47 Votes

Who Is Plotting To Takeover Daimler?

Agent009 submitted on 8/19/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 1:55:06 PM

81 user comments | Category: Misc News | Source: | SOURCE: www.autoobserver.com

Speculation in Europe is intensifying over the possibility of a takeover of Daimler AG, parent of Mercedes-Benz and smart and the former parent of Chrysler.

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has been drilled on the takeover question since the German company sold off Chrysler last year. He has insisted that Daimler is less vulnerable to takeover without. Company spokesman reiterated of late that Daimler is not a takeover candidate nor does the company see indications of an investor building a large stake.

However, sources close to Daimler management told the Financial Times, for a story in Tuesday's edition, that company executives indeed are very concerned about a possible takeover because of a number of converging factors.

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User Comments

Yeah, it's going to be taken over by Hyundai.
— GTR35 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:03:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

Taking the Microsoft approach? Why compete when you can just buy them and slap your name on it.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:04:22 PM | | Votes: 9

LOL, that's exactly what Billy Gates with the MS-DOS operating system :)
— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:18:25 PM | | Votes: -1

Visio, FoxPro, Hot Mail, to name a few. Numerous other software packages and companies are prime examples.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:33:46 PM | | Votes: 2

Lexus = top spot
— hao420 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 11:52:06 PM | | Votes: -3

I don't know if this is relevant... but I thought MB was one of the few car manufactures that are actually profitable compared to last year...

And Smart cars are sold out for the next 13 months at the closest dealership to me.

I think this article is more speculation than actual concrete fact.
— adamsaf723 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:11:51 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Actually there are confirmed reports of stock being bought up in large quanities.

Both Bloomberg and The Financial Times have reported it, and Daimler has confirmed it as well.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:15:39 PM | | Votes: 4

Before being sold, a lot of companies do stuff to make their company look really good for a takeover. It would explain all the record profits while everyone else is down...
— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:53:11 PM | | Votes: 3

They are lined up by the dozen outside dealer opposite my office in S. Florida. Selling well but more keep arriving.
— steve27t (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 7:55:57 PM | | Votes: 0

Is Toyota gonna take over Benz? hahaha...

no, seriously, if anyone could it'll probably be Porsche.
— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:16:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6

@ auto001,

I'm surprised that there has been such a negative reaction to your suggestion. Porsche is a great choice. They've already been turned down by VW. Why not stay in country and buyout or merge with Daimler? I think it would be a happy marriage.

Oddly, I thought of Fiat as well, but can't remember why. Spent so much time being angry with MichaelTaylor's stupid troll comments that I forgot.
— Bored (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:10:35 PM | | Votes: -1

Whatever you're smoking, get rid of it. Seriously this is most retarded shit I have ever heard. You're FUBAR. Seriously.
— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:18:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

lol Scion and Toyota on the luxury tiers
— bmwdrvr (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:24:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

Good comedy, no credibility.
— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:28:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Wow that has got to be the funniest post I have ever read on this site. "European taxi market". "Scion tier 4 luxury".
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:58:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8

MT- you kill me!
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 3:05:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 10

Michael Taylor, I'm sorry that I am the one to have to do this, but this is an intervention. The heroin, PCP, smack, angel dust, acid, it doesn't matter what... it all has to stop. You can't keep doing this to yourself. When you say things like Lexus is as luxurious as Rolls Royce, it makes us wonder if you are ever sober. This not the way a 15 year old should act. Please get some help before I totally lose my goddamn mind!! I could set a Rolls Royce on fire(God forbid) and it would still be more luxurious than a Lexus. Get off the Lexus trip or stop tripping on pills!!
— harbingerofsmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 3:18:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 11

How about ignoring him
— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:00:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Michael you know perfectly well that Jeremy Clarkson never said any such thing. He said (once) that the LS460 was as quiet as a Rolls. From the outside only, not the inside.
— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:14:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

How is Lexus comparable to Bentley MT?

Lexus is shit, and so are you Michael Taylor.

Also, Audi has not been lowering it's prices, the B8 A4 will be way over MSRP, along with the A5/S5 and R8. This is why Audi is surpassing BMW.
— AudiNewEngland (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 5:18:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Wow Michael Taylor you are funny as hell!!!
— M316 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 5:28:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Michael Taylor no wonder everyone hates you.

You're full of doggy doo doo.
— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 6:48:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

@ 0to60,

"How about ignoring him"

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Both ignoring a problem and dealing with a problem will result in a TEMPORARY solution, but only doing the latter can result in a PERMANENT solution.

