/Peugeot/Nissan/Infiniti... It's like six steps to Kevin Bacon-san.

  • Eldard Eldard on Jul 13, 2011

    Does this mean Mitsus will rust easily, too?

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