GM interested in taking stake in Isuzu again?

General Motors and Isuzu were partners for decades before parting ways in 2006. Even now, you can find the final hangover of an alliance that gave us vehicles like the Geo Storm and Chevrolet LUV in the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado smallish pickups.

The two companies may start negotiations soon for General Motors to once again take a stake in Isuzu Motors Ltd. with commercial vehicle sales in Asia and Central and South America as the goal, reports the Japanese Nikkei business daily.

GM would go in for ten percent of Isuzu, and this deal would likely spell the end for Toyota's 5.9-percent interest in Isuzu, as well as smother any capital partnership talks with Volkswagen. Isuzu developed the GMT355 trucks, and if lashed-up with GM again, a team effort to develop, produce and distribute pickup trucks is being considered. At ten percent, General Motors would pass Mitsubishi Corporation's 9.2-percent stake in Isuzu to become its largest single shareholder.

North American small pickup fans probably shouldn't get excited about this, as it appears aimed mostly at markets more suited to smaller trucks. With GM's new full-size pickups on the horizon, the General likely wants you to forget that there are any other choices for the time being.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/g...n-isuzu-again/

 

Toyota, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi all have stakes in Isuzu? didn't know that

 

GM first proposed $3B controlling stake in Isuzu

General Motors initially wanted to buy one-third of Isuzu Motors Ltd, which would give it the right to veto board decisions, but has scaled back how much of the Japanese company it might try to buy, according to a new Reuters report.

At current stock prices, GM would have paid more than $3 billion for a controlling share of the truckmaker, which specializes in small trucks and diesel powertrains. GM is now considering buying a 10 percent share, anonymous sources tell Reuters, which would make it the largest single owner of stock in the company. Toyota and Volkswagen both have smaller shares of Isuzu.

GM once owned nearly half of Isuzu but sold off its last 7.9 percent of the company in 2006.

The GM/Isuzu partnership helped bring vehicles to the U.S. like the Geo Storm, Chevrolet LUV, GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado. But there's no reason to expect a new small pickup for America this time around.

The potential deal, which sources tell Reuters is "very much preliminary", could open up the Southeast Asia market, where GM is currently a bit player. Additionally, GM could help Isuzu develop a hybrid or other environmentally friendly vehicles. It's almost enough to make us wonder why they ever sold it in the first place.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/02/g...take-in-isuzu/

 

Isuzu still exists? What?