southsider2k5 Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/27/0...8.b06l9tc6.html Ford Motor confirms Toyota talks Dec 27 9:22 AM US/Eastern Ford Motor Co. acknowledged that its top executive had met with leaders of Japan's Toyota, but gave no indication of the nature of the discussions. The number two US automaker said in a statement on its website that chief executive Alan Mulally met with Toyota's leadership. "We meet regularly with other automakers on a variety of topics of mutual interest," the statement said. The announcement came after Toyota confirmed in Japan that its chairman, Fujio Cho, and Mulally met last week in Tokyo. 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 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 27, 2006 -> 09:36 AM) http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/27/0...8.b06l9tc6.html Car companies more and more are becoming knowledge centers. They all build cars, but each of them now tend to be leaders in certain pieces of technology. Toyota and Honda are those knowledge centers for hybrid engines, for example. Fuji Heavy (makers of Subaru) are the same for differentials for AWD cars, which are used by companies like Saab (GM) and others. Even traditional competitors are starting to cooperate with each other I am sure Ford sees an opportunity here for their future. GM has been slower than expected in getting hybrids out the door, and when they do, they aren't even real hybrids. Dogde/Chrysler/Jeep doesn't even do any hybrids yet, I don't think. Ford on the other hand had the first hybrid SUV. I am sure Ford wants to leverage that and be the American car company known for hybrid vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 US automakers are getting squashed by more efficient foreign makers. I saw a Modern Marvels on the History channel and it talked about the way cars are made by Hyundai. They put a premium on quality, not quantity. If a problem is found with a car, the WHOLE LINE is shutdown to make sure it doesn't spread to more cars and force a recall. American industry tends to be "push out as much as we can". Companies like Ford and GM could use a little help from over seas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 27, 2006 -> 10:43 AM) Car companies more and more are becoming knowledge centers. They all build cars, but each of them now tend to be leaders in certain pieces of technology. Toyota and Honda are those knowledge centers for hybrid engines, for example. Fuji Heavy (makers of Subaru) are the same for differentials for AWD cars, which are used by companies like Saab (GM) and others. Even traditional competitors are starting to cooperate with each other I am sure Ford sees an opportunity here for their future. GM has been slower than expected in getting hybrids out the door, and when they do, they aren't even real hybrids. Dogde/Chrysler/Jeep doesn't even do any hybrids yet, I don't think. Ford on the other hand had the first hybrid SUV. I am sure Ford wants to leverage that and be the American car company known for hybrid vehicles. But Daimler Chrysler is becoming a pioneer in clean diesel technology which is going to really help with flexfuel/biodiesel conversion in the US and will go a long way towards helping us become energy independent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Dec 27, 2006 -> 12:39 PM) But Daimler Chrysler is becoming a pioneer in clean diesel technology which is going to really help with flexfuel/biodiesel conversion in the US and will go a long way towards helping us become energy independent. That is their chosen route, yes. Daimler Benz was always a market leader in diesels, so naturally they will continue down that road. But that is really an earlier bridge tech thing, which will peak and end more quickly (but earlier) than hybrid engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 Til they find hybrid diesels. I think biodiesel is a big path to the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Dec 27, 2006 -> 12:51 PM) Til they find hybrid diesels. I think biodiesel is a big path to the future. Anything that makes use of efficient biomass (switchgrass and such) will likely be big in the future. Corn will subside as a crop for multiple reasons, and those higher energy crops will replace it. 50 years from now, the majority of Iowa's fields of gold will be something other than corn and soy. I just meant that "clean" diesel is a bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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