Peugeot taking over GM

PARIS=97French auto maker PSA Peugeot Citro=EBn is in talks over a potentia= l European takeover of General Motors Co., a French government official sai= d, as GM grapples with weak sales and a raging price war as well as the aft= ermath of the bankruptcy and bailout from the Government.

The discussions underscore the problems facing the American automobile indu= stry. As they struggle with chronic overcapacity in their core market, Euro= pe's car makers are increasingly looking to share development, engineering = and manufacturing costs of new vehicles.

Xavier Bertrand, the French labor minister, confirmed the talks in a radio = interview on Wednesday.

"The talks are aimed at a takeover," said a person familiar with the matter= . "Both companies would remain independent entities and responsible for the= ir respective operations. They're looking at possibly sharing technology an= d developing certain components together."

Another person familiar with the matter the takeover could range from coope= ration in the development and manufacture of components like powertrains, u= p to joint manufacture of a range of vehicles. It could include cross-share= holding, that person said.

Peugeot issued a statement confirming it is in discussions on a potential t= akeover agreement with another company.

The American government wants to get out of running GM and see this as an o= pportunity to get some of the bailout money back and get out of running GM.

Reply to
gosinn
Loading thread data ...

European takeover of General Motors Co., a French government official said, as GM grapples with weak sales and a raging price war as well as the aftermath of the bankruptcy and bailout from the Government.

industry. As they struggle with chronic overcapacity in their core market, Europe's car makers are increasingly looking to share development, engineering and manufacturing costs of new vehicles.

interview on Wednesday.

"Both companies would remain independent entities and responsible for their respective operations. They're looking at possibly sharing technology and developing certain components together."

cooperation in the development and manufacture of components like powertrains, up to joint manufacture of a range of vehicles. It could include cross-shareholding, that person said.

takeover agreement with another company.

opportunity to get some of the bailout money back and get out of running GM.

WOW this guys must be a member of the meida, how else could you take a partial truth and make it a total lie, TROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply to
Tom

Mikey lives on with a new nym.

Reply to
Jim_Higgins

Posted by the NO 1 cut and paster TROLL

Reply to
Tom

Way to go Mikey!

Reply to
Jim_Higgins

would be proud to carry on for mikey he made you guys nuts for 2 years

Reply to
Tom

New projections by Kelley Blue Book. GM is predicted as a big loser.

Dealers of Ford and Chrysler have more than 80 days=92 supply of vehicles a= vailable on average, General Motors has more than double that.

GM is looking with worried eyes at the report. It predicts a 5.8 percent de= crease in sales for GM. In a rising market, this would translate to a hefty= 2.4 percent decrease in market share.

The new direction from Peugeot will not start to help GM until after a long= time or at all because Americans are not very keen on small cars.

Reply to
gosinn

Much better articles at:

formatting link
I have my doubts that combining GM'sEurpopean Operations with Peugeot will do anything but be a way for GM to eventually dump Opel without appearing to do so. I don't understand why they didn't sell off Opel back in 2009 when they had the chance to do so.

Peugeot has been down this road before. Many years ago it took over all of Chrysler's money losing Eurpopean division and combined them all into the Talbot brand - which no longer exists.

GM had a very profitiable year in 2011 - at least in the US. I don't understand why they didn't complete paying off the Government loans already.

Ed

The discussions underscore the problems facing the American automobile industry. As they struggle with chronic overcapacity in their core market, Europe's car makers are increasingly looking to share development, engineering and manufacturing costs of new vehicles.

Xavier Bertrand, the French labor minister, confirmed the talks in a radio interview on Wednesday.

"The talks are aimed at a takeover," said a person familiar with the matter. "Both companies would remain independent entities and responsible for their respective operations. They're looking at possibly sharing technology and developing certain components together."

Another person familiar with the matter the takeover could range from cooperation in the development and manufacture of components like powertrains, up to joint manufacture of a range of vehicles. It could include cross-shareholding, that person said.

Peugeot issued a statement confirming it is in discussions on a potential takeover agreement with another company.

The American government wants to get out of running GM and see this as an opportunity to get some of the bailout money back and get out of running GM.

Reply to
C. E. White

formatting link

Almost makes one think of the Daimler/Chrysler "alliance".

Reply to
Jim_Higgins

In this case it is a proposal for a GM Europe / Peugeot Alliance. No except the original poster is suggesting that Peugeot is taking over all of GM. As I see it, it a play by GM to make Opel profitable by letting Peugeot taking the heat for shutting down surplus factories. If it works, GM can make money in Europe. If it fails, GM can leave Peugeot (and ultimately the French government) holding the bag. The Germans can blame the French for screwing up Opel and we all know how the German love to blame the French (and vis-a-versa). If I was Ford, I'd worry the German and French goverment would fianace this silliness which would allow Peugeot and Opel to sell cars at a government financed profit while Ford is left struggling to compete in Europe with much less the government aid (I don't think anyone builds cars in Europe without some sort of government aid).

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

I stand corrected.

Reply to
Jim_Higgins

Den torsdagen den 23:e februari 2012 kl. 14:16:42 UTC skrev C. E. White:

VW is based in Europe and is aiming at becoming number one in numbers of cars produced 2018 and thus overtaking Toyota and the Peugoet/GM hybrid as well.

America is gradually losing all lead it had in cars.

