RE: Can Riley revive MG and TVR?
Discussion
The Hypno-Toad said:
No this country isn't;
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors. So I guess that means we are the best at running companies, which in my book is a pretty good definition of being an entrepenurer. No company has a right to exist just because people look back at what they did in the past through rose tinted glasses. Of course not everyone wants to buy German, thats why the new Mini has been such a flop, BMW are closing showrooms and Audi can't sell any cars. We live a captialist, fast moving economy. If people don't want to buy something, then they will look on the internet and go and buy something else. This isn't the seventies, people now have high expectations with regard to product quality and percieved image.
The problem is (as I have just said.) that there are too many cars chasing too few people. For the motor industry to survive it needs to start losing brands, not giving life support to brands that the majority of consumers don't want anymore. Manufacturers need to start cutting down on models and brands and just start concentrating on the cars that they are good at.
Warning! the above post contains irony....
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors. So I guess that means we are the best at running companies, which in my book is a pretty good definition of being an entrepenurer. No company has a right to exist just because people look back at what they did in the past through rose tinted glasses. Of course not everyone wants to buy German, thats why the new Mini has been such a flop, BMW are closing showrooms and Audi can't sell any cars. We live a captialist, fast moving economy. If people don't want to buy something, then they will look on the internet and go and buy something else. This isn't the seventies, people now have high expectations with regard to product quality and percieved image.
The problem is (as I have just said.) that there are too many cars chasing too few people. For the motor industry to survive it needs to start losing brands, not giving life support to brands that the majority of consumers don't want anymore. Manufacturers need to start cutting down on models and brands and just start concentrating on the cars that they are good at.
Warning! the above post contains irony....
Why does every one seem to forget Morgan........and Ariel for that matter as well,can Ascari be considered british? even tho it has a dutch owner and an italian name the are still manufactured and designed here.
Horse_Apple said:
I suspect that most people remember Riley as just a dull company that took someone elses car and stuck a crude lump of chrome on the front to try and make it look like a Rolls to myopic retards.
There certainly spent the last decade of their life attempting to polish turds.
Actually, that probably makes them the perfect candidate to resurect a car that was complete rubbish when it was new ten years ago.
The only reason Riley ended up "sticking crude lumps of chrome" on "someone elses" car was because it was absorbed into British Leyland, and they couldn't decide what to do with it. They did the same with vanden plas and other brands they owned. When independant, Riley had made some good cars, and given the chance the same could be true today.
You're right about the public image though, so the new cars would have to be very could to convince people to buy them.
MidnightDriver said:
The Hypno-Toad said:
No this country isn't;
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors. So I guess that means we are the best at running companies, which in my book is a pretty good definition of being an entrepenurer. No company has a right to exist just because people look back at what they did in the past through rose tinted glasses. Of course not everyone wants to buy German, thats why the new Mini has been such a flop, BMW are closing showrooms and Audi can't sell any cars. We live a captialist, fast moving economy. If people don't want to buy something, then they will look on the internet and go and buy something else. This isn't the seventies, people now have high expectations with regard to product quality and percieved image.
The problem is (as I have just said.) that there are too many cars chasing too few people. For the motor industry to survive it needs to start losing brands, not giving life support to brands that the majority of consumers don't want anymore. Manufacturers need to start cutting down on models and brands and just start concentrating on the cars that they are good at.
Warning! the above post contains irony....
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors. So I guess that means we are the best at running companies, which in my book is a pretty good definition of being an entrepenurer. No company has a right to exist just because people look back at what they did in the past through rose tinted glasses. Of course not everyone wants to buy German, thats why the new Mini has been such a flop, BMW are closing showrooms and Audi can't sell any cars. We live a captialist, fast moving economy. If people don't want to buy something, then they will look on the internet and go and buy something else. This isn't the seventies, people now have high expectations with regard to product quality and percieved image.
The problem is (as I have just said.) that there are too many cars chasing too few people. For the motor industry to survive it needs to start losing brands, not giving life support to brands that the majority of consumers don't want anymore. Manufacturers need to start cutting down on models and brands and just start concentrating on the cars that they are good at.
Warning! the above post contains irony....
Why does every one seem to forget Morgan........and Ariel for that matter as well,can Ascari be considered british? even tho it has a dutch owner and an italian name the are still manufactured and designed here.
and Caterham, Westfield, lots of F1 teams... No major British manufacturer now, but plenty of niche makers providing excellent products.
