Nissan, Mitsubishi set to 'go on the offensive'

The global head of the Renault Nissan Alliance has taken its Australian operations to task over a failure to live up to sales potential.

Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of Renault and chairman of Nissan and Mitsubishi, told Australian reporters on Monday that Mitsubishi and Nissan can "do much better" in Australia.

"If you take the alliance market share in Australia, which is 13 per cent, we have much higher potential," he says.

"Both Japanese brands can do much better, in my opinion. In one of the most competitive markets in the world, which is North America, Nissan is making more than 10 per cent market share. I have a hard time understanding why Nissan can't make more than six per cent [in Australia]."

Ghosn is in town to touch base with local representatives, to "refresh my knowledge of the Australian market", and oversee emerging links between Renault, Nissan and the alliance's newly acquired Mitsubishi elements.

The brand revealed its first local ties between Mitsubishi and Nissan on Monday, as Mitsubishi will now be able to tap into Nissan's customer financing arm and spare parts distributor network in a move likely to reduce costs and drive sales for both brands.

Stopping short of saying that the brands are underperforming in Australia, Ghosn diplomatically says Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi need to ask "How can we better perform"?

"That's the way I would put it," he says.

"I would see it more as an opportunity than to blame, more as a kind of encouragement to be much more on the offensive in Australia for all three brands."

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