Re: One Story Assembly Plant What If?

Posted by Dave Brownell On 2014/5/15 10:32:30

Indeed, being an automotive Independent is a dangerous thing. Word has it that Aston Martin is actively seeking a house to live in and Mercedes Benz is the likely shelter for them. Now that FIAT and Chrysler have united, I suppose that the biggest outlier is BMW (and they have Rolls Royce and Mini inside their group), but I wouldn't be surprised by what lies in store for them in the next few years. Toyota already makes Subarus in their shared Indiana plant, so maybe they're engaged. Little Mazda is out there, alone now that Ford cut them loose. Let's hope that the bad guys don't shoot them while they're busy making some fine products.

The fact that Briggs made bodies for Chrysler, Hudson and Packard, the death of Walter really had an effect on lots of Michigan companies. I wonder what would have happened in 1940 if Packard management had persisted in making their own bodies at EGB? Shortly after the new Clipper was declared a sales success, Briggs wanted their fees recalculated. I suppose there was a Low Ball introductory offer, much like today's Internet service providers, where, once we've got you, then the price is likely to rise.
I suspect the real reason for Packard having a slide start was Charlie Wilson turning those Defense dollars back towards GM when Packard was so dependent on them.

Had George Mason lived another ten years and Nance and Romney buried their hatchets, Packard and Hudson might have kept the Detroit coffers filled a bit more so that the entire landscape would be different, today. Ah, speculation run wild!