Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

In the automotive industry of the United States of America, the term Big Three refers to the three major American automotive companies: General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) [1] (recently, some sources claim Tesla, Inc. to have taken the spot of FCA US). [Two] Germany’s Big Three are Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) and BMW. [Trio] Japan’s Big Three are Toyota, Nissan, and Honda. [Four]

General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US are often referred to as the "Big Three," being the largest automakers in the United States. They were for a while the largest in the world and two of them are still a mainstay in the top five. The Big Three are also distinguished not just by their size and geography, but also by their business model. All three have their headquarters in the Detroit area. [Five] The majority of their operations are unionized with the United Auto Workers and Canadian Auto Workers.

Ford has held the position of second-ranked automaker for the past fifty six years, being relegated to third in North American sales after being overtaken by Toyota in 2007. That year, Toyota produced more vehicles than GM albeit GM still outsold Toyota that year. At that time, GM had seventy seven consecutive calendar years of top sales. For the very first quarter of 2008, Toyota eventually overtook GM in sales. [6] [7] In the North American market, the Detroit automakers retained the top three catches sight of, tho’ their market share is dwindling. [8] Honda passed Chrysler for the fourth spot in two thousand eight US sales. [9] [Ten] Since then, because of Toyota’s controversy surrounding their latest unintended acceleration recall, Toyota has fallen back to fourth place in sales, with Honda trailing in fifth place, permitting the Detroit Three to reclaim their Big Three title.

Union labor can result in higher labor costs than other multinational automakers, including those with plants in North America. [11] The two thousand five Harbour Report estimated that Toyota’s lead in labour productivity amounted to a cost advantage of $350 US to $500 US per vehicle over American manufacturers. [12] The UAW agreed to a two-tier wage in latest two thousand seven negotiations, something which the CAW has so far refused. [13] Delphi, which was spun off from GM in 1999, filed for Chapter eleven bankruptcy after the UAW refused to cut their wages and GM is expected to be liable for a $7 billion shortfall. [14] [15] [16]

In order to improve profits, the Detroit automakers made deals with unions to reduce wages while making pension and health care commitments. GM, for example, at one time picked up the entire cost of funding health insurance premiums of its employees, their survivors and GM retirees, as the US did not have a universal health care system. [17] With most of these plans chronically underfunded in the late 1990s, the companies have attempted to provide retirement packages to older workers, and made agreements with the UAW to transfer pension obligations to an independent trust. [Legitimate] In 2009, the CBC reported that the non-unionized Japanese automakers, with their junior American workforces and fewer retirees will proceed to love a cost advantage over the Big Three. [12]

Despite the history of their marques, many long running cars have been discontinued or relegated to fleet sales, [Nineteen] [20] [21] as the Big Three shifted away resources from midsize and compact cars to lead the "SUV Craze". Since the late 1990s, over half of their profits have come from Sport utility vehicles, while they often could not break even on compact cars unless the buyer chose options. [22] Ron Harbour, in releasing the Oliver Wyman’s two thousand eight Harbour Report, stated that many petite “econoboxes” of the past acted as loss leaders, but were designed to bring customers to the brand in the hopes they would stay loyal and stir up to more profitable models. The report estimated that an automaker needed to sell ten petite cars to make the same profit as one big vehicle, and that they had to produce puny and mid-size cars profitably to succeed, something that the Detroit three had trouble doing. [23]

SUV sales peaked in one thousand nine hundred ninety nine but have not returned to that level ever since, due to high gas prices. The Big Three have suffered from perceived inferior initial quality and reliability compared to their Japanese counterparts, which has been difficult to overcome. They have also been slow to bring fresh vehicles to the market, while the Japanese are also considered the leader at producing smaller, fuel-efficient cars. [12]

Falling sales and market share have resulted in the Big Three’s plants operating below capacity (GM’s plants were at 85% in November 2005, well below the plants of its Asian competitors), leading to production cuts, plant closures and layoffs. They have been relying intensely on considerable incentives and subsidized leases to sell vehicles. which was crucial to keeping the plants running, which in turn drove a significant portion of the Michigan economy. [24] These promotional strategies, including rebates, employee pricing and 0% financing, have boosted sales but have also cut into profits. More importantly such promotions drain the automaker’s cash reserves in the near term while in the long run the company suffers the stigma of selling vehicles because of low price instead of technical merit. Automakers have since been attempting to scale back on incentives and raise prices, while cutting production. The subprime mortgage crisis and high oil prices in two thousand eight resulting in the plummeting popularity of best-selling trucks and SUVs, perhaps forcing automakers to proceed suggesting intense incentives to help clear excess inventory. [12] [25]

The Big Three sued California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to prevent a tailpipe emissions requirement. In response, Governor Schwarzenegger told the Big Three to "get off their butt". [26]

In 2008, with high oil prices and a declining US economy due to the subprime mortgage crisis, the Big Three are rethinking their strategy, idling or converting light truck plants to make petite cars. [11] [27] [28] [29] Due to the declining residual value of their vehicles, Chrysler has stopped suggesting leases on its vehicles. [30]

In 2009, General Motors and Chrysler filed for and emerged from Chapter eleven restructuring in the United States. General Motors of Canada did not file for bankruptcy. The United States and Canadian government control are reported as makeshift. On June Ten, 2009, Chrysler Group LLC emerged from a Chapter eleven reorganization bankruptcy and was sold to the Italian automaker Fiat. [31] [32] On June Three, 2011, Fiat bought out the remaining U.S. Treasury’s stake in Chrysler for $500 million enlargening its ownership of the automaker to 53%. [33] On January 21, 2014, Fiat bought out the remaining stake in Chrysler Group that it did not already hold from the United Auto Workers’ employee medical benefit retirement trust. [34]