Tell 'em Eddy
of course there IS a motor industry in Britain..it just that it's not called "British Leyland" anymore. I don't understand why someone can just spout out such rubbish.
So yeah, any profits might be going abroad- agreed that's daft. Also, just to expand the argument, the British Motor industry is not just in Britain, but it's all over the world. I've worked in Product Development in auto companies in the UK, Japan, Detroit and Brazil and everyone has Brits living and working there telling johnny foreigner how to design and make cars for their countries. How many Brits work at Ford in Germany, Australia, South Africa??
The Automotive industry, like most manufacturing industries, is now a GLOBAL industry- that's a fact, by the way.
And, anyway...you've forgotten about Bristol, who still claim to be 100% British
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors.
If there is no british car industry, what exactly am i working in? From where i sit it is very much live and kicking
of course there IS a motor industry in Britain..it just that it's not called "British Leyland" anymore. I don't understand why someone can just spout out such rubbish.
So yeah, any profits might be going abroad- agreed that's daft. Also, just to expand the argument, the British Motor industry is not just in Britain, but it's all over the world. I've worked in Product Development in auto companies in the UK, Japan, Detroit and Brazil and everyone has Brits living and working there telling johnny foreigner how to design and make cars for their countries. How many Brits work at Ford in Germany, Australia, South Africa??
The Automotive industry, like most manufacturing industries, is now a GLOBAL industry- that's a fact, by the way.
And, anyway...you've forgotten about Bristol, who still claim to be 100% British
eddy_hyde said:
The Hypno-Toad said:
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors.
If there is no british car industry, what exactly am i working in? From where i sit it is very much live and kicking
What an absolute waste of time.
The Riley brand stands for nothing more than nailed on bits of nasty wood trim and ugly chrome adornments stuck on to other useless Brit junk.
And if they start churning out MGs resembling that abortion in the picture, they may just as well wheel the cash over the edge of Beachy Head.
Turd polishing is still alive and well in the UK. God help us...
Cheers
Rich
The Riley brand stands for nothing more than nailed on bits of nasty wood trim and ugly chrome adornments stuck on to other useless Brit junk.
And if they start churning out MGs resembling that abortion in the picture, they may just as well wheel the cash over the edge of Beachy Head.
Turd polishing is still alive and well in the UK. God help us...
Cheers
Rich
Edited by rustyintegrale on Tuesday 13th March 13:52
bri_the_fly said:
Tell 'em Eddy
of course there IS a motor industry in Britain..it just that it's not called "British Leyland" anymore. I don't understand why someone can just spout out such rubbish.
So yeah, any profits might be going abroad- agreed that's daft. Also, just to expand the argument, the British Motor industry is not just in Britain, but it's all over the world. I've worked in Product Development in auto companies in the UK, Japan, Detroit and Brazil and everyone has Brits living and working there telling johnny foreigner how to design and make cars for their countries. How many Brits work at Ford in Germany, Australia, South Africa??
The Automotive industry, like most manufacturing industries, is now a GLOBAL industry- that's a fact, by the way.
And, anyway...you've forgotten about Bristol, who still claim to be 100% British
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors.
If there is no british car industry, what exactly am i working in? From where i sit it is very much live and kicking
of course there IS a motor industry in Britain..it just that it's not called "British Leyland" anymore. I don't understand why someone can just spout out such rubbish.
So yeah, any profits might be going abroad- agreed that's daft. Also, just to expand the argument, the British Motor industry is not just in Britain, but it's all over the world. I've worked in Product Development in auto companies in the UK, Japan, Detroit and Brazil and everyone has Brits living and working there telling johnny foreigner how to design and make cars for their countries. How many Brits work at Ford in Germany, Australia, South Africa??
The Automotive industry, like most manufacturing industries, is now a GLOBAL industry- that's a fact, by the way.
And, anyway...you've forgotten about Bristol, who still claim to be 100% British
eddy_hyde said:
The Hypno-Toad said:
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors.
If there is no british car industry, what exactly am i working in? From where i sit it is very much live and kicking
Just sit back in your chair and we'll plug it in...
If you would like to actually read the comments that I have put on the board today, I have never mentioned engineers or people in product development. My problem is with the RETAIL side of the motor industry and the fact that that is in substanial decline. I would agree that British engineers and technical staff probably are the best it the world and certainly our motor racing industry is the world leader in all fields. But what you are not realising is that if these large companies go belly up through a combination of rubbish management, poor or badly marketed product, over production and distress selling then it won't matter how good these people are they will be out of a job. The writing is already on the wall.
