This Week:

• The 71st International Motor Show in Geneva will see the world premiere of the Thesis - Lancia's new flagship

• Ford, Navistar International Announce Joint Venture
  .

• Renault and Nissan have started work on a second common platform
  .

• BMW And Thomas Steinbruck Announce Partnership
  .

• Four model premieres for Mercedes-Benz at the 71st International Geneva Motor Show
  .

• GM - A Global Leader In The Manufacturing Of Marine Engines 
  .

• DaimlerChrysler announces key financial figures for 2000
  .

• BMW  Telematics Offensive: Networking of individual mobility through partnership with Vodafone
  .

• Ford Focus: An Unusual Marketing Campaign for an Unusual Car 
  .

• Porsche and Econometrics to Conduct Advanced Analytical Consumer Market Research for the Introduction of the New Cayenne Sport Utility Vehicle 
  .

• Nissan Announces Voluntary Recall of Certain 1993 Through 1998 Quest Minivans 

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News of  February 14, 2001
.

Renault and Nissan have started work on a second common platform

The Renault-Nissan Alliance announced today decision on a new common platform, primarily dedicated to the C-segment.  The new platform is the second for the Alliance, following the B-platform, which began development in July 1999.

The common B and C-platforms will generate considerable economies of scale for Renault and Nissan.   The Alliance plans to build 2 million vehicles per year for the C platform in addition to the 1.7 million vehicles per year planned for the B platform.  The vehicles of both brands assembled on these two platforms are expected to represent more than 50 % of Renault and Nissan's overall future production volumes.  

The C-platform will appear in two steps. Renault will be the first to use it in a first step from late 2002 for the new Mégane generation. Nissan's product cycle for the C-segment range will reach the renewal stage two years later. On this occasion, it is planned to adapt the platform in order to accommodate new Alliance engines introduced at that time and to meet the requirements of Japanese and American markets.

This common platform policy is completed by a common powertrains policy, which will allow economies of scale on purchased parts and in-house machining and assembly, and reduce the number of engine bases without restricting the range of powertrains

The Renault-Nissan common platform policy is based upon some basic principles: modularity allowing various wheelbases; limited front and rear overhang and large wheel allowance, allowing a large variety of upper-bodies and meeting requirements for SUVs.

By 2010, Renault and Nissan will assemble their ranges of clearly differentiated products on ten common platforms and will share eight common engine families.

(February 7, 2001)

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