Barely three weeks into March and the automotive industry is already abuzz with news on companies getting into further consolidation mode. Wednesday saw Toyota and Suzuki announce the next phase of their partnership which, cliched as it may sounds, is truly in top gear. Apart from Baleno and Brezza, Suzuki will now supply its Ertiga and Ciaz models to Toyota which, in turn, will re-engineer and retail them under its own badge. Under cross-badging, companies come together to sell a vehicle under different brand names, with some small cosmetic changes. Developmental costs of new models are minimized while brand identity is also retained. Beyond Japan Inc, there are other marriages happening elsewhere across the world. Volkswagen will work with Ford on pick-ups and potentially other initiatives in the mobility space. VW has also joined hands with Hino Motors (a Toyota group company) to explore opportunities in commercial vehicles though this could largely be focused on the ...