rumormill: Dodge to replace Sprinter with full-size van from Nissan?

[Stéphane Dumas]

rumor spotted on Autoblog
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/r...-van-from-nis/

[t-rex]

Given Nissan's ties with Renault, surely this must be the next generation of the Trafic and Master vans, which were, and things get complex here, developed with General Motors...

So Dodge will be selling a Renault van built by Nissan and co-developed with GM!

[benroethig]

I would say same platform as the master, but a larger engine pay to fit the new cummins diesel from the RAM 1500.

[genjy]

Hopefully, Mercedes will continue on with the Sprinter as a fleet vehicle.

It would suck to get the Sprinter in the U.S. for a few years and then just have it disappear.

[benroethig]

It would either be picked up by freightliner or sold as a Mercedes.

[Hudson]

Originally Posted by benroethig

It would either be picked up by freightliner or sold as a Mercedes.

You mean a truck like this one: http://www.fl-sprinter.com/

[Bravada]

So, a Nissan Interstar, aka Renault Master, aka Opel Movano?



My bets are on the next generation of the Master. While it is being sold by GM on an OEM-agreement basis, the Master is developed independently by Renault FWIK. That said, it would be sad if GM allowed R/N to sell their great designs in the US via Chrysler rather than Chevrolet or GMC...

[Stéphane Dumas]

Originally Posted by Bravada

So, a Nissan Interstar, aka Renault Master, aka Opel Movano?



My bets are on the next generation of the Master. While it is being sold by GM on an OEM-agreement basis, the Master is developed independently by Renault FWIK. That said, it would be sad if GM allowed R/N to sell their great designs in the US via Chrysler rather than Chevrolet or GMC...

What about the next-gen Traffic/Primestar/Vivaro? Do you think it could be useful for the Dodge line-up?

GM will allow R/N to see their designs to Chrysler but at some conditions like a exchange of future considerations (example: future joint-ventures)

[Bravada]

I was being figurative - GM has little say, those are R/N designs, they can do whatever they want (unless GM specified something in their contract). They can of course make Renault know they don't like it, and I guess it will all be consulted with GM - though if GM doesn't have a competitive business case (they still have the ancient G/H-series vans

The Trafic is too small to replace the Sprinter, its Mercedes equivalent is the Vito. I postulated it to become the next Chevrolet Astro and supplement GM's USDM lineup with both a smaller cargo van (fuel prices/CAFE) and the closest GM would have to a minivan.