Now, Daimler's CEO Dieter Zetsche steps in and says he wants BMW to be Daimler's "equal partner". This isn't a hint of merger, but simply a confirmation of the two ways of thinking which separate the two companies.
"It's clear that we are two independent companies whose success in the market depends of the strength of our brands, so brand integrity is a cardinal imperative. This has to be considered at all times but it is not something that would prevent broad cooperation," the CEO was quoted as saying by Autonews.
BMW and Daimler are working together as we speak, but in a limited fashion. The two German manufacturers are pursuing an agreement for collaboration in the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA), they jointly purchase more than 100 components and they share specialization in rear-wheel-drive cars.
As for the financial results the company manages to achieve in these troubled times, Dieter Zetsche is optimistic. Especially because of the way in which the Eastern markets react to the changing economic climate.
"While it may not be a law of nature that the share of premium cars in the market will stay the same for all eternity, it seems very plausible to us that with the focal point of the world moving from West to East, the premium market share will tend to grow over the mid to long term," Zetsche said.
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