Hmm. Maybe Mulally is serious about fixing Ford

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Report: Toyota and Ford executives meet to discuss partnership

Top executives from Toyota and Ford met in Tokyo recently to discuss a potential partnership between the companies, according to a report by Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

The meeting was reportedly held at Ford's request. Toyota Chairman Fujio Cho and Ford President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally met last week as a first step. Mark Fields also attended the meeting.

The two parties plan to meet again in January for further talks, the business newspaper said.
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Lets just hope it can actually benefits both companies, unlike the rumoured Renault-GM/Renault-Ford/Renault-World deals proposed two months ago.
Think about it: Toyota may get a RWD platform with which to build "potential Supra concept #203," and Ford may get a mid size sedan that doesn't suck (I'm talking, of course, about the Five Hundred, not the Fusion). And maybe, just maybe, Ford will bring the Focus here because Toyota will say how important it is to link brands from around the world.
 
Wow thats will be weird if they have some sort of partnership, I can't see it happening, as Ford already co-owns one of Toyota's competitors.
 
I don't like it. I'm sure Detroit won't like it. I'm not even completely sure that die-hard investors will like it. The key word in this story is "partnership," which may mean they co-develop an engine or transmission, or maybe a platform of some kind. Think the GM-Toyota "partnership" that gave us the Prizm/Corolla and Vibe/Matrix/Voltz.

I don't like it, no matter how "good" it may be. Although it wouldn't be a sign of the apocalypse as the rumored GM-Ford "partnership" would have been, this still just doesn't feel "right."
 
Interesting, but it's bit vague at this point. Toyota is really picky about the technology they use in their cars. I really don't see Ford anything making the Toyota lineup.

If this "Partnership" works out, here are couple things that I think might happen(more like wild guesses): 1) I think Toyota might buy into Ford Motor Company, which at this stage, I'm not sure if that's a bad thing for Ford. 2)I think Toyota cars are so popular right now, they might be spread too thin. If my hunch is correct, then Toyota needs more workforce, Ford is cutting workforce. Hmmmm. :dopey:

Anyway, I think it's still too early.

Edit: Little more in-depth CNN Article.
 
Right now a Ford-Toyota deal could kill my natural bias against Ford Cars. At the same time though, I'm sure the deal could also kill my hopes for the Tacoma. :lol:
No really, I've got no idea what could happen, it might not be noticed by average people.

On the speculation front I'm not overly excited to see a Mustang rebuilt and badged as a Supra. :indiff:
That's not to say a RWD platform could work for Toyota, I'm just saying that a Supra replacement needs to be a Supra by Toyota from the ground up. Just my opinion though. :sly:
 
Well... think of a Supra with a hand-me-down chassis from Jaguar and a nifty new Toyota engine... :lol:

It's still preliminary talks, mostly on technology Ford might want to buy off of Toyota. Still, would be the answer to Ford's excess capacity problem and Toyota's excess production problem... :)
 
Its definitely odd. I see some good coming out of this for both companies, but still, I don't like this idea. Like YSSMAN noted, it just doesn't feel right.
 
Of all the things Ford could gain from this, global sales should be the first thing: one version of the Focus, one Fusion (not two totally different vehicles)...ad nauseam. But there's more....

But how could Toyota gain from this? They're just about #1 in global sales and don't need to be dragged down by a company trying to find its way on the heels of its 100th anniversary. The answer is obvious: hybrids. Toyota is doing well with hybrids, but it's still expensive. They need a partner to share the burden of R&D. Can't go with anyone European (too much reliance on diesel), and they can't go with anyone who pushes only FlexFuel or hydrogen, since that would be against Toyota's strong party line. They also can't go with local hero Honda, since that would be most dishonorable. So they'll go with Ford, and hopefully get a cheap rear-drive platform from which to make their Supra. HINT HINT!!!

Ford, on the other hand, desperately needs a source of new ideas from anywhere. Where better than the nemesis of their nemesis (GM)? The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Do I think anything good will come of this? Possibly, but I still hate hybrids, and I strongly feel that both companies will waste billions before they realize it's been a band-aid for all these years, and that someone has to clean up all those batteries now....
 

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