Report: GM and Renault/Nissan end talks
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that talks between General Motors and Renault/Nissan have ended. The news comes from an unnamed person familiar with the situation, which could be the guy that fills the water glasses on the conference table, and Renault so far is refusing to comment. We do know that the board of General Motors met yesterday, presumably to discuss what had been learned from 90 days of exploratory talks held behind closed doors between GM and Renault/Nissan. The domestic giant, however, made no statements following the board meeting and is so far mum on the WSJ report, as well.
The WSJ's source says that the chief executives of both companies, one Mr. Rick Wagoner and one Mr. Carlos Ghosn, terminated the talks themselves. Thus, if this report is true, then any possibility of an alliance forming between General Motors and Renault/Nissan is gone.
Word has it that Mr. Ghosn stopped for a Coney's chili dog in Dearborn on his way out of town, though. Hmmm... (We're kidding, we know for a fact chili gives Carlos gas.)
[Source: the WSJ via Reuters]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
arnie 12:46PM (10/04/2006)
Holy shit! What's the Captain gonna do now??? The show is just beginning. Let's get some beer and snacks and watch the mayhem unfold.
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porker 1:04PM (10/04/2006)
Surprise! Surprise! GM refuses to be bought by lesser companies that would only harm its chances of surviving.
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MikeW 1:21PM (10/04/2006)
The VQ35HR isn't all that and a bag of chips, very narrow sweet spot 5000-7000, fun time to be had with a 6 speed stick, especially in the Z. Nissan leased the hybrid tech from toyota for the altima.
Nissan/Infiniti doesn't have 1 four wheel drive vehicle available in the USA. All clutch pack part time systems.
The MR & QR are nice engines, but the Versa/Sentra still have beam axles. The VK56DE engine doesn't have a dual length intake manifold-more torque & more power. No 6 speed automatics from JATCO yet.
GM had nothing to gain from them. At least the CEO looks good 'exploring all options'
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KT 3:20PM (10/04/2006)
Well, after I read the article in the Detroit News today I figured as much. Here's a small clip from it which summed it up for me:
"General Motors Corp. changed its corporate bylaws Tuesday to possibly thwart hostile actions by large shareholders such as billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian.
The moves came after GM's board of directors met to consider the ongoing alliance talks between GM, and Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co., as well as Kerkorian's recent request that outside advisers be hired to study the deal."
Looks like they are making sure KK is under control once they announce the alliance is null and void.
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Richard Warren 1:33PM (10/04/2006)
Just stock manipulation to fuel share prices on both sides.
The real reason? Not enough money for the 2 top guys to do it.
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Kowell 1:50PM (10/04/2006)
GM bought many smaller companies and basicaly tryed to kill them by stuffing rebadging of badly made models down their throat (Saab, Saturn, Suzuki, etc.)So what happens when GM tryes to go after a bigger compagny that already has it's own network of contacts and model lineup... they do the smart thing and stick their ground..... wich means... nothing happen. Nissan just probably saved it's own ass by not falling in the trap...
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araemo 1:54PM (10/04/2006)
MikeW: Have you seen Dyno graphs for the VQ35HRs already? I'd love to see the graphs, if they're out. Or how else do you know what its 'narrow sweet spot' is? (Are they even for sale yet?)
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Sleep Angel 2:06PM (10/04/2006)
"the VQ35HR isn't all that"
the VQ35 DID make the world'S "top 10 best engine list" for the past 6 years.... GM did anything like that lately...
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Ted Y 2:23PM (10/04/2006)
"GM did anything like that lately..."
Well, they do have TWO engines on the list this year:
2L Supercharged DOHC I-4
2.8L Turbocharged DOHC V-6
And, previously, the 4.2L Vortec DOHC I-6 was up there for a number of years.
Not bad in my book.
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Finished Law School 2:26PM (10/04/2006)
No surprise considering GM is stupid enough to think that they have something to bring to the table much less a marketable brand.
Not to mention the additional cancer that GM has in the form of the UAW...
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campy 2:42PM (10/04/2006)
#7
GM's 3800 V-6 was on Ward's 10 ten engines of the 20th century
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Jamie 3:23PM (10/04/2006)
5. GM bought many smaller companies and basicaly tryed to kill them by stuffing rebadging of badly made models down their throat (Saab, Saturn, Suzuki, etc.)So what happens when GM tryes to go after a bigger compagny that already has it's own network of contacts and model lineup... they do the smart thing and stick their ground..... wich means... nothing happen. Nissan just probably saved it's own ass by not falling in the trap...
Posted at 1:50PM on Oct 4th 2006 by Kowell 0 stars
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Made you "feel" better?
Now run along now...
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Corey W. 3:52PM (10/04/2006)
Why do some of you make it seems like GM needed Nissan, and initiated this whole "alliance" talks?
Ok, lets see who runs to FORD first...Nissan or GM!!
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Kowell 4:03PM (10/04/2006)
hey Jamie.... is your little "now run along now" catchphrase your only way to answer to people or is it just that you put this up everytime you fail to come up with anything good to say in response?
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Chad C 10:16PM (10/04/2006)
Kerkorian just wanted to get the stock up so he could cash out his stocks again. All he's concerned with is money and his sense of power. On to Ford....
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MikeW 10:55AM (10/05/2006)
The VQ35HR isn't bad, infact the extra 1000rpm (7600 vs. 6600) you have to work with over the 2gr-fse makes the case for driving a stick in the Z, Z+2, G35. peak torque on the VQ35 is at 5200rpm, peak power is at 6800rpm, 5-7 is where it is at, but if you must wring its neck completely 5500-7500 is 90% of max power.
The VQ35HR doesn't have much technology. No variable resonance intake manifold, no direct injection, no roller follower valvetrain, and do the rear mufflers have an internal variable backpressue valving system?
GM will be adding direct injection to the 3.6 high feature V6. That should match the 2gr-fse, considering it has the same 94mm bore but a longer stroke.
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Paul 5:31PM (10/05/2006)
too bad. this would have been a good opportunity for the shareholders of GM to unload their shares to some sucker before it tanks.
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