First launched in 2010, the original cooperation covered three projects primarily in Europe. This has now quadrupled to 12 projects across in Europe, Asia and North America.

‘The global scale of our projects ensures that this collaboration will continue to grow, and we expect to remain partners for the long run,’ said Renault-Nissan CEO and chairman Carlos Ghosn. ‘This partnership has accelerated the time-to-market for significant vehicle launches and has been an obvious strategic advantage for Renault and Nissan. We remain confident about our relationship for the foreseeable future.’

‘Since its start in 2010, this cooperation has delivered what it has promised, and even more. And that’s how we will continue to work together in the future – with joint projects that establish a win-win situation for all partners involved and create value for our customers worldwide. This is definitely a track record to be continued,’ said Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

As a result of the partnership, the new co-developed Renault Twingo, smart fortwo and smart forfour launch this autumn and represent the first vehicles fully co-developed from scratch. The three cars, which are all on display at the Paris Motor Show, are built on a jointly developed rear-wheel-drive architecture but are independent products with an unmistakable unique brand identity

Meanwhile Mitsubishi Fuso and Nissan have signed a contract for supply of Fuso Canter Van for export markets

In June 2014, Nissan and Daimler announced plans to jointly develop premium compact vehicles and to jointly manufacture them in Mexico.

Construction of a jointly-owned facility in Aguascalientes, in the immediate vicinity of an already existing Nissan plant, will begin in early 2015. Production will begin in 2017 with Infiniti models. The production of Mercedes-Benz vehicles will follow in 2018. When fully ramped up, the Mexico facility will have production capacity of 300,000 units per year.

The premium compact vehicles will also be produced at other Daimler and Nissan plants around the world, including Europe and China.

Meanwhile, the two companies continue to supply each other with powertrains whilst in the van segment, Daimler’s Mitsubishi Fuso and Nissan have just signed a contract for the supply of finished commercial vans for export. Under the contract, Nissan will supply its “NV350 Urvan” (GVW: 3.5 tons) commercial van to Mitsubishi Fuso, which will sell it as “Canter Van” in the Middle East starting in 2014.