Possible cars if Australian car building returned

[FalconXV]

http://www.top10cars.com.au/top-10-p...tart-industry/

Keep in mind this is a purely hypothetical exercise, but stranger things have happened.

I quite like the hardtop restoration idea.

[aussiblue]

Sadly just wishful thinking.

[CyberWasp]

All of those examples are possible.

[Junkyard-Dog]

Makes for nice reading.

Edit: there is a spelling mistake in the first line "sacrifice" is the word. Not sure if you are able to edit the article but just thought I'd point it out in case.

[Burnout]

The SA Govt has signed on to allow this mob to build Navya Driverless Shuttles in Sadadaide.

[FalconXV]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

Makes for nice reading.

Edit: there is a spelling mistake in the first line "sacrifice" is the word. Not sure if you are able to edit the article but just thought I'd point it out in case.

Thanks for that sure can- occasionally things like that slip under the radar

[Ben73]

If they built cars that people want in 2017 they could have had A chance to survive. Hatchbacks, small SUVs and and duelcab Utes.
Once making a profit on these vehicles they could have still sustained a more niche market.

Some boring self driving electric garbage would be a good way to future proof Australian manurfacturing. Instead of solely building a segment that was popular a couple of decades ago.

[Spammy]

Originally Posted by Ben73

If they built cars that people want in 2017 they could have had A chance to survive. Hatchbacks, small SUVs and and duelcab Utes.
Once making a profit on these vehicles they could have still sustained a more niche market.

How would a local manufacturer turn a profit on these when they can be built better and cheaper elsewhere?

[mwb235]

Originally Posted by Spammy

How would a local manufacturer turn a profit on these when they can be built better and cheaper elsewhere?

I agree.

It’s a matter of economics. As long as there is somewhere else in the world where things can be made for less (particularly lower wages) then it’ll be made there. I can’t see every worker in every country on Earth ever getting equal pay rates. In 30-40 years everything will made in Africa (excluding South Africa) as workers there will be happy to be paid with just a sack of wheat and a pail of water each day. Only when (and ever) all the poor countries catch up to the rest of the world, will making cars in Oz become profitable again. Maybe in 100 years? By that time we probably won’t have cars anyway.

[Maka]

Originally Posted by Spammy

How would a local manufacturer turn a profit on these when they can be built better and cheaper elsewhere?

By innovation, strategic partnerships & a stable cheap Oz dollar, build new markets etc.

In the coming years, conditions for car manufacturing in this country will be better, i don't think the wait will be too long now lol!

cheers, Maka

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Spammy

How would a local manufacturer turn a profit on these when they can be built better and cheaper elsewhere?

We are not the only country in the world that builds cars and has livable wages.
I have no idea how much auto workers in Australia got, but if the company was selling huge volumes of cars they could turn a profit. Economy of scale.
Apparently auto workers here got greedy, no idea how true it is but they have to be realistic.

I guess it doesn't matter, most companies want the huge sales while paying their workers small wages. Since we have no dedicated Australian car companies we don't have much hope for foreign companies like Ford, GM and Toyota caring about Australian jobs.
Why would they supply jobs to high paid foreigners when they can hire different foreigners at a fraction of the cost.

[danzvtil]

All of those listed are too low volume to make any sense, and a head of state car?! LOL, Turnbull has c1 which is kept for 7 years beacause its armoured, so we set up a factory, build one car, then wait 7 years to build another, yep, ok then.

[FalconXV]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

All of those listed are too low volume to make any sense, and a head of state car?! LOL, Turnbull has c1 which is kept for 7 years beacause its armoured, so we set up a factory, build one car, then wait 7 years to build another, yep, ok then.

Ok so there’s no such thing as a low volume car maker?
And we already have factories which build armoured vehicles just not for road cars anymore. Don’t be such a Debbie Downer

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by FalconXV

Ok so there’s no such thing as a low volume car maker?
And we already have factories which build armoured vehicles just not for road cars anymore. Don’t be such a Debbie Downer

Even Debbie downer can see that if any of those options were viable, they'd be building them here already.

[Spammy]

Originally Posted by FalconXV

Ok so there’s no such thing as a low volume car maker?
er

Ford were a low volume manufacturer for the last 5 years and we all know how that worked.

[FalconXV]

Originally Posted by Spammy

Ford were a low volume manufacturer for the last 5 years and we all know how that worked.

So is TomCar in Victoria, Mack, Kenworth etc. seems to be working out fine for them...

I mean a low volume sports car or luxury car outfit like Morgan, TVR, Rolls etc. new lean manufacturing techniques like Gordon Murray’s iStream would bring it into feasibility without the massive investment of stamping etc.

The case put forth by the article is wouldn’t it be rad if this happened but acknowledges all the hurdles that presently stand in the way and would require major effort to fix.

It was an imaginitive exercise and one worth pondering for anyone who wishes we still made cars here IMO.