Ford, Toyota execs in partnership talks
#1
Post *****
Thread Starter
Ford, Toyota execs in partnership talks
#4
Closet American
Join Date: July 17, 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC (Hollywood North)
Posts: 5,848
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
You know things are bad when...
Most telling statement in that MSNBC piece >> While Toyota’s U.S. sales have jumped by almost 13 percent this year, Ford’s sales have fallen by almost 8 percent, according to monthly sales data.
Most telling statement in that MSNBC piece >> While Toyota’s U.S. sales have jumped by almost 13 percent this year, Ford’s sales have fallen by almost 8 percent, according to monthly sales data.
#5
Ford, Toyota Chiefs Meet to Discuss Possible Partnership
DETROIT — The chief executive of Ford Motor Co. (F) met with the chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. as the first step in potential partnership negotiations, the Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said Tuesday.
The newspaper reported in its online edition that Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Toyota's Chairman Fujio Cho met last week. The meeting was also attended by Ford Executive Vice President Mark Fields, who is in charge of restructuring the automaker's loss-making North American operations, the newspaper said.
Click here to visit FOXBusiness.com's Autos Center.
The newspaper cited unnamed sources familiar with the talks as saying that Ford was interested in Toyota's hybrid and fuel-cell technologies as well as its work in reducing manufacturing and parts procurement costs.
A spokesman for Ford said the automaker would neither confirm nor deny the report.
"I can't confirm or deny the report other than to say that we have discussions with participants in our industry all the time," Ford spokesman Oscar Suris said.
A Toyota spokesman for the company's U.S. sales operation also declined comment, saying any comment would have to come from the automaker's headquarters in Japan.
Ford shares were up 1.2 percent, or 9 cents, at $7.51 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday afternoon.
The report said Toyota could be considering a partnership as a way to ease potential friction with the U.S. auto industry at a time when its own growth has been surging.
Analysts were skeptical that Toyota and Ford would agree to an outright merger or a substantial joint investment given the diverging paths for the two automakers.
Toyota is poised to overtake General Motors Corp. (GM) as the world's largest automaker in terms of production next year, and many analysts expect it will also unseat Ford as No. 2 in the U.S. market as soon as next year.
While Toyota's U.S. sales have jumped by almost 13 percent this year, Ford's sales have fallen by almost 8 percent, according to monthly sales data.
Ford's Mulally, who took over as Ford CEO in October with a mandate to turn the struggling company around, has spoken repeatedly about his admiration for Toyota, a company he has said he studied closely as a manufacturing executive at Boeing (BA) Co.
Ford currently licenses Toyota's market-leading hybrid engine technology for the hybrid versions of its Escape and Mariner sport utility vehicles.
Ford, which has relied heavily on its line-up of trucks and SUVs, would stand to gain from a cooperative partnership with Toyota if it focused on fuel economy and other technology seen as environmentally friendly, said Edmunds.com analyst Jesse Toprak.
"In terms of long-term planning, I think it's very smart for Ford to be looking at this," Toprak said. "This is going to be a factor that will determine whether an automaker is successful in the future."
Efraim Levy, an equity analyst at Standard & Poor's, agreed:
"Toyota could teach Ford a lot in any kind of joint venture ... suggestions on improving manufacturing efficiencies or sharing technologies," he said. "The benefits that would accrue to Toyota are less obvious."
He added: "I don't think any major transaction is going to occur between them. It's probably just going to be technology sharing."
The possible partnership is the latest in a series that have captured headlines for the global auto industry in recent months.
GM declined to enter an alliance with Nissan-Renault in early October after three months of negotiation, sparking speculation that the French-Japanese auto group could turn to Ford to secure a North American partner.
Carlos Ghosn, who heads both Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co., said last month that he was open to adding a U.S. automaker to form a three-way alliance, but said the timing was not right for Nissan.
The newspaper reported in its online edition that Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Toyota's Chairman Fujio Cho met last week. The meeting was also attended by Ford Executive Vice President Mark Fields, who is in charge of restructuring the automaker's loss-making North American operations, the newspaper said.
Click here to visit FOXBusiness.com's Autos Center.
The newspaper cited unnamed sources familiar with the talks as saying that Ford was interested in Toyota's hybrid and fuel-cell technologies as well as its work in reducing manufacturing and parts procurement costs.
A spokesman for Ford said the automaker would neither confirm nor deny the report.
"I can't confirm or deny the report other than to say that we have discussions with participants in our industry all the time," Ford spokesman Oscar Suris said.
A Toyota spokesman for the company's U.S. sales operation also declined comment, saying any comment would have to come from the automaker's headquarters in Japan.
Ford shares were up 1.2 percent, or 9 cents, at $7.51 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday afternoon.
