For decades, Nissan and Honda have competed with one another in just about every way possible, except for pickup trucks and motorcycles. That's why the world was shocked last year when the rivals announced a $60 billion plan to merge into one company in what was seen as the biggest move toward auto industry consolidation yet. After all, it's a volatile time in the car business; the race for batteries and software has every company on edge, and global trade tensions make the situation even more unpredictable.
