BMW open door to Daimler

[Plex]

Germany luxury car maker BMW would welcome rival Daimler into a joint venture that makes small engines with the French group Peugeot, BMW boss Norbert Reithofer was quoted on Monday as saying.

"If Daimler is interested, the door is open," Reithofer told the business daily Handelsblatt in an interview. "A third partner would allow us to make greater savings."

Motors currently produced by the joint venture are used by BMW's MINI brand.

"In the future, the (BMW) series 1 will also be offered with a four-cylinder motors developed through our program with Peugeot," the German auto boss said.

Last week, BMW unveiled a strategic plan aimed at saving six billion euros ($8.6-billion) in five years, in part by cutting expensive research and development costs.

Periodic cooperation with other automakers was one way the German company said it planned to save money.

Motoring.iafrica