BMW and Toyota further expand collaboration, will build a sports car together

Posted: Jun 29, 2012
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Akio Toyoda Norbert Reithofer

BMW and Toyota today announced that the will be expanding their existing cooperation that starting back in December of 2011. The two companies have now signed another Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop fuel cell systems, architecture and components for a future sports vehicle, collaboration on powertrain electrification and joint research and development on lightweight technologies.

All that lightweight and green technology stuff sounds fun but we’re more focused on the part where it says ‘a future sports vehicle.’ We’re not sure what vehicle the two will be working on but it definitely has caught our attention.

‘We aim to further strengthen our competitive position in sustainable future technologies,” said Norbert Reithofer, BMW’s Chairman. “We signed an MoU to this effect today. Toyota and the BMW Group share the same strategic vision of sustainable individual future mobility. Together we have a great opportunity to continue leading our industry through this transformation.”

“BMW and Toyota both want to make ever-better cars,” said Toyota’s CEO Akio Toyoda. “We respect each other. And I think this is shown by our taking the next step only six months since the signing of our initial agreement. Toyota is strong in environment-friendly hybrids and fuel cells. On the other hand, I believe BMW’s strength is in developing sports cars. I am excited to think of the cars that will result from this relationship.”

- By: Omar Rana


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  • Matt

    Whom would of thought that these two WWII powers would once again come together to join forces to take on the likes of GM and Ford?

  • http://freecarads.com/ Matteo

    Toyota and BMW are two of the most forward thinking, and agile companies
    in the auto industry. They both adapt to change and are proactive to
    future trends. Which allows both companies to lead the industry in their
    respective markets. Toyota has had hybrids on the market long before
    most manufactures, and currently lead the industry in sales of hybrid
    vehicles. BMW is years ahead of the other premium auto makers in
    bringing sustainable hybrid, and electric vehicles to the market, in a
    completely new way. With the clean sheet design of the I-brand that
    focuses on sustainability all the way through the production process,
    and value chain. Along with BMWs industry leading production processes
    for mass producing carbon fiber in a cost effective way out of their own
    plant they have in a joint venture with SQL . This will give them a
    competitive edge over the competition in terms of pricing, and
    accessibility to the material. This partnership will create a juggernaut
    for future EV/hybrid technology development, and manufacturing that
    should have the rest of the auto industry very worried. 

  • Cad4life

    this could b good or bad, toyota should just buy bmw and drop lexus, otherwise cheap bmw model run toyota gear or what ever, ex 3 series giving 2 toyota, for the new is, etc, can toyota not build a car u want; bmw prius ok, smart the hs 250 work out?, we will all have 2 wait and see, but toyota, subaru sport car deal wont work, a bmw, toyota sport car ok, bmw engine, bmw chassis, toyota hybrid system, bmw was making the i8 right, on their own, why work with toyota, toyota did the lfa, bmw car used 2 b good and toyota name was good, bmw r over weigh now toyota r so so, but people still buy both in large numbers, hell who cares, ood luck 2 them both, all cars a getting boring as hell now, this will not help and if they do build something u want, the cost will b 2 high, just look at the 86/brz, the lfa was like 375k