Posted on 05/14/2005 2:34:18 PM PDT by real_dd2
Toyota, GM heads meet, confirm friendly relations NAGOYA, May 14, Kyodo - Toyota Motor Corp. President Fujio Cho and General Motors Corp. Chairman Richard Wagoner met Saturday in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, and a top-level Toyota official said the company heads confirmed friendly relations between the two companies.
The official said after the meeting that Cho and Wagoner did not exchange words on fuel-cell vehicles or hybrid vehicle technologies -- the focus of public attention over the reported possibility of their boosting cooperation in developing more environmentally friendly vehicles.
They ''confirmed friendly relations,'' the official said, adding that, ''We hope to continue evolving relations between the companies.''
Cho told Wagoner of his hope to keep good relations, and Wagoner's side expressed gratitude over past cooperation, including joint production in the United States, the official said.
Wagoner arrived in Japan on Friday. He met Cho, Toyota Vice President Katsuaki Watanabe and other Toyota executives after visiting the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture. Toyota is headquartered in the city of Toyota in the central Japan prefecture.
Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker by sales, is concerned about the current financial plight at GM, the world's largest, fearing it could revive the auto trade friction seen between Japan and the United States in the 1980s, analysts said.
GM reported its biggest loss in 13 years for the January-March quarter. In contrast, Toyota announced a record high profit for the third straight year for fiscal 2004 ended in March.
The situation prompted Toyota Chairman Hiroshi Okuda to say last month that Toyota may raise its vehicle prices in the U.S. market so as to make it easier for U.S. automakers to follow suit to beef up their earnings -- comments that drew skepticism from leaders of other major Japanese carmakers.
Okuda said sales of U.S. cars are falling in the United States due to rising gasoline prices, which make compact and fuel-efficient Japanese cars more attractive to consumers.
Toyota is ready to strengthen its tie-up with the U.S. auto giant in environmental technologies, including those on gasoline-electric hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles, company source said earlier.
In 1999, Toyota and GM signed an accord to cooperate in developing and popularizing fuel-cell vehicles. But they have been developing the products independently.
Remember when Harley Davidson requested the import tarriff on foreign motorcycles? Then Harley Davidson completely re-designed their bikes, re-tooled the factory, and started making the kind of motorcycle an American would be proud to own. Tough, built to last, reliable, craftsmanship and a true source of pride. Then Harley went before congress, and requested that the import tax be dropped. Harley then competed 'head to head', or man to man against Japan. Harley Davidson is an american success story.
Some how, I do not believe that the American car companies are capable of doing this; primarily because the Unions won't allow it. If the Toyota becomes more expensive, I'll pay the extra; because I know that the extra earnings went into making an already superior product, even better.
When GM and Ford make autos that are not a POS then maybe we can talk.
Nope, that would be Suzuki Motor and made in Ontario, Canada.
The Chevy Nova/Toyota Corrola from the early 90's were the joint venture cars made in California.
The joint venture (NUMMI) currently makes the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Tacoma and Pontiac Vibe.
In the past, they did make the GEO Prizm, as well as the Nova.
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