"Even small ventures like Nummi—the soon-to-be-closed plant in Fremont, Calif., that General Motors and Toyota ran for decades gave more benefit to the Japanese giant than it did to GM."

That's because GM and the unions decided their way was best instead of learning and growing from the opportunity with Toyota.

"Even small ventures like Nummi—the soon-to-be-closed plant in Fremont, Calif., that General Motors and Toyota ran for decades gave more benefit to the Japanese giant than it did to GM"

haha, now I know I should stay away from Businessweek

Zetsche: “In the past,” he said, “we decided on an alliance and then later decided what to work on". It seems to me that this CEO has just admitted to a rookie mistake that would normally get a junior employee fired!

Sometimes when u dont have a lot of time and extra cash to throw away in R&D, to do your own R&D can be very costly and missed opportunity. Only options left is try to join hands with your competitor and start trading some of your non-core secrets.

It could be win-win.

Daimler lacking the expertise on making small cars, I mean efficiently and cheaply. Daimler didnt sold Smart car early enuf in USA did cost her a lot of $$ too.
The Joint sharing is like Rolex team with Timex to make a watch to sell at the opposite price spectrum.
The other option is stick to your knitting, only selling high end or low end is not going to make it in this day and age. Almost trying to be all things to all people.
Every manufacturer has its own wagen surrounded by Indigenous people.
OT

Some rumours about Maybach has a new model to be shown in Middle Kingdom.
I am not so sure if thats a wise move at all.
Merc watching from previous track record building Luxury cars was never her Forte at all. Mechanically was far advanced than many most other manufacturers. Nowadays with fancy , smancy Electronic gizmos, it kind of her achilles tendon.

The good old 600 Pullman, it sold enough but never a threat to RR.
U think Maybach can be a threat or even take a small chunk of the pie?
Sure Maybach can take a small chunk of the pie but kind of retreat to the "also ran ran" status.
To let her go on make as much sense as finding another suitor for Hummer.
Can Daimler be as money no object as Vee Dub (VW) supports Bugattis?

VW is regrouping her illfated Phaeton from USA and assaulting Middle Kingdom again.

I see the benefits for Mercedes, I don't see what R/N get out of this other than purchasing discounts.

We all know how corporate alliances end(usually bad). Though both parties are claiming this alliance would be different, I still have my doubts. I am prettry sure that, one of the firms have motives different than the other and only time will tell. Daimler is bigger than Renault-Nissan and there future goals will change. This is story that needs further update.

Nano a perfect convergence/integration of minds, technologies which worked. Outsourcing from Bosch, EU, North America, Asia and the car is the best and the cheapest car. Nations, people benefit, and companies prosper in terms of other M&A by Ta;ta Group which came to them to make lot of money. People friendly machines for people to commute Daimler has excellence in fuel cell which can help the world overcome the environment. Why not share it with China, the sub-continent of Indo-Pak and make an Indo-Pak, China car with the EU coming in with technologies as with Nano.