GM May Rekindle Business Relationship With Isuzu
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In 1999, General Motors owned 49 percent of Isuzu. But in 2006, The General and Isuzu called it quits after 35 years. The continued breakup doesn’t seem to be in the cards for much longer, as the two companies are reportedly talking again.
What gives? Doesn’t GM have enough deals in the works? The most significant of which being with Peugeot-Citroen? Obviously not, especially in the commercial segment. The story goes that GM and Isuzu are looking to jointly move into a plant together, where they can birth, distribute and ultimately sell light-duty pickup trucks in the South Asian, Central American and South American markets. In order for this to happen, the reported terms involve GM buying a full 10 percent stake in Isuzu, overstepping Mitsubishi, which owns 9.2 percent in the company, and making GM the largest percentage outside shareholder. But if that’s the case, Toyota and Volkswagen — who both have stakes in Isuzu — would sell their shares and break up with the Japanese company.
For their part, GM and Isuzu will reportedly start negotiations in early May, and are currently making arrangements to schedule a meeting between Isuzu CEO Susumu Hosoi and GM CEO Dan Akerson.
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I think GM should focus on its self rather than buying stakes in every minor car company in the world.
This is good! GM can then rebirth its medium duty trucks and not have to start from scratch. And the light duty truck will be rebadged Colorado?
Colorado is already done.
I dunno – perhaps we don’t know much and to GM beancounters, this is an investment with a good upside – in the Asian marketplace.
Most of the Isuzu rebranded products I have seen have been junk, basically. Automakers from A to B have all, it seems, at one point done some sort of Isuzu rebadge or Isuzu powerplant model…My wife had a KIA with an Isuzu engine and it was just a friggin’ piece of garbage all over.
And hopefully we get no more corny “I-soo-boo-boo” TV commercials…LOL. Any of you remember the Japanese guy and the American guy – the American says: “Isoo bu, I – Soo – Boo – Boo….” and the Japanese guy says: ” That’s OK, I can’t say Chev Ro Ray! ”
Lol, My Vote? JUST SAY NO MORE ISOO BOO BOOS!
Yea GM is tying up to much with inferior automakers, if ISUZU was so great it wouldnt be struggling tight now. The tie up will probably save money on paper, but I doubt itll be good for GM over the long run.
However since the products will probably be only sold in developing markets, it might work out, but I still believe GM has the capability to make any vehicle in any segment without needing the help of another company.
All you guys make Great Points, but let me run this by you to stir the pot, Isuzu was the Lead in developing the Duramax Engine, so whats not to say that it may go beyond this and we can now see them strengthening the Work Horse Duramax but finishing the vaunted Junior Duramax(half ton pick-ups/large-luxury SUVs/large-luxury cars) and the Baby Duramax(small pick-ups/crossovers/ small SUVs/small cars) that we been hearing about for years now. What you guys think?
The latest DMAX engines were done by GM in-house. Do they really need Isuzu?
I dont think they do.There is no doubt Isuzu can contribute to building a truck with GM, but, I believe that GM is fully capable of building that truck without Isuzu with just a bit more time and effort.
gm and Isuzu never stop to do business,look the new Isuzu pickup…
… and in Colombia on trucks and buses. See a GM Colombia press release here http://media.gm.com/media/co/es/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/co/es/2013/Mar/0314-renevacion.html