> So why then does Ford own Mazda and GM own Isuzu, with almost controlling
> shares of Suzuki and Fuji Heavy (Subaru)? These companies have also been
> making overtures at Honda, since Honda's go-it-alone strategy can't match
> the Toyota 20 billion dollar war chest.
Honda, like BMW, is doing just fine. Isuzu and Mazda are niche players, sort of like Volvo, which got snapped up by Ford. Most estimates I've seen on Toyota's stash put it at 30 billion, but this may include land and other assets, as opposed to instant liquidity.
> the case of D-C, Mitsubishi will make eventually most of what goes out
> branded as Chrysler and teach Daimler how to make something besides
> overpriced luxary cars.
Maybe some diesel tech, but Daimler's production engineering is, like, one of the few reasons a sentient species would want to visit this shambles of a planet.
-- Dennis