Could Toyota beat Nissan/Renault to the punch?
Forget Carlos Ghosn and Renault-Nissan... if you're going to sell out, do it right. According to BusinessWeek, Toyota Motor Company is none too excited to see any kind of partnership between Renault-Nissan and GM, let alone a 20-percent stake in GM for Ghosn's company. An alliance, which GM CEO Rick Wagoner and Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn are mulling over for the next 90 days, could range anywhere from sharing engineering to a full-blown partnership that includes sharing platforms, engines, manufacturing capacity and more.
While nothing has been uttered publicly about a deal between Toyota and General Motors, there are whispers floating around that the rapidly-growing Japanese company might be able to make GM an offer it can't refuse -- without buying an equity stake, which is something Toyota typically avoids, according to BW. Toyota would instead focus on joint ventures, sharing technology and engineering capabilities, and other plans that may be closer to what GM needs to get out of trouble.
[Source: BusinessWeek via MSNBC]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ryan 2:28PM (7/18/2006)
Shallow:
But being lighthearted you do have to think that the Toyota Logo is nicer than that circa 1940's GM no though at all logo. I think this is part of the problem.
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Koba 2:58PM (7/18/2006)
I'll bet this is what happens. Toyota's biggest problem is the collapse of the Big 2. I don't think anyone could have foreseen the buying public's distaste of Ford/GM. Many people did not need much coaxing to drop GM/Ford for Honda/Toyota. It looks like GM/Ford are going to keep over producing until they're not producing anything at all. This instability isn't good for the industry as a whole, let alone it's biggest player.
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Richard Warren 4:01PM (7/18/2006)
#1 "circa 1940's GM no though at all logo"
That's a 60's logo by the way, it came about when GM launced the
the "GM mark of excellence" logo (and current) was introduced in 1966 the logo remains but the "Mark of Excellence" was dropped in the late 70's 78 if I remember correctly.
Current logos mean nothing. The most well known around the world Logo for cars. VW
GM and Toyota have had a number of relationships over the years, nothing would surprise me.
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Paul 4:14PM (7/18/2006)
The problem with GM and Ford is that they employ too many American workers.
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iQuack 4:27PM (7/18/2006)
And, Paul, who's building the Toyotas, Hondas, and other import brands in U.S. factories?
It isn't American workers who are bad--it's the UAW and the mentality of too many UAW people who think they work for their union instead of the companies that pay them.
American workers in non-union Toyota, Honda, and other factories are doing just fine!
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People 5:05PM (7/18/2006)
4# I disagree.
5# I agree and disagree. The UAW has created a culture which fosters a lazy mentality. However, I work a food manufacturing plant that is not unionized and they treat people like robots. Operators work crazy unpredictable hours and there are other unethical practices that are unfair. Is there a middle ground, I would like to believe so but I am uncertain.
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Jeff Banks 5:07PM (7/18/2006)
"It isn't American workers who are bad--it's the UAW and the mentality of too many UAW people who think they work for their union instead of the companies that pay them."
Wow, somebody gets it here. It is currently illegal to move production to a different non-union state so GM is stuck with the UAW until somebody figures out how to get rid of those antiquated laws. This is one reason they have to build things in Mexico in order to survive.
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Mal Fuller 5:44PM (7/18/2006)
"Could Toyota beat Nissan/Renault to the punch?"
They indeed could...the real question is WOULD they? The real answer to that question is, OF COURSE NOT!
Richard Warren correctly points out that GM dropped The Mark of Excellence decades ago. It was dropped in every sense of the word!
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Tom Miller 6:05PM (7/18/2006)
Toyota beats out Nissan/Renault and snares GM. Poor Ford might then entertain a N/R relationship and then what does Honda do? They could link with Daimler/Chrysler -- two engineering powerhouses!
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Mike 8:19PM (7/18/2006)
What does GM have that Toyota could possibly want? Crappy interiors, old tech engines, creaky suspension, ugly designs.....?
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Brian 1:38AM (7/19/2006)
Doesn't GM already have somewhat of a partnership with Toyota by way The Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix?
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Ron Ostrowski 1:36PM (7/19/2006)
Hey, GM and Ford still makes great cars. I test drove the Azera and bought the Buick Lucerne. Great car, rides better and quieter than the Azera. GM and Ford have great competition but they will survive and all drivers will be better off. I remember the early 60's when everybody thought european cars would take over. VW even built a plant and finally sold it.
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chris brown 7:00AM (7/24/2006)
I personly think its a mistake i would not buy any of there cars and go strait to ford if toyota had anything to do with them its bad enuff they out sourse parts.and kill are domestic jobs and try to sell ugly cars . my father works for general motors i remember there was a time my freinds would come over in a imported car and would have to park in the street if it wasent made here in the states.gm seems to drop the ball every time they get something right and then they blaim the union when there cars dont sell haha who are u guys kidding i think they need to go back and think what made this country great in the first place great cars at a great price cars we got excited about not cars that look like they where drawn out on pad of paper with a ruler the aztec who came up with that bright idea haha. best looking cars i see out rught now that arent boring from gm trailblazer ss great looking truck but gm will probly kill that. lets see cobolt ss great looking littil car and sporty fun to drive the anwser to the import killer runs 14.0's in the 1/4 mile for around 20 grand best bang for the buck . they will screw that up some how as well the corvette z06 c6 awsome car blistering performance faster then 140.000 doller super cars at a 60 k price range awsome car they got that car right why cant they do it right with there other cars .i will explain couse we want the cars that excite us atleast my genaeration but we dont want imported crap from japan or anything from singapore coming to are county .i drive gm products i have a chevy 2002 chevy tahoe and a transam ws6 2002 collector. it was bad enuff the car came from across the border but when they stoped building the car becouse of there so called side impact regulation and started shiping over this pig called the gto that was nothing more then a rear drive grand prix in looks then tryed to sell it to us as a replacement for the best f body they ever built .they where giveing these things away they couldent sell them gm your leaving a bad tast in every ones mouth i sure hope u do something soon befor it falls down trust me there people out there that would love to see gm fold up dont ask me why i see the way they talk on the car forums and they have no respect for the cheaply made cars at over priced costs.
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Tenom 1:14PM (7/25/2006)
That had a lot of run on sentences
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chris brown 11:50PM (7/25/2006)
Yea it was 7 am in the morning haha . anyway u got my point
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02car 2:01PM (8/17/2006)
Very fascinating article!
Your PR is high, passing by to do the conjunction, forgive:)
02car
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