Honda to close UK factory

[AtW]

MF for PM?

He’s got some gravitational pull for sure...

[Zigenare]

He’s got some gravitational pull for sure...

Yep, what he lacks in gravitas he surely makes up for with gravity!

[AtW]

Yep, what he lacks in gravitas he surely makes up for with gravity!

Win is a win, innit?

[Zigenare]

Win is a win, innit?

Yep, it sure is

[Yorkie62]

British Car Industry

So all the FOREIGN car companies are pulling out of the UK. Why should we be surprised that when markets get tough, and economics change that they should withdraw to their safe places. Where is the British Car Industry? Oh yes we sold it to the Germans. If we in the UK want a car industry then we in the UK are going to have to recreate the British Car Industry and marque. That way when the going gets tough the industry won't just up sticks and retreat to its safe place. The closure of the foreign car industry in the UK was probably always on the cards from the getgo, from the moment the factories were opened in a blaze of glory and subsidies. If there is one lesson to be learned from this is that we cannot rely on foreign industry to supply our manufacturing base. We have to do it ourselves as a country.
Lets take a leaf out of the Chinese book and learn from them. Their car industry was started from nothing. Yes I know its a different regime, but we in the UK have some of the best automotive brains and innovators. Take a look at motorsport. The Chinese themselves have an automotive RnD centre in the UK. All it needs is a bit of vision and probably some support from the government ( not like they haven't supported car manufacturing within the UK in recent history for the Japanese)

So what do I call this new UK car brand?

Well, yesterday a colleague of mine was having some home made lasagne and Greek STYLE yoghurt. It could be call Greek yoghurt because it wasn't made in Greece. So why not make a Ford STYLE Focus, its not a Ford because its not made by Ford but it is in the "STYLE" of a Ford, or a VW Style Golf! (its kind of a take on the Chinese approach to developing an automotive brand)

Seriously , I believe it can be done (not the FORD Style, VW STY:LE thing) a British Automotive car brand, and if the UK wants a UK automotive industry that will not get up and leave then the UK will have to create its own. We could call it "Peoples Cars" (PC for short) ( I think the branding "Car of the People" and every one driving around in CoP cars is probably not politically correct how ever much fun it might seem)

[shaunbhoy]

So all the FOREIGN car companies are pulling out of the UK. Why should we be surprised that when markets get tough, and economics change that they should withdraw to their safe places. Where is the British Car Industry? Oh yes we sold it to the Germans. If we in the UK want a car industry then we in the UK are going to have to recreate the British Car Industry and marque. That way when the going gets tough the industry won't just up sticks and retreat to its safe place. The closure of the foreign car industry in the UK was probably always on the cards from the getgo, from the moment the factories were opened in a blaze of glory and subsidies. If there is one lesson to be learned from this is that we cannot rely on foreign industry to supply our manufacturing base. We have to do it ourselves as a country.
Lets take a leaf out of the Chinese book and learn from them. Their car industry was started from nothing. Yes I know its a different regime, but we in the UK have some of the best automotive brains and innovators. Take a look at motorsport. The Chinese themselves have an automotive RnD centre in the UK. All it needs is a bit of vision and probably some support from the government ( not like they haven't supported car manufacturing within the UK in recent history for the Japanese)

So what do I call this new UK car brand?

Well, yesterday a colleague of mine was having some home made lasagne and Greek STYLE yoghurt. It could be call Greek yoghurt because it wasn't made in Greece. So why not make a Ford STYLE Focus, its not a Ford because its not made by Ford but it is in the "STYLE" of a Ford, or a VW Style Golf! (its kind of a take on the Chinese approach to developing an automotive brand)

Seriously , I believe it can be done (not the FORD Style, VW STY:LE thing) a British Automotive car brand, and if the UK wants a UK automotive industry that will not get up and leave then the UK will have to create its own. We could call it "Peoples Cars" (PC for short) ( I think the branding "Car of the People" and every one driving around in CoP cars is probably not politically correct how ever much fun it might seem)

Yes yes, but do we have the skills to consistently and comprehensively fudge the emission figures, or would we have to import the Germanic skillbase to master it?

[WTFH]

Seriously , I believe it can be done (not the FORD Style, VW STY:LE thing) a British Automotive car brand, and if the UK wants a UK automotive industry that will not get up and leave then the UK will have to create its own. We could call it "Peoples Cars" (PC for short) ( I think the branding "Car of the People" and every one driving around in CoP cars is probably not politically correct how ever much fun it might seem)

What's wrong with calling something the Car of the People, it's just a translation from German of the words "volks" (meaning people) and "wagen" (meaning car)?

As for the rest of your rant, you glossed over the critical bits. We had a car industry. It was sold off to foreign investors. The same way we had an energy industry, but it's mostly owned by foreigners. Pretty much everything good that this country used to do has been sold off so that the shareholders make a tidy profit. The engineers and designers of tomorrow have been priced out of going to university so that only the Tory Elite can afford to do it now. The ancients on here complain about millennials. Any of the oldies on here who went to university in the 60s/70s/80s did not pay tuition fees and probably even received grants for attending. Now a student will leave uni with a £30k+ loan - which isn't the bar bill, but is to cover the tuition fees.
Of course, it's not your fault. It never is. Always blame someone else. That's what Vote Leave was all about.

[Yorkie62]

What's wrong with calling something the Car of the People, it's just a translation from German of the words "volks" (meaning people) and "wagen" (meaning car)?

My you are sharp this morning. Careful or you may cut yourself

[Yorkie62]

...
Now a student will leave uni with a £30k+ loan - which isn't the bar bill, but is to cover the tuition fees.
...

1. It isn't a loan. It might be called a loan but a loan will ultimately be paid off. Almost all student loans will be written off after 30 years. You should think about it as a tax on your degree. I'm not saying the student loan thing is right. It isn't its a kicking the can down the road flawed system mainly because of what I have said above. Most loans will not be paid off.

2. If that wasn't the size of your bar bill then you weren't drinking hard enough.

3. I went to uni between 1980 and 84 on a full grant ( my father died when I was 14)

4 my daughter went to uni between 2010 and 2013 and had her student fees paid as me and her mother were divorced and she lived with her mother which meant my income wasn't considered. So her loan isn't that big.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Contractor UK Forum mobile app

[DimPrawn]

So all the FOREIGN car companies are pulling out of the UK. Why should we be surprised that when markets get tough, and economics change that they should withdraw to their safe places. Where is the British Car Industry? Oh yes we sold it to the Germans. If we in the UK want a car industry then we in the UK are going to have to recreate the British Car Industry and marque.

People want chunky, luxury soft roaders, and everyone loves retro British design...