New Joint Venture Between GM and Isuzu on Commercial Vehicles

[FenixII]

Well, at least because it is developed in my country....

Link:
http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayS...=2&docid=45563

[mbukukanyau]

GM needs to aquire someone in the commercial sector. I have always thought Scania or M.A.N would be good aquisations for GM


or daf

[Hudson]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

GM needs to aquire someone in the commercial sector. I have always thought Scania or M.A.N would be good aquisations for GM or daf

GM thinks quite the opposite. They've been selling off their truck operations, first to Volvo and then to Navistar.

In any case, DAF is owned by PACCAR (Peterbilt and Kenworth), Scania is primarily owned by Volkswagen (about 70%), and MAN, which as been in play for quite some time, will be absorbed by Volkswagen as well.

[member12]

Scania is a big company and they are in the US....they just don't sell trucks here.

They look better than the American trucks, in my opinion....and MAN is a cool name for a big truck.

I'm not sure if I agree with GM selling off the heavy trucks to Navistar.

[nadepalma]

This is interesting to be sure. I guess when you are dealing with Isuzu, you keep the good agreements (commercial vehicles) and kill the bad ones (light vehicle/passenger cars). Hey, it works.

I agree with other posters - it's odd that GM has sold off their heavy/commerical truck divisions over the years and then jumps into bed with Isuzu on something like this. Awfully odd - you'd think they'd want to acquire a manufacturer or hold onto their own operations. Maybe it's not profitable for them to build it in the US, but source them from cheap-labor markets?

Also, odd to me (and not sure if anyone else thinks so), but Isuzu is now nearly 6% owned by Toyota. Kinda weird in itself to have a Toyota partner deciding to build products with GM for the Colombian market.

Go figure.

[AndrewGS]

I thought I had stepped back into 1981 for a second there.

[GM lover]

Glad to see GM is still pursuing market share in South America

[Hudson]

Originally Posted by nadepalma

I agree with other posters - it's odd that GM has sold off their heavy/commerical truck divisions over the years and then jumps into bed with Isuzu on something like this. Awfully odd - you'd think they'd want to acquire a manufacturer or hold onto their own operations. Maybe it's not profitable for them to build it in the US, but source them from cheap-labor markets?

GM and Isuzu have been making medium trucks together for ages. I don't see how this "jumps into bed with Isuzu," since they've been doing these things in many countries for a couple of decades.

[FenixII]

NADEPALMA,

As you may know, GM is the leader here in Colombia. If I´m not wrong, GM has around 40% of the market share. Colmotores (GM here) has sold Isuzu trucks since many years, under Chevrolet badge, so I guess they want to keep that share. We are talking about light and medium diesel trucks.

[FenixII]

NADEPALMA,

As you may know, GM is the leader here in Colombia. If I´m not wrong, GM has around 40% of the market share. Colmotores (GM here) has sold Isuzu trucks since many years, under Chevrolet badge, so I guess they want to keep that share. We are talking about light and medium diesel trucks.

[Bravada]

kill the bad ones (light vehicle/passenger cars)

How were those bad? The last Gemini was the best-looking little compact/subcompact car in its own time, before GM untimely killed it. GM was the first GM company to have a factory and distribution network in Japan (now VW has larger through a pratnership with one of Toyota's dealer networks), and they all dropped it. The Isuzu Aska (GM J-car) achieved a legendary status in Japan.

The Isuzu-based Opel Frontera was a market leader in Europe before GM made Opel pull out of the market (only to come back in a few years to try in vain with the "Antara"). The Trooper, aka Opel Monterey, was very highly regarded for its off-roading ability. The Isuzu D-Max and D-Max-based SUVs are huge hits in Asia and beyond, and the Tavera/MUV is selling well too.

[Robert Ryan]

Scania is a big company and they are in the US....they just don't sell trucks here.

They look better than the American trucks, in my opinion....and MAN is a cool name for a big truck.

The Only problem is there lineups are Cabovers, the ONLY Heavy Truck style you will see in Europe. I believe the combined VW(Heavy Trucks made in Brazil). SCANIA and MAN, will probably make a bid for Navistar or PACCAR, IF/WHEN that grouping becomes aligned.

[The Law]

I'm not sure if I agree with GM selling off the heavy trucks to Navistar


did GM sell off the whole heavy truck business or did they keep a few shares.might work in gm's favor if they don't have to pay retirement wages for these workers but get the trucks re badged or just make money from suppling parts and shares.Not to mention Gm has trouble building pass. cars, maybe once they get Buick,Saab, Pontiac and Hummer back online with new lineups they can turn GMC into heavy trucks.Once gas prices hit $5-6 per gallon your avg. Joe won't want Suv's or trucks and if they do Chevy can handle that end.

[MisterMe]

Originally Posted by The Law

I'm not sure if I agree with GM selling off the heavy trucks to Navistar

...

GM didn't sell off its heavy trucks to Navistar. It sold its heavy trucks to Volvo/White nearly two decades ago. It sold its medium duty trucks to Navistar.

As for this thread, it is clearly about extending a long-standing relationship between GM and Isuzu in Columbia. It has no implications for GM's operations anywhere else.