Recalls, partnerships and Infiniti
* Renault-Nissan Alliance boss * What does the future hold? * From electric cars to UK-production...
What Car? Do you see a need for Renault and Nissan to work with other car makers to further reduce costs in the future?
Carlos Ghosn After 11 years of the Alliance, we absolutely see the value that can be created when car companies work together to achieve greater scale or to fill gaps in products, technologies or market access. The Alliance already has relationships with other manufacturers on specific products and projects, and I remain open to more in the future. Working with like-minded partners is not only about reducing costs, but also about avoiding or reducing investments, eliminating duplication and creating new revenue opportunities.
What Car? We've seen how increased sales and parts sharing can lead to big recall headaches. How does Renault-Nissan protect itself from that?
Carlos Ghosn Any recall no matter what the size can be a problem for any manufacturer. The sharing of parts across multiple products means that manufacturers and suppliers have to be rigorous in all areas of quality. When a problem occurs, our customers are more focused on how quickly and effectively we handle it. If they see us take rapid action in a responsible and transparent way, we will continue to earn their trust.
What Car? Where is Renaults Qashqai and Nissans Renaultsport?
Carlos Ghosn We don't look at the product ranges of either company in such a simplistic way. We start with the unmet needs of the consumer and match those to the unique brand attributes of each company. In the case of the Qashqai, this vehicle was a perfect fit on both counts for Nissan. Just because one company comes with a specific product, it doesn't follow that the other company needs to pursue the same route exactly. On the sports side specifically, I think both companies have a strong range of performance-oriented cars, each well aligned with their respective brands.
What Car? Will we see Infiniti produce a smaller model?
Carlos Ghosn Infiniti has a great future as a full-line global premium brand. We see many opportunities for new products in the Infiniti line-up, but I'm not disclosing those plans right now. One future Infiniti I'm especially excited about is our planned electric vehicle. I see significant potential for zero-emission vehicles in the luxury market.
