Welcome to the Australian Ford Forums forum.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and inserts advertising. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features without post based advertising banners. Registration is simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Please Note: All new registrations go through a manual approval queue to keep spammers out. This is checked twice each day so there will be a delay before your registration is activated.

Go Back   Australian Ford Forums > General Topics > The Pub

The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-10-2005, 11:22 AM   #1
SSbaby
Banned
 
SSbaby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 689
Default Toyota to buy into Subaru

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. is to buy an 8.7 percent stake in fellow Japanese automaker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (7270.T: Quote, Profile, Research) from General Motors Corp. (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research), which will dissolve its ties with Fuji, the companies said on Wednesday.

The transfer of shares in the maker of Subaru cars reflects a symbolic shift in the balance of power within the global auto industry as Toyota (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research) threatens to unseat the embattled U.S. auto giant as the world's biggest carmaker by sales.

GM, which bought its 20 percent stake in Fuji Heavy in late 1999, has been struggling to strengthen a balance sheet weighed down by huge pension and health care liabilities and address sliding U.S. sales as competition from Asian brands intensifies.

Analysts had questioned the value of the Fuji Heavy-GM alliance as Subaru battles its own drop in sales and strategic cooperation between the two has remained thin.

GM said Toyota would buy 68 million of its Fuji Heavy shares at 520 yen each, for a total 35.36 billion yen ($309 million) in cash. The U.S. automaker could do with the money as its financing costs grow following the downgrade of its debt to junk status this year by three top rating agencies.

GM will divest its remaining 11.4 percent stake in Fuji Heavy by offering the shares into its partner's open-market buy-back of 90 million shares over the next three days.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsAr...storyID=232997

__________________
Rep Power: 0
SSbaby is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 11:27 AM   #2
TheSneakiness
Adapt or perish...
 
TheSneakiness's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dip!@#$
Posts: 7,954
Default

Was watching on Sunrise early this morning and the financial guy in NY said that GM's shares dropped 8% yesterday (IIRC).

Not looking good for GM.
__________________
Carless
TheSneakiness is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 11:33 AM   #3
SSbaby
Banned
 
SSbaby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 689
Default

No but when you think about it, it was a wasted asset for GM as the synergies didn't really go far at all. Suzuki and Isuzu are also going to be sold off.

GM are scraping the bottom of the barrel atm as they need the cash to continue to develop new models.

Why stop there, why not also sell off SAAB? It's been a waste of money for GM for a number of years.

It wasn't that long ago when carmakers were buying up other carmakers. Now, the trend might be reversing.

I don't think Ford is in a different situation either. Ditto DC.
__________________
Rep Power: 0
SSbaby is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 11:37 AM   #4
TheSneakiness
Adapt or perish...
 
TheSneakiness's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dip!@#$
Posts: 7,954
Default

I think the car market has shifted into a different phase of buying.

With the current prices of world oil, the smaller cars are doing well (look at last months sales), while family cars and 4WDs suffer. Granted that people are still buying them, but the small car market is hitting a boom that 4WDs had not too long ago.
__________________
Carless
TheSneakiness is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 12:43 PM   #5
MrSparkle
An Old Boss™©
Contributing Member
 
MrSparkle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,145
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SSbaby
...synergies...
I can't believe you used that word in a serious sentence!
__________________
Where did I go? What was I doing there?™©
MrSparkle is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 12:55 PM   #6
SSbaby
Banned
 
SSbaby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 689
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSparkle
I can't believe you used that word in a serious sentence!
Yeah sounds a bit paradoxical... but I think Fuji were interested in GM's hybrid technology and GM were interested in Subaru's 4WD technology... it was always going to be a failed marriage.
__________________
Rep Power: 0
SSbaby is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 01:18 PM   #7
Des
V8 Rock'n'Roll....
 
Des's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: You got me Rootin' like a Hog, Barkin' like a Dog, Climbing trees and Jumping logs....
Posts: 1,048
Default

More to the point - It's a case of "out of the frying pan and into the fryer" for Subaru. Going from a company that thinks like a Grandpa to a company that specializes in building cars for Grandpa's....
__________________
1 owner 03 BA XR8 Manual Sedan

208.8 rwkw stock, update soon

20x8.5 fr 20x10 rr
Rumble thanks to:
Sureflo Exhaust - Stainless Cat's & 3.5in single catback system


"Tell 'em the guy with the Blue Mohawk sent Ya"
Des is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 01:23 PM   #8
zetec
Zoom Zoom
 
zetec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, VIC
Posts: 4,352
Default

What next - Ford? Specialise in building cars that can be modified to cart grandpa to the cemetary...
__________________
2012 Mazda3 MPS
zetec is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 03:20 PM   #9
MethodX
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
MethodX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,198
Default

They have that already dont they?
the Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis lol

On another note- Can anything stop the Toyota jugernaut?
Sad how they they r taking over
MethodX is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 03:26 PM   #10
MrSparkle
An Old Boss™©
Contributing Member
 
MrSparkle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,145
Default

By geez I hope this means the death of the new Subaru "corporate nose"!!!!!!!!!!!

On the other hand, I hope Toyota don't "appliance" all of the exciting Subaru products like they have done on themselves.
__________________
Where did I go? What was I doing there?™©
MrSparkle is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 06-10-2005, 03:27 PM   #11
Dave_au
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Northern Sydney
Posts: 1,908
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MethodX
On another note- Can anything stop the Toyota jugernaut?
Build a viable competitor to Corolla, Hilux, Lancruiser 75 & 100 and you've probably covered their best moving products.
Dave_au is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Reply


Forum Jump


All times are GMT +11. The time now is 01:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Other than what is legally copyrighted by the respective owners, this site is copyright www.fordforums.com.au
Positive SSL