Will Jap go the Brit way in car making?

[KARTer]

In the 50s to perhaps early 70s, the Brits made good cars. Today, they still have good engineers and designers but the cars they churn out are not very good or inspiring except from maybe Lotus, or a few niche car makers.

 

Will the Jap go the same way in near future? (yes, the Jap wasnt great car maker to begin with?)

 

The Germans, Italians are still pretty good at making good cars, although the latter lacks consistencies except for some supercar makers.

 

What about the Korean, where are they heading? No iconic cars from them so far although they have been established car makers (in volume, not necessarily in quality, breakthroughs, and 'wow' factors)?

[Atonchia]

I think American will go faster than then the Japs towards the way Brits did.

[Watwheels]

I think of it in a different way. Yes, the Brits dominated in the car making industry and racing track after the war but to me they did not improve much over the years. Other car makers soon caught up and overtook them in car making. A lot of their problem was poor management of the company and the union which protect the workers from retrenchment when there's a need to eventually brought their whole car making industry down.

[VellfireS]

In the 50s to perhaps early 70s, the Brits made good cars. Today, they still have good engineers and designers but the cars they churn out are not very good or inspiring except from maybe Lotus, or a few niche car makers.

 

Will the Jap go the same way in near future? (yes, the Jap wasnt great car maker to begin with?)

 

The Germans, Italians are still pretty good at making good cars, although the latter lacks consistencies except for some supercar makers.

 

What about the Korean, where are they heading? No iconic cars from them so far although they have been established car makers (in volume, not necessarily in quality, breakthroughs, and 'wow' factors)?

I hope the Japanese learn..

[Silver_blade]

I think of it in a different way. Yes, the Brits dominated in the car making industry and racing track after the war but to me they did not improve much over the years. Other car makers soon caught up and overtook them in car making. A lot of their problem was poor management of the company and the union which protect the workers from retrenchment when there's a need to eventually brought their whole car making industry down.

Agree....also they are too 'honest' in the way they sell their parts. Eg. you can buy various part of say the starter-motor individually...down to every single screws. Whereas other non-car makers are selling it as various major parts or the starter-motor as a whole. With such practice, they not only make less money from parts but their stockists and themselves also need to stock up more parts and space for it.

[Silver_blade]

I think Jap car makers should be ok for now. If someone have to go...think American car makers will be next. Their car tech, safety, handling, etc are lagging. They also don't have as many talented designers, car engineers, etc as the brits.

 

[Kiadaw]

Jaguar are making good cars again. I should know.

 

The one thing you cannot deny is the passion the British have for automobile. Thats why they are dominating racing, from WRC to F1. 70% of F1 teams & their suppliers are base in Britain. Where else in the world are cars like the Atom and Caterram be possible?

 

But of course we know they are good for purpose built cars, but its the mass production cars that they have problems.

 

What people usually complain about British cars are their reliability, and JLR benefited from ford ownership (for a awhile), with a lot of their testing standard taken from Ford standard.

 

When I read car magazine, or watch car review video, I always almost prefer the British ones over the Americans one. And if you know Americans, they only mainly care about power, & they like their car big, & usually loud.

 

[Kiadaw]

I think Jap car makers should be ok for now. If someone have to go...think American car makers will be next. Their car tech, safety, handling, etc are lagging. They also don't have as many talented designers, car engineers, etc as the brits.

 

For sure the Americans have better designers (you mean styling right) than the Japanese, but not by much. Asia tends to lack talent in car design. There are exceptions, but these are not the norm.

 

The Koreans cars now look nice because their design studios are base in Europe.

[Watwheels]

I feel the Brits are just too protective & conservative in their way of building cars. They have the talent but not willing to share. Even the conservative Japanese move their operations overseas in favour of cheaper labour. You will never see the Brits do that. Part of this protectionism kills the industry.

[KARTer]

For sure the Americans have better designers (you mean styling right) than the Japanese, but not by much. Asia tends to lack talent in car design. There are exceptions, but these are not the norm.

 

The Koreans cars now look nice because their design studios are base in Europe.

The designers/engineers in the US have to cater for the preference/taste of the US market and not the world. Just like the Oz counterparts: first priorty is their domestic market.

 

However, the Jap are able to produce cars which suit the world markets (mainly mass markets, not niche/highend though except for cars like GTR) even though their domestic market has 'unique' taste or preference eg K-cars

 

In terms of technologies, until recent years, US engine designers relied on big capacity in simple engines instead of advanced technoloties to produce power.

[Atonchia]

I feel the Brits are just too protective & conservative in their way of building cars. They have the talent but not willing to share. Even the conservative Japanese move their operations overseas in favour of cheaper labour. You will never see the Brits do that. Part of this protectionism kills the industry.

 

Not just their car industry.

Their famous chocolate maker were also bought over by the Americans who aren't really bother about closing factories and opening elsewhere with cheaper labour. Sometimes protectionism really work the opposite way.

[Mecontle]

what car is uk brand to freely speak of ? top gear, fifth gear?

[Ithunk]

what car is uk brand to freely speak of ? top gear, fifth gear?

 

aston martin and bentley

 

if the british make cars they make super cars

[Silver_blade]

Caterham, Morgan, Ariel, Ascari (not brit owned), Jensen (alive again), TVR (apparently has new owners and logo), etc...

 

[KARTer]

Caterham, Morgan, Ariel, Ascari (not brit owned), Jensen (alive again), TVR (apparently has new owners and logo), etc...

and many kitcar makers, good for low-cost diy enthusiats...

[Badder]

In the 50s to perhaps early 70s, the Brits made good cars. Today, they still have good engineers and designers but the cars they churn out are not very good or inspiring except from maybe Lotus, or a few niche car makers.

 

Will the Jap go the same way in near future? (yes, the Jap wasnt great car maker to begin with?)

 

The Germans, Italians are still pretty good at making good cars, although the latter lacks consistencies except for some supercar makers.

 

What about the Korean, where are they heading? No iconic cars from them so far although they have been established car makers (in volume, not necessarily in quality, breakthroughs, and 'wow' factors)?

 

 

as a former automotive engineer i can tell you your confusing 'Iconic' with good. A car mnf can make no iconic cars but still make great cars. There were plenty of iconic cars made that were terrible cars too...in fact most id say

 

British cars, Japanese cars, Korean cars - no significant difference from an engineering perspective.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Badder

[Badder]

I think American will go faster than then the Japs towards the way Brits did.

 

 

and which way was that?

 

 

all mnf use the same techniques. a car is designed in the UK in same way as it is in Japan or US.

 

The only thing thats changed a lot in last 50 years is who OWNS the car companies. But the skills the techniques are prity much the same all over the world amongst the experienced mnfs

 

 

 

 

 

[KARTer]

as a former automotive engineer i can tell you your confusing 'Iconic' with good. A car mnf can make no iconic cars but still make great cars. There were plenty of iconic cars made that were terrible cars too...in fact most id say

 

British cars, Japanese cars, Korean cars - no significant difference from an engineering perspective.

sorry, i am no expert in english, you be the teacher, ok?