Renault executives travelled to Japan this week to meet counterparts at Nissan in an effort to maximise the value of the French automaker's stake in the Japanese firm ahead of its merger with Honda, a source close to the matter told Reuters.

As talks between the automakers continue, analysts say a combination makes sense but may face hurdles, including short-term financial hardship.

Nissan was deep in the trenches, with its existence at stake, but Honda's timely entry gave it a positive direction. Here's how everything went down.