De vergelijking met Rover is vaker gemaakt.
That bloody globalisation.
OK, so it is a necessary evil for the car industry, spreading the ever more crippling cost of technological innovation and legal compliance over bigger numbers of vehicles. And of course it ensures the survival of a number of companies that would have bitten the dust had it not been for one of the big players snapping them up and giving them access to their brainpools and parts bins.
On the other hand, countless cherished nameplates have fallen by the wayside in this process of consolidation and global playerdom. And let’s not forget that of all the struggling minions absorbed into the corporate embrace of Ford, GM or VW, not many have kept their dignity. It may be a sign of the times that Jaguar has to make do with mass-market mongrels to ensure its survival, that Saab has to give up on its once typical hatchback format to appeal to that elusive “premium” formula, and that a rebodied VW can be hailed as the saviour of Bentley, but a rather cynical sign it is too.
While these marques are more or less safe in their conglomerate havens though, let’s have a look at two venerable companies whose future looks rather bleaker due to decades of mismanagement, and which have more in common than one might think: Lancia and MG Rover......
At Lancia the picture is similar. Owned by Fiat since the 1960s, it has lost all its once-revered quality and technological expertise under the corporate umbrella. Cost-cutting saw the introduction of horrors such as the Prisma or Dedra, the cult status gained by the ferocious Delta integrale was foolishly thrown away in a misguided attempt to reposition the brand as something akin to Buick all’italiana.....
...a whole new outlook!The lacklustre Delta MkII was not replaced due to predicted lack of demand (now why would that be?) and the same fate awaits the underrated Lybra. Damage done, image destroyed, Lancia has all but vanished from international awareness (a whopping 80% of its 2003 production were sold in Italy) and stands with its back to the wall........
....... By the end of the decade, Lancia and MG Rover will more than likely have had their funerals.
enkele quotes uit een artikel
http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?lanciaf.htm
Lancia is niet langer Lancia en des te merkwaardiger dat men wel de heritage gebruikt voor een PR campagne. Lancia is hard op weg naar de vergetelheid.