Daimler, Renault Extend Partnership to Commercial Vans

Daimler AG and Renault SA confirm they have expanded their three-year-old alliance again, this time to include commercial vans made in Japan by Renault partner Nissan Motor Corp.

Under the agreement, Daimler will sell rebadged Nissan NV350 Urvan vans under the German company's Mitsubishi Fuso truck brand in undisclosed markets. Fuso and Nissan already supply each other with two truck models for the Japanese market.

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche tells reporters at the Frankfurt auto show that the company also may begin talks about providing its Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to Renault to resell. A previous Daimler agreement to supply the big vans to Volkswagen AG, which it rebrands as the Crafter, will expire at the end of 2016.

Daimler and Renault originally formed their alliance to collaborate on the German company's next-generation Smart city cars and small delivery vans. The vans, which Renault builds in Maubeuge, France, are sold as the Mercedes-Benz Citan and Renault Kangoo.

A year ago the partnership broadened to include a jointly developed family of co-produced 4-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engines. The new powerplants are expected to reach the market in 2016.

The companies also are collaborating on a Daimler-developed transmission that will be licensed to Nissan for use in its Nissan and Infiniti brand vehicles.