And as for Bristol, I can only assume that's a joke. If you asked anybody outside the UK who Bristol were I suspect they would say they were an English slang word for boobies.
The Hypno-Toad said:
bri_the_fly said:
Tell 'em Eddy
of course there IS a motor industry in Britain..it just that it's not called "British Leyland" anymore. I don't understand why someone can just spout out such rubbish.
So yeah, any profits might be going abroad- agreed that's daft. Also, just to expand the argument, the British Motor industry is not just in Britain, but it's all over the world. I've worked in Product Development in auto companies in the UK, Japan, Detroit and Brazil and everyone has Brits living and working there telling johnny foreigner how to design and make cars for their countries. How many Brits work at Ford in Germany, Australia, South Africa??
The Automotive industry, like most manufacturing industries, is now a GLOBAL industry- that's a fact, by the way.
And, anyway...you've forgotten about Bristol, who still claim to be 100% British
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors.
If there is no british car industry, what exactly am i working in? From where i sit it is very much live and kicking
of course there IS a motor industry in Britain..it just that it's not called "British Leyland" anymore. I don't understand why someone can just spout out such rubbish.
So yeah, any profits might be going abroad- agreed that's daft. Also, just to expand the argument, the British Motor industry is not just in Britain, but it's all over the world. I've worked in Product Development in auto companies in the UK, Japan, Detroit and Brazil and everyone has Brits living and working there telling johnny foreigner how to design and make cars for their countries. How many Brits work at Ford in Germany, Australia, South Africa??
The Automotive industry, like most manufacturing industries, is now a GLOBAL industry- that's a fact, by the way.
And, anyway...you've forgotten about Bristol, who still claim to be 100% British
eddy_hyde said:
The Hypno-Toad said:
In case you hadn't noticed there is now no longer a BRITISH motor industry. Every car manufacturer in the UK is owned by foreign investors.
If there is no british car industry, what exactly am i working in? From where i sit it is very much live and kicking
Just sit back in your chair and we'll plug it in...
If you would like to actually read the comments that I have put on the board today, I have never mentioned engineers or people in product development. My problem is with the RETAIL side of the motor industry and the fact that that is in substanial decline. I would agree that British engineers and technical staff probably are the best it the world and certainly our motor racing industry is the world leader in all fields. But what you are not realising is that if these large companies go belly up through a combination of rubbish management, poor or badly marketed product, over production and distress selling then it won't matter how good these people are they will be out of a job. The writing is already on the wall.
And as for Bristol, I can only assume that's a joke. If you asked anybody outside the UK who Bristol were I suspect they would say they were an English slang word for boobies.
Aston Martin, anyone?
rustyintegrale said:
What an absolute waste of time.
The Riley brand stands for nothing more than nailed on bits of nasty wood trim and ugly chrome adornments stuck on to other useless Brit junk.
And if they start churning out MGs resembling that abortion in the picture, they may just as well wheel the cash over the edge of Beachy Head.
Turd polishing is still alive and well in the UK. God help us...
Cheers
Rich
The Riley brand stands for nothing more than nailed on bits of nasty wood trim and ugly chrome adornments stuck on to other useless Brit junk.
And if they start churning out MGs resembling that abortion in the picture, they may just as well wheel the cash over the edge of Beachy Head.
Turd polishing is still alive and well in the UK. God help us...
Cheers
Rich
Edited by rustyintegrale on Tuesday 13th March 13:52
On the contrary, the Riley name stood for very much more prior to its takeover by BMC.
May I suggest a bit of research using 'Riley Brooklands', Riley Le Mans', Riley Freddie Dixon' as a starting point?
Respectfully yours
A humble Riley owner who is currently Chairman of the Riley Motor Club.
So
to you.... The Hypno-Toad said:
Just sit back in your chair and we'll plug it in...
If you would like to actually read the comments that I have put on the board today, I have never mentioned engineers or people in product development. My problem is with the RETAIL side of the motor industry and the fact that that is in substanial decline. I would agree that British engineers and technical staff probably are the best it the world and certainly our motor racing industry is the world leader in all fields. But what you are not realising is that if these large companies go belly up through a combination of rubbish management, poor or badly marketed product, over production and distress selling then it won't matter how good these people are they will be out of a job. The writing is already on the wall.
