Necessity, it’s said, can make for strange bedfellows. Take General Motors and BMW, for example; while rival automakers, neither really competes in the same market for the same customer.
Forbes reports that General Motors is in dialogue with BMW to form a strategic partnership to create more fuel-efficient vehicles. BMW has more advanced gasoline and diesel engine technology, while GM has more advanced fuel cell and series hybrid technology. A partnership could be mutually beneficial without negatively impacting the sales or perception of either brand.
GM admits to being in dialogue with BMW over “far reaching joint projects,” while BMW simply states that it doesn’t comment on speculation. That said, BMW’s is willing to sell engines to other manufacturers not in direct competition, as long as doing so wouldn’t damage BMW’s reputation.
If the automakers do come to terms, they’d become the second odd-couple pairing in as many months. In August, Ford and Toyota announced a collaborative effort to develop technology for hybrid trucks and SUVs.
This certainly isn't the first time GM and BMW have been entwined for hybrid development. Last decade, the two companies with DaimlerChrysler jointly developed the so-called Two-Mode Hybrid system that, for instance, General Motors still makes available on its full-size trucks.
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