B16A_SiR

hahaha so in this case i thin kHonda is the only independent company in japan right

Nova_Dust

Ya you can say that, aside from the Acuras......

1SicCiv

Acura only exists in North America...anywhere else, for example, they are known as Honda Integras, Honda TSX, Honda RSX, etc.

imported_toyman29

couldnt have said it better myself


about the matrix/vibe
corolla/prism
chevy cavilier in north america and the toyota cavilier in japan
toyota isnt alliances w/ GM.. they both just wanted to save $$$ so they shared a few models and engines
same with the other companies..

alliances are like ford and mazda and jaguar together..

92SiHB

no, Honda teamed up with Isuzu and made the Oasis (Odyssey)

92SiHB

i think they also made the Isuzu Rodeo (Honda Passport)

Atomic EG

The MINI uses a Benz derived 1.6 only bacause the plant that the mins were being built in was owned by Benz. The mini was a independant idea until BMW purchased the rights to its production. Next year or in a couple the MINI will use a BMW engine probably 2.0L or something like that.

As for Nissan the only alliance I know they have is with Renault.

Vanquish

Ya nissan went bankrupt so i guess Renault came around and helped them out, so now Nissan is with Renault now i think or some other european company

Vanquish

Don't u mean honda integra, honda accord euro (TSX), and honda well... integra (RSX)? :

SilverCRXSi

Nissan is owned by Peugot (or is Fiat?) I think its something around 30%.
Same with Mazda, which is 30% owned by Ford, Subaru and Jag is also owned by Ford (not sure how much though)
Mitsu is also partly owned by Daimler Chrysler.

So really the only "indie" companies are Honda and Toyota.

imported_gatherer

ok what I think the articvle meant by being independant is not being owned by a domestic company ...like suzuki and Geo are owned by some domestic company (GM??) and Mazda is owned partially by ford (enough to call the mazda 6 a ford 6)

as for the rest it's teaming up to create a car split costs on design and tooling toyota is still independantly owned and so is honda they are the last of the japanese auto makers not to be swallowed up (and partially bought out by the big guys)

just because toyota teams up with GM to create the Vibe/matrix doesn't mean one owns part of the other

Chinese Buffet

Suzuki has ties with GM. All the cars are built at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. They use to make Suzuki Swifts / Fireflys but now they are making Suzuki Vitara / GMC Tracker. The Suzuki Arieo is not built in Canada, it is built in Japan and same with the Suzuki Grand Vitara (V6). Soon they will be building The Chevrolet Equinox there. I know this for a fact because my dad works there

Toyota has ties with GM. All their cars are built in the Cambridge, Ontario Toyota plant. They make the Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe there. I know this for a fact because several of my friends work there.

I always thought Subaru and Isuzu was a part of GM? And I also heard that the hub caps for the Pontiac Vibe are actaully the same as the JDM version of the Toyota Matrix? Correct me if I'm wrong.

SilverCRXSi

The Vibe is not made in Cambridge. jaysi works at the local plant here.
The Vibe is made someplace in Cali.

ask jaysi though, since hes the one that actually works there.

Chinese Buffet

I will check with my friend again.. the last time I talked to him I could have sworn he said he was installing some sort of plastic pieces on the Matrix / Vibe (he works in assembly). I apologize if I gave the wrong info I was just going by what he said. My bad.

But doesn't it make sense to have the same car (Matrix / Vibe)come off the same production line instead of having the same model built at another plant?

SilverCRXSi

The Cambridge plant (here) is getting ready to make the Lexus and they're retooling, from what I understand.
And they also make the Corolla.
There is no Vibe made here, thats for sure.

But like i said jaysi knows for sure.