Dr. Bez is no more

Author
Discussion

mikey k

13,011 posts

215 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Jon39 said:
Some strong words have been flying.

I am not in a position to be able to judge Dr. Bez.
However, I can see that he has been at the helm, for a quite a portion of the Company's longest period of survival
He came to AML in 2001 from Porsche after binning 15 out of 16 prototypes proposed for new models

Any way who's taking over?

Btw Rob sounds like FIL has a case of the green eyed monster wink

IanV12VR

2,749 posts

154 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Isn't it strange that there does not seem anything on the internet regarding this or his successor? Is it true?

michael gould

5,691 posts

240 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
he has been to Aston Martin what Margaret Thatcher was to Britain......the right person at the right time but not everybody's cup of tea.

avinalarf

6,438 posts

141 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
michael gould said:
he has been to Aston Martin what Margaret Thatcher was to Britain......the right person at the right time but not everybody's cup of tea.
Bravo Michael, good post with a little philosophical insight thrown in , one can always rely on you .
I am not certain but have you mixed your metaphors ?

bogie

16,342 posts

271 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
michael gould said:
he has been to Aston Martin what Margaret Thatcher was to Britain......the right person at the right time but not everybody's cup of tea.
my sentiments exactly ...I didnt like Maggie at the time , but then I didnt understand enough about the wider picture...in hindsight she did a good job and Id sooner have her back anyday instead of some of the spineless wonders weve had since wink

yeti

10,523 posts

274 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
robgt said:
As it is with the forum trolls so I propose let's talk about the good things that Dr.Bez has done not the bad.
I don't think I'm a troll Don Roberto. But this is going to be a really short topic, somewhere along the lines of 'Driving Slowly; John Gladman's Take on Just Going Out for a Cruise"

Whatever mire he may or may not have pulled the company out of (i.e. believe non, Ford had it sorted whoever was at the helm) he was an utter embarrassment over the last few years.

P.S. I think we've had the discussion before in a pub, but your former father in law is a git smile

brakedwell

1,229 posts

198 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Whoever takes over is going t need a very large pot of gold.

williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Dont forget Daewoo. He was there too. And his role in the worst Bond film of all time, Both David brown and Victor Gauntlett turned down a role when they were asked.

nope, sorry, he took over a great opportunity paid for by Ford, new models funded by Ford, and was lucky to be in charge when the world saw an explosion in growth of luxury consumer goods. Aston, bentley, maserati etc etc all sold heaps in the 00's. Until 2007 when we saw how exposed Aston had become. He hadnt developed the models, rested on laurels, diverted time and engineering talent into follys (why develop a hydrogen powered Rapide racing car for 'rimg race, when the whole world is looking at Le mans and its alternative fuel racing cars, racing at the same weekend??) The cygnet. The Rapide. The lagonda SUV. The Paul bloody Mccartney DB6 in every magazine. Working hard to gain and then keep the title "worlds collest brand", when its competitiors let their cars and results do the talking: jaguar land rover spent more on R&D in one week then AML did the whole year in 2010. "Mr Aston martin". Selling off the rights for non car related products

I wont miss him

But then again, the £200m loan investment dar used to buy Aston needs to be repaid next year. I expect questions are starting to be asked

Y100

2,036 posts

166 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
MollyGTi said:
Y100 said:
Hope he's not handed in his keys just yet,,,I need some signatures from him next week. nerd
Bob - are you the next man-at-the-top?! bow
G*d no Molly,,,,I couldn't manage on the money. hehe

mikey k

13,011 posts

215 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
montecristo said:
I don't know much about Bez's tenure, but he gave us the Astons most of us drive,
You can't be selective in what you attribute to Bez. Yes, some missteps, but also some great cars. Under a real idiot, there is a chance Aston would disappear, so I wouldn't be too harsh.
Bez DID NOT bring us the Gaydon era cars, that was put together by Ford before he joined!
Any way off he toddles with I'm sure a very nice settlement package
Welcome to who ever steps in, good luck and do us proud!

