Daimler, Renault project for 2016
2012-10-01 07:30
LET'S SHAKE ON IT: Dieter Zetsche of Daimler (left) and Renault-Nissan's Carlos Ghosn speak at the 2012 Paris auto show.
PARIS, France- The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler are collaborating on two new projects to accelerate development of fuel-efficient power trains.
Renault and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche confirmed the new projects on Friday (Sept 28, 2012) in an annual media update about the Franco-Japanese-German partnership.
DEBUT 2016
The new engine project is a jointly developed four-cylinder petrol engine family co-led by Renault and Daimler. The direct-injection turbocharged engine will have state-of-the-art technology in a compact package and target low emissions as well as a significant improvement in fuel economy.
The companies expect engine assembly to be a joint operation and they will debut in Daimler, Renault and Nissan vehicles in 2016.
The new transmission project will be led by Daimler, which is licensing the technology to Nissan for use in Nissan and Infiniti vehicles from 2016.
Nissan subsidiary Jatco is planning to manufacture these newly licensed gearboxes in Mexico. The new transmission will feature "stop/start" and "park and shift by wire” technologies.
ALLIANCE 'ON TRACK'
Ghosn said: “These new components demonstrate how broadly and rapidly our collaboration is proliferating – while all the time remaining rooted in specific projects that give tangible benefits to our customers. The relationship is expanding organically and logically."
“The collaboration achieved a milestone this year, with the first vehicles and engines from the partnership now on the roads,” Zetsche said. “Furthermore, all our engineers are keeping an open mind, looking with fresh eyes at all potential new areas of collaboration.”
Ghosn and Zetsche confirmed that all the original “pillar projects” announced in 2010 had been accomplished or were on track. The companies are also moving forward with advanced research on fuel-cell vehicle power trains and are working on a cross-supply programme for battery and power-train components in zero-emission versions of their small cars.