This is why I personally prefer to deal with a problem by publicly insulting and humiliating trolls.
— Bored (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 7:39:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

What else do you dream about ? Scion as a luxury car ? When did you have the lobotomy ?
— steve27t (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 7:57:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

MT I check you tube for Clarkson/Lexus and came up with this...Funny you have to watch it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3FdV6vQQZs

What is the absolute worst car on sale today? Answer.... Lexus SC.
— steve27t (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:07:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Nice to know that BMW is not publicly traded...

— BMWnumber1 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:25:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

Nobody wants to buy BMW, they lost 300mil plus from inflated residuals this year, expect the same next year as they are not changing their game. Since BMW is losing money they'll soon get rid of the free maintenance program(which was already built in the MSRP anyway) that means customers will be hit with $200 oil changes and $100 winshield wiper blade changes. They have 0.9% lease deals and still having hard time moving inventory, and soon with the lack of hybrids in the marketplace, the future doesn't look bright.
— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:38:38 PM | | Votes: -8

You, without a doubt are in the same ranks as MichaelTaylor, ranking as one of the least intelligent posters on this site.

— BMWnumber1 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:40:29 PM | | Votes: 6

BMW is publicly traded, the ticker is BMWXF it trades on the OTC. The Quandt family holds controlling interest.
— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:48:25 PM | | Votes: 5

Actually he is not too far off. Don't expect BMW to keep the "Ultimate Service Plan" much longer if profits keep falling. It costs them way too much money to have that Service Plan.
— AlexTx (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:45:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6

I doubt they get rid of it anytime soon. It is one of the distinguishing factors that seperate it from the other Luxury brands.

I think it makes a statement to the consumer that they stand behind their cars.
— BMWnumber1 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:48:17 PM | | Votes: 7

They just add it into the price of the car.
— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:55:16 PM | | Votes: -3

And I guess that is why Audi and Mercedes Benz lowered the price of their cars when they did away with their scheduled maint. plans???
LOL
— BMWnumber1 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 2:58:08 PM | | Votes: 8

Mercedes/Daimler is in great shape compared to BMW. BMW has been basically propping up their lease residuals sicne the late 1990's - with the CPO program, "free" (i.e. built into sticker price) maintenance, offering huge warranties on cars with issues (6 yrs 100K miles on early 7-series, etc)and it is now payback time.

I own a BMW and I like BMW's, but it saddens me that BMW is running their business into the ground over the next few years because their customers can't really afford to buy their products and have been propped up for so long. Predictions:

(a) BMW's free maintenance will go bye-bye, (b) BMW's sticker prices will continue to rise (the increased profit from lack of free maintenance will partially plug the expense hole in their P/L arising from eating all the costs associated with over-optimistic lease residuals), (c) BMW market share will plunge because they won't be subsidizing leases any more, and (d) BMW's resale value residuals will also plummet because BMW can't afford to prop them up anymore thru the CPO program. BMW is a house of cards.

Mercedes/Daimler is in sound financial condition, by way of comparison with less exposure to these issues. BTW, nobody's going to buy Mercedes, the German govt won't allow it.
— nybimmer (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 3:23:52 PM | | Votes: 1

nybimmer- I like your predictions.

I too agree either that the free maintenance program will fade away or the warranty will shorten. (AKA VW)

However I think their market share may not deteriorate as badly as we might think. all of the luxury brands are in the same pickle as far a boosted residuals are going. I predict the whole market volume will be less than in years past, as the "wanna be" buyer will no longer be able to afford them.

now the real question is who had the most "wanna bees"?

Call it all part of the evolutionary market flow.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:02:36 PM | | Votes: 1

Umm, let's see, 15k oil changes during the lease term = 3 whole oil changes. So that's maybe $150x3 = $450, and at the most $1000 in the extreme case if they to perform brake servicing. Yeah they're dishing out bit time alright :)
— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:27:27 PM | | Votes: -8

auto001, there's also an Inspection I at 30k miles, a brake flush every two years, a coolant flush every two years, etc. So it's not "just three oil services, $450, big deal". If you leased for 15k miles/yr, there's a good chance you'll need brakes during that time as well. That's $800 by itself.

Regardless, no matter how insignificant you think the "included service" is, the fact is they give it to you and no one else does. End of story. I've personally enjoyed knowing that aside from my car note, insurance, gas, and tires, I don't have to pay a damn thing on my BMW's. It's one of the reasons I keep getting them. Mercedes, Jag, and Audi used to do that. Now they don't. Lexus and Infiniti never did. That leaves BMW as the only high end brand including maintenance with their cars. Check out Edmunds.com sometime and look up the expected maintenance costs for every competitor car during the first four years of ownership. They're all in the $2000-4000 range (BTW the highest one is the Lexus GS450h -- just thought you, MT, and huu76 might enjoy that fact). All that is included with the BMW. Frankly it's astonishing to me that anyone would knock them for including something EVERYONE ELSE MAKES THEIR CUSTOMERS PAY $2000-4000 FOR. It's ridiculous.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 6:03:39 PM | | Votes: 4

Maindrian...
There is definitely profit in the suggested $450, but it goes to the dealer, not BMW.
— daytonaviolet (View Profile)

Posted on 8/20/2008 9:43:18 AM | | Votes: 1

The Toyota Group could easily buy Daimler with cash and have plenty left over to splurge on BMW to act as a Hyundai fighter.

