Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s fuel economy testing fraud has hit its partner Nissan Motor Co. in domestic showrooms, with the latter automaker posting a steeper plunge in April minicar sales and overall market share.
Nissan's minicar deliveries tumbled 51 percent last month, as the nation's second-largest automaker stopped sales of the Dayz models supplied by Mitsubishi Motors after its April 20 admission to manipulating fuel economy test data. Nissan's sales of both mini and standard vehicles fell 22 percent. Mitsubishi Motors posted declines of 45 percent for minicars and 15 percent for total vehicles.
The impact that Mitsubishi Motors' misconduct is already having on Nissan's domestic sales adds urgency to the smaller automaker's investigation of data manipulation and fuel economy testing that hasn't complied with the nation's standards since 1991. Nissan Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said last week he'll wait until all facts are on the table before deciding on the future of the joint venture the two carmakers formed in 2010.