Honda Positioning Itself To Take Over Nissan

by TTAC News Staff

Published: August 7th, 2024

Image: Honda

Carlos Ghosn, former head of Nissan, has made bold claims regarding the newly formed Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi partnership.

In an interview with Automotive News, Ghosn suggests that Honda is positioning itself to take control of Nissan and Mitsubishi, calling it a "disguised takeover." He argues that Honda, being the largest of the three automakers, is in the dominant position within the alliance and will likely dictate the terms.

Ghosn criticized the new alliance, stating that Honda's influence will overshadow Nissan and Mitsubishi. He believes that Honda's involvement is a strategic move to gain control over the other two companies. Ghosn's comments come as Honda and Nissan have agreed to collaborate on batteries, electric motors, and software-defined vehicles. Additionally, Nissan holds a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi, further complicating the dynamics within the alliance.

Carlos Ghosn

Ghosn, who served as CEO of Nissan from 2001 to 2017 and remained as chairman until his departure–and subsequent escape from Japan in a box–stated that a partnership with Honda was never considered during his tenure. He joined Nissan in 1999 when the Renault-Nissan alliance was formed, with Renault taking a significant stake in Nissan. Ghosn is known for his role in restructuring Renault and Nissan, earning the nickname "Le Cost Killer" for his aggressive cost-cutting measures.

Ghosn's career took a dramatic turn in November 2018 when he was arrested on charges of financial misconduct, including misuse of company funds and underreporting his salary. He fled Japan while under house arrest in December 2019, escaping to Lebanon, where he now resides. Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan, allowing Ghosn to avoid prosecution.

This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

TTAC News Staff

More by TTAC News Staff

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 56 comments

Varezhka on Aug 07, 2024
Mitsubishi: Runt of the Mitsubishi conglomerate. Still have fast access to a lot of the conglomerate’s battery, electronics, and aerospace technology and shares the same main bank as Honda. Maaaaybe? Nissan: Former Nissan/Ayukawa conglomerate, more of a looser ties now but also fairly close to the Mitsubishi conglomerate. Super cozy with the government (exhibit A: Carlos Ghosn arrest debacle). Lots and lots of production capacity. Engineering IP not so much since a lot of those were sold to fund the Leaf and Datsun venture under Ghosn, and most other now belongs to Renault. Run Away.

1 Reply
Billie Bobbie Norton on Aug 08, 2024
Ghosh is irrelevant. “He was going to retire a very wealthy man, but because he wanted more, what he’s going to be known for from now on is spiriting himself away from Japan by hiding in a box.”That says it all.

1 Reply

Recent Comments

Pablo Even with A/C, all that glass área Is going cook the carriers in AZ, So Cal, NV, TX, FL, etc. Is the sunvisor going to be two feet vertical? I can see traffic signals getting lost in the sun, too. I would have learned toward a hybrid modern small pickup LLV, maybe on a Ranger chasis and Escape powertrain with a modern safety suite. Escape hybrids are well proven in NYC taxi fleets.
Wolfwagen I used to be interested in spy shots but since every vehicle looks the same now, who cares? I will say that manufacturers that are contemplating bringing new models from other markets ( think Ram and the 700) are interesting, but that's about it
Daniel J I'm fine with this. There isn't a valid reason the Envision, for example, can't be made here. It's similar to the Terrain. Why not build it right next to it? Same goes to the Nautilus? Build it next to the Edge.
Dave M. Looks like a platypus....
Teddyc73 I'd buy a new Chrysler in a heartbeat to go with my Ram 1500. Unfortunately they have no products that fit what I need (make that ANY products). While the Pacifica is a great vehicle, I'm single, I don't need a minivan. I'd like a small or midsize sedan or even a small SUV. I loved the style elegance and vibe of late 90s and early 2000s Chryslers. I owned several. My 98 Concorde and 01 LHS for example were a fantastic beautiful cars. One was forest green and the other dark garnet. Actual colors, not dull dreary greys. I'm here Chrysler, right here, ready to buy. Give me a product!