BMW and Toyota to Develop New Sports Car Jointly

[K-A]

Developing a Sports Car together is cool.

It's if BMW starts giving the next gen of Lexus' their sacred 3er/5er/7er chassis' that's when I would move on from BMW.

 

[Levi68]

I can't wait to see what they come up with. The best things from both of them should produce a stunning sports car.

M

Myabe Toyota's new Supra and BMW's new Z4 M or whatever the car will be called.

Developing a Sports Car together is cool.

It's if BMW starts giving the next gen of Lexus' their sacred 3er/5er/7er chassis' that's when I would move on from BMW.

I don't think it will happen. Maybe for the sportscar, Toyota more performance focused, BMW more luxury focus, but as for the rest it is only technology I think. Sharing of sustainable technologies and CF technologies and experience.

 

[Giannis]

The best things from both of them should produce a stunning sports car.

They need to be carefull, or they will end up with a rusty roadster with cheap plastics and sticky gas pedal

 

[chonkoa]

Eni,

I hate to tell you this but BMW has nothing to offer Toyota when it comes to building a super-car because they have nothing to show for it.
Let us just say that BMW is riding Toyota's coattail on this one.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Developing a Sports Car together is cool.

It's if BMW starts giving the next gen of Lexus' their sacred 3er/5er/7er chassis' that's when I would move on from BMW.

Understand that with mainstream platforms, nothing is sacred.

 

[K-A]

Understand that with mainstream platforms, nothing is sacred.

For now, BMW's is (with BMW and RR).

Though, it's a whore within its own family. I'm fine with that.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

For now, BMW's is (with BMW and RR).

Though, it's a whore within its own family. I'm fine with that.

Sure, but BMW, like any other company is in the business to make money and maximize profits. Nothing is off limits, nothing is sacred, and all options to minimize development costs and make money in the short, mid and long-term are going to be looked at and considered.

 

[K-A]

Sure, but BMW, like any other company is in the business to make money and maximize profits. Nothing is off limits, nothing is sacred, and all options to minimize development costs and make money in the short, mid and long-term are going to be looked at and considered.

True, but in everything there's a balance needed. A revered and premium company doesn't give away its heart and soul to "lower products". There's a balance. People focus too much on profits and not enough on the culture sometimes. Part of why people want BMW is because you're getting a "BMW experience". I recently watched the "Driving Obsession" program that was about BMW, and they are very focused on maintaining culture and obsessive over-engineering to many degrees. This is part of why they are a premium company! If you have BMW-Toyota's running around, it hurts the specialness of BMW, which we all best believe is a big reason people buy BMW's. A joint venture on an individual model is okay as it's a conceptual thing, but a company that classifies itself as sacred, which any historical and great premium company should do, would never give their heart and soul to anyone else, unless they're in dire circumstances.

Best case in point is Apple. If you want the Apple experience, you have to go to Apple.

If BMW gave its core (let's say RWD) chassis' to anyone outside of its immediate family, it would be a travesty. I doubt they'd ever cave to that, and IMO them not doing so when some of their competitors are speaks very highly about how they perceive themselves.... for as long as they don't do it.

 

[EnI]

• There is always a chance BMW may sell the platforms to others (like eg. they tend to sell old 1er platform to Saab) ...
• It's much more possible the FWD platform would be shared than the RWD one ...
• Sharing of the RWD platform in highly unlikely - the RWD program is profitable enough ...
• And the sharing of the old outgoing FWD platform is much more plausible than the sharing of the freshest one ...
• Some level of co-development of the next-gen FWD platform (the 2nd generation of modular UKL platform for MINI & BMW sub-1er & 1er Series - incl X1/X2/Z2 etc) is posiible ... but nothing has been done in that direction yet.
• More than platform sharing the engine sharing will sure happen - sharing of the low-end engines (3cyl, 4cyl - mostly diesel ones).

But there will be partnerships like that - to co-develop a certain component (eg. an engine, a battery, a mid-sized hybrid sports car, a certain material for use in automotive industry etc).

With an introduction of modular platforms it's really highly unlikely to share the whole platform with others. Certainly not the RWD one ... And hardly the freshest FWD one as well. Perhaps the outgoing one.

