Paul Tan's Automotive Industry News

BMW’s Quandt family is against the Daimler/BMW cross ownership plan

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After reporting that top German auto makers BMW and Daimler are planning to perform a cross ownership a couple of days ago, and both companies may exchange up to 7% of shares among each other, German-based Der Spiegel magazine has now revealed the BMW’s single largest shareholder, the Quandt family which holds 46% of the Munich based auto maker is against such a deal.

As mentioned earlier, the Quandt family is worried that Daimler, which owns the Mercedes Benz brand might end up wanting to take over BMW, just like how it took over Chrysler in the later 1990’s. However, an interview with a BMW executive revealed that the 7% exchange in shares is just a speculation in the first place, and that both companies only have an agreement to share purchasing costs for certain parts.

This means that nothing is concrete, since one is saying a different thing, while the other is saying another. We will just have to play the waiting game. On the different note, BMW has a similar agreement with PSA Peugeot Citroen, where BMW develops the 1.6 liter petrol engine, which is mostly found in the MINI and in return, the PSA Group helps drive down production costs for both companies with its high purchasing power.

The deal is for 1 million engines where BMW keeps 200,000 for itself, while the PSA Peugeot Citroen keeps 800,000. This is why you can find the 1.6 liter engine from the MINI in the recently launched Peugeot 308. BMW is also planning to work together with Fiat to develop new platforms for small sized vehicles, which may spawn the production of the BMW Isetta and the Fiat Topolino.

12 Comments »

  1. Kevin Lee said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 11:17 am

    bmw is doing the smart things while the traditionalists thinks otherwise

  2. NA said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 12:03 pm

    From sharing platform to sharing engine… future is going to be sharing whole frame with just different badge on it. who knows.

  3. gattaca said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 12:06 pm

    [quote comment="222090"]From sharing platform to sharing engine… future is going to be sharing whole frame with just different badge on it. who knows.[/quote]

    n when our local manufacturer doing the same thing, they got bashed like hell..

  4. Tiadaid said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 12:54 pm

    I knew it. The Quandts won’t go for a merger of BMW & Daimler. BMW is Bavarian, so they are fiercely independent, or so I’ve read.

  5. osh_kosh said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 7:00 pm

    [quote comment="222090"]From sharing platform to sharing engine… future is going to be sharing whole frame with just different badge on it. who knows.[/quote]

    for the sake of cutting cost… :)

  6. Luqman said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 8:18 pm

    I read in the news that they want to develop 8 cylinder engines together in the future. Quite understandable, as the high development costs want payoff for any of them.

    European BMW’s and Mercedes are usually company cars and have 6 cylinder Diesel engines (they are as or even more powerful as a 8 cylinder petrol engine btw.) and the US car market is not in a good condition yet…

  7. jcws_87 said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 10:42 pm

    Sorry guys, out of the topic. Tomorrow Honda Malaysia is going to launch the new facelift Honda Civic 1.8 & 2.0 ready to add RM1200 for the new front black-smoked headlight, Type-R Front Bumper, new Rear Hexagon Tail lamp, addition 2 more reverse sensor and more goodies…so go to your nearest Honda Dealer tomorrow(19/3/2009 – Thursday)

  8. gattaca said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 10:53 pm

    [quote comment="222224"]Sorry guys, out of the topic. Tomorrow Honda Malaysia is going to launch the new facelift Honda Civic 1.8 & 2.0 ready to add RM1200 for the new front black-smoked headlight, Type-R Front Bumper, new Rear Hexagon Tail lamp, addition 2 more reverse sensor and more goodies…so go to your nearest Honda Dealer tomorrow(19/3/2009 – Thursday)[/quote]

    u sounds like Honda’s salesman…

  9. YOP! said,

    March 18, 2009 @ 11:31 pm

    i think you’re right…….

  10. mystvearn said,

    March 19, 2009 @ 4:06 am

    What does Honda got to do with a german car manufacturer thread….

    Well if they can make a car cheap, everyone will be happy. Its like the Toyota Aigo and its renault pegoet siblings.

    People then only buy the car because how it looks and do not care the rest

  11. BanyakMasukWorkshop said,

    March 19, 2009 @ 8:29 am

    [quote comment="222224"]Sorry guys, out of the topic. Tomorrow Honda Malaysia is going to launch the new facelift Honda Civic 1.8 & 2.0 ready to add RM1200 for the new front black-smoked headlight, Type-R Front Bumper, new Rear Hexagon Tail lamp, addition 2 more reverse sensor and more goodies…so go to your nearest Honda Dealer tomorrow(19/3/2009 – Thursday)[/quote]

    hahah.. now pauls site become free advertising and free announcement site.

  12. gattaca said,

    March 19, 2009 @ 9:42 am

    [quote comment="222377"][quote comment="222224"]Sorry guys, out of the topic. Tomorrow Honda Malaysia is going to launch the new facelift Honda Civic 1.8 & 2.0 ready to add RM1200 for the new front black-smoked headlight, Type-R Front Bumper, new Rear Hexagon Tail lamp, addition 2 more reverse sensor and more goodies…so go to your nearest Honda Dealer tomorrow(19/3/2009 – Thursday)[/quote]

    hahah.. now pauls site become free advertising and free announcement site.[/quote]

    PT should charge this..heheehehe advertisement fee..

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