would german or american cars ever replace italian cars?

[henk4]

Well of course not Why "of course"??

I've always been bussed or stayed local for Geneva shows
And telecom shows don't attract the same numbers !!!!

We stayed in France 30 km away, all closer accomodation had been taken up by press, standbuilders, etc. The panic at the parking lots was already there during the press days, imagine it on a day when it's open for the general public.

[Falcon500]

Pehaps the modifaction of this joke was in hell they might of been scottish cars

[Matra et Alpine]

Pehaps the modifaction of this joke was in hell they might of been scottish cars

How dare you - Hillman Imp, a great Scottish car

Actually Scottish manufacturers were some of the world leaders in the early days of motoring and exported cars all over the world.
At the time Glasgow was one of THE world ports and a lot of trade and industrial engineering was centred there - shipbuilding being the one most folks know.

Here's a few ....
Argylls great cars of the day, remembered for the excellent factory and working conditions for their employees.
Arrol-Johnston ( built the body for the 1928 Bluebird )
James McGeoch - small manufactirer famous for a car called SEETSTU - the old name for Paisley but also it was a 2-seater - clever huh !!! NOT !!! )
North British Motor Manufacturing Company in Dumfries exported to Brazil. A 1907 ad prouldy proclaimed "Scotland makes the best cars in the world and we make the best in Scotland"

Another friend's curator of the Scottsh Museum transport section

[henk4]

I can't help noticing that all those brands have disappeared (actually I never heard of any of them, but that was because my Grandpa was very much French oriented and German oriented, and his personal foe was Lord Kitchener). You don't want me to tell a little bit more about the demise of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders I hope.

[Matra et Alpine]

I can't help noticing that all those brands have disappeared

Albion works still lives on in truck and heavy axle manufacturer.
Car manufacturers grew and died many times in the early 1900s, so most of them were one car companies, successful but when someone came out with a better car they couldn't match.
Argylls was one of the big losses, partly after WW1 - see hsitory would have to come into it - as most workers had gone and conversion back to peace-time was too expensive and NO government help on those days - certainly not north of the border
Others combined ( the small town of Paisley at one time had 6 car manufacturers !! ) and ultimately re-combined and ended up in the disaster of the 1960/70s - British Leyland !!
Friend ( curator of transport Musem ) has a book "Scotland's Motoring Century" I'll maybe scan some nice period photos if anyone was interested - not one for the ricers/kiddies

You don't want me to tell a little bit more about the demise of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders I hope.

My father was steel industry manager, so I can likely tell more horror stories.

One of the good industrial angles by a Scot was Burrell.
He bought up all the merchant ships he could in early 1914 then leased them back to the admiralty. Made millions, which he invested in an odd collection of antiques - a complete floor from a French Chateau for example,including walls and doros. These and much more are on display in the Burrell Collection which he bequeathed to the City of Glasgow for the residents to enjoy at no cost !! Come and see it and visit the Argyll factory which has been refurbished and opened as a musem north of Glsgow ( end of scottish tourism ad )

[henk4]

Very interesting, might be nice to open an Edwardian section in the forum.

I think your dad lived during interesting times!. Did he supply QE2's steel as well?

[Matra et Alpine]

Very interesting, might be nice to open an Edwardian section in the forum.

I think your dad lived during interesting times!. Did he supply QE2's steel as well?

Yes.

Ravenscraig was the largest strip steel mill in Europe at one time.
British Steel shut it down, despite it being cheaper to produce than other sites.
Politics

My father started work as a labourer shovelling pig iron and barrowing it into the furnaces ! Went on to become Scottish manager and senior British "time and motion" expert. Flew Hurricane's too. Miss him deeply.

[henk4]

Yes.

senior British "time and motion" expert.

I think you'll have to explain that.

[Falcon500]

How dare you - Hillman Imp, a great Scottish car

The Hillman Imp was kewl...but the Hillman Imp GT was even kewler
Australia has had 136 car manufactuors (that i know of and not inclusing forigners as ford and chrysler) since the 1880 gilgen to 1986 tiapan twin turbo big block car (never done to well) and there have been plenty after that too and therw where quite a few sports cars amongs them...very hard to get info about though...The first 100 of these car manufactuors happned in the first 50 odd years 1880-1930s most of these companys died after selling a small handfull...pity..
Sad tosay my dad grewup in the more sedate times of the 70s and my grandfather used to live in the bush in a shack he quite literly slapped together...the other side came from Vienna austria...most intresting thing i can think of off the top of my head was one of my great grandfather drinking nights where he got drunk and woke up in the forigen legion.....

[Matra et Alpine]

I think you'll have to explain that.

They'd be called production, process or quality managers now.
All bout optimising the flow of material and actions to maximise quality, throughput and profit

[Matra et Alpine]

The Hillman Imp was kewl...but the Hillman Imp GT was even kewler

Was that the 'Californian' or Chamois Sport os Sunbeam Stilleto as we know them. ( British car industry was rife with the same car being sold many times over with badge change and slight cosmetic differences )
Here's some pics ....


Great cars, could take an engine out in 20 minutes - did it often.
Brother rallied one for part season.
Great fun. Unfortunately buried it into the rear of a gritting truck. Broke the back axle of the truck and still managed to climb free. The car WAS the shape of the roll cage mind

[henk4]

They'd be called production, process or quality managers now.
All bout optimising the flow of material and actions to maximise quality, throughput and profit

A sort of Logistics Manager "avant la lettre"??

[SPHFerrari]

american cars will certainly not ever replace Italian cars. this is simply because it is impractical for an american company to build a supercar b/c no1 would realy buy them. i.e. Chrystler ME- Four Twelve, they may not buy it simply because who would pay an enzo price for a chrystler badged car. american cars do not have a performance reputation like ferrari or lamboghini. and no1 except the biggest car afficionatos would pay six figures for a ford when they can get a ferrari.

[Matra et Alpine]

....who would pay an enzo price for a chrystler badged car. american cars do not have a performance reputation like ferrari or lamboghini. and no1 except the biggest car afficionatos would pay six figures for a ford when they can get a ferrari.

Definately, the ultimate reason for the demise of the Alpine-Renault sportscars. Better performance than the 911 but for a few extra thousand you could have the Porsche badge. Shame really

[crisis]

american cars will certainly not ever replace Italian cars. this is simply because it is impractical for an american company to build a supercar b/c no1 would realy buy them. i.e. Chrystler ME- Four Twelve, they may not buy it simply because who would pay an enzo price for a chrystler badged car. american cars do not have a performance reputation like ferrari or lamboghini. and no1 except the biggest car afficionatos would pay six figures for a ford when they can get a ferrari.

Never say never. The US alone is a big enough market and some Americans are super patriotic. Get a rich one and give him a chance to own anything exotic with a "made in the USA" badge on it and you'll sell em.