[TonyMeister]

GM partnering with BMW for engines?

General Motors is out to make new friends (with benefits). The company has made no secret of its current strategy to find partners to develop technology and new products. Now rumors are beginning to bubble about GM teaming up with one of the best in the car biz, BMW.

It is not hard to connect the dots on this one. BMW publicly mentioned at the Paris Motor Show that it was discussing partnerships with multiple companies on engine production (it even recently picked up an engine deal with former GM family member Saab.) Also at the Paris show GM was still promoting its new idea about being open to everyone. What makes this a rumor worth mentioning is that Automobilwoche is reporting a source close to the situation confirmed some contact has been made between the two companies about engines.

Everything still exists on an informal level. So BMW my just be giving GM a quick tickle for its own giggles, or vise versa. This uncertainty is what makes this a rumor, and also what makes it fun.

THE REST OF THE STORY

This would not be first time GM has partnered with BMW. The two came together about five years ago with DaimlerChrysler to create a two-mode hybrid system.

The difference this time is that BMW will likely take a more active role, which means GM may get a sprinkling of BMW’s great engineering. If GM sets this up correctly, it could send the new engine a few hours up the autobahn to the platform whizzes at Opel – giving them a decent recipe for making an exciting car.

Source: GM partnering with BMW for engines? - MotoBullet.com News

[pmeloche]

BMW may also be interested in an engine production plant in the U.S. With the U.S. dollar kept low by the U.S. government it's getting extremely difficult for BMW to keep car prices low in North America, their biggest market for many models. The solution would be to build more and more models in the U.S, or at least major components. Their wildly popular X3, X5, and X6 is very profitable to them because they are built in South Carolina at U.S. costs and then sold at European prices but they still have a lot of non-U.S. components namely engines and drivetrain. Now if they could make engines in the U.S. and start a production plant for the 3 Series in the U.S. also that would be awesome for them.

[bryce]

great, this is awesome news! i can't wait to buy a GM next!

[moveswiftly]

[pilot_bro2003]

[Jonny550]

N54 corvette FTW.

[positiveions]

people flamed BMW for wanting to build engines for saab. And now this

[Diadal]

Please, Herr Reithofer,


Wie könnte GM die beste Möglichkeit sein?? Eigentlich... eine Möglichkeit sein??

[antzcrashing]

if BMW wants to make engines for GM fine. As long as GM doesn't make engines for BMW

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by Diadal

Please, Herr Reithofer,


Wie könnte GM die beste Möglichkeit sein?? Eigentlich... eine Möglichkeit sein??

+1. By trying to capture a bigger market share, and now by co-developing engines with other makers, they are lowering their differentiation from other carmakers.

[M3roar]

Oh NO!.... Im sorry but of all the US companys BMW should not consider a partnership with Government Motors.... last thing I want is Obama having a liber eco friendly say on performance engines.

[JIM E92]

Can you invision what kind of deals are happening in the corporate board rooms. "vie ville trade you zie N54 for LSA"

[TonyMeister]

From 1994 to 2000, BMW supplied the 2.5 I-6 turbo diesel for the Opel Omega B.




You Americans are familiar with the Omega B...




Though the last one was built in Australia and it was based on a wider platform of the Omega B.

[MDyDinanM]

if BMW wants to make engines for GM fine. As long as GM doesn't make engines for BMW

+1

i hope this potential merger doesn't cheapen the brand of BMW.

don't care if GM has BMW engines (as w/ Saab), but i will move on if BMW starts incorporating GM.

[flyga3]

Let me get this straight: we want Cadillac to be how much closer to BMW, now that they finally figured out that testing Cadillacs at the "ring" is actually a good thing? Unless the strategy is too find anything of value from GM/Cadillac that BMW can use.....

IMHO I don't think GM brings anything to the table.

[E31BMW]

Originally Posted by Jon335iFL

N54 corvette FTW.

[MisterSkiMask]

You ridiculous fanboi snobs. GM has developed technology and sold major components used by almost every other manufacturer. From transmissions used by BMW to suspension systems used by Ferrari.

[MisterSkiMask]

Originally Posted by Jon335iFL

N54 corvette FTW.

A giant leap backward

[Forcefed3]

I hope not.

[E82dmg]

thank god i purchased my bmw way before this, GM is garbage, let BMW make engines for them. like stated, if they make engines for BMW, im flaming mine in the forest.

[PIMP "E"]

maybe bmw is really giving GM engine building lessons. either way its a bad idea to associate with GM. look what happen to benz after messing with chrysler.

[Solonng]

great, can bmw partner with ford instead?