Toyota probably doesn't want to tarnish their reputation with inferior products since they've had a relatively quiet year on the quality front.

Seriously though, I could see the Russians making a go for MB. Hollow out the EU since they're so dependent on Siberian gas and oil.
The German gov't wouldn't dare upset either of their new masters (Russia and China).
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 3:54:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -12

huu76- We are all facing a new world order. China and russia are huge markets coming online while the US EU and Japan are cutting back.

So Russia and China are going to be EVERYBODY's master.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:04:32 PM | | Votes: 9

You do realise Russia has like half the population of the US? And that alcoholism is rife, peasants still exist, and people are still very poor.
— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:15:38 PM | | Votes: 10

huu76,

You remind me of a fellow poster by the name of "Staar" that never had anything intelligent to contribute to this site.
— QuantumMatrix (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:20:02 PM | | Votes: 6

Seriously, what is it going to take to get MT banned???
— mscottc1 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 4:39:49 PM | | Votes: 4

MichaelTaylor,

I'm a "Chink" you have a problem? Are you being racist? Choose your words carefully. Agent001 we should address this issue soon.
— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 6:51:15 PM | | Votes: 2

I agree 100% with Agent63 on this matter, MichaelTaylor - you need to be careful about the way you words things. I don't think you are being racist in your remark, nor have you shown a pattern of that, however your comment can be construed as racist.

Share your passion of Lexus - we all know you tout the company line hardcore and that is fine, just don't refer to other races as anything other than what they are.

-00J
— Agent00J (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 6:56:34 PM | | Votes: 6

"Wow, I never thought about the Russians or Chinks."

You never think about any of the comments you make. I'm also a "chink" and I take this SERIOUSLY. and I know agent63 does as well.
— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 7:30:22 PM | | Votes: 5

For MT and other narrow minded persons,

Russia and former soviet countries, are the only ones buying Lexus cars for the last couple of years. All LX's are exported there. A large percent of RX's, GS's, LS's and IS's go there because they are the only ones buying these cars.

Lexus of course records all of these sales.

Russians also buy every high end luxury car on the market.

China is another large export market for cars, especially audi, bmw, lexus and mercedes.

Export cars are still recorded as sales for now until dealers stop allowing the export of these cars.
— charlik05 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 7:57:58 PM | | Votes: 1

@ Agent63,
I hope you do have a personal relationship with Agent001. Things like this ruin any blog site. Could you be so kind as to remind him to take the link "Contact Us" a little more seriously for a change -- I've made numerous request and have yet to see results. And ask to have "amazinBimmer" added to the banned list as well.

@ huu76,

Why would you advocate conflict between foreign countries? Me thinks you are President George W. Bush in disguise with such foolish talk.

@ the troll known as MT,

Stupid shits like yourself dealt with back when I was a child, the "it takes a village to raise a child" days:
1) Adult neighbor see you doing something wrong, comes out to smack you upside your head, then drags your ass back home.
2) Said adult confronts your parents, reads them "The Riot Act" for not teaching their child better. If met with resistance, your parents will get smacked upside their head as well.

Making such a vile comment like you did has thrown your last chance out the window. You on my list now.
— Bored (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:03:26 PM | | Votes: 3

what is your educational background huu?

and how old are you?

i'm guessing you're still in high school? or have you dropped out?
— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 10:01:22 PM | | Votes: 3

Oh please, please, please let them be taken over and raped by a Chinese company like they did to Chrysler!
— TTRaceRR (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 5:37:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

I second that
— bfghemicuda (View Profile)

Posted on 8/20/2008 4:13:17 PM | | Votes: 2

Honestly Michael Taylor first the european taxi markiet now this.."Huu76 has superb insights. Wow, I never thought about the Russians or Chinks." Instant classics you should have your own show cause I know you are trying to be funny.
— M316 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 5:37:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Its not what a person is called, It is what a person answers to.
— bfghemicuda (View Profile)

Posted on 8/20/2008 4:16:04 PM | | Votes: 1

"The Lexus Division reported July sales of 22,182 units, a decrease of 24.6 percent from the year-ago month."

