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Daimler consulting with Ford about 3-cylinder engines

Soon enough, Ford will offer its 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine under the hood of the Fiesta here in the United States, building on the success of the small powerplant overseas. In fact, this success has caused other automakers to take notice, and according to Automotive News Europe, Daimler is now talking to Ford about this engine for use in its own products.
In other markets, Ford offers the 1.0-liter mill under the hood of the Focus (we had the chance to sample this package on our home turf), as well as the B-Max MPV. For this new collaboration, Daimler would use the turbo-three in the next-generation Smart ForTwo, as well as the Renault Twingo, which the German automaker will be collaborating on as part of its alliance with Renault-Nissan. Speaking to AN, a Mercedes-Benz engineer called the 1.0-liter mill an "interesting and impressive engine."
In exchange for details about the EcoBoost inline-three, Daimler will supply Ford with information regarding its Euro6 stratified lean-burn gasoline engine, which is found in the new E-Class sedan.

Nissan Murano hybrid greens up Shanghai

Nothing says summertime like a muscle car with a ragtop. Or, in China's case, a hybrid crossover SUV, right? So it's a good thing Nissan plans on starting sales of a hybrid variant of its Murano in China for the upcoming warm weather season. Nissan showed off the Murano Hybrid at the Shanghai Motor Show with a supercharged engine that is paired with an electric motor. The company says the powertrain will deliver the fuel economy of a 2.0-liter engine and the power of a 3.5-liter V6 engine. Nissan didn't release actual specs of the engine nor any fuel-economy figures. Back in 2013, Nissan was working on expanding its hybrid choices, including hybrid variants for both the Murano and the Rogue. This powertrain choice makes some sense, since it could be difficult to wring a decent single-charge range out of those relatively heavier vehicles if they were all-electric. With that in mind, take a look at Nissan's press release below. NISSAN APPEALS TO CHINESE WITH TWO WORLD PREMIERES: LANNIA AND MURANO HYBRID AT AUTO SHANGHAI 2015 Lannia makes global debut to capture the hearts of young Chinese customers All-new Murano Hybrid offers excellent fuel economy and driving performance in the luxury SUV segment Customers in China can begin ordering GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo today SHANGHAI, China (April 20, 2015) – Nissan unveiled two all-new production models, Lannia and Murano Hybrid, along with two Nismo products, GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo, at Auto Shanghai 2015. "These innovative vehicles represent the start of an exciting new chapter in the story of Nissan's presence in, and commitment to, China," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "Nissan's growth strategy in China will continue to reflect our commitment to use local engineering and manufacturing. And we will maintain our support for China's efforts to promote more efficient and sustainable transportation. On both of these fronts, Lannia and Murano Hybrid will lead the way forward." Highlights of the Nissan display: Building on Nissan's longstanding success in the sedan market, Lannia delivers a fresh, distinctive personality that China's young generations embody. As the first product developed and designed for the young Chinese generations, especially those in their 20s and 30s today who are seen as energetic trendsetters, Lannia is a tangible expression of the company's commitment to China.

How Renault, Fiat Chrysler, and yes, Nissan, could save through sharing

If French automaker Renault green-lights a proposed merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the companies almost immediately could begin saving money by consolidating components and basic structures on many of their most popular vehicles, an industry analyst said on Tuesday. The synergies could multiply if they invite Japanese automaker Nissan, currently Renault's alliance partner, to join the merger, according to a former Renault and Nissan executive. Renault and Italian-American rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles are in talks to tackle the costs of far-reaching technological and regulatory changes by creating the world's third-biggest automaker. A Renault-Fiat Chrysler combination "would mean a greater sharing of parts (which) could really boost the profitability of Fiat Chrysler's smaller vehicles," said Sam Fiorani, vice president, AutoForecast Solutions. Building similar models on a common vehicle architecture, Fiorani said, "would give both companies a lot more freedom in manufacturing. They could mix brands and vehicle sizes on the same assembly line, switch vehicles between plants to balance production, and even shift production from one country to another, depending on changes in demand, tariffs or other considerations." Fiorani said Fiat Chrysler could benefit from sharing the French automaker's expertise in electric vehicles and powertrains, where Renault and Nissan have jointly invested more than $5 billion. These are areas in which Fiat Chrysler has little in the way of components or intellectual property. Another sector that is ripe for consolidation is light commercial vehicles, where Renault and Fiat Chrysler could build a variety of vans in several sizes on common platforms that could be assembled and sold in global markets. Ford Motor Co and Volkswagen AG began their alliance discussions a year ago by focusing on potential collaboration in light commercial vehicles. Getting Nissan's blessing Fiorani said Renault's CMF architecture, which was jointly developed with Nissan and underpins many of Renault's passenger cars and crossovers, could be used by Fiat Chrysler on a wide variety of vehicles. As an example, he said the CMF could provide a new single foundation for at least five Jeep models, including the Renegade, Compass and Cherokee, which now are based on four different platforms.