We have heard news of BMW and Toyota considered a partnership since back in December 2011 when both automakers signed and agreement to collaborate on a number of projects including a lithium ion battery for electronic cars and BMW producing small displacement diesel engines for Toyota vehicles that are sold in Europe. When they began their collaboration, both BMW and Toyota agreed that their partnership could continue to expand further and in just a short seven month time period it looks as if the automakers are back on the table to come together on several new partnership projects in what they call “in other fields of cooperation.”
This news was originally released in Germany via Der Spiegel and the story had to be translated in order to keep American BMW and Toyota fans up to date on important information. However there is not much to report at this time because the projects are not officially outlined at this point. What we do know is that BMW and Toyota are conducting talks to discover the benefits of forming an alliance based particularly around lightweight technology and “joint projects in hybrid technology, fuel cells, vehicle electronics”
While BMW and Toyota fans may enjoy hearing of the possibilities of a “Beamer-ota” relationship, it leaves the relationship BMW has with Peugeot out in the cold to create a pretty complicated partnership triangle. Of course that relationship has been on the rocks ever since Peugeot hooked up with the General Motor’s Opel division. Toyota is thought of as the “green auto leader” though, so it makes sense that BMW would pursue them in order to capitalize on their technology for the new line of BMW I sub-brand line. This line will include small, lightweight hybrid models. BMW will stand to gain great savings on research and development and we are quite positive that the strategic minds at Toyota will make sure to gain their own benefit out of teaming up with BMW.
Source Reuters