Nissan Seeks Better Terms in Renault Merger Talks

As Japan’s Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA of France discuss ways -- including a possible merger -- to strengthen their ties, Nissan is resisting a combination unless the company gains more clout in key areas, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Nissan’s top managers believe they have the better engineering capabilities and want to lead crucial operations such as product development, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. Chief Executive Officer Hiroto Saikawa said as recently as this week that he wants Nissan to maintain some autonomy while still reaping the benefits of working with Renault.