GM, Toyota chiefs meet in Tokyo

[Guest Josh]

TOKYO (AFP) - General Motors chairman Rick Wagoner and Toyota Motor Corp president Katsuaki Watanabe met in Tokyo, amid reports that the two car giants were to reaffirm a tie-up in fuel cell development. The meeting between the heads of the world's top two automakers comes amid tough times for US car giants such as GM, which are watching Japanese rivals thrive in the North American market. The two business leaders "met in Tokyo for about one hour and discussed various topics," Toyota said in a brief press release. "The meeting has been arranged to allow Watanabe to introduce himself after his appointment on the occasion of chairman Wagoner's visit to Japan," the statement added. Watanabe became president of the world's number-two carmaker in June. Wagoner came to Tokyo on his way back from China where he inspected a GM factory. In October, GM announced that Toyota would spend 315 million dollars to acquire GM's shareholdings in Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, the maker of Japanese Subaru vehicles. From: News.Yahoo.Com's Japenese section.

[Delta Force79]

This is quite interesting, I wonder what these "various topics" were aside from the Fuji talk.

[Shantanu]

Toyota's going to make GM it's bitch eventually. Mark my words. People in Detroit will be speaking Japanese just like people in LA are.

[Robert Hall]

This is quite interesting, I wonder what these "various topics" were aside from the Fuji talk.

Who knows...maybe bouncing around ideas for more JVs like the Vibe/Matrix...

how about a Buick convertible rebodied from the Solara convertible? A Chevy version of the Prius? a Camaro from the new IS platform? ;-)

[Robert Hall]

Toyota's going to make GM it's bitch eventually.  Mark my words.  People in Detroit will be speaking Japanese just like people in LA are.

IIRC, there are a number of bilingual signs in English and Japanese in the Detroit airport (I recall seeing some the last time I was there).

[Robert Hall]

Probably just cookie recipes.

Or Ps2 games..

[KaliRover]

I wonder what the ranking's will be 5 year's from now?

1.) Toyota?
2.) GM?
3.) Nissan?
4.) DCX?
5.) Honda?
6.) Ford?
7.) VW?

Don't know, but each one of those companies listed have the possibilty of moving up 2 or down 2 on that list, just my take. I think GM could benefit from this.

It's quite interesting how they silently say: "GM need's Toyota's Help."

I mean 80% of this article isn't even talking about the meeting itself... oh well, I'm done ranting.

[Polish_Kris]

IIRC, there are a number of bilingual signs in English and Japanese in the Detroit airport (I recall seeing some the last time I was there).

[post="37795"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yeah, it's a sign language involving the middle finger exposed in the air

B)

[AAS]

Who knows...maybe bouncing around ideas for more JVs like the Vibe/Matrix...

how about a Buick convertible rebodied from the Solara convertible?  A Chevy version of the Prius?  a Camaro from the new IS platform? ;-)

[post="37794"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

:puke:

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

5 years from now (after WW3) BMW GM Ford Honda DCX Yep germany succeedes this time :P Naw but seriously i think its inevitable that GM will lose its sales crown unless it SERIOUSLY shifts itself.... and starts spending more wisely.

[Cory Wolfe]

Interesting. Just... interesting.

[Delta Force79]

Probably just cookie recipes.

[post="37796"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yummy :P

[Satty]

Toyota is going to offer to buy GM for one hundred billion dollars. GM will decline and say they will give Toyota $50 to break the knees of every UAW employee. Toyota will accept. Knees will be broken, the UAW will go away and Toyota will be $50 richer. Edited November 3, 2005 by Satty

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

Toyota is going to offer to buy GM for one hundred billion dollars.  GM will decline and say they will give Toyota $50 to break the knees of every UAW employee.  Toyota will accept.  Knees will be broken, the UAW will go away and Toyota will be $50 richer.

[post="37975"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

nonono that will never happen, it would cost at least 65$.

Or 3 head of cattle...

[Imaj]

TOKYO (AFP) - General Motors chairman Rick Wagoner and Toyota Motor Corp president Katsuaki Watanabe met in Tokyo, amid reports that the two car giants were to reaffirm a tie-up in fuel cell development.

GM shouldn't share it's fuel cell technology with anyone..

[cmattson]

If GM is going to build small crossovers, does GM need to continue with the Vibe/Matrix combo-platter? Just a thought. Other than that, this could be fuel cell related. Perhaps GM's got a couple of dual-mode hybrid patents that Toyota wishes to buy into? Perhaps Toyota has battery technology that GM wishes to buy into? The possibilities are endless.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Toyota's going to make GM it's bitch eventually.

GM shouldn't share it's fuel cell technology with anyone..

Combine those 2 quotes and you'll have the realistic answer I think... GM will give Toyota the technology (In exchange for something DUMB, I'm sure) and Toyota, being the king of all media, will exploit the hell out of every aspect of it. GM will be seen as worse than dog crap, eventhough they pioneered and OFFER the same technology. THUS reinforcing Toyota's bright future and GM's morbid decay into nothingness (You know, kinda like the decay that america itself is seeing now)

Either that or GM shallowly thinks that the media/green yuppie scorn will abate if they get in bed with Toyota. Ford already tried this and, of course-surprise surprise, it led to more chastisement. Except this time about how Ford was TOO dumb to create it's own hybrid system. "Stupid americans with your no engineering talent.... bask in the glory of japanese greatness"

[sarcasm] All this while the yuppie who wrote it sadly perishes via a NASTY sandwich collison involving an Excursion, his STALLED, though technologically marvelous, Prius and a Big 'ole Hummer.

Thank goodness he didn't die in vain and spread the word proudly at the expense of dumb, ignorant, greedy Americans!!!![/sarcasm]

Should I stop? I can go on forever!!!

[prinzSD]

Combine those 2 quotes and you'll have the realistic answer I think... GM will give Toyota the technology (In exchange for something DUMB, I'm sure) and Toyota, being the king of all media, will exploit the hell out of every aspect of it. GM will be seen as worse than dog crap, eventhough they pioneered and OFFER the same technology. THUS reinforcing Toyota's bright future and GM's morbid decay into nothingness (You know, kinda like the decay that america itself is seeing now)

Either that or GM shallowly thinks that the media/green yuppie scorn will abate if they get in bed with Toyota. Ford already tried this and, of course-surprise surprise, it lead to more chastisement. Except this time about how Ford was TOO dumb to create it's own hybrid system. "Stupid americans with your no engineering talent.... bask in the glory of japanese greatness"

[sarcasm] All this while the yuppie who wrote it sadly perishes via a NASTY sandwich collison involving an Excursion, his STALLED, though technologically marvelous, Prius and a Big 'ole Hummer.

Thank goodness he didn't die in vain and spread the word proudly at the expense of dumb, ignorant, greedy Americans!!!![/sarcasm]

Should I stop? I can go on forever!!!

[post="38284"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

LOL... :lol:

[Variance]

Toyota does have it's own fuel-cell tech, I think. So I don't see it being for that.