Currently reading: Daimler and Renault-Nissan discuss joint-venture platform

Joint-venture feasibility study underway for new front-wheel drive platform

Daimler and Renault-Nissan are undertaking a joint feasibility study into a new front-wheel drive platform.

Speaking at the Frankfurt motor show, Nissan technical chief Andy Palmer revealed that the new architecture was being looked at as a successor to the current range of Mercedes models based on its MFA platform, including the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and GLA and also a whole range of future Renaults, Nissans and Infinitis.

The so-called JC1 (joint compact first generation) structure is planned to support at least two different wheelbase lengths, varying track widths and both front- and four-wheel-drive layouts, as Autocar revealed earlier this year.

"Daimler needs an MFA successor and we need more cars in that segment," said Palmer. "There’s now a study to see if we can develop a joint platform. Step two would be common manufacturing, which is also part of the study."

Daimler and Renault-Nissan are planning to team up on the current MFA architecture, with the new Infiniti Q30 being planned to be spun off the platform in 2015 and built at Nissan’s Sunderland plant. 

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Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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RCT V 15 September 2013

Will they end-up in a relationship like Wolseley and Austin?

So, through this “joint feasibility study into a new front-wheel drive platform”, will they end-up in a relationship like Wolseley did with Austin-Morris, and with Infiniti somewhere in the middle like Riley - all of which were within the original BMC ?!

tuga 11 September 2013

But...

Isn't the MFA brand new? Wasn't it just introduced in the A klass? And also, isn't Renault just now introducing their own, brand new modular plattform in the new X-Trail ( that is supposed to be used in everything fom the Qashqai to the new Koleos/Laguna/Espace ).

Very confusing news.

Christian Galea 11 September 2013

tuga wrote:Isn't the MFA

tuga wrote:

Isn't the MFA brand new? Wasn't it just introduced in the A klass? And also, isn't Renault just now introducing their own, brand new modular plattform in the new X-Trail ( that is supposed to be used in everything fom the Qashqai to the new Koleos/Laguna/Espace ).

Very confusing news.

The thing is that creating a whole new platform requires quite some time, so they've started work on it so that by the time the new generation of models is due it would be ready. A similar process happens with new cars - shortly after a brand new car is launched, the car maker already starts planning the next-gen model that is 5-7 years away...

marj 12 September 2013

Christian Galea wrote: tuga

Christian Galea wrote:
tuga wrote:

Isn't the MFA brand new? Wasn't it just introduced in the A klass? And also, isn't Renault just now introducing their own, brand new modular plattform in the new X-Trail ( that is supposed to be used in everything fom the Qashqai to the new Koleos/Laguna/Espace ).

Very confusing news.

The thing is that creating a whole new platform requires quite some time, so they've started work on it so that by the time the new generation of models is due it would be ready. A similar process happens with new cars - shortly after a brand new car is launched, the car maker already starts planning the next-gen model that is 5-7 years away...

I was about to say the same thing, platform development is typically 7 years ( the same as a ne model in many cases) but this is just at the infancy, feasibility stage, so I reckon we are looking at 10 years away, although saying that, Renault's development time is now 35 months for a new car.

What this does spell out is that Reneault/Nissan Alliance and daimler Benz are in it for the long haul. There could be some very exciting new models coming in teh next decade. Renault have always needed a 'Premium' partner and Mercedes desperately needs a 'Volume' partner. It is a pity the Renault Volvo tie up never happened, the thought of a 5 pot Safrane was quite intriguing.