Consolidation is supposed to bring about economies of scale and collaboration sharing resources. It's not the first time Mitsubishi has done this - it might be counted as the third such endeavor? The big exception being this Nissan & Renault takeover wasn't exactly by choice. Joining with Chrysler in the 1970s seemed to work until it didn't. Their joint venture with Daimler wasn't exactly a friendly undertaking either. In fact, it seems Mitsubishi has made some tragic decisions along the way, contributing to their position today as far behind Honda & Toyota. Even the Korean automakers are building their market share.