Ellesmere Port Vauxhall

Getting information on the above mentioned plant is not easy. However, car production started there in 1963 and is the only GMV plant making cars after the Luton plant ceased production in the year 2000.

Today the Ellesmere Port plant builds the Astra and Astra Van; in 2006 at the rate of 147,500. GM has put all it's European plants under pressure to meet efficiency targets or be closed.

What 2008 Will Bring

I'm no soothsayer but I will have a stab at what I think will be happening on the automotive landscape next year. Rather than evaluate by brand, I thought I would look at some countries.

USA: The big three look vulnerable. GM is fighting hard to stay #1 but Toyota will win that one, either in '07 or '08. Ford and Chrysler are not well. Expect falling sales as they strive to make money.

Japan:

Magna Steyr, A Real Stayer

Magna Steyr is an unusual company as although it is a vehicle manufacturer, it only assembles automobiles for other companies. It is not a car company itself. It is located in Oberwaltersdorf, Eastern Austria and is a subsidiary of Canadian company Magna International, which manufactures auto parts. Its current production involves all BMW X3 (soon to move to the US), Chrysler Voyager & 300, Jeep

NedCar, Netherlands

NedCar, or Netherlands Car B.V. is owned by Mitsubishi Motors. It is the only major car maker in the Netherlands. It is situated in Born, in southeastern Netherlands somewhere near Maastricht. It has produced 4.5 million cars since 1967 and production peaked in 1999 at 260,000 vehicles. It started making DAF cars and did so until 1976, then Volvos from 1975 to 2004. Mitsubishi got involved and

Jaguar XF

Some say that Jaguar's future is dependant on the success of the new XF. Journalists & editors love a dramatic headline but the marque is strong enough to go on regardless. The XF won't bomb as it's just too good. But if it did, it would mean the brand was sufficiently damaged so that even a good car couldn't sell with the leaping cat attached. That would probably mean making it a niche brand and

I Be Talking 'Bout Honda Swindon, Wiltshire

The Honda Swindon site was formerly an airfield and an aircraft production facility where, during World War II, Spitfire fighter aeroplanes were produced by Vickers. Honda uses one of the airfield’s former runways as the on-site test track.

Honda bought the site in 1985 and initially it was a pre-delivery inspection facility for cars built by Rover, then badged as Hondas. Honda then opened an

Where They Sell. Case Study: France

Three brands considered: Renault, Peugeot Citroen.Renault: It’s home market share from 2001 forward has dropped from up to 27% to 22% and West European (WE) share slumped from 10.5 to 7.5%. It’s home market / WE split is about 38/62. It’s home sales are about 25% of world sales, and sales outside WE are 36%. Sales are falling in WE and it needs to broaden it’s world sales, which it seems to be

Where They Sell. Case Study: Germany

Four brands considered: VW, Daimler (M Benz), BMW & Audi.

VW: It’s home market share from 2001 forward has been between 19 to 20% and West European (WE) share 10 to 11%. It’s home market / WE split is about 40/60. It’s home sales are about 20% of world sales, and sales outside WE are 55%. A well balanced sales mix which minimizes it’s risk. Presently it’s home market is in slump but it isn’t