Denials Du Jour

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

A lot of what we have written in the last few days, even what we have not yet written, is utterly wrong, say the objects of our writings. Here are the denials of the day.

All involved in the Ford/Mazda/Chang’an joint venture deny that their relationship is on the rocks. Japan’s Nikkei had written on Sunday that Ford and Mazda had agreed to end the ménage à trois and that both would go it alone with Chang’an. “We have a good relationship with both our partners and there is no plan currently to dissolve the joint venture,” Mazda spokeswoman Christine He told Reuters. Ford’s spokesman Teddy Liu dismissed the report as “speculation.” A Chang’an spokesman also said the three partners had a good relationship and had never discussed a possible break-up.

Spyker denied reports in Germany’s Wirtschaftswoche that Spyker would team up with Luxembourg Genii Capital and Formula 1 mogul Bernie Ecclestone to make a last ditch bid for Saab. Spyker CEO Victor Muller, in a reply to Reuters via text message, responded “No,” when asked if Spyker was in contact with Genii about a joint bid for Saab or had changed its strategy. GM said on Monday it would move ahead with closing Saab down.

Renault denied the wishes of the French government t o produce the Renault Clio in France instead of Turkey. According to Reuters, Renault will produce the car in Flins, France, and Bursa, Turkey. Carlos Ghosn later intimated that most of the production will take place in Turkey.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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 5 comments
  • Newcarscostalot Newcarscostalot on Jan 18, 2010

    Executives, like politicians, speak alot but say little. Don't listen to what they say, watch what they do. There is my share of wisdom for the week!

  • Robert.Walter Robert.Walter on Jan 18, 2010

    As I've said previously elsewhere on TTAC, unless there is immediate utility in disclosing (admitting) such things, and due to the "loose-lips" preventing restrictions of an NDA, things like this will almost always be denied until the ink is on the executory documents. In addition, even if nothing does come to pass, it doesn't mean the pen never approached the signature line ... there are many deals which blow-up and die at the last moment which are never reported into the public domain. (We've seen enough "done deals" thru history which came unwound to know history must be littered with many more "nearly done deals" which never did get wound...)

    • See 1 previous
    • Midelectric Midelectric on Jan 18, 2010

      +1 imag, keeping up appearances in place of substance. Instead of the emperor, it's the commoner in new clothes that chooses to remain clueless. luckily there are plenty of people seeing through the ruse; the guy with the Saab 99 under his trampoline probably lives life more congruently than is encouraged.

  • Twotone Twotone on Jan 18, 2010

    Denial -- it's not just a river in Egypt. Twotone

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