Renault-Nissan drive ahead in Brazil

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. will invest $300 million in South America over the next five years in an effort to build sales in the region to 150,000 units by 2010. The automaker will use majority-owner Renault SA's factories and dealers, plus the two automakers will unite back-office functions. Nissan first plans to produce the Frontier pickup at the new Renault factory located on the outskirts of Curitiba, Brazil, where Renault will build the Master delivery van. Nissan will spend about $90 million on the Frontier project, which will use 40% of the Sao Jose dos Pinhais plant's capacity. The plant will be capable of producing up to 50,000 Nissan and Renault vehicles annually, with Frontier beginning export to the U.S. in 2001. Nissan in 2003 will add its Xterra sport/utility vehicle, which uses the Frontier platform. Three other products will be produced in Argentina and Uruguay by 2005. The next version of the Renault Clio to be built in Brazil also will be developed on a Nissan B platform. "By 2010, we will have 10 common platforms that will represent 90% of (worldwide) sales," says Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's chief executive.