Fairline to Sail to New Home

[Blue Sunray]

What intrigues me is why ? take the Metro, universal rubbish on here, yet it was built in a new 71,000 sq M workshop, which was the most productive in Europe, made more use of robots, had automatic inspection, each body was 23 dimension checked on the production line, advanced paint. Same with Rover in 1994, ahead in Europe, yet bad press.

If interested a bit on Longbridge plant http://www.austinmemories.com/page8/page53/page53.html

Brian

I wish I knew the answer though in fact like so many things there will be many and varied factors involved. The Rover brand for instance was far more synonymous with quality than say BMW up to the 1970s to my my mind. The British car industry story in the latter half of C20 is a sad one.

Similarly the aviation industry as well documented out in this book - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Empire-Clouds-Britains-Aircraft-Ruled/dp/0571247954 all rather maudlin.

 

[rafiki_]

I confess I though the overseas Defender production was assembly by JVs rather than actual build - happy to stand corrected.

The Defenders built overseas have usually been from KD kits, with some degree of localisation. Turkey (Otokar) has tooled the most parts locally, and Defenders were built in Oz with Isuzu engines for the Oz army, including a 6x6 derivative. The agreements were historically nearly all JV's, but this has changed recently. The Pune factory is JLR, as is the Sao Paulo factory.

 

[Blue Sunray]

The Defenders built overseas have usually been from KD kits, with some degree of localisation. Turkey (Otokar) has tooled the most parts locally, and Defenders were built in Oz with Isuzu engines for the Oz army, including a 6x6 derivative. The agreements were historically nearly all JV's, but this has changed recently. The Pune factory is JLR, as is the Sao Paulo factory.

Yep I'm quite fond of the Perentie (sp?) but even they are on their way out (if not already gone) tbrb the Nary. There were some Spanish deivatives around as well Iirc.

 

[Tranona]

What intrigues me is why ? take the Metro, universal rubbish on here, yet it was built in a new 71,000 sq M workshop, which was the most productive in Europe, made more use of robots, had automatic inspection, each body was 23 dimension checked on the production line, advanced paint. Same with Rover in 1994, ahead in Europe, yet bad press.

If interested a bit on Longbridge plant http://www.austinmemories.com/page8/page53/page53.html

Brian

But it was still a rubbish car even when it was new. Antiquated engine, low rent interior, rusted away as you looked at it. Does not matter if you have the best manufacturing kit going, if you don't invest in good designs its all wasted.

Not that this has much to do with Fairline's predicament - or maybe it does given some of the comments here about their designs. Not my field so not qualified to judge.

 

[rafiki_]

Yep I'm quite fond of the Perentie (sp?) but even they are on their way out (if not already gone) tbrb the Nary. There were some Spanish deivatives around as well Iirc.

Parentie. Actually, they were not the best Defenders I have driven. Engines very heavy and not much power. Spare wheel under the chassis limited ground clearance and departure angle. Spanish Defenders were built by Santana. They were a derivative of the old Series 3, leaf springs etc, but some systems modernised.

 

[Blue Sunray]

Parentie. Actually, they were not the best Defenders I have driven. Engines very heavy and not much power. Spare wheel under the chassis limited ground clearance and departure angle. Spanish Defenders were built by Santana. They were a derivative of the old Series 3, leaf springs etc, but some systems modernised.

Huge thread drift, but the ones I knew had the spare on the side in a bodywork recess just in front of the rear wheels?