Nissan will start building Mercedes engines starting with the new Direct Injected 1.8T four slated for the C-Class and Infiniti models when the W205 starts up here in the States. What's interesting is that each will hold a 3%+ stake in the others company....


Full Story from Autoweek: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...n=awdailydrive


Nissan to build Mercedes engines in Tenn. plant

Nissan Motor Co. and Daimler AG said they have agreed to produce four-cylinder Mercedes-Benz gasoline engines at Nissan's Decherd, Tenn., engine factory from 2014 to be fitted on Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti models. Nissan and its alliance partner Renault SA have a wide-ranging agreement with Daimler to share vehicle and powertrain technologies. The automakers launched the joint effort in April 2010. "This is the newest milestone in our pragmatic collaboration and our most significant project outside of Europe so far," Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said in a statement Sunday. "Localized capacity reduces exposure to foreign exchange rates while rapidly enabling a good business development in North America--a win-win for the Alliance and Daimler."

Daimler touted the plan as a way to provide a direct supply of engines for the Mercedes C-class vehicles produced at Daimler's plant in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said the plan fits the German automaker's 2020 expansion program. "We have decided that we will expand the production capacities required for this (expansion) close to the customers," Zetsche said in the statement.

A Nissan-Renault spokeswoman declined comment when asked which Infiniti model would be getting the new Mercedes engine. Nissan began powertrain assembly in Decherd in 1997. The plant now makes 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines for U.S.-produced Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. In 2011, Nissan said the Decherd plant produced more than 580,000 engines.

The Daimler and Renault-Nissan collaboration including an equity exchange that gives the Renault-Nissan Alliance a 3.1 percent stake in Daimler and Daimler a combined 3.1 percent interest in Renault and Nissan, the companies said.

 

Is this a good thing for MB owners and/or future MB owners?

 

I think so... Nissan makes some very impressive engines here in the States.... plus Mercedes' new 2013-2014 W205 C-Class is slated to roll off their USA assembly plant... all good signs for our manufacturing economy... as long as there are buyers that is.

The 2014 W205














Here's their new chief designer... Mr. Steffen Kohl

 

Those pics look pretty sweet! I do agree that the back end looks a little "Audi" like, it also looks a little current "VW" like as in the Jetta, but still nice.

 

Nope, I do not like the idea of this at all!

Hopefully the V6 & V8 models with German Engines will still be made in Germany.

Honestly making the engines here too, even if we know it's just as good, people are going to poke fun at it.

I do not dislike Nissan, I've owned Nissans, but they are no Mercedes. Furthermore, their engines tend to show more wear.

However, this is really a MERCEDES engine, being built at the Nissan plant, not a Nissan engine.

 

dont know about you guys, but i wouldn't have minded a 3.7 VQ engine in my c

 

I'm not sure how I feel about that yet...my initial reaction is oh no

 

I thought the same at one time, but you also hear about people experience "noise" with these engines. When I look at oil analysis, they seem to put out more wear too, of course every engine is different.

I think Mercedes current 3.5 would be the better choice.

 

the 2012 3.5 seems much improved over the older 3.5, at least stats-wise. IMO, the 3.7 VQ might get a little harsh in the higher rpms, but i think it's great for daily driving, and it seems even more efficient than MB's 3.0 engine, let alone the older 3.5.

 

personally i find it a good thing. nissan/infinity make great engines and hp output. For example the infinity g37. the car has great hp output higher than the acura TL SHWD but the interior does not even come close to being as nice to its competitors. An engine built by nissian/infinity With the mercedes exterior and interior design and the technology offered in mercedes sounds like a win

 

not happy at all. But hey i guess it cut costs. As long as it doesn't interfere with the v8's

 

The AMG v8's are built by a different sector of mercedes, I doubt nissan will be touching those. and as long as the new w205 engines are nothing like the 03-06 VQ engines I see nothing wrong. Although I think the w205 is a hideous car