Automotive News

Shanghai, December 17 (Gasgoo.com) Brilliance China Automotive said today that it was in talks with Toyota Motor on technology cooperation and a possible joint venture for minivan production, Reuters reported.

Brilliance, a Chinese partner of BMW, has a long-term relationship with Toyota that has been transferring technology know-how on minivan production to the eighth-largest Chinese automaker.

"We are exploring the possibility of making new minivan products together, which could involve equity cooperation, such as setting up a joint venture," Chairman Wu Xiaoan told reporters after a shareholder meeting.

Brilliance is also in talks with Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz unit on possible cooperation, such as using Benz's production facilities in China to develop new models of SPVs (special purpose vehicles) for the Chinese company.

"Brilliance will focus its resources on the BMW joint venture and minivan production to make the firm more profitable," Wu said. BMW Brilliance makes BMW 3 Series and 5 Series sedans in northeast China's Shenyang.

Brilliance has also planned to boost production of minivans to 100,000 in 2010, up 25% from this year, and would export 16,000 of them, up from just 5,000 this year.