Reply to
gosinn

Both Peugeot's auto division and GM are losing money because of structural problems that affect nearly every automaker. But those issues are affecting them worse than most.

And taking GM over probably won't do much to solve those problems.

It is rumored that the Government has promised Peugeot to get the remaining shares on a long lease to get out of running GM.

Peugeot has Citroen under its wings and lot of excellent technology but wants to get a better presence in America.

It is known that two minuses make a plus so Obama sees this as a great opportunity to get ahead in the race for the next election.

In order to show his support the next official presidential car is going to be a big old style Citroen with soft feminine lines that men find so pleasing waxing.

The Volt technology will be put in the car and it will be pure electric and will be Obama's flagship for the future of automobiles in the US.

Reply to
gosinn

No one (except you) has claimed theat Peugeot is taking over GM. GM and Peugeot and GM are in conversations regarding cooperating in Europe (essentially having Opel work with Peugeot in some manner - maybe combining Opels operations with Peugoets at some level).

GM actually made a lot of money last year, but not in Europe (were it lost big bucks).

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

It looks like you had it completely backwards.

BTW - I think GM should pay off it debt to the US Government before buying part of a failing French Auto Company

************************************

From Automotive News:

GM in talks to buy 7% percent Peugeot stake, report says February 27, 2012 - 2:33 pm ET UPDATED: 2/27/12 4:08 pm ET

GM?s global strategy was a costly flop

NEW YORK (Bloomberg) -- PSA Peugeot Citroen may announce as soon as this week plans to sell a stake of about 7 percent in the French carmaker to General Motors Co. as part of a development alliance, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

The deal would involve a standstill agreement by which GM would not take a greater holding in the Paris-based carmaker without permission, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. Peugeot may offer additional shares through a rights issue as part of the transaction, the people said.

Separately, Reuters cited sources saying GM would likely buy a stake of less than 5 percent.

A GM-Peugeot alliance may include developing engines and building vehicles together in the region, a person familiar with the situation said last week. Klaus-Peter Martin, a GM spokesman, declined to comment today when contacted by Bloomberg News. Jonathan Goodman, a Peugeot spokesman, also declined to comment.

GM, the world's largest carmaker, is looking for ways to turn around its unprofitable Opel brand, while Peugeot is seeking to stem a growing debt load. Peugeot's 2011 sales in Europe plunged 8.8 percent to 1.68 million vehicles. GM's dropped 1.9 percent to 1.17 million. Auto executives expect deliveries in the region to shrink in 2012 for a fifth year.

No final agreement has been reached on the alliance and the size of the stake could change, the people said.

Possible Partnerships

Peugeot CEO Philippe Varin said this month that the company was willing to investigate partnerships as long as they were in line with the group's strategy, including expansion outside Europe, and contributed synergies while maintaining Peugeot's independence.

Peugeot, Europe's second-biggest automaker after Volkswagen AG, announced plans Feb. 15 to sell 1.5 billion euros in assets to reduce debt, which widened to 3.4 billion euros as profit and sales fell.

GM, which this month posted annual net income of $7.6 billion after dividends for 2011, is planning more cost cuts for its unprofitable European unit after the last turnaround plan failed to end losses there.

The automaker's Europe business, including the Opel brand, lost $747 million last year before taxes and interest. While that's an improvement from $1.95 billion lost in 2010, GM had planned to break even in the region until November, when it pulled back the forecast as the European outlook worsened.

Peugeot origins

Peugeot, whose origins date back to the early 19th century laminated steel- and toolmaker Peugeot-Frères et Jacques Maillard-Salins, is still 30 percent owned by the Peugeot family, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The company's current chairman Thierry Peugeot is the great-grandson of Eugene, who jointly led the company with his cousin Armand when it produced its first automobile in 1891. Thierry is joined on the board by relatives Roland, Robert and Jean-Philippe Peugeot, and Marie-Helene Roncoroni.

Blackrock Inc. last year became the second-largest investor with 5 percent, according to a regulatory filing.

Peugeot, whose carmaking division missed a target of breaking even in 2011, said Feb. 15 it will sell property as well as a holding in the Gefco trucking unit that has yet to be determined. The disposals include the Citer vehicle-rental unit that Peugeot sold to Enterprise Holdings Inc. on Feb. 1 for 440 million euros.

Earnings before interest, taxes and one-time gains or costs fell to 1.32 billion euros in 2011 from 1.8 billion euros a year earlier, Peugeot said this month. The company's deliveries globally fell 1.5 percent to 3.5 million vehicles in 2011, led by the drop in Europe.

Read more:

formatting link

The discussions underscore the problems facing the American automobile industry. As they struggle with chronic overcapacity in their core market, Europe's car makers are increasingly looking to share development, engineering and manufacturing costs of new vehicles.

Xavier Bertrand, the French labor minister, confirmed the talks in a radio interview on Wednesday.

"The talks are aimed at a takeover," said a person familiar with the matter. "Both companies would remain independent entities and responsible for their respective operations. They're looking at possibly sharing technology and developing certain components together."

Another person familiar with the matter the takeover could range from cooperation in the development and manufacture of components like powertrains, up to joint manufacture of a range of vehicles. It could include cross-shareholding, that person said.

Peugeot issued a statement confirming it is in discussions on a potential takeover agreement with another company.

The American government wants to get out of running GM and see this as an opportunity to get some of the bailout money back and get out of running GM.

Reply to
C. E. White

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.