BMW wants to increase cooperation with Benz
BMW’s sales and marketing chief Michael Ganal says BMW wants to increase cooperation with rival Mercedes-Benz, as it would allow both carmakers entrepreneurial freedom. Both companies are dependant on cutting edge automotive technology, and could do with each other’s help which ultimately would reduce costs.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz are already working together with GM on hybrid-related technologies, which include a special compact motor which can be integrated into rear-wheel drive configurations. This hybrid system is expected to debut on a future hybrid 7-Series, and the upcoming S-Class Bluetec-Hybrid.
There is also another technology partnership which BMW is involved in – it’s MINI’s engines are a joint effort by BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen, and the same MINI Cooper and Cooper S engines in various tune levels are also used in Peugeot cars.
June 12, 2007 @ 2:55 am
Hopefully it’s gonna be benefitial to all parties
June 12, 2007 @ 8:28 am
why cant proton have the same partnership with BMW
June 12, 2007 @ 10:06 am
Dont ask me.. Ask the G who are so ego and muka tebal.. Even big names rival like BMW and Merc cooperate togather… If P1 can cooperate with VW or GM, i think our car will be more better then now… Lotus is a failure, nearly each year rugi.. that why they can only implement better suspension, handling on p1 cars only.. Even campro came out so louzy, not the real 1.. Hopefully the G wont waste this opportunity, sign with VW and move towards globalization.. If not later when open market P1 bangkrap, u G nothing get but have to waste our people money on paying the P1 debts…
June 12, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Proton suffered because of huge egos. They even refused to use an engine developed by Petronas. Petronas used to be the main shareholder of Proton, but the shares were transferred to Khazanah because Proton refused to acknowledge Petronas. It was really a ‘ two man show ‘ ie Tengku Mahaleel and Tun Mahathir. The other board members, were just warming their seats and getting directors and meeting fees. The chairman then, Abu Hassan Kendut, resigned, instead of subjecting himself to humiliation as a toothless chairman.
They could afford to have those egos because it was not their money that was being wasted.
Another blunder (again because of ego) is the creation of Proton Edar simply because both of them could not reduce the commission paid to EON. Now there are too many dealers and taxpayers’ money is used to compensate those dealers who are closing up.
I wonder whether there was a clause that stipulates that Proton has to pay them off. If there is’nt any, then they should not be paid even a single sen! Business is all about risks.
June 12, 2007 @ 10:54 am
longjaafar, the huge egos are still around, and this time, they’re not even in proton.
June 12, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
It’s good to see the likes of BMW and Mercedes putting aside their business rivalry and instead work together to share their respective technologies that would definitely save them a lot of R & D time and money and would only improve their products further.
When two established auto giants can work together for a common goal, we are witnessing professionalism at its best. It’s nice to hear of a partnership that is ego-free.
And at the opposite end, we have the proton ’saga’…
June 12, 2007 @ 1:10 pm
what u guys have commented, i agree.Proton sure has a huge ego. They shouldn’t have been so proud and declined the proposal in regard of the engine whether it could have been beneficial or not. After all whats the use if proton is still using Mitsubishi’s unit and to date still do?I thought they aimed to use all locally manufactured materials?When Waja and Gen2 was released, i really thought Proton had begun to move forward. What they’re cooking up we may not know but what i noticed currently is they are so hard up with the Volkswagen.I think the BOD’s must have not polished the VW’s shoe enough.It it wasn’t for Malaysian tax money, i wonder how the situation would be like now.
BMW and Mercedes. Two big luxury car manufacturers working hand in hand to develop hybrid motor.Now that’s something. Wonder if they ever thought of combining forces to come up with top notch luxury car?who knows?7 series + S Class + Hybrid = ?
June 12, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
BMW’s 7 Hydrogen might doesn’t sold well… So BMW need to combine forces with M.Benz to share the development cost….. as their main competitor are making waves with their Prius’s & Hybrid Lexuses.
Even Mitsu had a great MIEV Evo concept… i thought M.Benz going to learn some from Mitsu just like they did it with Smart ForTwo which are sibblings of a baby Mitsu. ( IMHO, Dutchland pride….. )
Still i believe bio fuel its our future energy…. Palm oil, Ethanol, Methanol & etc… all from plants.
Most countries still rely on Fuel/Coal to generate electricity. These electricity produce motion to move car and some are losses as heat. I believe both these conversion produce certain percentage of losses…. Hybrid are here to conserve Earth and Energy saving…
June 12, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
h2 is still in its infancy……no wonder.
June 12, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
aaron_38my
“They shouldn’t have been so proud and declined the proposal in regard of the engine whether it could have been beneficial or not.”
if you have read the news, you will know that it is not proton that declines or makes such decision..
June 12, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
Yeah way to go big boys…the Germans have to put aside their rivalry sentiment by working together hand in hand to counter Japanese automotive slugger namely Toyota domination in Hybrid technology.
At the moment, it seems that only Toyota profoundly records such an excellent sale of commercialized Hybrid car. With it’s Prius conquest as the world no. 1 hybrid car together with another Hybrid powered Lexus fleets, the Germans determination to penetrate hybrid car segment is simply understandable.
Since hybrid technology having high potential to be used widely in the near future automotive industry, it’s such a good move portrayed by those world automotive sluggers. While others are busy working in the next level of car technology….hehe Proton is busy doing the talking !! Oooh man…
June 12, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
Saw an Lexus460 with the number plate ###911 today while a brand new E280 try to kejar but still lag very far.
Maybe Benz need some boost from the “ultimate driving machine”.
June 12, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
sesat
July 3, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
[...] in the middle of last month on a report that BMW’s sales and marketing chief Michael Ganal wants BMW to increase cooperation with Mercedes Benz in efforts to reduce R&D costs, something it is already doing in the field of hybrid technologies together with General [...]
July 12, 2007 @ 4:11 am
[...] Posts: BMW wants to increase cooperation with Benz Mercedes Benz not interested in futher BMW [...]
September 27, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
[...] BMW could do with better economies of scale for the MINI. BMW has already previously mentioned an increased cooperation with Mercedes-Benz is welcome as it would help both carmakers enrepreneurial [...]
September 27, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
that’d be wrong, the luxury car segment will be boring, no more battles between those two? have they combined to fight audi and lexus?