In a message dated 97-08-18 17:19:15 EDT, tboicey@brit.ca writes:
<< KNOW THE COMPETITION".
Developing in isolation is what killed a lot of
LBC companies. While other companies were feeding off
each other's ideas and growing together, MG was still
producing 30 year old designs and working themselves
out of the business. >>
Know the competition? Who can seriously argue that the Lotus was in
competion with Mazda in the early 90's? No, the Japanese saw a vacuum, and
filled it with something that resembled a very desirable car of a section of
the buying populations'
youth. After all, they KNEW that the market was saturated with the 40k type
of cars, and the target was to build an affordable car. I own one, drive it
every day, and recognize it for what it is. Will it attain classic status?
No. Why? Because on every Monday, enough of them are pressed out at the
cookie factory, that it makes MG production rates look puny.
On to the MG comment.......
When Leonard Lord took over the holding company that had MG, MG had a
replacement for the TD in the works. This was the proto MGA. Lord told them
to forget it, but that they might have a little update on the TD style car.
This was the TF, which didn't sell too well because most saw it for the
warmed over design that it was at the time (interestingly enough, the TF is
one of the best loved cars now!)
When the MGA was introduced in '56, it wowed the crowds. In the late '50's
MG again had a handsome new prototype- it would be the MGB. But......it was
delayed until late '62.
With the BL crew running things, MG was saddled with a group of directors who
were Triumph fans. This is why the B was forced to march on towards the 20
year mark.
Many things caused the demise of the British Car Industry (I recommend the
book "The End of the Road", among others), but two things stand out: the
effect of work stoppages caused by the socialistic work unions, and supported
by a socialist government that built toward the collapse, helped along by an
out-of-touch management intent on the parts-bin method of design. Of course
the Naderites in the US figure in, because of the absurd idea of 'design by
litigation'.
No islands, that's true, but a car designed by committee will never be as
interesting as a car built by an individual, even though the latter may have
some flaws!
Ray
"B there or B square"
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