handyman 1417

307 posts

185 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
I'm sure he had many failings but who in his position hasn't had with hindsight? There will always be those who think they could have done a better job, just as the terraces of full of experts that can run the team better than the manager!
He deserves some if not most of the credit for the fact the Aston Martin still exists. To be honest, if they continue building cars like those that have given me so much driving pleasure over the last 5 years, I couldn't care less who's in the big chair!

v8vantage

187 posts

233 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Dr. Bez's record at AM is beyond compare. Under his stewardship they lost more money than at any other time in their history. Once 2013's numbers are taken into account he will have overseen losses totaling more than $100 million. I remember him taking great pleasure a few years ago claiming AM were profitable for the first time ever....oh how times change. Let's not mention the millions in assets he has sold off during his tenure to try and stay afloat. Since the Ford sale in 2007 the company has been in a downward spiral under his stewardship. I am sure it is a loss making record he is proud of.

pilgrim7777

282 posts

187 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Bez's should be ashamed of himself as a well qualified engineer, god knows what sort, from Stuttgart. Although involvement in development of new vehicles,he should have known one of the first things is quality control and that then gives a reputation on which to build. Ford gave him that opportunity to improve and move the marque into the more technical aspects such as gearbox transmission. Then engine although the ford basis is robust and virtually unbustable but could do with improvement.
Unfortunately when you look under the surface it just does not cut the mustard.
Some of things I found on my car just brings tears to my eyes in frustration.
With just a little effort how much better it could be.


Edited by pilgrim7777 on Friday 7th February 19:40

MollyGTi

2,355 posts

153 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
pilgrim7777 said:
Bez's should be ashamed of himself as a well qualified engineer, god knows what sort, from Stuttgart. He should have known one of the first things is quality control and that then gives a reputation on which to build. Ford gave him that opportunity to improve and move the marque into the more technical aspects such as gearbox transmission. Then engine although the ford basis is robust and virtually unbustable but could do with improvement.
Unfortunately when you look under the surface it just does not cut the mustard.
Some of things I found on my car just brings tears to my eyes in frustration.
With just a little effort how much better it could be.
If your car is that cr*p and makes you that miserable do you not think its time to consider an alternative - something that might actually make you happy?

Perhaps you would be the right man to replace Bez - your standards certainly sound very high and worthy smile

pilgrim7777

282 posts

187 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
I think Molly that it is a great marque but its reputation let down by quality in its guise.
Having had several Astons, I think and having worked in the industry I am entitled to a comment.
PS I seem to remember there were a few frustrations with Pearl.....

Edited by pilgrim7777 on Friday 7th February 20:01

n8ony

132 posts

207 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
We were lucky that Ford had a period of ownership.

I am not sure who the next Ford will be!!


brakedwell

1,229 posts

198 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
n8ony said:
We were lucky that Ford had a period of ownership.

I am not sure who the next Ford will be!!
Mercedes Benz?

Jon39

12,782 posts

142 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all

n8ony said:
We were lucky that Ford had a period of ownership.

Yes, it was crucial.
Without the Ford era, almost certainly Aston Martin could not have survived financially.

Ford must have spent hundreds of millions, on new model development and the new factory. It puzzles me what Ford got back from that deal.


IanV12VR

2,749 posts

154 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Understand why I cannot find anything in the motoring press about Dr Bez retiring. It was Chris Evans who made mention of it on his show this morning apparently.

So, may be true or Chris Evans could well be recycling the old news that the Doctor was due to retire on 31 Dec 2013 and apparently forgot to - perhaps because they still have not announced that they have found a replacement yet.

divetheworld

2,565 posts

134 months

Saturday 8th February 2014
quotequote all
v8vantage said:
Dr. Bez's record at AM is beyond compare. Under his stewardship they lost more money than at any other time in their history. Once 2013's numbers are taken into account he will have overseen losses totaling more than $100 million. I remember him taking great pleasure a few years ago claiming AM were profitable for the first time ever....oh how times change. Let's not mention the millions in assets he has sold off during his tenure to try and stay afloat. Since the Ford sale in 2007 the company has been in a downward spiral under his stewardship. I am sure it is a loss making record he is proud of.
At least he didnt waste too much money on the CC100.