On Monday, April 14, Chrysler and Nissan announced an agreement that will see the two companies building vehicles in partnership with promises for a closer working relationship in the future.

Based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Chrysler will produce a full-size pickup for Nissan based on the Dodge Ram at its facility in Saltillo, Mexico. For its part, Nissan will be assembling a small Chrysler car in Oppama, Japan. Both vehicles will be sold in North America with the Chrysler car to also be placed in the European market.

Although the current deal involves only the truck and car, industry analysts predict more partnership work by the two companies in the future. In the past, Nissan has expressed interest in finding a partner in North America to join the alliance it holds with Renault. Chrysler, for its part, has made it clear that it wants to have a bigger impact in the marketplace outside of North America.

Thomas W. LaSorda, president and vice chairman of Chrysler said, "Forging the right tactical partnerships is critical to the long-term success of Chrysler. Nissan has a proven track record in these win-win product exchanges with multiple manufacturers around the world."

Both vehicles will actually be designed by the companies that will sell the products. The Chrysler car will be the company's first subcompact offering, one with great potential given the rising demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.