BMW and Daimler are expected to sign an agreement to combine forces on purchasing later this week.
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According to Autobild.de the companies are expecting to save EUR350m in the first year of their cooperation, and more in subsequent years. In particular savings would come from reduced development costs and higher economies of scale.
Executives from both companies confirmed earlier this year that BMW and Daimler could cooperate on the development and purchasing of certain components. They already cooperate on hybrid drive development. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that, amongst other things, the companies had been discussing the joint purchasing of parts for seat frames and heating, ventilation and air conditioning units. The latest Autobild.de report mentions components such as airbag parts and air conditioning units. In the future they could also cooperate on small four-cylinder engine development.
At the beginning of this year there was some suggestion that Daimler was looking for a partner with which to develop the next generation A- and B-Class but this development and purchasing agreement does not extend to a complete vehicle.
