TOKYO -- A joint production alliance between French automaker Renault SA and Japanese affiliate Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. bore its first fruit Monday at a factory in Brazil, one month ahead of schedule.

"The Nissan frontier pick-up (truck) is the first Nissan vehicle to be assembled at a Renault plant," the pair said in a statement.

A total of around 7,000 Nissan and Renault vehicles will be made this year at Nissan and Renault's joint light and commercial vehicles assembly unit, part of a Renault Industrial Complex in Sao Jose Dos Pinhais, Brazil, AFP reported.

Of the output, some 2,500 vehicles will be Renault master vans and 4,500 will be Nissan frontier pick-ups.

"This new development firmly establishes Nissan as a Brazilian automaker," the statement said.

Nissan is 44.4 percent owned by Renault.