healeys
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [Healeys] Car Related - Ford Volvo Sale

To: Alan Seigrist <healey.nut@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Car Related - Ford Volvo Sale
From: Oudesluys <coudesluijs@chello.nl>
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:13:02 +0100
A few years ago the Chinese tried to sell an SUV in EU called the JMC 
(Jiangling Motor Company) Landwind. Basicly this was the old Opel 
Frontera (Izuzu Rodeo, Vauxhall Frontera, Holden Frontera) that General 
Motors (Opel, Vauxhall, Holden, Izuzu etc.) had to withdraw in haste 
because it did perform very poorly in the EuroNCAP test. The Landwind 
did even worse and did not sell at all.
The Chinese do not have a clue yet how to deal with car safety, however 
they are learning fast, as did the Japanese and Koreans in the past: 
they showed to be far superiour in the end in the devellopment of ideas 
and quality control. Innovation and design is another matter though.
Kees Oudesluijs
NL


Alan Seigrist schreef:
> All -
>
> I don't if any of you pay attention to this, but one of the most distressing
> car things I have seen in the last few years is Ford's plan to sell Volvo to
> Geely - Geely is China's premier car maker.
>
> Basically, Ford is selling Volvo to Geely for about 1/3 what they paid for
> Volvo just a few years ago.  Why would Geely want Volvo?
>
> A bit of background from a guy who lives in China - right now the quality of
> Chinese cars isn't all that bad except in one major area - safety.  In this
> area, Chinese cars are DECADES behind the rest of the world in design.  The
> reason why is designing crumple zones and safety cages is very very complex
> requiring sophisticated technology and decades of engineering experience -
> Volvo cars are safe for good reason.  If you do any search on Youtube of
> what happens to a Chinese made car in an accident should scare the crap out
> of you.
>
> So Ford, to settle a very small amount of debt, is selling Volvo for cash to
> Geely.  This has to be one of the most short sighted things I have ever seen
> any American car company ever do.  Basically, Ford is selling the very
> expertise that Geely needs to destroy Ford in the future in worldwide
> sales.  All for less than 2 billion dollars.  I suggest that within a decade
> Ford will be losing more business globally than that on an annual basis to
> Geely because of the expertise they are literally giving away for a pocket
> full of change.
>
> Who's to blame for giving assistance on a silver platter to the rise of
> China?  I certainly don't blame the Chinese for this.  Ford should be
> ashamed of itself.
>
> Alan
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html

Healeys@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys


http://www.team.net/archive

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>