Renault has issued a statement denying plans of a potential tie-up with Mitsubishi, contrary to a report from the Le Figaro newspaper. The French daily wrote that a partnership with Mitsubishi was being discussed in order for Renault to expand in Asia.
“Renault has had discussions in the past with Mitsubishi, for limited cooperation, as we have had with other carmakers. These discussions did not lead to any decisions. There is no cooperation between Renault and Mitsubishi,” reads Renault’s press release.
Le Figaro cited an unnamed Renault executive and a person familiar with the matter as saying that the company was considering a cooperation project with Mitsubishi similar to the partnership it already has with Daimler.
In reply, Renault’s statement said that Mitsubishi is a partner of Daimler and works with Renault’s alliance partner Nissan in Asia since 2003. The release added that the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) and Nissan Motor Co reached a Memorandum of Understanding in June 2012 on the mutual supply of light-duty trucks in Japan.
“The agreement involves the Fuso Canter light-duty truck (5 tonnes GVW) and the Nissan Atlas F24 (below 5 tonnes GVW),” Renault said. The statement also mentions Nissan and Mitsubishi’s co-development of mini-cars for the Japanese market, with the model names being Nissan DAYZ and DAYZ Highway STAR and Mitsubishi eK Wagon and eK Custom.
Mitsubishi also supplies SUVs and electric city cars to PSA Peugeot-Citroen, but the two carmakers failed to transform their alliance into a capital tie-up in 2010.
By Dan Mihalascu
Story References: Renault and Autonews Europe
PHOTO GALLERY
