Nissan to build Mercedes engines

[wemorgan]

Nissan to build Mercedes engines - Autocar.co.uk

Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche confirmed that the engines would be used in the C-class, and denied that customers would be put off by buying a car with an engine built in a factory not run by a premium manufacturer.

"The factory meets our production standards and quality targets, so it's a win-win situation," said Zetsche. "Customers are quite used to the concept of different parts coming from different suppliers, so why should this worry them."

Maybe he's right, but the engine is the 'heart' of the car and I suspect many owners will cringe at being told down the local that they drive a Nissan Primera taxi. Whereas Nissan Primera taxi drivers will brag they drive a Mercedes.

But it should be a win-win situation I agree. Nissan value plus Mercedes quality.

 

[bolide]

I think the win for Mercedes will be Mercedes value, Nissan quality. You can criticise Japanese cars for many things but their build quality and engineering integrity are not in doubt

Nick Froome

 

[Dieselman]

The older four cylinder petrol engines were Mitsubishi engines, iirc.

 

[wemorgan]

The older four cylinder petrol engines were Mitsubishi engines, iirc.

I didn't realise that. Maybe Dieter Zetsche know's his onions after all.

As long as the plastic engine cover shows the star I'm suspect most customers will be happy. My wife was when I showed here the Smart car's engine, it wore a little thin with me each time I topped up with oil.

 

[Dieselman]

it wore a little thin with me each time I topped up with oil.

Training, is all it takes...

 

[st4]

Time to buy a BMW or Audi.

 

[davidjpowell]

Interesting - Renault and Nissan are tied together. Is this an extension of the Renault collaboration?

 

[wemorgan]

..

Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said he expects further collaboration with Daimler AG after the two companies agreed to bolster their existing partnership.

“You’re going to see more collaboration in different geographical zones, around capacities, around platforms, around engines,” Ghosn, who’s also chief executive officer of Renault SA, said today in an interview at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, referring to future projects with Daimler. “You’re going to see more of this coming.”

Japan’s second-largest carmaker and Stuttgart, Germany- based Daimler said yesterday they agreed to build some engines that will go into Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti vehicles. The accord bolsters the partnership they started in 2010 to share development costs, engines and small-car technologies to take on Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp.

Ghosn said Renault-Nissan and Daimler don’t need to expand their stakes in each other and aren’t currently in talks to change their current arrangement.

Separately, he said the company may announce details of capacity expansion in Mexico within “weeks” and that the company is planning to double sales of Nissan’s Leaf electric vehicle this year after selling about 21,000 units in 2011.

 

[Dieselman]

I think Mercedes electric cars will be Renault/Nissan in disguise, they are just so much further ahead of the game than Mercedes, who have been trying to kid people with fuel cells.
I went into the Local Renault dealer recently for some parts ad they have electric charge points in the car park already.

 

[D-18]

I'm with Bolide on this one - Japanese build quality will do for me.

They need to get it right though. There was a marriage in the 1980's between Nissan and Alfa Romeo. Anyone remember the 'Arna'? If I remember correctly it was a mix of Nissan Cherry body and Alfa engines. They managed to combine the build quality of Alfa with the style, panache and personality of 1980's Nissan....

 

[Dieselman]

They need to get it right though. There was a marriage in the 1980's between Nissan and Alfa Romeo. Anyone remember the 'Arna'? If I remember correctly it was a mix of Nissan Cherry body and Alfa engines. They managed to combine the build quality of Alfa with the style, panache and personality of 1980's Nissan....

Which Jeremy Clarkson blew up...

 

[wemorgan]

I think Mercedes electric cars will be Renault/Nissan in disguise, they are just so much further ahead of the game than Mercedes, who have been trying to kid people with fuel cells.
I went into the Local Renault dealer recently for some parts ad they have electric charge points in the car park already.

I've been quite disappointed by MB electric/hybrid efforts so far. It's been very much a dipping the toes in the water affair. With their global market, R&D and prestige brand values more could have been done. Often the S-class is cited as the technology show case for the next generation mass market car, but so far this isn't with regards to EVs.

