Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Wednesday it has decided to introduce two models produced by Renault SA under original equipment manufacturer agreements as part of its business reform in the region.

The Japanese automaker, which is part of a three-way alliance with the French carmaker and Nissan Motor Co., will sell the two car models in selected European markets. The specific models and markets were yet to be decided, Mitsubishi Motors said.

Mitsubishi Motors also said it will withdraw from new car sales in some European countries by 2023 as the company presses ahead with its strategy of shifting more resources to Southeast Asia where it has a stronger presence.

Mitsubishi Motors has already frozen development of new models for European markets.

The Japanese automaker already sells a commercial van in Oceania produced under an OEM agreement with Renault.

The total sales of the three-way alliance in 2020 stood at 7.8 million vehicles, down 23.2 percent from a year earlier, due to its slower sales recovery in its main markets, including the United States and Europe, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

==Kyodo

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