Article: 30806 of alt.sysadmin.recovery From: crn@NOSPAM.netunix.com Newsgroups: alt.sysadmin.recovery Subject: Re: Wheeeeeeeee! Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 02:35:31 +0000 (UTC) Lines: 73 Approved: nobody@NOSPAM.invalid Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: netix.demon.co.uk X-Trace: news.demon.co.uk 1037586931 11396 158.152.40.193 (18 Nov 2002 02:35:31 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@demon.net NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 02:35:31 +0000 (UTC) Originator: crn@hek.netunix.com User-Agent: tin/1.5.8-20010221 ("Blue Water") (UNIX) (Linux/2.4.19-pre10 (i586)) Path: news.meer.net!sea-read.news.verio.net!dfw-artgen!iad-peer.news.verio.net!news.verio.net!news-peer.gip.net!news-lond.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!kibo.news.demon.net!news.demon.co.uk!demon!hek.netunix.com!crn Xref: archive.mv.meer.net alt.sysadmin.recovery:30806 Garrett Wollman wrote: > In article , > Chris Suslowicz wrote: > >>There isn't room under the bonnet (Merkin: hood) for all the >>goodies, and the machine guns pop up through the cooling vents >>for the catalytic converters, so at least one of the cars has >>a Fnord V6 instead of the proper V12 engine. > > A glance at the Fnord Web site suggests that they are all Fnords now, > legally if not in spirit. (Apparently along with the rest of the > British luxury-vehicle industry, but for R-R.) This gets horribly messy, but I will try to summarise. Rolls Royce cars was saved from doom by Vickers, who later sold the car factory ( but NOT the name ) to BMW. Rolls Royce engines split into Aero Engines which is still independant, and diesel engines which went to Vickers. AFAIK this is now a support-only operation and no new diesels are sold. BMW got the Bentley name, and manufacture Bentley cars at the ex Rolls Royce factory at Crewe. Volkswagen bought the Rolls Royce Cars name and have built a new factory, (ISTR near Milton Keynes). Rover (excluding Land Rover and Range Rover ) was sold to BMW who screwed up big time and now only the Mini brand remains. The MG brand, previously part of Rover Group, was sold by BMW to a management buyout, and is now independant but not really in the luxury class. Land Rover and Range Rover were sold to Ford, who are making a success of the brand and have fixed the quality problems. Jaguar was sold to Ford, and is now a success thanks to a big investment in new models. Bristol Cars are the only remaining independant in the luxury class. Nice hand built cars beloved of the landed gentry and USian old money. Highly desireable, but be warned that if you dent it the car goes back to the factory to have a replacement panel hand made and fitted. No two cars are identical due to the way in which they are individually hand built. If you count luxury by price tag add an independant newcomer called Noble and Formula One team McLaren, both make expensive supercars. Aston Martin is a saga which would take a long time to explain, basically it has lost megamoney since the day that David Brown first decided to reduce his tax bill for the lucrative tractor business by developing fast cars. The brand has survived against all odds by being bought out by a succession of wealthy enthusiasts, all of whom lost their shirts and sold out to another wealthy enthusiast. Recently bought out by Ford, it is rumoured that next year may actually show the first small profit in the history of the brand. Even so, it will take a long time to justify the massive investment that Ford have put into new models. Without James Bond the brand would have died 30 years ago, only the glamour has kept the money pouring into this black hole. Bloody good cars, but a hopeless business model. -- From the quill of Chris Newport g4jci, rcc, ex zs6n. Stop trying to confuse me, why cant you find something challenging to do.