Nissan was deep in trouble late last year when rival Honda offered a lifeline: a $60 billion tie-up that would help both Japanese automakers compete against the Chinese brands upending the car industry.

Nissan and Honda's merger talks, initially aimed at creating one of the world's largest automakers, fell apart due to Nissan's resistance and demands for equality despite its weaker position. The proposed deal would have seen Nissan become a subsidiary,

TOKYO — Nissan is set to call off merger talks with rival Honda, a source said Wednesday, abandoning a $60 billion-plus tie-up that would have created the world's No. 3 automaker and raising questions about how it will drive a turnaround by itself.