Are Ford and Toyota discussing an alliance?
Quote selected text Published December 27th, 2006 in NASCAR News
Ford Motor Co. and Toyota acknowledged a meeting of their top executives, feeding speculation about an alliance of the surging Japanese firm and the sputtering Detroit giant.
The number two US automaker said in a statement that chief executive Alan Mulally met with Toyota’s leadership, after Toyota confirmed that its chairman, Fujio Cho, met last week in Tokyo with Mulally.
“We meet regularly with other automakers on a variety of topics of mutual interest,” the Ford statement said.
“Members of Toyota top management meet with top executives of other car manufacturers when such opportunities arise, such as Toyota chairman Cho recently exchanging greetings with Ford Motor CEO Alan Mulally,” a Toyota statement said.
Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco declined to comment on the details of the talks and industry analysts said it was too soon to know the content of the meeting.
But the meeting raised speculation that the fast-growing Japanese automaker, expected to overtake General Motors in 2007 as the world’s biggest, will tie up in some manner with the ailing Detroit giant.
One report said Ford wanted to capitalize on Toyota’s know-how in environmentally friendly cars, which were pioneered by Japan’s top automaker and have proved a major hit in the key US market.
The Detroit News said a source familiar with the talks characterized them as “preliminary” and limited to cooperation between the automakers, downplaying speculation about a deeper alliance.
The Detroit daily said that in addition to discussing technologies such as hybrid-electric and hydrogen powertrains, the executives talked about cooperating on manufacturing and environmental issues.
“At this point, it’s just a discussion,” the source said.
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SURE DON”T FORGET THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT BOMBED US AT PEARL HARBOR
Ford used to be the number one manufacurer in NASCAR. Of course this is when the likes of Jeff Burton, Mrk Martin, Rusty Wallace and other great drivers were racing for them. This could be Fords last ditch effort to get back to the top.
@$#@$@ *@%$@# @#*&$#@
This is bullshit
Do ALL the american’s who’s job you TEAR out from under them a favor and take your non-english speaking, high on yourself, unable to DRIVE asses BACK to where you came from. THIS is an AMERICAN sport..You want in KEEP your asses in Formula 1!!
I think that Ford needs to re-think whatever dawned in their minds THIS would be a good idea…If Ford wants BACK on top, WORK you’re way back there. Yes Chevy has had the leg up for awhile, so (and I am NOT dogging Ford or the drivers…) if you want to win, FIND the winning combos to put you back at the head of the pack. Don’t go pulling in OUTSIDE influences, especially when it puts SO many people at odds. I understand they’ve laid off thousands of people because of business being in the dumps. BUT Chevy has as well, it’s pretty much on the level telling the Japs who just as soon GRIND your bones with your skin still ON, “SURE, come on over, take more of our jobs, take more food out of our kids mouths, we don’t mind. As long as your bank roll is fat and we try to rank back up, the little man doesn’t matter!”
Get your head out of your butt and just realize that Japanese auto makers make BETTER vehicles…american sport huh? you mean it WAS an american sport….move over big 3 japan has made their presence known….ford will close its doors or work with toyota either way one down two to go….and fyi toyota is bringing jobs here ford is the one cutting them
Hey Don thats it i will not stand by and let you say that about nascar or anything.And this is still an amercian sport and i say still is you got it.if toyota would have stayed wear they belong then ford would not be cutting jobs.And why should we move over just like that there are ton of cars out there that are 10 times better then a toyota. Let me guess you were probley born herin amercian and i cant believe that you like toyota.the only good thing about toyota would be there gas miles thats the only thing that they have going for them. other then that they look like a peace of crappy to me.So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
NASCAR isn’t an American sport, it’s an AmericUn sport!
I remember the days where us Americuns weren’t afraid of taking on anyone. I guess that’s changed.
Wait til Honda gets involved.
BTW, best car I ever had was a Toyota. Ran for 12 years and all I did was change the oil, brakes and replace the water pump. I’ve had two Ford Explorers (because I’m Americun). The first one needed two transmissions in the first 50k, the second needed a new engine after two months.
I’d suggest you people who are throwing lines like “you loser” suck it up and be real Americans - work hard and accept competition as a way to make you better. Maybe if Ford didn’t have millions of dollars of sky-highh union entitlement contracts they could be more competitive. But, everyone needs those cushy health plans for their diabetes and gastro-bypass surgery from too many super-sized Burger King meals. As a result, companies like Ford are losing BILLIONS per quarter.
We are now so soft that it may be too late to stop our decline as the greatest nation on earth. Sad.
So who’s the loser?
Hey “Killer” (great name, big boy) you’re totally out of line with that talk. BTW, do y’all know that Japan is now a FRIEND of ours?
In case you haven’t noticed, we have different enemies now.
And I’d be willing to bet serious cash that at least one of you True Americans on this thread own a Sony or Mitsubishi or some other Japanese product in your house.
Talk and opinions like that is pathetic.
I’m not happy that Ford is thinking about aligning with Toyota or that
Toyota is entering into NEXTEL Cup. Though, I do know that competition
can be a good thing for corporations who have the majority share in a
certain market area like the U.S. as it will force U.S. automakers to
begin to change more to the consumers will for well built vehicles
and will force the race teams currently driving Chevy, Ford, and Dodge to
make better race cars. However, as for your comments Don about Toyota
bringing jobs into the U.S., well they are, but did you know there are
almost no benefits, health, vision, or otherwise. As you may or may not
know Glenstapo those “cushy” health benefits are for us all to be
healthier and more productive members of society. I’m sure your views
would undoubtedly change when you’re saddled with medication costs that
range from $700-2000 WITHOUT INSURANCE! Oh and just for further
notification, those “cushy” health benefits also help the children of
our working parents, so that our kids don’t have to suffer as much pain
from the thousands of diseases, cavitys, and various other ailments that
make life hell at times. I’m sure you’d love to be stuck with a
$50,000 hospital bill for your sick children, that is unless your rich
or riding high on welfare and credit. Especially after all our
better paying jobs move overseas and we all work for minimum wage with no
benefits. I have no problems with Toyota becoming the leading producer of
vehicles, but it doesn’t make me happy to see our companies and people
suffer.
Bottom line is American auto makers are losing their asses right now. If you ask me, unions have been the undoing here. Japenese take PRIDE in their jobs. They live to outdo us. We just have a bunch of lazy, overpaid employees that worried only about raises and increased bennies. Good luck with that when they end up at McDonalds. We need to support our own products for sure, but you have a product worth supporting first.