Europe's truckmakers anticipate profits will rebound faster than expected in 2010, thanks to emerging markets where enormous growth rates pushed aside painful memories of the industry's worst ever slump.
Toyota Motor Corp is in talks to supply Daimler AG, the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars, with parts and technology for hybrid vehicles, Japan's Nikkan Jidosha newspaper reported on Thursday.
Carmakers Daimler, Renault and Nissan are redoubling their electric cars effort in the race for market share in a world of tighter emission rules.
Daimler expects rising demand for its most expensive Mercedes-Benz models to drive operating profit to 6 billion euros ($7.8 billion) in 2010, its best result since the auto industry boom that peaked three years ago.
Daimler's trucks boss Andreas Renschler said there are no plans to split the German company into a passenger car maker and a truck maker.
The E 300 L is actually the first model that Daimler developed specifically for the Chinese market
Daimler's passenger car division Mercedes-Benz Cars expects operating profit to reach the upper end of its forecast this year and aims to boost profitability to 10 percent of sales by the second half of 2012.
Sales of Mercedes-Benz brand vehicles rose 15.3 percent to 93,100 units in April, the third German luxury carmaker to confirm that a recovery in demand continued over last month.
Chrysler could raise its financial targets for 2010 in the second half of the year and aims for a public offering of its stock as quickly as possible, Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said on Monday.
Chrysler reported net losses of nearly $4 billion since it emerged from bankruptcy last year, but it had an operating profit in the first quarter and affirmed that it was on track to break even in 2010.
Almost a year into its government-funded rescue, Chrysler remains a laggard in sales against the industry and analysts increasingly question if Fiat can change the game for its struggling U.S. partner.
Daimler shares soared nearly 8 percent, leading European auto stocks higher after the company unexpectedly hiked the 2010 earnings target for its luxury Mercedes arm.
Daimler's Mercedes Benz cars unit is returning to its role as the company's cash cow.
German carmaker Daimler reaffirmed it would earn more than 2.3 billion euros ($3.14 billion) of operating profit this year, with all divisions returning to the black, allowing it to pay a dividend again.
Carmakers Renault , Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Daimler on Wednesday said they would swap stakes and jointly develop cars as part of partnership plans aimed at gaining scale and sharing costs.
French carmaker Renault , Japanese alliance partner Nissan and Germany's Daimler will unveil partnership plans on Wednesday, France's industry minister said.
French carmaker Renault, its Japanese alliance partner Nissan and Germany's Daimler are likely to announce partnership and cross-shareholding plans as early as Wednesday.
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, China's biggest private carmaker, said on Tuesday scale is the key to returning Volvo to profitability, but has no current plans to build the Swedish brand in China.
German carmaker Daimler AG dismissed market talk on Tuesday it could divest its Maybach super luxury brand, after Chinese media reported that a Chinese firm was considering buying the brand.
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, China's biggest private carmaker, said on Tuesday that it is prepared to pump up to $900 million into the Volvo unit it is buying from Ford , as part of its plan to return the Swedish carmaker to the black.
The Renault-Nissan group and Daimler AG are considering taking symbolic stakes in each other and working on bigger joint projects, sources said, in the face of intense pressure to cut costs and develop cleaner cars.
Car and truck manufacturer Daimler AG allegedly earned $1.9 billion in revenue and at least $91.4 million in illegal profits from transactions tainted by bribes, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