The report said Toyota could be considering a partnership as a way to ease potential friction with the U.S. auto industry at a time when its own growth has been surging.
Analysts were skeptical that Toyota and Ford would agree to an outright merger or a substantial joint investment given the diverging paths for the two automakers.
Toyota is poised to overtake General Motors Corp. (GM) as the world's largest automaker in terms of production next year, and many analysts expect it will also unseat Ford as No. 2 in the U.S. market as soon as next year.
While Toyota's U.S. sales have jumped by almost 13 percent this year, Ford's sales have fallen by almost 8 percent, according to monthly sales data.
Ford's Mulally, who took over as Ford CEO in October with a mandate to turn the struggling company around, has spoken repeatedly about his admiration for Toyota, a company he has said he studied closely as a manufacturing executive at Boeing (BA) Co.
Ford currently licenses Toyota's market-leading hybrid engine technology for the hybrid versions of its Escape and Mariner sport utility vehicles.
Ford, which has relied heavily on its line-up of trucks and SUVs, would stand to gain from a cooperative partnership with Toyota if it focused on fuel economy and other technology seen as environmentally friendly, said Edmunds.com analyst Jesse Toprak.
"In terms of long-term planning, I think it's very smart for Ford to be looking at this," Toprak said. "This is going to be a factor that will determine whether an automaker is successful in the future."
Efraim Levy, an equity analyst at Standard & Poor's, agreed:
"Toyota could teach Ford a lot in any kind of joint venture ... suggestions on improving manufacturing efficiencies or sharing technologies," he said. "The benefits that would accrue to Toyota are less obvious."
He added: "I don't think any major transaction is going to occur between them. It's probably just going to be technology sharing."
The possible partnership is the latest in a series that have captured headlines for the global auto industry in recent months.
GM declined to enter an alliance with Nissan-Renault in early October after three months of negotiation, sparking speculation that the French-Japanese auto group could turn to Ford to secure a North American partner.
Carlos Ghosn, who heads both Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co., said last month that he was open to adding a U.S. automaker to form a three-way alliance, but said the timing was not right for Nissan.
Link to story. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,238950,00.html
#7
Ford & Toyota - Possible Partnership
Report: Ford, Toyota Chiefs Meet to Discuss Possible Partnership
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,238950,00.html
Comments!!!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,238950,00.html
Comments!!!
#8
Administrator, Shop Manual PDF Poster, Parts Locator & Spam Bot Eliminator!!
Join Date: November 27, 2004
Location: Visalia Ca.
Posts: 10,113
Received 2,535 Likes
on
1,871 Posts
aye Carumba!
#10
Administrator, Shop Manual PDF Poster, Parts Locator & Spam Bot Eliminator!!
Join Date: November 27, 2004
Location: Visalia Ca.
Posts: 10,113
Received 2,535 Likes
on
1,871 Posts
Fordota!, Toyord , Toyford
#11
Cobra Member
Join Date: September 29, 2004
Location: Spangdahlem AB Germany/ Home is Ft Worth
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If Ford buys Toyota thats cool. I love them both, but Ford>Toyota. Hell, I've owned 3 Fords and 3 Toyotas all have been great vehicles. I'll pick up my 4th Ford next July. And shortly after a 4th Toyota for a DD.
#12
If they merge it's fine with me as long as Toyota keeps their designs off my Fords. Toyota makes a decent car (had more problems with them then our Fords though) but as far as design they all must be blind (I hope that does not offend anyone). I mean I just think all their cars are butt ugly. Especially that FJ Cruiser, because lets face it Japanese car makers just don't have enough of a memorable history to be making retro looking cars. Though I doubt this will happen, everyone swore up and down that GM would partner with Nissan and look where that went. Ford needs to focus on envoking that sense of nostalgia (especially with the Baby Boomers who, now are starting to retire and have plenty of income) with it's design, like our Stangs and make more V8 RWD cars. Well, thats my .02
#13
Closet American
Join Date: July 17, 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC (Hollywood North)
Posts: 5,848
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Doesn't matter - nobody is going to buy anybody else; more like a working partnership if anything comes of it at all.
Fordota Stanglica... Doesn't really have the same ring to it.
#17
Tasca Super Boss 429 Member
Join Date: February 1, 2004
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's exactly it. They get a public perception boost and a bargin on some very nice plants, Ford gets Hybrid tech more easily and shoves off some overcapacity. It's not perfect but it makes business sense.
#19
Closet American
Join Date: July 17, 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC (Hollywood North)
Posts: 5,848
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
And by the way, the vehicle that inspired the FJ Cruiser has a LOT of history behind it - possibly more than any other Toyota.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post