A neat little summary (British Car Industry)

[dasadrew]

link removed.

[Motorsport Micky]

Like taking cough mixture, if only it did as much good.

Micky

[stagmuffin]

I would imagine that most Brits are only to aware of the legacy of their forfathers lack of insight and neglect of a great engineering nation, I believe we have a new generation trying to change that now.so I guess all this waffle by these unproductive negative types doesn't help,so why keep reiterating with pointless jabs at the Brita. We need to look forward ,we helped a nation who had lost the plot and set them on the road to success,now we need some help not criticism.
Steve

[Firept]

Nice Mini!.
Why is it seen to be something to be proud of in that often on TV and radio people are proud not to be able to do some simple DIY task like put a plug on, fix a door handle etc and only the dimwitted idiots can do that sort of thing.
It makes my blood boil ... sorry should be in the rant section.

Paul.

[wilf]

A little perspective is needed.

The British Motor Industry exported more cars last year than ever before. That is EVER BEFORE.

Our factories are full, only a few are still affected by the Euro-collapse (like Honda, Swindon). The entire JLR factory estate is fit to bust with the weight of orders, 3 shifts going onto the Evoque line, new shops being built in Birmingham, including a brand new engine plant.

Toyota Derby and Nissan oop north are still amongst the most efficient car assembly plants in the world.

Our vehicle assembly plants are thriving, compare that to those in Europe, especially France, which really is in a mess.

The Motor Industry in the UK is a huge success story right now, not a tale of dismal anything. Only the names have changed, and frankly, most of our car production plant always were foreign owned. Remember Vauxhall and Ford were both US owned.

So I really do not understand this thread..............

PS, we also have a low volume (read Morgan/Lotus/Caterham, classic, and kit car industry the envy of anywhere in the world.

Celebrate !

[404ROD]

A little perspective is needed.

The British Motor Industry exported more cars last year than ever before. That is EVER BEFORE.

Our factories are full, only a few are still affected by the Euro-collapse (like Honda, Swindon). The entire JLR factory estate is fit to bust with the weight of orders, 3 shifts going onto the Evoque line, new shops being built in Birmingham, including a brand new engine plant.

Toyota Derby and Nissan oop north are still amongst the most efficient car assembly plants in the world.

Our vehicle assembly plants are thriving, compare that to those in Europe, especially France, which really is in a mess.

The Motor Industry in the UK is a huge success story right now, not a tale of dismal anything. Only the names have changed, and frankly, most of our car production plant always were foreign owned. Remember Vauxhall and Ford were both US owned.

So I really do not understand this thread..............

PS, we also have a low volume (read Morgan/Lotus/Caterham, classic, and kit car industry the envy of anywhere in the world.

Celebrate !

I think what what upsets the purists is that the British Motor Industry, which you rightly said exported more cars than ever before, is all owned by foreigners. Morgan may be British but Lotus is owned by a Malaysian company.

Rod

[wilf]

So what. It employs people, buys components locally, buys support services and plant. In other words, it behaves just like a UK owned biz.

No-one cares that ICI is mainly owned by foreign investors, nor that when you flick on a light switch you are exporting profits usually to France or Germany.

I just wish we were better at exalting our success stories (and that the BBC did not try to be the Daily Mail).

[404ROD]

So what. It employs people, buys components locally, buys support services and plant. In other words, it behaves just like a UK owned biz.

No-one cares that ICI is mainly owned by foreign investors, nor that when you flick on a light switch you are exporting profits usually to France or Germany.

I just wish we were better at exalting our success stories (and that the BBC did not try to be the Daily Mail).

Actually I care a lot that we cannot run our own car industry. The Germans and Swiss won't allow foreigners to get hold of their major companies. Read the book "Britain for Sale" by Alex Brummer.

Rod

[stagmuffin]

So what. It employs people, buys components locally, buys support services and plant. In other words, it behaves just like a UK owned biz.

No-one cares that ICI is mainly owned by foreign investors, nor that when you flick on a light switch you are exporting profits usually to France or Germany.

I just wish we were better at exalting our success stories (and that the BBC did not try to be the Daily Mail).

spot on !
bit fed up with all the knockers and whinging under acheivers as well. this is still a great country and the sooner people realize its down to them and start pulling their weight the greater it will be

[jleyton]

.The Motor Industry in the UK is a huge success story right now, not a tale of dismal anything. Only the names have changed, and frankly, most of our car production plant always were foreign owned. Remember Vauxhall and Ford were both US owned.

Very good point - I hadn't really thought about that

Cheers

Julian

[dasadrew]

Although I posted the link neutrally without any forethought about its content, both the comments made in the article and also Wilf's comments all run along the same line: "British Engineering is bloody good as long as someone else is calling the shots".

With my British degree I run rings around my German Diploma colleagues, I have old friends from university in Britain that design the pants off of other countries' engineers, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that a British Manager couldn't run a piss-up at a ..... well, you know what I mean.

It's great working for someone else but, when the chips are down and the plug is pulled it gets tough. Even central Germany is a wasteland after GM and Ford pulled the plug.

I really sincerely hoped that Britain would get on its feet again ready for me to retire in the Cotswolds but when the sell-off of the true British institutions continues, it's more like a countdown to zero. The next step will be that RussiaCare will run the National Health Service which, in its time, was a lighthouse to the civilised world. I fear (and have no enjoyment thereby), that stagmuffin's "brave new youth" is limited to X-Factor and The Apprentice and anything else which propels you to fame and a fast buck. Time will tell.

[dasadrew]

Very good point - I hadn't really thought about that

Cheers

Julian

Good Grief! I thought EVERYONE knew that Henry Ford was American! Were / are people about who thought Ford was English?

[jleyton]

Of course I knew that both Henry and The General are American Drew, but the UK is basking in record vehicle production and increasing sales and when people complain that all the factories are foreign owned, it is good to reflect that the position is surprisingly similar to 40 years ago.

Cheers

Julian

[wilf]

Drew, the country has been going to the dogs for centuries.

I blame Cromwell myself, he bequeathed us politicians.

[Steve JP]

Sorry Drew, did I miss something today? - why did you remove the link, or were you 'moderated'?