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Mitsubishi and Nissan in talks over shared vehicles, Lancer may be done in-house – report

A report claims that Mitsubishi is in talks with Nissan regarding shared product development, with the three-diamond brand focussing on a replacement for the Lancer.


Last month Mitsubishi confirmed that it was no longer proceeding with a deal to market two Renault Samsung models, one as a replacement for the Lancer sedan and the other as successor to the larger Galant. According to insiders, the agreement was sunk by poor sales projections and currency issues.

A Nissan source has told Automotive News that, in the aftermath of the Mitsubishi-Renault deal's demise, the two companies have begun direct talks regarding shared models, which may help to plug holes in Mitsubishi's global lineup.

An unnamed Mitsubishi spokesman wouldn't confirm to the industry publication that talks were underway with Nissan, although he did concede that working with their Japanese rival was "one option".

He did say, though, that work on a successor to the Galant (above) is on indefinite hold, with the company prioritising a follow-up to the current-generation Lancer, which made its global debut back in 2007.

Although a Galant-size vehicle is important for the company's hopes in the US, where the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima vie for the title of most popular passenger car, the Lancer (below) fights in a segment that's relevant all over the globe.

The spokesman noted that it's possible that Mitsubishi could end up developing the next-generation Lancer in-house. That said, the company would like to have a partner on board in order to share some of the development and production costs. As we've previously reported, the car could be three or four years away.

Mitsubishi and Nissan currently work together on kei car development, while Mitsubishi also sells a selection of rebadged Nissan vehicles in its home market.

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