A profitable future for automakers usually relies mostly on yielding the best return from their products and technologies and at times these technologies does not come from the automaker themselves. There have been numerous partnerships between two auto firms and usually it is to exchange technologies with each other. Lately, BMW and Toyota have gone down that route.

Sometime last month, BMW and Toyota held talks regarding the exchange of technologies that they excel in. Reportedly, BMW will supply their diesel engines to Toyota and in exchange, Toyota will share its hybrid technology with BMW. During the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, both companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a mid to long term collaboration on next-generation environment-friendly technologies.

Toyota aims to offer its current line-up with diesel engines especially in Europe where diesel emission tests are very stringent. And also they need to find a source outside of Japan to alleviate the strength of the Yen.

BMW is working hard on their i3 concept hybrid and to fund a hybrid technology development will cost a lot of money compared to buying that technology from another company, for this case, Toyota.

Toyota will receive access to BMW