/ 11 May 1999

RENAULTS IN SA

JAPAN’S Nissan Motor Co Ltd will make vehicles for France’s Renault SA at its plants in South Africa and Thailand as part of production sharing following their capital tie-up. Nissan will start making Renault cars in SA as early as 2000, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said. Until now Renault has reached African markets mainly via exports, the daily said, adding that the Nissan production would help the French firm penetrate the region more quickly. Nissan and Renault will each invest five billion yen ($42-million) in Nissan’s half-owned venture in SA to upgrade production capacity, the daily said.