 

[K-A]

• There is always a chance BMW may sell the platforms to others (like eg. they tend to sell old 1er platform to Saab) ...
• It's much more possible the FWD platform would be shared than the RWD one ...
• Sharing of the RWD platform in highly unlikely - the RWD program is profitable enough ...
• And the sharing of the old outgoing platform is more plausible than the sharing of the freshest one ...
• But the most likely is some level of co-development of the next-gen FWD platform (the 2nd generation of modular UKL platform for MINI & BMW sub-1er & 1er Series - incl X1/X2/Z2 etc) ... but nothing has been done in that direction yet.
• More than platform sharing the engine sharing will happen - especially the low-end engines (3cyl, 4cyl - mostly diesel ones).

That's all fine with me. As long as the 3er, 5er, 7er, and other "core models" that are RWD aren't shared with "outsiders" I'm a happy owner. BMW's platform sharing from within is so extensive one would hope and imagine that outside core-platform sharing won't be necessary.

 

[EnI]

Mind the new modular RWD platform will be a base for all vehicles from 2er to Ghost/Wraith. It has to be helluva platform! To sport agility & sportiness on one side ... and super-smooth & comfy ride on the other side. Sure with different hardware & software components - which all will be compatible with the platform (of certain size).

 

[K-A]

I can only imagine the feat that platform has to pull off.

Which is why it should stay only within the BMW camp.

 

[Bartek S.]

OMG, what a mess. Now I understand why BMW is having problems (based on my personal experiance with my X6M). Since they pull out from F1 they are going down against competition. I think Toyota should buy them. That would solve many problems and bring BMW to the end. But what do I know.

 

[PanterroR]

^??? Toyota to buy BMW?

 

[EnI]

^
Yes, probably with $1 trillion coin ...

 

[Merc1]

Press Release

BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation Deepen Collaboration by Signing Binding Agreements

Fuel Cell System, Sports Vehicle, Lightweight Technology and Lithium-air Battery Collaboration to Commence

Munich - BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) are pursuing their successful strategic long-term cooperation in the field of sustainable mobility today by signing binding agreements aimed at long-term collaboration between the two companies for the joint development of a fuel cell system, joint development of architecture and components for a sports vehicle, and joint research and development of lightweight technologies. These agreements follow a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2012.

Furthermore, BMW Group and TMC also today signed a binding agreement to commence collaborative research on lithium-air batteries, a post-lithium-battery solution. This agreement marks the second phase of collaborative research into next-generation lithium-ion battery cells that commenced in March 2012.

The main points of the agreements are:

1. Fuel cell system
The companies are convinced that fuel cell technology is one of the solutions necessary to achieve zero emissions. BMW Group and TMC are to share their technologies and to jointly develop a fundamental fuel-cell vehicle system, including not only a fuel cell stack and system, but also a hydrogen tank, motor and battery, aiming for completion in 2020.
- The companies are to collaborate in jointly developing codes and standards for the hydrogen infrastructure which are necessary for the popularization of fuel cell vehicles.

2. Sports vehicle
The companies agreed to set-up a feasibility study to define a joint platform concept for a mid-size sports vehicle that is to be completed by the end of 2013. The two companies aim to combine each other's technology and knowledge at a high level to maximise customer satisfaction. Both companies are to share the vision to further collaborate in the field of sports vehicle development.

3. Lightweight technology
The companies are to jointly develop lightweight technologies for vehicle bodies using cutting-edge materials such as reinforced composites, with an eye to utilize these technologies in cooperation on the joint development of a sports-vehicle platform as well as other BMW and TMC vehicles.

4. Post-lithium-battery technology
The companies are to begin joint research with a goal to develop a lithium-air battery with energy density greatly exceeding that of current lithium-ion batteries.

Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG said: "TMC and the BMW Group share the same strategic vision of future sustainable mobility. In light of the technological changes ahead, the entire automotive industry faces tremendous challenges, which we also regard as an opportunity. This collaboration is an important building block in keeping both companies on a successful course in the future."

Akio Toyoda, President of TMC said: "It is just over a year since we signed our collaborative MoU, and with each day as our relationship strengthens, we feel acutely that we are making steadfast progress. Now, we are entering the phase that promises the fruit. While placing importance on what we learn from the joint development, we will work hard together in reaching our common goal of making ever-better cars."

BMW Group and TMC first agreed to form a medium-to-long-term collaborative relationship for developing next-generation environment-friendly vehicles and technologies in December 2011, at which time the two companies also signed a contract under which BMW Group is to supply highly efficient diesel engines to Toyota Motor Europe. BMW Group and TMC ― as long-term strategic partners ― have since continued their joint efforts to realize sustainable mobility for the future.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/25/bmw-toyota-outline-new-tech-joint-venture-new-sports-car/


M