Are You Sitting Down? BMW And Daimler Plan Backward Alliance
Again and again, the mucky-mucks of Daimler and BMW had sworn to do stuff together, buy parts, build engines, there are occasional rumors that the two will tie the knot. North and South Korea will unite and hell will turn into a glacier before that happens – which is not saying that it might not. Some day. In a galaxis far away. As long as Daimler and BMW employ engineers who make crusaders look like the Peace Corps, no jointness between the two luxury brands has any perspective. Every win-win so far has turned into a whine-whine. But it’s not for a lack of trying.
BMW and Daimler will “extend their cooperation on joint development and purchasing to include car-seat frames to lower costs,” reports Bloomberg. Yes, it’s down to car-seat frames.
Huge synergies are in the offing. Both may save anywhere between $194m to $260m a year if the frames are used across all models, BMW spokesman Frank Wienstroth said. What are the bets that some gentlemen in Sindelfingen will say: ”They can put those seats in a tent at the Oktoberfest, but not in OUR cars?”
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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Look out, BMW. The last time Mercedes aligned with a company, the other party got the shaft. Chrysler got a couple of aged platforms and Mercedes got all their cash reserves.
Perhaps this is something Ford and GM should sit down and think about...
Car seat frames -- this is extraordinary! What next, ashtray lids?