Suzuki now looking to expand ties with Fiat

In further news that is surely telling about the current climate of that particular relationship, Suzuki is eyeing deeper ties with Fiat as its frustration with Volkswagen grows, reports say.

Automobilwoche reports that a senior Suzuki executive, who was unnamed, told the German weekly that the cooperation with Fiat has been going well in a climate of mutual trust for years. “It is perfectly imaginable that a strengthened partnership would be beneficial to both parties. On the other hand, our cooperation with Volkswagen is still being reviewed,” he said.

Back in May, Corriere della Sera, an Italian daily, reported that a secret meeting took place between Fiat and Suzuki executives in Italy.

Meanwhile, Hans Demant, who is in charge of international cooperation at VW, said both automakers were two independent companies with different economic models. “As a result, cooperation should be developed with caution. It is unfortunately taking a little longer than what had been initially planned,” he was quouted as telling Automobilwoche.

© 2011 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 25 Jul 11 04:11:21 +0000.

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