Toyota .GM. To hybridise ? Yes / No ?

Hiroshi Okuda chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. said they are open to supplying its hybrid technology to General Motors Corp, he will meet GM CEO Rick Wagoner when he is in Tokyo in mid May. (Forbes reports that A GM spokesman pooh-poohed the reports: "There is no truth to that whatsoever," he told the Associated Press. The spokesman confirmed that Wagoner (see pic) is indeed headed for Aichi, where Toyota is based, but only to visit the 2005 World Expo fair.) ...so no truth in that story eh ?

Hiroshi Okuda said 2 weeks ago he was concerned about the health of the U.S. auto industry, saying voluntary price hikes and technical tie-ups could be ways to help peers like GM and Ford Motor Co. catch their breath as they lose market share to foreign brands.

Such an agreement between GM and Toyota would give the Japanese auto access to GM and DaimlerChrysler's two-mode hybrid technology, while GM could soon introduce smaller ( i.e less gas guzzling) hybrid cars that the US market wants.

Global realities are kicking in as wars, and resource shortages start to loom. GM rescued by the folks who brought you Pearl Harbour ?