Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:26:39 +1300
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Subaru Boxer TURBO Diesel NVC
In-Reply-To: <1966B842-DEFD-4E8A-9538-58474712371A@telus.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed
>Toyota owns part of Subaru now ?
>If you know any more , I'd like to know please.
>That's both good and bad news
>Scott
>www.turbovans.com
All I can say is what I remember from an article in Australian
"Wheels" magazine. Apparently GM has sold its interests in Subaru
(phew!!) and Toyota bought enough shares to gain a majority (possibly
a small majority). It might be possible to find the reference in the
website <www.wheelsmag.com.au>.
For Vanagon content, back in 1985 "Wheels" tested the Caravelle GL
against the Frod-badged Mazda Bongo, Isuzu Fargo and "Tarago"-badged
Toyota Masterace. The VW was a 2-tone-blue one identical to my 85,
except that theirs had a sunroof. Same midblue velor interior with
blue-checked inserts.
>And Renault has a controlling interest in Nissan. The world
>continues to shrink under the corporate states.
Renault was falling fast, and without a takeover it was doomed.
From the results, I think I'd rather have seen it fail... cars even
worse that it had before the collapse...
I believe that, like Chrysler by Mercedes, Nissan was a complete
buyout. Unlike Mazda, which is only controlled now by Frod (large
majority), but not owned outright.
It's not a bad thing to see companies that cannot make decent
products fail. Never mind the job losses. Rover is gone (again).
Lada, Moskovitch, Wartburg... I guess Mercedes bought ZIL? Hopefully
Chrysler/Jeep, GM (US), Frod (US) will follow... or else source their
designs from overseas divisions, as GM-US is doing with the so-called
"Pontiac GTO" (a rebadged Holden Monaro, coupe variant of the
Commodore sedan). Maybe Frod could import rebadged Tatas from India?
Maybe Porsche will buy VW and teach it where it went wrong (putting
engines in inappropriate places, for a start)?
Hmmm... now, how would a Spaniard pronounce "jeep"? See, they know...
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
‚ Opinions stated are mine, not of the University of Otago
"There is water at the bottom of the ocean" - Talking Heads
