Infiniti M to be rebadged as a Mitsubishi in Japan

The agreement was signed between the two Japanese carmakers in December 2010, and Mitsubishi will soon start selling the Nissan Fuga, also known as the Infiniti M, as its new luxury sedan in Japan starting from next year. According to Mitsubishi, the rebadged luxury sedan will be sold only in Japan and there are no plans to export the car in overseas markets. The Japanese carmaker has also yet to reveal the flagship sedan's name.

The new sedan will effectively succeed the Diamante, production of which stopped in 2005. Mitsubishi had been developing a new Diamante, but the model’s low sales which dipped below 10,000 units in its last year of production, along with the company’s economic problems, killed off the project.

The cooperation between the two companies extends beyond the M sedan, as Mitsubishi has already agreed to sell Nissan’s NV200 van while providing Nissan with the electric Minicab i-MiEV commercial van. The two Japanese makers have also formed a joint venture for the common development of mini cars for their home market.