TopGun Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7761015.stm Not sure I have much sympathy with them tbh. Ford, GM and Chrysler are now out with the begging bowl asking for billions of dollars in state aid and saying that they will invest in green technologies... Oh, those'll be the same firms that have been pushing gas guzzling SUVs and pick ups for the last 20 years then!
swannymere Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 Posters on a US forum i'm a member of have seriously been discussing this and most seem to think that they should let market forces dictate which one goes down the pan first thus saving the other two!
TopGun Posted 3 December, 2008 Author Posted 3 December, 2008 Posters on a US forum i'm a member of have seriously been discussing this and most seem to think that they should let market forces dictate which one goes down the pan first thus saving the other two! It's a good point.
St Landrew Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 US cars firms have been seriously inept and lazy over the years. They bank on a loyal US buying public and provide them in return with poor build quality, uneconomical, relatively unreliable, poor handling and performance vehicles, when compared to those designed and built overseas.
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 Posters on a US forum i'm a member of have seriously been discussing this and most seem to think that they should let market forces dictate which one goes down the pan first thus saving the other two! It's a good point. I would think that the US 'Establishment' might be looking to 'let' the company who employs the least go to the wall. If you get my meaning. If that's the case then watch out Ford!
swannymere Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/business/economy/18car.html?_r=2&fta=y
TopGun Posted 3 December, 2008 Author Posted 3 December, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/business/economy/18car.html?_r=2&fta=y Interesting piece.
TopGun Posted 3 December, 2008 Author Posted 3 December, 2008 I would think that the US 'Establishment' might be looking to 'let' the company who employs the least go to the wall. If you get my meaning. If that's the case then watch out Ford! I'd imagine that Ford UK/Europe is profitable based on market share? Maybe Ford US would just spin it off as a going concern to another buyer or MBO.
EastleighSoulBoy Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 I'd imagine that Ford UK/Europe is profitable based on market share? Maybe Ford US would just spin it off as a going concern to another buyer or MBO. For many years Ford U.S. have been bankrolled by Ford of Europe. The 'jewel in the crown' until recently was Southampton. The problem is that Ford didn't really, in my opinion, invest heavily enough in the future of their main European asset. They, and sadly the workforce, are reaping that harvest now.
Saint Martini Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 Can someone explain what would be best for the two Swedish carbrands currently owned by GM and Ford? Is it better for them if their parent companies go bust and they can be picked up cheaply by another car manufacturer (even if they themselves are running heavy losses) or would they be better of if their parent companies are saved and maybe a bit of the state support will tricle through to them?
TopGun Posted 3 December, 2008 Author Posted 3 December, 2008 Can someone explain what would be best for the two Swedish carbrands currently owned by GM and Ford? Is it better for them if their parent companies go bust and they can be picked up cheaply by another car manufacturer (even if they themselves are running heavy losses) or would they be better of if their parent companies are saved and maybe a bit of the state support will tricle through to them? In the original article Ford says it is going to sell Volvo.
swannymere Posted 3 December, 2008 Posted 3 December, 2008 Depending on the price and/or the importance of staying independent brands, surely a merger is on the cards before the monster that is the VW Group comes knocking?
Saint Martini Posted 4 December, 2008 Posted 4 December, 2008 Depending on the price and/or the importance of staying independent brands, surely a merger is on the cards before the monster that is the VW Group comes knocking? I don't think a merger is very likely, they both need investment and since al their profits in previous years have been sucke up by the US neither of them actually have any cash for investments. I don't think either of them would mind VW Group tbh.
TopGun Posted 4 December, 2008 Author Posted 4 December, 2008 I don't think a merger is very likely, they both need investment and since al their profits in previous years have been sucke up by the US neither of them actually have any cash for investments. I don't think either of them would mind VW Group tbh. A lot of cross over of products and marketplace between VW and Saab/Volvo though.
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