Executives from German carmakers Daimler and Volkswagen will hold a meeting this month to discuss the possible extension of a partnership to build light commercial vehicles. Volker Mornhinweg, head of Daimler unit Mercedes-Benz Vans, told Reuters that he will meet with the chief of VW commercial vehicles to explore possibilities for further cooperation between the two carmakers. According to Mornhinweg, the meeting with his counterpart from VW will be held during the IAA international auto show for commercial vehicles in Hanover, Germany, at the end of the month. Daimler and VW currently cooperate in producing transporter vans. Daimler is building the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter along with VW's Crafter van, using the same technology platform.
Daimler produces around 40,000 Crafter vans at its Duesseldorf plant in Germany, but the set-up may change in 2016 when the deal between the carmakers expires in 2016. In March 2012, VW said it may not extend an agreement with Daimler to develop the successor model for the Crafter after it acquired a majority stake in MAN in November 2011.
Mornhinweg remarked that Daimler is large enough to survive even if the partnership agreement with VW is not extended. He quipped that Daimler would offer to include VW in a partnership with Renault-Nissan. Daimler and Nissan inked an agreement earlier this year that entails having the former’s Mitsubishi Fuso truck unit supply its Fuso Canter light truck to Nissan. In return, Nissan will also supply the Atlas F24 truck to Fuso.
