Reply to: 1 in 7 German workers works for the auto (and related) industry

[BoredBloke]

Yes it looks like the internal political pressure to dump the Euro for Germsny could unhinge the Euro - that said the Italians dont want it either - Merckel must know its a vote winner to revert back to the ReichMark - sorry Dmark - but then again ... of course knowing the incompetence of Broons Goons they will probably join the Euro the week before the Germans dump it !!!

or the week after they dump it!

[Pondlife]

...which leads me to think that Germany is even more doomed than we think.

1. The luxury car business is yesterday's game. Unlike the Japanese, the Germans have not been looking for alternatives to the internal combustion engine. They have ridden the boom by producing ever more powerful and flash cars which brought in easy income rather than investing in hydrogen/electric etc.
2. The crash in car sales is dramatic and going to get worse - 30%-50% in some countries.

The equivalent "industry" in the UK is that 1 in 10 employees work for the NHS. But demand for the NHS is only likely to rise in a recession.

I think the Germans will have a worse recession than us, cushioned to some extent by their better benefit system.

How does this help our economy? I suppose we could export the NHS...

[Sysman]

<snip> but then again ... of course knowing the incompetence of Broons Goons they will probably join the Euro the week before the Germans dump it !!!

You just took the words out of my mouth.

[OwlHoot]

Just want to point out that Audi is actually selling more cars, and is actually expanding production. So as useless car makers such as Rover and Jaguar go to the wall, so better ones will survive. ..

I can't understand why anyone would pay a fortune for a top of the range car. I paid £5K for my Jag XJ Executive a couple of years ago, and it's never broken down and runs as quiet as a mouse.

There are so many second-hand tip top cars on the market now, being sold for peanuts, you'd have to be potty to buy a brand new one which loses half of its value the moment you drive it out of the showroom.

[AtW]

I'm fairly sure cars will have been superceded as a form of transport by then.

By horse carts?

[DiscoStu]

It's natural time to halt production - maybe they extended the halt by a few days each side, I don't see great crime in it.

I can believe that BMW and Merc lost sales - especially BMW that I think overexpanded their models and undermined value of their brand. Chances are buyers who wanted those now considered buying Audis - next year they sure lose sales, but I reckon they will lose less than their competitors.

Jaguar I think is a goner, but Land Rover should survive it, hopefully since I want to buy one after SKA reaches its imminent success...

I'm fairly sure cars will have been superceded as a form of transport by then.

[AtW]

"Production at the company’s key German plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm will be halted between Dec. 19 and Jan. 9, Audi spokesman Joachim Cordshagen said in a phone interview"

It's natural time to halt production - maybe they extended the halt by a few days each side, I don't see great crime in it.

I can believe that BMW and Merc lost sales - especially BMW that I think overexpanded their models and undermined value of their brand. Chances are buyers who wanted those now considered buying Audis - next year they sure lose sales, but I reckon they will lose less than their competitors.

Jaguar I think is a goner, but Land Rover should survive it, hopefully since I want to buy one after SKA reaches its imminent success...

[BlasterBates]

Audi are actually hiring.

Jaguar is about to go into receivership.

[sasguru]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...&refer=germany

"Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Audi AG, Volkswagen AG’s luxury-car brand, said deliveries rose 0.4 percent last month because of new models, defying a global recession and a slump in auto markets."

HTH

That is indeed surprising. But note that

"Production at the company’s key German plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm will be halted between Dec. 19 and Jan. 9, Audi spokesman Joachim Cordshagen said in a phone interview"

And that BMW and Merc have collapsed 25%.

Full marks to Audi, they do indeed make very good cars.

But I would like to see their sales figures next year.

[AtW]

Demand for my skills (which were unfashionable in the boom) is rising exponentially.

You get more time to post now on CUK then?

[AtW]

Have you got a link for the claim that Audi is selling more cars and expanding production? I would find that extremely surprising.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...&refer=germany

"Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Audi AG, Volkswagen AG’s luxury-car brand, said deliveries rose 0.4 percent last month because of new models, defying a global recession and a slump in auto markets."

HTH

[sasguru]

Why are you so bothered when you will be out of your cushy City job by end of 2009?

.

I have just been informed of my bonus for the year. It's 100%.
Demand for my skills (which were unfashionable in the boom) is rising exponentially.

HTH

[sasguru]

Just want to point out that Audi is actually selling more cars, and is actually expanding production. So as useless car makers such as Rover and Jaguar go to the wall, so better ones will survive.

Its funny, the UK is basically going down in flames but still comentators, like to pop their head out the blazing cockpit and point the finger at the faint plume of smoke from the German tail plane.

Well the more intelligent commentators are pointing out that no one is immune to a global recession/depression and in fact the countries who rely on exports more are likely to suffer more as global demand falls off a cliff.

Have you got a link for the claim that Audi is selling more cars and expanding production?
I would find that extremely surprising.

[AtW]

Its funny, the UK is basically going down in flames but still comentators, like to pop their head out the blazing cockpit and point the finger at the faint plume of smoke from the German tail plane.

What else they got to do as they did not get parachute beliving that their plane will never fall down? That's why I don't like flying airplanes - going to use trains next time, via France and Germany incidentally

[AtW]

Most in the city will not lose their job. I expect the intelligent to survive.

Can't mind the URL but the recent forecast that I read was talking about 30% reduction until end of 2009, that's not far off my own view of around 50% until 2010 or so.

I'd be far happier of London made same or more money from tourists than from the City that barely invests in UK economy anyway - I don't see VCs like in USA putting good money into tech companies, instead of that this country has got Dragons Den