According to reports, Volkswagen is considering taking a stake in Isuzu Motors or purchasing the company outright, though it looks like a decision won’t be made anytime soon.
Seemingly, one of VW’s board members, Jochem Heizmann, has visited Isuzu’s production sites and held talks with the Japanese company, which is Japan’s largest manufacturer of medium to heavy trucks and of which Toyota has a 5.9% stake in.
Apparently, VW also discussed the possibility of MAN acquiring a holding in Isuzu, which would put the latter into the Veedub fold by proxy – VW holds a close to 30% stake in the German truckmaker. Both MAN and Isuzu declined to comment on the reports.
VW is of course on a quest to attain the No 1 automaker spot in the world, and is looking to acquire brands to aid its march to the top – Porsche is already set to become VW’s 10th brand, and the company is looking at Alfa Romeo as a possible addition to the stable.
Since it was noted in the last paragraph, I would definitely love to see Alfa Romeo in VW group. No doubt the Alfas’ are great cars but its reliability issues are always its biggest drawbacks.
I wish they can successfully acquired Isuzu. I like VW!
Isn’t Porsche already part of the VW Group?
VW owns 49.9% of Porsche’s carmaking unit, but the merger with Porsche isn’t quite completed. Originally scheduled for completion in the second half of 2011, it’ll probably be delayed into next year due to legal obstacles. Porsche has just sold US$7.1 billion in a rights offering to prepare for that merger.
Good move..I believe they already put stake in Japs automaker (Suzuki) before? any info? and their 1st collaboration gave us the Swift? anyone to confirm that?
No, Swift already existed before the VW Suzuki partnership.
Swift was around before the VW-Suzuki partnership.
actually the current alfas are might reliable… my bestfriend has been driving the 159 for the last 2 years and it just has been like any other car albeit in a much more alluring package….i guess the horrors of the 156 and cars before that still haunts us….but if vw gets it and improves upon the already good build quality..the alfa brand will soar….
Fiat would never relinguish Alfa Romeo. VW wants Alfa Romeo as its mainstream sporting marque as its own Seat brand just doesn’t quite cut it as it is always perceived to be a poor imitation of Alfa. Fiat’s boss has said that VW’s offer is not welcomed and been rejected a few times too.