08/07/2008, 10:45 AM
Chrysler News
Chrysler and Nissan talking about collaborating on midsize car production
The next step in Chrysler and Nissan’s joint projects, which so far include a small car built by Nissan for Chrysler and a pick-up truck built by Chrysler for Nissan, includes jointly building mid-sized passenger cars, Thursday reports say. While the collaboration is still under negotiations, such rumors have been reported before.
The new agreement would involve Nissan-designed and built cars rebadged as Chryslers and sold in the U.S. market, according to Wall Street Journal reports.
“We continue to seek opportunities to work with Chrysler,” said Nissan spokesperson Pauline Kee, but she wouldn’t comment on the specific mid-size car rumors.
Cash-strapped Chrysler is focusing on its strong markets that include trucks, SUVs and minivans, though sales of these vehicles is at an all-time low. In addition, Chrysler’s Sebring and Dodge Avenger twins were never great sellers, criticized for poor interior trim quality and below average refinement and performance.


08/07, 10:50 AM
posted by:
Madcapp
What happened to Chrysler/Mitsubishi? If they brought out the exact same Starion/Conquest TSi from the 80’s with an updated interior, it would sell faster than crack in the ghetto.
08/07, 10:54 AM
posted by:
tripleonefive
Dont do it Nissan MB paid dearly for being in bed with Chrysler. What is Nissan getting out of the deal ? A pick up truck ? Trucks arent even what people are buying Chrysler will use and abuse you A rebaged Altima for Chrysler will sell faster than cocaine in the suburbs
08/07, 11:05 AM
posted by:
bigp
first nothing sell faster than cocaine in the suburbs, not even the carmy…but nissAN IS SHARING the cost of the product,plus mb ****ed over chrysler so that cant be used.
08/07, 11:05 AM
posted by:
zoomnbyu
As long as Nissan and Chrysler can maintain their own identities, I can see the benefits for both companies. Sharing only platforms seems like a viable solution for both companies for improved long term profit margins. However, there needs to be distinctions in powertrains and exclusive technologies. Rebadged alternates with modest sheetmetal and trim variations will not fly for diehard fans of either company.
On the truck, I hope that Nissan will see clear to still use thier own engines and transmissions and have very distinct body work and interiors that is all thier own!!!
08/07, 11:13 AM
posted by:
xyunya
Cars will be build by Nissan and sold by Chrysler. That will please “patriots” and will give some income to Chrysler as well as Nissan. The only looser in this equation are Nissan dealers, somehow I don’t feel sorry for them, they can sell Infinity.
08/07, 11:20 AM
posted by:
Fletch
I wouldn’t even take a Sebring as a rental…
Anything is better than Chrysler’s mid sized offerings.
08/07, 11:23 AM
posted by:
mazdaman
There is a lot of language in the article that bothers me. I am worried about the information in the second paragraph about rebadging Nissan designed and built cars as Chrysler LLC products. I did want Chrysler LLC to collaborate with Nissan on the successor to the Avenger. I imagined a Dodge midsize sedan and coupe built on the Altima’s D platform (My preference would be for Dodge to resurrect the “Intrepid” name for this car because the name isn’t tarnished and still has some market recognition). Although the car would be developed on Nissan’s platform, I did expect it to have its own distinct exterior/interior design and brand identity. I certainly didn’t expect Dodge to sell a slightly altered, rebadged Altima with a Ram’s head badge replacing the Nissan emblem. I don’t see how a simple rebadge would really benefit either company in the long term. I do think Chrysler LLC needs to collaborate with other companies on platform sharing to reduce development costs, but it needs to utilize its own unique designs on these platforms to retain their brand identity in the market.
As for the Sebring replacement, I still think a RWD midsize sedan and coupe-cabrio should be developed on the LC platform (SWB LX platform) that the company utilizes for the Challenger. The “Concorde” name should be resurrected for this car for the same reasons that Dodge should resurrect the Intrepid name for its Avenger replacement (untarnished model name that still has some market recognition).
08/07, 11:59 AM
posted by:
RaineMan
Chrysler had a lot of success as a part of DSM back in the 80’s and 90’s. Conquest, Laser, Talon, Stealth, Stratus… cars that are still recognisable on the streets today. I would certainly be interested in seeing some of those names return as rebadged Nissans. A Chrysler branded 370Z would be pretty cool, and Nissan would definately benefit from having Chrysler do the work on a Titan replacement (which wouldn’t sell very well anyways).
08/07, 12:12 PM
posted by:
ktulu
chrysler should just buy & redbadge nissans
08/07, 12:17 PM
posted by:
04focus
I suspect this actually involves Chrysler BUILDING Nissan cars with excess capacity.
08/07, 12:44 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
I see wedding bells for Chrysler and Nissan.
08/07, 1:55 PM
posted by:
krautninja
i thought the original deal was for nissan to provide chrysler with a small car offering ( a chrysler build on the versa platform) and that chrysler in return was to provide nissan with a decent V8 for the trucks seeing as the Titan is an awesome truck but the engine has gotten must criticism on being lackluster in the name of HP and torque considering how big it is. They should leave it at that. But that was before the truck segment started to die off so even now nissan really has nothing to gain from this. they shouldn’t further collaborate. If anything chrysler should go back to mitsu to collaborate and bring back some of those amazing collaborations, i would love to see the 3000gt/Stealth revival.
08/07, 2:11 PM
posted by:
inline6
Wow…AMC collaborates with Renault for future products and Renault ends up buying half the company. 7 years later, Renault sells its stake in AMC to Chrysler. 15 years after that, Renault buys Nissan. And now 6 years after that, it looks like Renault-Nissan is collaborating with Chrysler on all of Chrysler’s bread-and-butter future products (except minivans).
Anyone want to guess what happens next?
08/07, 2:32 PM
posted by:
LJ
Anyone recall the Prism…..Chevy…. it was a rebadged Corolla(basically)… and sold for around $1K-1.5K less than a similarly equipped Toyota Corolla.
What a bargain for Chevy fans…a new Corolla, already reduced in MSRP by $1,000+ dollars,before bargaining.
Well, if Chrysler could sell an Altima rebadged…for 1K-2K Less than a similar Altima.. I’m all for it.
One issue. Our local Chrysler dealership, which was here for 82 years, closed…so the closest Chrysler is 20-30 miles away(same for Nissan)…so…would people drive same distance and buy the Chrysler or rather the Nissan?
08/07, 3:26 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
inline6, we are on the same wavelength. It seems that Chrysler will continue to supply duplicates of its trucks and vans to Nissan (next Titan), Mitsubishi (Raider) and VW (Routan), and will eventually give up design responsibility of its compact and midsize vehicles to Nissan. So other than the 300/Charger/Challenger, Chrysler and Dodge dealers will apparently have NOTHING unique to offer their customers. Except Jeep of course.. but once Cerberus sells that to Tata, what’s to keep them from becoming an exclusive supplier, cutting their losses and withdrawing the Chrysler and Dodge brands from the market? Only time will tell..
08/07, 5:52 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
Blah blah ****ing blah. How many of these ****ing reports saying Chrysler and Nissan are going to make cars together? Haven’t seen ****-all on the road yet
09/07, 11:48 AM
posted by:
speedemon
NISSAN DON’T DO IT!!!!!WHY DON’T YOU JUST PUT A BULLET THRU YOUR HEAD.THAT WOULD BE MORE ACCEPTABLE.