Toyota mulls cooperation with Daimler: report

FRANKFURT/STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) - Toyota (7203.T) is considering building derivatives of Mercedes-Benz's (DAIGn.DE) A-Class and B-Class cars on its own so-called MC platform to better utilize its European plants in the long term, a German magazine said on Wednesday.

Citing sources at Toyota's Tokyo headquarters, auto motor und sport said the two companies could also look at sharing development costs and even examine the possible joint production of Toyota's Lexus LS flagship luxury saloon and its Mercedes counterpart, the S-Class, the best selling car in its segment.

"It's part of our normal business practice that we regularly talk to other carmakers but there are no specific projects planned at the moment," a spokeswoman for Toyota Motor Europe said.

Daimler called the report "speculation", declining to comment further.

(Reporting by Christiaan Hetzner and Hendrik Sackmann; Editing by Greg Mahlich)