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New auto alliance result of fuel efficiency needs
The worldwide reorganization of the automobile industry based on green technology is continuing with the creation of yet another large-scale alliance.
The Nissan Motor Co.-Renault SA alliance and Germany's Daimler AG have announced that they plan to form a capital and business tie-up.
Under the deal, the Nissan-Renault alliance and Daimler would hold a stake of about 3 percent in each other and cooperate broadly in various areas, including the development of small and compact cars and environmental technology.
This alliance indicates that even the world's leading automaker may not be able to survive on its own if it lags behind in the development of green technology and eco-friendly vehicles. Similar reorganizations are expected in the months ahead.
We hope Japanese automakers manage to steer along this bumpy road by improving their development capability and technological prowess.
Renault and Daimler, which vied with each other over forming a capital tie-up with Nissan 11 years ago, have long been rivals. The reason these two European automakers united is to grapple with increasingly tighter fuel efficiency requirements to help tackle global warming on a worldwide scale.
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Tough European regulations
In Europe, the world's toughest fuel efficiency requirements will be introduced in stages, starting in 2012. To meet these requirements, automakers will have to improve the average gas mileage of new vehicles by about 20 percent from current levels.
Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz and other large luxury cars as its core products, needs to increase the sales ratio of its fuel-efficient small and compact cars as quickly as possible.
On the other hand, Renault, which relies mainly on small cars, had been studying the possibility of supplying small cars to other automakers to offset sluggish sales in the wake of the worldwide economic recession.
The latest alliance has been realized in a form of an alliance between Renault and Daimler in the small and compact car segment, with Nissan joining in.
Nissan is reportedly interested in Daimler's diesel engine technology and cost-cutting effects through the standardization of chassis and parts with the German firm.
The combined global sales of the three automakers last year exceeded 7 million units, following sales of the Suzuki-Volkswagen alliance and those of Toyota Motor Corp.
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Complementing weaknesses
However, the primary aim of the latest alliance lies in complementing each other's weaknesses, rather than expanding their scale.
Under the Suzuki-Volkswagen alliance, which was formed late last year centering around the development of small and compact cars, the cross-holding ratio of the two automakers is less than 20 percent.
The PSA Peugeot Citroen Group, which had been studying the possibility of taking a stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corp., has ultimately opted for a business tie-up with MMC in electric vehicles.
The automobile industry is entering a transitional period characterized by an accelerating trend to depend less on gasoline as a means of operating automobiles, the fast-growing automobile market of emerging economies, and the decline of the U.S. Big Three automakers.
The latest alliance, whereby automakers will join hands in their respective fields of expertise, while respecting each other's corporate management independence, seems to be aimed at flexibly responding to these changes as well.
If the expected results do not emerge, however, the partnership will not last long. The three automakers' management capabilities will be tested by how they make use of their respective strengths and what sort of strategies they work out.
The worldwide reorganization of the automobile industry based on green technology is continuing with the creation of yet another large-scale alliance.
The Nissan Motor Co.-Renault SA alliance and Germany's Daimler AG have announced that they plan to form a capital and business tie-up.
Under the deal, the Nissan-Renault alliance and Daimler would hold a stake of about 3 percent in each other and cooperate broadly in various areas, including the development of small and compact cars and environmental technology.
This alliance indicates that even the world's leading automaker may not be able to survive on its own if it lags behind in the development of green technology and eco-friendly vehicles. Similar reorganizations are expected in the months ahead.
We hope Japanese automakers manage to steer along this bumpy road by improving their development capability and technological prowess.
Renault and Daimler, which vied with each other over forming a capital tie-up with Nissan 11 years ago, have long been rivals. The reason these two European automakers united is to grapple with increasingly tighter fuel efficiency requirements to help tackle global warming on a worldwide scale.
===
Tough European regulations
In Europe, the world's toughest fuel efficiency requirements will be introduced in stages, starting in 2012. To meet these requirements, automakers will have to improve the average gas mileage of new vehicles by about 20 percent from current levels.
Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz and other large luxury cars as its core products, needs to increase the sales ratio of its fuel-efficient small and compact cars as quickly as possible.
On the other hand, Renault, which relies mainly on small cars, had been studying the possibility of supplying small cars to other automakers to offset sluggish sales in the wake of the worldwide economic recession.
The latest alliance has been realized in a form of an alliance between Renault and Daimler in the small and compact car segment, with Nissan joining in.
Nissan is reportedly interested in Daimler's diesel engine technology and cost-cutting effects through the standardization of chassis and parts with the German firm.
The combined global sales of the three automakers last year exceeded 7 million units, following sales of the Suzuki-Volkswagen alliance and those of Toyota Motor Corp.
===
Complementing weaknesses
However, the primary aim of the latest alliance lies in complementing each other's weaknesses, rather than expanding their scale.
Under the Suzuki-Volkswagen alliance, which was formed late last year centering around the development of small and compact cars, the cross-holding ratio of the two automakers is less than 20 percent.
The PSA Peugeot Citroen Group, which had been studying the possibility of taking a stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corp., has ultimately opted for a business tie-up with MMC in electric vehicles.
The automobile industry is entering a transitional period characterized by an accelerating trend to depend less on gasoline as a means of operating automobiles, the fast-growing automobile market of emerging economies, and the decline of the U.S. Big Three automakers.
The latest alliance, whereby automakers will join hands in their respective fields of expertise, while respecting each other's corporate management independence, seems to be aimed at flexibly responding to these changes as well.
If the expected results do not emerge, however, the partnership will not last long. The three automakers' management capabilities will be tested by how they make use of their respective strengths and what sort of strategies they work out.
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