Toyota's former director and current chairman Akio Toyoda doesn't have much left for either Nissan or Honda today.
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda is disappointed with the direction the talks between competitors Nissan and Honda took, because they were at odds.
Toyota has been following the situation at Nissan, and this is the first time Akio Toyoda has commented directly on the failed negotiations and Nissan's general challenges. His disappointment stems from what was not discussed.
Akio Toyoda, who has had a leading role at Toyota for over a decade and thus competed closely with both Nissan and Honda, is also very clear in his position.
– I was disappointed when I heard what they were talking about, because they didn't talk about the products at all, says Akio Toyoda.
He calls for a greater focus on the cars themselves rather than solely talking about synergies and how the managements of the two car brands can get the most out of a merger.
This is Toyota's disappointment
A merger that will not come to fruition anyway. A merger between Nissan and Honda would otherwise have created the world's third largest car group, surpassed only by Volkswagen and Toyota.
Although Toyota itself operates with an annual production of around 11 million cars, Toyoda warns against seeing building as many cars as possible as the only way to succeed.
He does not believe that a simple merger of two car brands and an increase in volume automatically leads to a stronger market position.
– Volume alone does not necessarily mean you are strong or competitive, Toyoda tells Autonews.
He explains that large-scale production can have both positive and negative consequences. It can provide short-term benefits, but in the long term it can create challenges with integration and common ground.
Furthermore, there is a sales to take into account. Because are there even enough buyers for all the cars?
– In the short term, you can see some positive effects. But in the long term, it can be quite difficult to get to the point where everyone says they are happy that they have been united into one company, explains Akio Toyoda to Autonews .
He thus suggests that large-scale operations can be a complex phenomenon, at least if they are to be handled effectively.
Nissan's current situation is marked by a serious economic downturn. This year alone, the brand expects to lose 3.8 billion kroner.
The brand chose to focus on electric cars early on, while hybrid technology, which Toyota has been successful with, has received renewed attention from consumers.
As part of a restructuring plan, Nissan has appointed its fourth director in just eight years. His name is Ivan Espinosa and he was brought in from within the management team.
However, a new CEO can't do it alone. So Nissan is laying off 9,000 employees worldwide. However, that doesn't mean that plans for new cars are on hold.
There's a new Nissan Leaf and Micra on the way. The same goes for the GT-R model, Espinosa has promised.
