Nassau65
CCCUK Member
Yet people in the UK think of Vauxhall as English. A Ford Capri, cortina, Granada etc are all thought of as English. Even tho Ford is American.
Was Aston Martin American Or English when Ford owned it?
Aussies buy up C8s
- Thread starter teamzr1
- Start date
Was Aston Martin American Or English when Ford owned it?
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
Vauxhall and Aston had a history as English companies before being foreign owned (same goes for Jaguar, Rolls, Bentley, Mini etc, etc).
Historically Rolls Royce is as English as they come but sadly they now belong to BMW of Germany.
Ford is an odd one because production in the UK goes back almost as far as in the US and the Dagenham dustbins had a uniquely European flavour so i can see how you can trick yourself into thinking theyre English. Ultimately Ford is American.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
The next big decision is , are you gonna start your own styling house or a fishmongers ?
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
The next big decision is , are you gonna start your own styling house or a fishmongers ?
Im not convinced that were ready for headlights that shine out sideways just yet, we havent quite got to full autonomous driving yet.
When we do though, great idea.. why not.
Roscobbc
Moderator
My cheapo daily driver is a 2003 Mazda 2. Built in Spain and amazingly ULEZ compliant. Running gear and base structure are same as Ford Fusion (also built in Spain) although all upper body panels are different. Ford Fusion itself has Fiesta engine and running gear. Is my car Japanese? Is it European?
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
A Hard one. Yes, the name Mazda relates to a Japanese company, but??
I doubt ANY Ford cortina owners through the years considered their old Ford American. Other way round sees
4th Generation F Bodies ( Camaro & Firebird) built in Canada, yet always thought of as American.
The world has certainly changed as far as manufacturing and company ownership.
At least my old 65 is proper American.
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
When Ford owned 1/3 of Mazda.
My take on it.. Follow the money... where did the money go when someone bought it new?.. to Mazdas profit/loss in Japan.. Its Japanese.
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
That was the view to Americans in the past, but their way of thinking is changing. Those foreign companies are building assembly plants granted with some state subsidies and tax breaks, and employing Americans.
I’m on the fence with the old Tacoma’s . Brand new factory to build a truck available only in America. Proudly built in Texas by Texans, and boy are Texans proud to be American.
American or Japanese, they sure are beautiful trucks, thirsty as hell, but a lovely piece of kit.
teamzr1
Supporting vendor
That is the way the japs got around paying the US import fees and then hire countless illegal aliens that wetbacked into Texas for lower hourly pay
Makes good marketing claiming built in the USA, but most of their parts come from Japan, Mexico or China
Go to any car junkyard in the USA, and they are full of ricers
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
I have a reservation placed on an American pickup truck that will be built in a huge new factory thats nearly completed (its almost a mile long) in Austin Texas.
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James Vette
CCCUK Member
Thank god I don't have money to build a custom.The next big decision is , are you gonna start your own styling house or a fishmongers ?
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
So what is my Jeep Grand Cherokee ? The Jeep brand used to be as American as apple pie until they started to make farty little SUVs for mommies to drive about in ! So I have a Jeep 4 x4 with proper solid rear axle and rugged go any ware capability but was built in Austria .
Well, Jeeps parent company HQ is now in Amsterdam!!! yes, Holland, yes Netherlands..
That well known and prolific car producing nation.
Dutch Dodge anyone?
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Derek Nicol
Well-known user
Interesting how Europe wants to flood the USA with their goods but goes out of their way to prevent ours being sold there
Look out America.. The European Union have their grubby mits on Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram & Mopar.
The European Union is a hard headed protectionist organisation looking out for its best interests, dont expect any sentimentality from them.
They will only remember US troops liberating France for one hour a year, thats all youre getting.
kentvette
CCCUK Member
I'm not sure that's the case really - the Mustang is considered a "sportive" in Europe, so in the same class (nominally!) as Porsche 911, Ferrari, Mercedes Sports etc etc.... It has been the best selling "Sportive" for a few years, so there is clearly a market and a desire for some Us cars. But there is definite;y a "European design" and a "US design". back in the early 2020s we went to the Concorso at Villa d'Este, on Lake Coma, and had an interesting chat with Ed Welburn, then GM head of design. He was there with a Cadillac concept that outwardly was pretty fab, and he was justifiably proud of it. But when we looked at the inside it was sooo 80's! It didn't suit the outside of the car and was so far removed from the other offerings on show from the usual European suspects, VAG, BMW, Mercedes etc....Interesting how Europe wants to flood the USA with their goods but goes out of their way to prevent ours being sold there
And I think that's some of the problem, that the US cars are not what European buyers want necessarily.
Where GM fails is that it has some very strange ideas about what European customers should have, colours and spec wise. They have failed to grasp that US cars are seen as having "everything", so that is what we expect, not a half hearted list of options or restricted colour pallets.
kentvette
CCCUK Member
It may be in the same place, but its definitely not Europe anymore - try doing a bit of import/export of parts for your '78 Corvette, or RC cars, to find out just how removed it is post-stupid-brexit!Erm, ive had a word with NASA and theyve checked their latest satellite images and theyve confirmed that the UK hasnt drifted off anywhere.. its still in the same place.
Roscobbc
Moderator
Remember when GM launched the C6ZR1? - only option in UK was to have chromed ally wheels - how yee-ha was that?
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
I assume that only having one dealer in the UK will hurt C8 sales compared to Mustang sales.
Stingray
CCCUK Member
How many did they sell? One with standard wheels and one with the option? If so they seem to have covered all the bases!
Insofar as sales of "Euro" Vettes were pretty small for GM it seems likely "Euro RHD" sales will be tiny. Since Goodwood Festival of Speed there seems to be lots of interest in the new Lotus and only limited interest in the new Corvette. Anyone who wants one should probably get in quick before the whole UK thing collapses .... again.
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
I read it as C6ZR1 introduced with one wheel spec only.. could be wrong.