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Re: <OT> The auto biz...BMW/Honda/Rover/etc.
- Subject: Re: <OT> The auto biz...BMW/Honda/Rover/etc.
- From: Mike Stukalin <mikest@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 21:29:03 -0500
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>From: Herman Chan <hermanc2@domain.elided><br>
>> I disagree with that statement. Honda is, probably, the furthest
in<br>
>> philosophy from BMW. Mitsubishi is probably the closest,
downright<br>
>> copying some of BMW lines (new Galant looks almost identical to
E34,<br>
>> if you ask me). Honda is making hyper-revving 4s with all
the<br>
>> techno-gizmology they can master. Their attempts to build
6-cylinder<br>
>> engines was a mixed bag, save the marvel in the NSX. They like
to<br>
>> make everything themselves, including struts and
transmissions,<br>
>> whilst BMW, alone with most other companies, buys everything
they<br>
>> can on a side.<br>
><br>
>I disagree with Mike's statement.=A0 Both BMW and Honda are
engineering<br>
>oriented companies with proud motorsport heritages, primarily engaged
in<br>
>vehicle manufacturing.=A0 Aside from aping some body lines, Mitsubishi
(whose<br>
>car operation is but a part of their empire) has little distinction
in the<br>
>automotive field and no motorsport presence apart from rallying
and<br>
>Paris-Dakar.=A0 The character of the products each manufacturer offers
is<br>
>influenced as much by the tax/vehicle laws in their respective
countries as<br>
>it is by their respective geographies and product market
positioning.=A0 You<br>
>can't compare oranges to apples, but you can be sure both BMW and
Honda<br>
>plant the best damn trees and grow that best fruit that they
can.<br>
<br>
In my opinion, based on several Accords in our family and me owning a '97
GS-R, I tend to think that Honda makes excellently designed, superbly
reliable, very efficient and ergonomically damn-nearly-perfect
APPLIANCES. As in "severe lack of soul".<br>
I lust after NSX, and consider it the finest Japanese automobile
available in US, but as far as the rest of the Honda products, I do
consider them diametrically opposite to BMW in conception.<br>
Also, I am not sure, but several people mentioned Mitsu as an example of
anti-BMW. Maybe, but Galant VR4 was an interesting idea, although a bit
gimmicky. What has Honda done for the 4-door sports market?<br>
I would actually love for BMW to get together with either Toyota or
Honda, if it ONLY meant that Japanese would instill the idea of design
for quality and reliability into Germans.<br>
<br>
>> Generally, I do not see a merger of a German and a Japanese
company<br>
>> as ever being a symbiotic success. Both are inefficient
(although in<br>
>> very different ways), both are stubborn in their "our way
or else"<br>
>> practices, they come from two continents fiercely competing
and<br>
>> killing each other with import quotes. I just don't see=20
it.<br>
><br>
>Japanese companies inefficient?=A0 <br>
<br>
Very. Their inefficiency, however, is more akin to German, i.e. it comes
from non-empowered employees. I've sat through enough meetings to be
relatively convinced of this.<br>
American inefficiency comes more from a company structure, namely
management by accountants. I do severely doubt that German and Japanese
employee cultures can coexist and still produce anything of value
together, while I clearly see Japanese and American culture doing just
fine in Flat Rock, Tennessee and other transplant locations. It's just a
hunch of someone who dealt with manufacturing in all three places (and
who's not a native US-born, so please don't think it's shauvinism).<br>
<br>
>> I do, however, think that BMW might not need to merge with
anyone.<br>
>> Look at their recent acquisitions, Rover, RR. They seem to have
some<br>
>> cash burning holes in their pockets.<br>
><br>
>BMW can remain independent as long as its niche clientele is
sustained by a<br>
>continuing strong economy.=A0 However, if things go sour and people
can't<br>
>afford to buy fuel-hungry and expensive cars anymore, things could
get ugly<br>
>without a sugar daddy since BMW has little to fall back on.=A0 Rover
was<br>
>acquired in large part to help fill that gap, but as we've seen,
things<br>
>haven't gone as expected.<br>
<br>
Well, that's a pretty American outlook :-)<br>
Actually BMWs in Europe are mostly 4-cylinder 3- and 5-series, many
diesel. So I think gas guzzling is not of particular concern compared to
similar cars there.<br>
<br>
<I snipped some excellent points on Rover purchase><br>
<br>
>What's really going to be interesting is how DaimlerChrysler will
work out.<br>
>If they can sucessfully integrate, then they'll be a strong
player.<br>
<br>
Again, until I see a successful integration of a Japanese and a German
company, I would not believe it. We, Americans, can apparently deal with
anybody :-) :-)<br>
Mike.S, '92 E30 325iC<br>
<br>
<BR>
<br>
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