- 11 Mar 2009 19:45
#1830770
I wouldn't hold my breath till Clarkson got the right answer. he is entertaining but politically one dimensional.
What killed the British Car industry would be exactly the same as what killed the motorcyle indusrty years earlier and most of the rest of British manufacturing.
A class system that ensured mediocre or downright poor management, chronic shortermism, lack of investment (especially R&D) and poor design. A greedy dealership network giving poor quality service and a refusal to stand behind their products.
The main industry in quantity terms was American anyway, Ford at Dagenham and GM at Luton, they still exist. Austin and Morris were only bought by old ladies with a blue hair rinse in Eastborne or Bognor. Who the hell would be seen dead in an Austin Allegro? Or a Morris Marina ? As for the swan song Rover, fine cars years ago, BMW only wanted the mini and dumped the rest. Horid cars anyway a disgrace to a famous old marque.
The British industry now consists of a very nice group of inedpendent sports car makers like Morgan, Caterham amd others, making excellent cars for special markets. The latest Caterham for instance has the best BHP per Kilo in the world and is faster than a Bugati Veyron but only 1/10th the money.
That is what we do best and always have, plus of course F1 cars most of which are made in England.
senile delinquent.