Filed under: Euro, Plants/Manufacturing, BMW, Mercedes-Benz
BMW and Mercedes may hook up for subcompact
Auto Bild is reporting that Mercedes and BMW may consider collaborating on subcompacts in the coming years. BMW's keeping an eye on the MINI plant in Oxford, England. If the factory doesn't run at full-tilt, BMW takes a monetary hit. Shacking up with Mercedes to build the next generation A-Class at MINI's facility and on the MINI platform would keep production humming right along. Other potential partners have been mentioned as well, such as Honda and PSA. Mercedes and BMW are working on hybrid technology together already, but Mercedes will only say that while it remains open to collaboration where sensible, there are no current plans to partner further with BMW.
[Source: Reuters]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Frank 12:55PM (7/05/2007)
This does not make sense to me. Why wouldn't BMW use PSA as a partner? They share engines already and PSA has experience building mainstream small cars. Why collaborate with the enemy?
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john riley 1:35PM (7/05/2007)
I thought the A class was dead?
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Colin Smith 2:19PM (7/05/2007)
I suppose they'll keep it alive if they can build it for a profit.
The Mini is only just in profit when production is at full tilt, so a shared production line and common components might work? Most people don't know or care what goes on under their cars anyway.
Fiat is in bed with GM (OK, divorced, but they still have visiting rights on the children), Suzuki (GM) and now Ford. The new Ford Ka will share its DNA with the new Fiat 500 (LUST) and no-one will care. They'll come down the same line in Poland - foster care I suppose you'd call it. Keeps costs down.
All car companies are promiscuous these days. Just make sure you wash your hands before a test drive!
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mike7 6:42PM (7/05/2007)
If they sold the diesel Mini in the U.S.A it would be at full capacity.
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Heidi 12:04PM (7/20/2007)
The Mini is only just in profit when production is at full tilt, so a shared production line and common components might work? Most people don't know or care what goes on under their cars anyway. People are Maniacs. But speaking of GM.. This what I thought a colorado was supposed to look like (pics) http://www.maniacraffle.com Fiat is in bed with GM (OK, divorced, but they still have visiting rights on the children), Suzuki (GM) and now Ford. The new Ford Ka will share its DNA with the new Fiat 500 (LUST) and no-one will care. They'll come down the same line in Poland - foster care I suppose you'd call it. Keeps costs down.
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