Forbes automotive columnist Jerry Flint provides a history lesson of various automotive couplings and even triads to illustrate that while a few have been beneficial to one or (rarely) all parties, most fall flat on their faces. None, however, are easy for any of the parties, successful or not.
Well here's a merger candidate coming out of left field lane. Hyundai Motors, still reeling from the imprisonment of its CEO Chung Mong-Koo (who has since been released) and on-going union strikes, could be looking for a partner. Apparently the possibility of a GM and Renault/Nissan alliance, plus Toyota's relentless march towards world's number one automaker status, is putting a serious crimp in the Korean automaker's plans to be number 5 by 2010. A Hyundai spokesperson states
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 include
Talk about eerie. Shortly after news that Genera Motors was to engage in talks about an alliance with Renault/Nissan, every columnist worth his salt began to speculate about Ford Motor Co. forming a similar alliance with another automaker in the industry. Many pointed out that such a team-up would make more sense than a GM/Renault/Nissan trio given Ford's precarious position in the market, which is considered by some to be worse than its larger domestic rival.
General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner and Nissan/Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn finally met yesterday in Detroit to discuss a potential alliance between their two companies that was first proposed by GM's largest individual shareholder, Kirk Kerkorian, two weeks ago. The meeting resulted in an agreement to confidentially review the pros of such an alliance for the next 90 days. After the review period the two companies will determine whether an alliance needs to be explored further.
While pondering the repercussions of an alliance between General Motors and Nissan/Renault, we realized our future automotive landscape might include an Altima wearing a bowtie or a pushrod-powered 350Z. Some of the combinations could be interesting, but history has proven that when two automakers collaborate, the opportunity for a turd is there. So regardless of whether or not these two companies hook up, we offer up this list of the Top 5 Worst Collaborations as a warning to both.
As talks approach with General Motors head Rick Wagoner, Carlos Ghosn is stating that he has no desire to head up the conglomerate if a merger of sorts takes place. Apparently, he feels that he's busy enough running both Nissan and Renault. Ghosn did show some interest in getting a board seat if a deal was struck with GM, though.
The possibility of a merger, or at least an alliance, between General Motors and Renault/Nissan has opened speculation to other combinations. Levin's opinion of a GM/Toyota combo, while improbable, may just be the wild card GM CEO Wagoner needs to ward off a more probable GM/Renault/Nissan three-way.
Speculation is further being fueled that a possible alliance between General Motors and Nissan/Renault could become a reality with news coming yesterday that Rick Wagoner, the embattled yet persistent CEO of GM, and Carlos Ghosn, the superstar CEO of Nissan and Renault, will meet in Detroit later this month to, you know, catch up on things.
According to the Japanese business daily Nhon Keizai, Nissan and Renault have already decided what areas of cooperation they would seek from General Motors if a proposed alliance between the three companies became a reality. Those three areas are parts procurement, environmental and safety technology.
Here's Nissan's official response to the flurry of speculation caused by Tracinda Corp., Kirk Kerkorian's investment company, when it sent a letter to General Motors suggesting the automaker immediately explore joining Nissan and Renault's alliance.
Last week, Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe (pictured) said at a news conference that Japan's largest automaker may be willing to partner with other automakers to assist in technologies with which they may be having difficulties. "There is the adequate possibility that we (Toyota) will form various types of alliances with others," he said, "if an automaker faces difficulties in meeting these needs single-handedly."
The proposed alliance between GM and Nissan/Renault leads off the Autoblog Podcast, Episode #34. Do we think it will happen? What would the effects of such an alliance be? We also talk about the Chinese coming to town in the form of Nanjing Automotive opening up operations and a productions facility for MG in Oklahoma. GayWheels.com and its Top Ten Most Researched Vehicles list also makes the cut, along with news from our sister-site, AutoblogGreen. Enjoy.
