GM/Nissan/Renault merger in the works!
 

NEW YORK - One of the largest investors in General Motors Corp. on Friday urged the world’s largest automaker to consider a three-way partnership with Nissan Motor Corp. and Renault, sending shares of GM up sharply.

The proposed move by billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian’s investment company would likely include Nissan and Renault taking significant stake in GM, which has been burdened by high labor and pensions costs.

The automaker is in the middle of a sweeping turnaround that includes slashing 30,000 jobs and closing 12 plants.

The letter from Kerkorian’s investment company, Tracinda Corp., said the company believes Renault and Nissan are receptive to the idea of a partnership and purchasing “a significant minority interest” in the Detroit automaker.

GM responded by saying it has received no offer or proposal from Nissan or Renault to participate in a partnership, but its board will consider the request by Tracinda Corp. to explore the possibility of an alliance.

Renault, which has a controlling stake in Nissan, declined comment.

Tracinda, which owns about 10 percent of GM, said the existing French-Japanese partnership has created “tremendous engineering, manufacturing and marketing synergies, resulting in substantial benefits and cost savings to both Renault and Nissan.”

Tracinda urged GM’s board to form a committee to “immediately and fully explore this opportunity together with management,” as it feels the alliance could help GM “realize substantial synergies and cost savings and thereby greatly benefit the company and enhance shareholder value.”

The letter also indicates that Tracinda has reached out to Renault Chairman Louis Schweitzer and Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn to alert them to its contact with General Motors.

In a separate letter advising Schweitzer and Ghosn of the GM correspondence, Tracinda noted that “as we recently discussed with Mr. Ghosn, Tracinda believes that General Motors, Renault and Nissan should explore a three-company, partnership-based alliance.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13630565/

I can’t believe no one has anything to say about this. It’s basically the headline of the automotive industry for the week, month and maybe year! This would be an interesting deal no doubt. Basically Nissan/Renault would by 20% of GM stock for 3 billion. And maybe this would mean that America would finally get a Skyline? Plus Honda already works with GM so would this mean Honda and Nissan could share technology?!?

Lots of possibilities around this.

It's not a merger. It'll never happen. Kerkorian is an idiot and GM will never work with Nissan. Kerkorian bought huge stakes in GM, but he does have means to force GM into such moves. He borrows money from Bank of America to buy GM stocks, but Bank of America and GMAC are tied closely together, so...

As far as I can figure, GM doesn't require Renault or Nissan. Honda will never work with Nissan. Such moves can lower stock values.

We all know all the car companies work together more than the public is aware of, but even a partnership will not work in this situation.

As much trouble as GM is in right now, it would definetly benefit them. As it stands, GM has no ties with Japanese automakers that i am aware of anymore. They used to be tied with Suzuki and Toyota when they were selling Geos, but now, i think they are pretty much on their own.

Yeah but there is more and more about it. It was front page of the New York Times today. It sounds like it will happen. And the stock prices dont jump like that if its just an "idiot" talking about something that will "never happen".

All stock prices jumping means that the shareholders approve of the idea. It doesn't mean GM will take the deal.

Here is more from Tokyo -

"Kerkorian's company, Tracinda Corp., a large minority shareholder in the U.S. automaker, told GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner in a letter Friday that the French and Japanese companies are receptive to the idea of including GM in their partnership, and in purchasing "a significant minority interest" in the automaker, the company said Friday."

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060701/japan...t_gm.html?.v=2

You can believe what you want but don’t be surprised when this deal is announced next week and you are totally wrong!

Nonsense, they still own 20% of Fuji Heavy Industries, the owner of Subaru, and has "alliances" with Suzuki and Isuzu which employ GM platforms sometimes on their cars.

you are the WORST at trying to spin things :roll:

With no offers on the table in the board room, there is no deal to consider :roll:

This might just be a very sly corporate trick to raise up the stock values, nothing more.

As i said "i think they are on their own"

They also have ties to Honda with the Saturn VUE and Ridgeline. Which is a very unique relationship because they are sharing engines and platforms yet they have not bought any shares of each others companies. It’s about the only situation like that that I know of.

Like I said all car manufacturers share technology without having to buy each other out. They do it all the time.

Well please name some others. I can not think of a single platform sharing situation where one company does not own some of the other.

Check it out, Wikipedia has already added the Nissan merger news to their GM page -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Corporation

ook .... .
good move by nissan .. who knows next year Renault F1 would be called Nissan F1 hehe ..... just kidding .. offcorse :mrgreen:

But Nissan and Renault (Renault own 44% of Nissan) have owned parts of each other since 2002. Thats why the Z has a crappy Renault engine in it and not a real Nissan engine.

Wow, Ghosn is amazing.

Actually GM sold its stock in Fuji Heavy Industries and most of its stock in Suzuki.

I also doubt this suggestion by Kirk Kerkorian will happen. Having come back from near bankruptcy, I dont think Nissan or even Renault want to try and fix another car company anytime soon. If anything they are looking for sound investments that will give them a good return in the near future. I have heard that Renault was considereing buying a premium brand.

right...for cash.

partnerships are way different then mergers. Nissan is a large and stable company. GM is tring to get some asian know-how and parts and is tring to boost its profits and all that by buying/partnering with everyone it can. I think the only person that really could find this helpful is GM. Nissan and Renault need to stay away.

Well GM need to do somthing before they get worse and the Renault/Nissan deal has obviously been working for both parties but with out a lager majority I can't see how it would help them too much.

If Renault/Nissan agree to this, then Ghosn (their boss) is not as smart as he looks like. Stupid would be better word.
Whay bother one of more succesfull alliances with a carmaker with a lot of debt, blood thirsty and stupid union and downright hilarious product portfolio (excep some Opel products in Europe and some Australian stuff)? No sense ...

Not a good idea

Lets see.. previous mentioned Honda and Gm.
Chrysler ford and GM structural composites
Toyota and Gm fuel cells.

Those are just projects I remember.

Ummm no they aren't. They are having major problems with falling demand in Japan. They cut production last month dramatically. They are much better then they were in the 90s when they nearly went under, but they certainly arent what I would call a great investment.

Sales in the US are suffering as well:
http://yahoo.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_24/b3988071.htm