And as for Bristol, I can only assume that's a joke. If you asked anybody outside the UK who Bristol were I suspect they would say they were an English slang word for boobies.
How is that particular to British car industry? ANY company that is mismanaged, etc etc and goes under will put good people out of a job.
I don't understand the obsession with people thinking there should be a mass manufacturer of cars in Britain. Why should there? British engineers and inventors consistently show themselves to be great at innovative thinking and specialist product creation. Mass production of cars hasn't been particularly effective here for a long time.
Edited by ewenm on Tuesday 13th March 14:16
The Hypno-Toad said:
These people need to realise that there are too many cars chasing too few people. Anybody who wants a car with 'heritige' will have now bought either an old MG or another brand. The people who bought the F have now moved onto better things (TTs, Porsches.) and the market is no longer there.
Hang on. Have you seen GDP growth, and in particular, higher income tax bracket growth in the last few years? Look at page 17 of this
www.ifs.org.uk/comms/r66.pdf
It shows significant upward trends in each of the income brackets, to the extent that if you assume income is relativly closely aligned to car expenditure, this years £60k car is achieveable by the same percentage of people who 5 years ago bought a £40k car......
Justin
The Hypno-Toad said:
I've been selling cars now for 13 years for 5 different manufacturers and in that time not one of them has asked me or any of my collegues how they feel things are going on the coal face or how matters could be improved. Yet we are the people the general public pass their views and perceptions onto every day. Just one example of the blinkered attiude that exists throughout every level of the new car trade.
Talk to any physical retail staff and you'd get the same answer. Not all retail companies are going down the pan, indeed, Porsche is positivly flying..... (I take it you never sold Porches?) J
Horse_Apple said:
I suspect that most people remember Riley as just a dull company that took someone elses car and stuck a crude lump of chrome on the front to try and make it look like a Rolls to myopic retards.
It's true. I'm in my late 30's and even I only remember Riley like that, so I would imagine the brand has zero worth.
Now Healey, that's a name that could be great again (although kids will think that it is a car with no wheels and a single roller at the back
) Edited by JonRB on Tuesday 13th March 16:37
joust said:
[quote=The Hypno-Toad]I've been selling cars now for 13 years for 5 different manufacturers and in that time not one of them has asked me or any of my collegues how they feel things are going on the coal face or how matters could be improved. Yet we are the people the general public pass their views and perceptions onto every day. Just one example of the blinkered attiude that exists throughout every level of the new car trade.
Talk to any physical retail staff and you'd get the same answer. Not all retail companies are going down the pan, indeed, Porsche is positivly flying..... (I take it you never sold Porches?) J[/quote
Nope never have and true they are selling every car they can make but they are one of the very few exceptions. Even people like Audi and BMW are engaging in some form of pre registration at most of their showrooms.
puffpuff said:
[quote=rustyintegrale]On the contrary, the Riley name stood for very much more prior to its takeover by BMC.
May I suggest a bit of research using 'Riley Brooklands', Riley Le Mans', Riley Freddie Dixon' as a starting point?
Respectfully yours
A humble Riley owner who is currently Chairman of the Riley Motor Club.
So to you....
May I suggest a bit of research using 'Riley Brooklands', Riley Le Mans', Riley Freddie Dixon' as a starting point?
Respectfully yours
A humble Riley owner who is currently Chairman of the Riley Motor Club.
So
to you.... Well historically that may be so, but my memory of that name is old duffers and tartan rugs. Hardly an image anyone interested in performance (hence being on Pistonheads) is likely to be attracted by...
Rich
Dont do this!
There is no money in it, the set up costs are too vast and the workforce are difficult to get that are skilled.
Please use the investors money in a something more attainable, city car, electric engine etc.
Bugatti was always known as excess, big engines and opulance hence its today value. MG and Riley (Who I really have no idea about) are older brands that need a big corporate to add to their infrastructure. A few good men are not going to make this happen, but it all depends on money injection which is very hard to make happen.
Good luck!
HT
There is no money in it, the set up costs are too vast and the workforce are difficult to get that are skilled.
Please use the investors money in a something more attainable, city car, electric engine etc.
Bugatti was always known as excess, big engines and opulance hence its today value. MG and Riley (Who I really have no idea about) are older brands that need a big corporate to add to their infrastructure. A few good men are not going to make this happen, but it all depends on money injection which is very hard to make happen.
Good luck!
HT
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