YEAH SALES ARE DOWN GO LEXUS!!!!!!!!

— charlik05 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:02:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Yeah, more racist speech on this blog, first from MT and now Hondajapan.

Oh and by the way BMW is the best selling luxury car line in the world, outselling Lexus almost 3 to 1.
— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:29:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Guys, Staar is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— bmwman1963 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:39:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Other sites have moderators to deal with the crazies. This site is becoming a joke, is anybody there? anybody listening or reading this stuff?

Time to get serious.
— steve27t (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:17:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Couldn't agree more.
— nsmatt (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:57:03 PM | | Votes: 1

Maybe the Aston/Benz semi-merger plans have something to do with this? Maybe not, just throwing it out there.

Anyway, the first thing that came to my mind was Tata.
— nsmatt (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 8:55:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Tata? that's crazy talk, they make $1500 "cars".
— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 8/19/2008 9:24:17 PM | | Votes: -2

China is only catching up because of companies handing over blue prints of products they make when setting up factories over there. It's easy to copy if you already have step by step instructions to do so. In addition, they pretty much have slave labor so if they want something done it gets done asap. Have you seen the fake (and illegal) Disney land in China aka Shijingshan Amusement Park?

When confronted about the clone of Disney’s Minnie Mouse, they insisted that their character is not a mouse; It is a cat with very large ears!
— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 8/20/2008 11:18:05 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

maybe it's TATA of India planning to buy both MB and BMW.
— richard112360 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/20/2008 9:19:58 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Homer,
China's two achilles heels are that it can only copy and steal, their system isn't geared towards innovation or free thought (that's why Chinese flourish in N.A. but are mere cattle to China).

China is dependent on peace with the U.S., or else no more market for their garbage (it'd also be harder to steal when your visa students are banned). No market means no jobs means nothing better to do than blame the gov't.

The Walmart Olympics had to be grand to instill unity in the country or else ppl would question what all their slave labour efforts were for (hence the underage gymnasts and orchestrated lipsynching). I have a feeling plastic surgery is going to be a booming market since €the gov't basically endorsed "beauty over talent".

I doubt MB could fetch 59 billion from the Russians. The Chinese won't buy what they can steal or copy.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/20/2008 9:24:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

China owns 19.2943%, of the foreign debt, which itself accounts for 25.52% of the total debt.

So China's share of the total debt is 4.9239%

Remember, most of the national debt is technically not held by the public.
— cdoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/20/2008 11:46:52 AM | | Votes: 1

Homer,
Who invented flight? The laser, microprocessor (no, not ET :)

My point is that Western gov'ts foster innovation, hence the West comes up with so many new ideas etc. China fosters learn what's already been done (copy) and steal what they won't teach you. Russia stopped selling Mig-29s and Su's because China stopped buying once they reengineered them.

Russia already controls Europe. Imagine how bad it'd be if Iraq was still only selling oil to the French.

cdoke,
Nothing would happen because China isn't stupid enough to play chicken with the US economy. What affects the US economy affects China worse. How do you think China feels that their trillion dollar nesteggs have lost approx 25% over the last year because of the USD? As I said before, no US economy, no Chinese jobs which results in revolution and the fall of China's communists.

There's a reason why Nixon turned away from the gold-standard, so the US could run deficits if it wanted and not have to suffer since money isn't real anymore. It's just the same money borrowed about 9 billion times.

What's funny is that if China lets its currency float for real, about 40% of their currency reserves will disappear because that's how undervalued the RMB is.

When the Bakken shales is developed, it will basically triple N.A. oil reserves and we'll be bringing all of that "debt" back.

About Russia's pop'n, they're already saying Muslims will eventually do what is happening over here because ethnic Russians aren't having enough children.

China's pop'n is screwed. The one child policy has had 2 effects, their pop'n is already aging (not supposed to happen until they're fully industrialized) and their gender imbalance is off by 40 million.

Anyway, now that Beijing 2008 is done (remember Berlin 1936), get ready for the real fireworks to happen. It's inevitable, there's never been a time in human history where two powers have coexisted without aggression.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2008 11:23:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

To whoever said it. I didn't mean that the Russians couldn't afford 59 billion for MB, I meant that they wouldn't be willing to pay it. Yukos, their national oil giant is only worth about $37 billion I believe. Oil is a lot more strategic than cars. They'd just wait for MB stock to crash a bit first.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2008 11:27:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I forgot to add, in about 20 years, everyone in China will have asthma and their health/diet will be just as bad as here.

I said in the past that China had a chance to be better, but they blew it and copied every mistake that the West made in the last 100 years in a race to proclaim themselves a superpower.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/24/2008 11:33:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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