CMF will make its first appearance in the platform of the new Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail and US-market Rogue SUVs, all set to be unveiled later this year, before being rolled out to the Renault Scenic, Espace and Laguna in 2014. By 2020, the Alliance predicts it will underpin 14 models and account for 1.6 million vehicle sales per year globally.

Instead of developing an adaptable platform, CMF separates the car into large modules, such as the engine bay, cockpit, front underbody, rear underbody and electrical systems, which can be standardised across several models and manufactured at numerous factories.

Heavy use of shared components is estimated to reduce investment in new models by 30-40%, while the economies of scale involved also add a 20-30% reduction in parts costs. It will also allow the Alliance to launch a wider variety of vehicles in each segment.

Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Alliance Director responsible for engineering, added: ‘CMF opens a new era in engineering synergies for the Alliance. This will enable us to pursue volume efficiencies and introduce attractive new technologies in our products faster than before, creating additional value for our customers.’