As if NUMMI wasn't enough, Toyota wants to partner up with GM, it's more or less along the lines of preventing anti-Japanese backlash:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4398718.stm

 

I said this before. You either lead, follow or get out of the way. Here's a question to ponder. Do YOU think that GM would help Toyota if Toyota was in dire straights. I think not. Toyota is doing what no other company in this world we live in would ever do and that is to help it's own direct competitor. This is crazy but I do have to say Toyota is definitely a pioneer in the business world.

 

GM and Toyota have co-operated before. In the 1980's GM produced the Chevrolet Nova, which was essentially a rebodied Corolla with different trim and body style. Later, in the 1990's, GM produced the Geo Prizm ( later changed to Chevrolet Prizm when the Geo name was dropped ). This car was even more of a Corolla clone....and, not surprisingly, unlike other Chevrolet products, had the same good Corolla reliability.
All of these cars...including some versions of the Corolla..... were produced at a joint Toyota / GM assembly plant at Fremont, CA nicknamed NUMMI for New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.

http://www.hoovers.com/nummi/--ID__4...actsheet.xhtml

More recently GM and Toyota have again co-operated to produce the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe twins...also at the NUMMI plant. Interestingly, both of these new cars are also based on the general Corolla platform, but both have unique 5-door hatchback / wagon body styles and much different interiors than the Corolla. The AWD versions of both of these cars are on my list of Best Inexpensive Snow Cars....but not particularly well-suited for really deep snow and large storms because of low ground clearance.

 

NAGOYA (Kyodo)
General Motors Corp. Chairman Rick Wagoner held talks Wednesday in Tokyo with Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe in which they agreed to extend the companies' contract to conduct joint research on fuel-cell cars beyond its expiration next March, sources said.

Toyota and GM signed an accord in 1999 to cooperate in developing and marketing fuel-cell vehicles, but they have been developing the products independently.

It was the first meeting between the two top automakers since Watanabe took the helm of the largest Japanese carmaker in June. Wagoner, in Japan after inspecting a GM factory in China, held talks with Watanabe's predecessor, Fujio Cho, in May in Aichi Prefecture.

But analysts speculated that the top executives of the world's No. 1 and No. 2 automakers may have discussed key issues, such as those that could lead to a future consolidation of the auto industry.

In fact, a deal was announced last month in which Toyota acquired GM's shareholdings in Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. for about 35.4 billion yen.

Some analysts said Toyota bought the Fuji shares in another step to help the U.S. carmaker, which is struggling with sluggish sales.

Earlier this year, a decision by Toyota to raise its vehicle prices in the U.S. market was seen by many as an attempt to help GM become more competitive.

GM is under growing pressure to improve its financial standing after leading international credit-rating agencies have lowered their ratings on the Detroit-based automaker from an invest-ment-grade status to junk status.

The Japan Times: Nov. 3, 2005

 

Question - what sort of "anti-Japanese" backlask do they expect at this point? Haven't Toyota/Nissan/Honda beed around long enough that the public has pretty much accepted them? I know the public here has. Sure, there is the "domestic crowd", but what are they going to do - run ads about how Toyota is a more profitable business and is bad because of it? Seems to me that Toyota's part in the slow destruction of GM (whether its a small or large part) is perfcectly capitalist.

 

It's sad to hear that one successful company is actaully worried about their rival's(GM) downfall, and how it could affect them. Why cover up or bother helping someone else's wrong doing? They had their chance in the early 80', and sailed apart from there as one(Toyota) was helpful @ the time, while the other(GM) played the ignorant role. In the end the loser pays the big price, they should be able to climb out of the hole they dug themselves in . Toyota shouldn't worry about the U.S. consumer, they proved thier point in all honest ways possible in this game vs the competitor. People will buy regardless of the outcome.....Time to keep moving foward......

 

These Japanese companies ARE part of the " Domestic Crowd " . They have plants all over the U.S. and Canada.

 

Whoops sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. I meant the domestic crowd, as in the people that are diehard domestic car lovers who inherently dislike imports. I'm just wondering out loud what Toyota is worried about? Clearly they are concerned about an "anti-Japanese backlash" and that just surprises me. I thought they were sufficiently integrated into the North American culture (and part of that is having plants all over the continent) that something like that woulnd't be a possibilty. But they seem to think it is.

 

Not only are these Japanese companies part of the " Domestic Crowd " . For the most part Toyota, Honda are part of the "Global Crowd" and have plants all over the U.S., Mexicao Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe. The world doesn't revolve around the U.S. The world revolves. Sure the U.S. is a big factor but let's look at the big picture and include every country.

 

Guys, again just to clarify, I was not referring to Toyota/Honda's globalization, I was referring to people that are diehard domestic car lovers who inherently dislike imports. The article was about Toyota helping GM because they feared an "anti-japanese backlash" in the U.S. I was responding to that by wondering out loud if there is anything to worry about. Yeesh.

 

this bothers me...why do i have the feeling that if toyota was in this perdicament, that GM would do the same for them? Where's the free market spirit? I know there's an intrisic(sp) reliance on competitors as this is not just only a US thing but a global market. I just see Toyota bending over backwards to help a company that put themselves into this position in the first place.

 

No problem, picus...we understand you.

Much of the anti- " Japanese" backlash, IMO, is simply due to ignorance or a lack of automotive education, although Toyota and Honda can both legitimately be faulted for introducing mid-size trucks masquerading as full-sizers.

Anyhow, the anti-Japanese vehicle attitudes....I have to put up with them from some my own relatives in Indiana....and THIS despite the fact that Subaru and Isuzu both share a plant at Lafayette, IN that turns out vehicles with American labor. And, in Isuzu's case, BOTH of the vehicles they sell in the American market...the Ascender and the new I-280 / 350 pickup.....are rebadged Chevy trucks.

 

I think its bad and maybe irreversible. In my mind and so many peoples minds, as soon as you bring up an American car not a vette, they think
POS
Rebate
SUV or Truck

They have so much work to do and need all the help they can get. Its sad as an American, the negative image owning an American can has.

 

It's a terrible thing but we have to move on. Most or if not all of the former employees of GM could go to Toytota if they want. If GM disappears it opens more of the market for Toyota thus more job openings for the former employees of GM. That's capitalism. That's free enterprise.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. Owning an American car has a serious negative image, unless its a C5 or C6.