Chrysler and Nissan to Build Vehicles for Each Other

Chrysler and Nissan announced the beginnings of a cooperative effort in January with Nissan agreeing to build Chrysler-badged Versa sedans for the South American market. The companies have now laid out plans for two more vehicles. Nissan will build "an all-new, fuel-efficient small car based on a unique Chrysler concept and design." The car will be sold in North America, Europe, and elsewhere with sales starting in 2010. It is unknown which Nissan product will underpin the vehicle, though it will be assembled at Nissan's Oppama plant where the company builds small cars like the Cube and Tiida (the Japanese-market Versa). In return for the small cars, Chrysler will build a full-size Nissan truck based on Dodge's Ram. The truck will be assembled at Chrysler's Saltillo Assembly Plant in Mexico, which will displace some Ram production to locations in the U.S. With a planned on-sale date in 2011, the truck will likely be the 2012 Nissan Titan. This synergy makes sense because Chrysler knows trucks and Nissan knows small cars. The companies seem to realize that and are playing to their strengths. We'll bring you further details on the unnamed products when they become available.