Press release
May 20, 2013
Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and NMKV Commemorates New Jointly-developed Minicar Off-line Ceremony
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and NMKV Co., Ltd today commemorated the off-line ceremony for the new minicar, which Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors will release in June across
The new mini-car to be launched under the model names of Nissan DAYZ and DAYZ Highway STAR, and the Mitsubishi eK Wagon and eK Custom, is the first model jointly planned and developed by a joint venture, NMKV, engaging in the minicar business for both companies.
At the Mizushima Plant with the attendance of Nissan Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga, Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko, NMKV Chief Executive Officer Junichi Endo and local guests, 350 staff members from three companies pledged for further development in front of the car just rolled off the line after two years have passed since the foundation of NMKV in 2011.
The new model was created with a totally different approach from the conventional OEM, where NMKV, a joint venture formed by Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, combined strength of both companies in every step of car manufacturing.
Combining a product concept made up by NMKV consisting of members from both companies with a different taste of design of each company, the models carry the brand identity of each company. With integrated expertise of two companies, the new cars deliver a number of attractions that conventional minicars do not offer, including best-in-class fuel economy, touch-screen automatic air-conditioning system to be adopted for the first time in minicars and high-quality feel interior.
"The new minicar jointly planned and developed by NMKV, a Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan joint venture, is a combination of expertise of both companies while maintaining individuality of each brand. This is a result of new collaboration which is innovative even for industry," said Nissan COO Shiga at the ceremony. "Three companies will continuously work together so that Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan and NMKV will lead the minicar market in
"Through the cooperation in minicar business, we enjoy the volume merit, maximize the synergy effect by adopting each other's know-how and experiences in the process of development and production, and have created the product which is competitive enough to competitors taking a lead in the market. We would like to show our presence in the minicar market in
"I'm pleased to celebrate the off-line of the first model which NMKV planned and developed. Product planning and development at the joint venture were all a whole new experience for us. Thanks to passion and strong will of all employees, we achieved a new way of how we should join forces. We will continuously make great cars, which can be developed only through a unique collaboration by three companies," said NMKV CEO Endo.
Following the first model, NMKV is now developing a super height wagon-type minicar as its second model, slated to be on sale at the beginning of 2014.
Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors will continuously strengthen competitiveness of their minicar lineup maximizing synergy through NMKV.