Sean McLain

So the Japanese government is one of the biggest architects pushing this deal for one very big reason. Jobs in Japan that directly work for these two companies and are reliant on these two companies having manufacturing and research facilities in Japan.

And so the hope is that by combining together, they might together produce enough vehicles and sell enough vehicles in Japan to sort of justify their continued existence.

And so the hope is that by combining together, they might together produce enough vehicles and sell enough vehicles in Japan to sort of justify their continued existence.

And so the hope is that by combining together, they might together produce enough vehicles and sell enough vehicles in Japan to sort of justify their continued existence.

Well, the number one challenge is culture. These are two extremely different companies. Nissan historically has had its top management picked from the University of Tokyo, the sort of the Harvard of Japan, Keio University, the sort of blue-blooded patrician elite of Japanese education. And their leadership tends to be people who come up through the sales side of the business.

Well, the number one challenge is culture. These are two extremely different companies. Nissan historically has had its top management picked from the University of Tokyo, the sort of the Harvard of Japan, Keio University, the sort of blue-blooded patrician elite of Japanese education. And their leadership tends to be people who come up through the sales side of the business.

Well, the number one challenge is culture. These are two extremely different companies. Nissan historically has had its top management picked from the University of Tokyo, the sort of the Harvard of Japan, Keio University, the sort of blue-blooded patrician elite of Japanese education. And their leadership tends to be people who come up through the sales side of the business.

Whereas Honda has always been an engineering company. And Honda's leaders have typically come up through their research and development arm. People whose engineering chops have propelled them to the top of the company. So these are two very different corporate cultures. And frankly, even the way that they operate internally are very different.

Whereas Honda has always been an engineering company. And Honda's leaders have typically come up through their research and development arm. People whose engineering chops have propelled them to the top of the company. So these are two very different corporate cultures. And frankly, even the way that they operate internally are very different.

Whereas Honda has always been an engineering company. And Honda's leaders have typically come up through their research and development arm. People whose engineering chops have propelled them to the top of the company. So these are two very different corporate cultures. And frankly, even the way that they operate internally are very different.

You have your Honda Accord, which competes with your Nissan Altima, your Civic competes with your Sentra, your CR-V that competes with your Rogue. There's very little difference in the lineups of these companies. And so where do you find efficiencies that aren't just simple cuts?

You have your Honda Accord, which competes with your Nissan Altima, your Civic competes with your Sentra, your CR-V that competes with your Rogue. There's very little difference in the lineups of these companies. And so where do you find efficiencies that aren't just simple cuts?

You have your Honda Accord, which competes with your Nissan Altima, your Civic competes with your Sentra, your CR-V that competes with your Rogue. There's very little difference in the lineups of these companies. And so where do you find efficiencies that aren't just simple cuts?

Maybe he already has. But I think that's certainly the concern of a lot of these car makers, that they're going to lose that niche in the market and that sort of place in the sort of automotive pantheon to these Chinese companies that are cooler, younger, and more innovative.

Maybe he already has. But I think that's certainly the concern of a lot of these car makers, that they're going to lose that niche in the market and that sort of place in the sort of automotive pantheon to these Chinese companies that are cooler, younger, and more innovative.

Maybe he already has. But I think that's certainly the concern of a lot of these car makers, that they're going to lose that niche in the market and that sort of place in the sort of automotive pantheon to these Chinese companies that are cooler, younger, and more innovative.

Look, I think this is absolutely emblematic of the strain on carmakers today. Carmakers from GM to Ford to Toyota to Honda and Nissan are struggling to spend enough money to compete with the likes of Tesla and particularly Chinese carmakers. I would not be surprised if we see more of these mergers and partnerships,

Look, I think this is absolutely emblematic of the strain on carmakers today. Carmakers from GM to Ford to Toyota to Honda and Nissan are struggling to spend enough money to compete with the likes of Tesla and particularly Chinese carmakers. I would not be surprised if we see more of these mergers and partnerships,

Look, I think this is absolutely emblematic of the strain on carmakers today. Carmakers from GM to Ford to Toyota to Honda and Nissan are struggling to spend enough money to compete with the likes of Tesla and particularly Chinese carmakers. I would not be surprised if we see more of these mergers and partnerships,

If enough markets around the world still push electric vehicles, that is going to strain the budgets and the finances of these carmakers and something will break. And in the case of Honda and Nissan, we're seeing it starting to crack, but they will not be the last.