Nissan, Mitsubishi to Share Pickup Truck Platform in SE Asia

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and its controlling owner Nissan Motor Co. say their next-generation pickup trucks in southeast Asia will ride on the same chassis.

The new Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton models are due in 2021. Earlier next year Nissan also will launch its version of the Expander MPV that Mitsubishi introduced earlier this year in Indonesia.

Nissan acquired a controlling 34% sake in MMC a year ago. Since then the companies have been looking for ways to combine warehousing, logistics, employee training and aftermarket sales. Platform and component sharing is a next step in an overall plan to reduce operating costs in the region by 20% in the next two years, The Nikkei notes.

MMC and Nissan currently control a combined 14% of the car and light truck market in southeast Asia. The region’s market leader is Toyota Motor Corp., with a 35% share. Nissan says it aims to double its annual sales volume in the area to nearly 700,000 units by 2023.