British Leyland News Piece

[JPSmit]

Interesting and sad. (they always are)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17693856

 

[Roger]

I remember going on a trip round Longbridge in 1967 or 68. 1100s were rolling off the line (Austin Americas over here, I think) and that was the best-selling car in the UK at the time. It was inconceivable that the whole British Leyland fiasco was still to unfold.

 

[Boink]

Sad story indeed.

 

[DrEntropy]

I can't comment without throwing politics into it. Even if it ~is~ politics of decades ago and across the pond. :madder:

 

[JPSmit]

plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (and that's all I'm going to say about that)

 

[DrEntropy]

The terms: "history", "learn", "doomed" and "repeat" came to mind first, JP.

 

[JPSmit]

The terms: "history", "learn", "doomed" and "repeat" came to mind first, JP.

 

[DNK]

JP, had to copy that bad boy

 

[JPSmit]

JP, had to copy that bad boy

Momma always said, "if you can't say something nice...."

 

[Steve]

Nice piece, very nostalgic. I was born, lived and worked in the West Midlands and I saw a lot of this first-hand. I used to drive past the gates of Chrysler's Ryton plant on my way to and from police training college in the seventies, and my force used BL cars exclusively, so I saw the good, the bad and the ugly of the British motor industry. Longbridge was on the next division across from where I worked, and work would often take me in that direction.

People have written books on the whole debacle that was British Leyland. Politics aside, I firmly believe that the cause of the rot was the bean counters. There were some very talented and dedicated car guys working in the industry, as evidenced by the great products that occasionally came out of there. Bob Lutz, who should need no introduction to many here, wrote a book on the subject of bean counters and lawyers wrecking the motor industry entitled, fittingly, "Car Guys Vs Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business". Read it.

I posted something on my blog about how the same shortsighted and greedy policies are destroying Harley Davidson from within. Right now. Doc is perfectly right, they never learn, and that's the problem.

The blog post is here, if anyone cares to take a look: https://noisytappet.blogspot.com/2012/05/harley-davidson-are-in-trouble-they.html

 

[NutmegCT]

...

People have written books on the whole debacle that was British Leyland. Politics aside, I firmly believe that the cause of the rot was the bean counters. There were some very talented and dedicated car guys working in the industry, as evidenced by the great products that occasionally came out of there. Bob Lutz, who should need no introduction to many here, wrote a book on the subject of bean counters and lawyers wrecking the motor industry entitled, fittingly, "Car Guys Vs Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business". Read it.

...

Once, after Henry Ford resigned and made his son Edsel president of the Ford Motor Company, Edsel had contracted for the construction of a new office building.

It seems both Accounting and the Sales department had long since outgrown their quarters. Henry was out of town at the time that the plans were made and the contracts let. (One suspects that this may not have been coincidental!)

Upon his return, the elder Ford took note of the excavation that was underway and demanded to know what was going on. Edsel, doubtless with a mixture of pride and dread, described the new building which would supply Company with badly needed office space. Henry wanted to know for whom? Edsel responded: for the accountants. Without waiting to hear another word, Henry turned and marched out of Edsel's office.

The next morning, when the accountants reported for work, they found their offices stripped. No desks, chairs, files or telephones. Even the carpeting was gone, and they were out of a job. Henry had abolished the Accounting department with which he had never had any patience with anyway, and overnight had seen to the removal of its furniture and equipment. He then informed Edsel that there was now plenty of room for the Sales staff.

(paraphrased from https://www.edsel.com/pages/edslford.htm )

Tom

 

[Steve]

Tom, that is a great story.... Old Henry had a LOT of common sense!

 

[GBRandy]

Sad.

Remember, it take two to tango. Just sayin'

 

[aeronca65t]

Agree with Randy: and in this case <span style="text-decoration: underline">at least</span> two.

As Steve has noted, there is books on this subject, with no simple answer to the cause of the collapse of this industry.
Obviously, there is a large list of causes and bad actors.
The accountants and management was certainly not innocent.
And workers and unions were not blameless.
And the UK government carries some fault.
And "dumping" from artificially priced imports created a perfect storm with the conditions above.

The sad thing is: there were some really brilliant and interesting designs (as well some incredibly risky and stupid features).
I still think the Mini is the most influential cars ever designed.

And yes, Tom, Henry Ford could be imperious!
I read somewhere that when Henry Ford's workers built the first Ford airplane, he was unhappy with some of the design details. So had them physically chop the plane up and start all over!

 

[Roger]

Nice story about Henry Ford. What did he do? Hire a new bunch of accountants? He still needed someone to pay the bills, receive and bank the income, etc.