>Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 12:25:10 -0400
>From: John Brigden <JohnBrigden@compuserve.com>
>Subject: Britiron
>Sender: John Brigden <JohnBrigden@compuserve.com>
>To: Rick Feibusch <rfeibusch@loop.com>
>Rick,
>
>Most of what is on the emails is correct - both sides, but one has to put
>in all in context. After the war Britain was financially crippled and it
>was a case of export or die. We probably owned more than the gross national
>product to the USA and we were not given any recompense by France, Germany,
>Italy or Japan. I include France in this list of enemies for old times
>sakes. After all we bailed them out twice within 50 years and they still
>think they are superior, just because they eat lots of cheese and make
>mediocre wine, have questionable eating habits and are live in a great part
>of the world.
>
>Remember also that it was the British Army which restarted VW after the
>war. The Army got on well wit teh Germans who took orders and knuckled
>down. Back home, civilian life was changing rapidly with MOST of the young
>male population now coming home.
>
>When Austin and Morris combined to make BMC (April 1 1952 I think it was -
>this proves that the Brits in those days did have a sense of hunour) it
>made the 4th largest car company in the world and the worlds biggest
>exporters. New model development was staggering, even by today's standards
>in Japan, as they sought went for market niches all over the world.
>
>Meanwhile the Japs were busy copying everything in sight, spending nothing
>on R&D and design, but everything on quality. Britain meanwhile had rampant
>inflation. I believe this must have been beacause we had bought from the US
>in £'s and the quickest way to pay off the debt was via inflation.
>
>Looking from the US you must also remind yourselves that the UK is a minute
>market - and it cannot sustain an indiginous car manufacturing industry on
>its own.
>
>To answer specifics such as Farina vs Vauxhall vs Ford, I don't recognise
>the conclusion. The Vauxhall was dreadful, the Ford boring and the Farina
>better looking, reliable, comfortable and strong. It's no accident that
>they were (still are) popular with banger racers. These are people who know
>a good car when they crash one. Jaguars fall into the same class, but
>American cars don't. They might have been big, comfortable like an arm
>chair not a car, of interesting design, and had a few extras but they don't
>stand up to a Jaguar in the ring!
>
>I can go on and on but think John McEwen needs to write from objectivity
>not from his bunker. American cars were different but just as bad. It took
>the Japanese and the Germans to show us both about car manufacturer, brands
>and marketing.
>
>Britain is a nett contributor in the world of cars, as is the US, you just
>have a vast home market.
>
>Don't get me wrong, I love going to the States, but as the inventors of
>junk food I don't think you are in a position to complain about no air con
>in a British car.
>
>John Brigden
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