A strange marriage proposed in a new world of carmakers

The alliance between General Motors, Nissan and Renault that has been proposed by one of the company's largest and most disaffected shareholders is somewhat reminiscent of the proverb, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
In General Motors' case, Toyota would be the enemy, gaining as it is on GM's position as the world's largest automaker. In Nissan's case, a long, long time in their native Japan, Nissan vied with Toyota to be Japan's No. 1 carmaker. Those are two vignettes among hundreds, perhaps thousands, that illustrate the changing nature of the automobile business in the United States, in Japan and in the world. (Another appears on the page opposite this, a Years Ago entry that notes that General Motors had 22,000 employees in the Mahoning Valley just 25 years ago.)
In the new, truly global automobile industry, Nissan would be looking to use GM's strength in China to break into that market. It could also be looking for access to some of GM's excessive plant capacity in the United States. Much as Toyota, which recently bought GM's share in Subaru, plans to use a Subaru plant in Indiana to build Camry models. Such conversions are cheaper and quicker than building a new plant.
International affair
Beyond nebulous prospects for global efficiencies, it is less clear what General Motors would get from Nissan and Renault, which are Japanese and French companies now overseen by Carlos Ghosn, a Brazilian-born, French-educated son of Lebanese parents.
Ghosn is credited with engineering Nissan's turnaround since 1999 and it's been suggested that financier Kirk Kerkorian, who suggested that GM explore an alliance with Nissan and Renault, sees Ghosn as a more aggressive turn-around leader than GM's chief executive for the last six years, Rick Wagoner.
But in acceding to Kerkorian's suggestion that exploratory discussions be held, the full board named Wagoner to be the point man. Would the board put Wagoner in the position of negotiating with his potential successor?
Wagoner is winding down a grueling campaign to lure 35,000 United Autoworkers Union members into taking buyouts and early retirements so that plants can be closed. He has cautioned shareholders and employees alike that GM faces a long battle back to profitability.
Ghosn, on the other hand, earned the nickname "le cost cutter" for his relatively quick overhaul of Nissan and has been quoted as saying there is nothing that ails Detroit that he couldn't fix.
Meanwhile, the employees of theses companies and the communities that rely on the jobs the companies provide are largely spectators to the boardroom battles and corporate alliances that may result.
George Fisher, a member of the GM board and, retired chairman and CEO of Eastman Kodak Co., said the board will monitor the talks between Wagoner and Ghosn and make sure they serve the best interest of all GM stockholders.
The statement was clearly meant to reinforce the independence of the board as a whole from the outspoken Kerkorian. But it also makes it clear that, facing a staggering one-year loss of more than $10 billion, the board is looking foremost at improving the company's bottom line.