I suppose 5 years ago with fuel prices sub £1 EVs just weren't being talked about by the man on the street. Now more people moan about fuel prices, then brag about the efficient diesel cars compared to the old petrol. I just feel MB have been slow to predict the market shift.

An EV A-class with batteries under the floor.....I'll give that idea free to Dieter Zetsche.

 

[Dieselman]

An EV A-class with batteries under the floor.....I'll give that idea free to Dieter Zetsche.

LOL...a bit late methinks....

Honestly, you couldn't make it up, could you.?

Design a car to take 500kg of batteries under the floor, fit an internal combustion engine high up instead then let the whole world watch it fall over.

Then to compound it all completely, lose the race for future power plants due to focussing on the profit made by internal combustion engine "after-sale" revenue, so much so that you end up giving the cars away to keep metal moving.

Perhaps they thought we would all believe the fuel cell lies...

 

[markjay]

There may be more to this than meets the eye... Saab's last nail in the coffin was when GM refused to allow the sale of GM technologies used by Saab to the Chinese. And since the only reason that the Chinese had any interest in Saab - and dripped money into it to keep it alive - was their hope to buy into Western engine technology - as soon as GM exercised their veto the Chinese turned around never to be seen again, and Saab became history.

I think there is more to these US/EU - Japanese - North Korean - alliances. They help establish a front against Chinese car manufacturers, with a clear message - you will not get ahead of us on your own, join us and we'll make the journey to together, or we'll leave you high and dry.

 

[wemorgan]

Design a car to take 500kg of batteries under the floor, fit an internal combustion engine high up instead then let the whole world watch it fall over.

In their own ways the A-class and A2 were ahead of the game in the 90's. But neither of them really knew it and had conviction behind their ideas. Hindsight is powerful I suppose.

Further thread drift: Look at the A1 now. Larger, heavier, less efficient than the A2......that's 20 years of progress for you.

 

[st4]

Interesting - Renault and Nissan are tied together. Is this an extension of the Renault collaboration?

It won't be the Nissan quality we'll get, the Renault tie in has deminished this.

French engines, mercedes body work. They'll be pants.

Is it petrol and diesel engines getting made by Nissan/Renault, or one and not the other.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

There may be more to this than meets the eye... Saab's last nail in the coffin was when GM refused to allow the sale of GM technologies used by Saab to the Chinese. And since the only reason that the Chinese had any interest in Saab - and dripped money into it to keep it alive - was their hope to buy into Western engine technology - as soon as GM exercised their veto the Chinese turned around never to be seen again, and Saab became history.

I think there is more to these US/EU - Japanese - North Korean - alliances. They help establish a front against Chinese car manufacturers, with a clear message - you will not get ahead of us on your own, join us and we'll make the journey to together, or we'll leave you high and dry.

...but if you want to manufacture in China you must form a joint venture with a domestic partner, so the Chinese manufacturers still have plenty of levers to pull...

 

[markjay]

The greatness of the VW, Mini, 2CV, and Fiat 500 (and later Panda) was innovation for the masses. A technologically advanced and expensive to make small car has always been a very niche market. The A2 was clever and advanced but expensive to make (all aluminium body etx), it is not clear where Audi planned to go with this one in the first place. Audi badge is not enough - I wonder how many Cygnets will be sold with the AM logo. And, the Smart was not the success it hoped to be when launched, again because it was too expensive.

 

[Dieselman]

In their own ways the A-class and A2 were ahead of the game in the 90's. But neither of them really knew it and had conviction behind their ideas. Hindsight is powerful I suppose.

The REALLY dumb bit is that they did know it.
The A class was designed to be electric but that wasn't developed as the manufacturer wanted us all to keep buying internal combustion engines.

Talk about being short sighted. Should've gone to Specsavers...

 

[davidjpowell]

It won't be the Nissan quality we'll get, the Renault tie in has deminished this.

French engines, mercedes body work. They'll be pants.

Is it petrol and diesel engines getting made by Nissan/Renault, or one and not the other.

Renault quality much improved from the days of Laguna II.

Dealers are bleeding, as few buy due to reputation of old, and the workshop is quiet due to better quality now.