Ford, VW May Update Partnership Plans Next Week

Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Co. may offer a report at next week’s Detroit auto show on their efforts to launch a global strategic alliance, sources tell Reuters.

The two companies have been exploring shared development and production of commercial vans and pickup trucks for more than a year. Since then they have repeatedly described the talks as fruitful and expanding.

In October, Ford described the discussions as not limited “in any way whatsoever.” Last month VW CEO Herbert Diess told reporters the negotiations were “quite advanced” and global in scope.

Yesterday Jim Farley, Ford’s president of global markets, said the two companies make a good match in terms of potential shared products and production facilities. He describes the talks as “far along, very deep.”

The two companies say a merger is not under consideration. But it isn’t clear whether each carmaker might take an equity position in the other.