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“Without any doubt we knew fundamentally that [a merger with GM] would work, but only if it was a collaborative effort. Frankly, there was a possibility to create something that would be extremely competitive… unfortunately, it did not happen.”
Nissan/Renault honcho Carlos Ghosn reflects on the GM merger that might have been. When asked if he was happy that the merger hadn’t gone through, Ghosn replied “when you see the disaster and the waste of energy and skills and talent, nobody can be happy.” But was he talking about GM or the failure to merge with them? And since Ghosn has us in a reflective mood, isn’t it fun to imagine how a GM-Renault/Nissan merger might have played out?
6 Comments on “Quote Of The Day: Ghosn Down Memory Lane Edition...”
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had the Kerkorian/York faction prevailed, the savings and streamlining would have led to significant profits. this assumes of course that Red Ink Rick is replaced and unprofitable brands closed. oh wait…Hello Carlos? someone get the Lion of Las Vegas on the line. where are you Jerry?
Given that GM is not using Generally Accepted Accounting Practices, and given that the Volt just-absolutely-has-gotta-work, and given that GM has told us for years that they can’t make money on small cars, and given that the same people are running GM, and that they can only make money on Trucks & SUVs, and that they lost only a billion dollars using their accounting methods and that was during C4C when pickups sales got a $911 million incentive package to move ’em. And now Sweden is starting to figure out that GM has welshed on a lot of tax money? The bright spot in GM’s future is China.
I wouldn’t rule out a Gm/Ren-OH/Nissan merger. The company would obviously be called “Groan.” At this point, everything is still as far up for grabs as it was.
It would have ended up like Packard/ Studebaker,… not Sloan/Kettering
The auto manufacturing world needs closures, not mergers.
On another planet it might’ve been a brilliant move. Renault-Nissan could’ve given GM the great little cars it needed and GM could’ve given R-N… um…. Well, it doesn’t really matter. It’s far too late now back on Earth.
Fascinating to read the comments in that linked TTAC article. No wonder GMAC had to be bailed out, and no wonder the housing bubble popped.