Due to the corporate structure of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles which is no longer possessed or managed by US investors, some media sources now list Detroit as having a "Big Two" (GM and Ford) as opposed to a "Big Three". [35] Some media sources are now including Tesla in the "Big Three" because it is the third largest US possessed automobile manufacturer with a valuation ($34.16B), much higher than FCA ($9.05B). [36] [37]

Japanese automakers Toyota, Nissan, and Honda, among many others, have long been considered the leaders at producing smaller, fuel-efficient cars. [12] Their vehicles were brought to the forefront, due to the one thousand nine hundred seventy three oil crisis which had a major influence on the auto industry. For example, the Honda Civic was considered superior to American competitors such as the Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto. The Civic is the best-selling car in Canada for twelve years in a row. [12]

As well, the Nissan 240Z was introduced at a relatively low price compared to other foreign sports cars of the time (Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, etc.), while providing spectacle, reliability, and good looks. This broadened the picture of Japanese car-makers beyond their econobox successes, as well as being credited as a catalyst for the import spectacle parts industry.

Before Honda unveiled Acura in 1986, Japanese automobiles exports were primarily economical in design and largely targeted at low-cost consumers. The Japanese big three created their luxury marques to challenge the established brands. Following Honda’s lead, Toyota launched the Lexus name with the LS four hundred which debuted at $38,000 in the U.S. (in some markets being priced against mid-sized six cylinder Mercedes-Benz and BMW models), [38] and was rated by Car and Driver magazine as better than both the $63,000 Mercedes-Benz W126 and the $55,000 BMW E32 in terms of rail, treating and spectacle. [39] It was generally regarded as a major shock to the European marques; BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. sales figures dropped 29% and 19%, respectively, with the then-BMW chairman Eberhard von Kuenheim accusing Lexus of dumping in that market. [39] Nissan’s Infiniti became a player on the luxury market mostly thanks to its popular Q45. The vehicle included a class-leading (at the time) two hundred seventy eight hp (207 kW) V8 engine, four wheel steering, the very first active suspension system suggested on a motor vehicle, and numerous interior luxury appointments. These made it competitive against the German imports like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which by the time of Infiniti’s release had overtaken Cadillac and Lincoln in predominant the luxury segment of the American market. In 1990, four years after the debut of the Legend and Integra, Acura introduced the NSX, a midship V6 powered, rear-wheel-drive sports car. The NSX, an acronym for "Fresh Sports eXperimental", was billed as the very first Japanese car capable of rivaling with Ferrari and Porsche. This vehicle served as a halo car for the Acura brand. The NSX was the world’s very first all-aluminum production car, and was also marketed and viewed by some as the "Everyday Supercar" thanks in part to its ease of use, quality and reliability, traits that were unheard of in the supercar segment at the time. [40]

The success of the Japanese automakers contributed to their American counterparts falling into a recession in the late 1970s. Unions and lobbyists in both North America and Europe put pressure on their government to restrict imports. In 1981, Japan agreed to Voluntary Export Restraints in order to preempt protectionism measures that the US may have taken, where it be tariffs or import quotas. Consequently, Japanese companies responded by investing strongly in US production facilities, as they were not subject to the VER. Unlike the plants of domestic automakers, Japanese plants are non-unionized (save for NUMMI), so they have lower wage expenses and do not face the risk of strikes. [41] The VER was lifted in one thousand nine hundred ninety four upon agreement of all members of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). [42] Establishing US production facilities was also a significant step in improving public relations, along with philanthropy, lobbying efforts, and sharing technology. [43] Europe has still largely maintained its protectionism policies against Japanese cars, tho’ their varies considerably. [39]

Toyota has always been by far Japan’s largest automaker, and it recently overtook perennial world leader GM in both production and sales by early 2008. As the most aggressive of Japan’s companies when it came to expanding into light trucks and luxury vehicles, this proved largely successful. Their high-end brand Lexus became the top-selling luxury marque worldwide in 2000, despite being only began up in 1989. Consequently, Toyota’s stock price has traded at a much higher premium than other automakers. [44] Nissan regained its position on 2nd place, financial difficulties in the late 1990s caused it to lose its place to Honda before. Nissan is Japan’s 2nd largest automaker and ranks sixth in the world, behind Toyota, GM, Volkswagen, Ford, and Hyundai. Suzuki, Mazda, and Mitsubishi are in a distant fourth, fifth, and sixth place compared to the Japanese Big Three. [45]

Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are all in the BusinessWeek magazine’s The one hundred Top Global Brands by dollar value, as ranked by leading brand consultancy Interbrand. The Toyota marque was valued at US$22.67 billion, ranking it ninth among all global brand names – automotive or non-automotive, edging out that of Mercedes-Benz. [46] [47] two thousand ten end of year production figures from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers shows that Toyota holds the number one spot, Nissan number 6, and Honda number 7. [45]

The German trio Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW are often referred to as "Germany’s Big Three", [48] albeit the actual major automobile manufacturers are the Volkswagen Group (producer of Volkswagen), Daimler AG (producer of Mercedes-Benz), and BMW.

Other major German manufacturers are Opel and Ford-Werke, but are not considered as part of this grouping, albeit they are among the top selling brands in Europe – they are both foreign-owned (Opel is a subsidiary of Groupe PSA, whilst Ford Werke is a wholly possessed subsidiary of Ford Motor Company), and are largely Germany based and carry out much of their research and development in the nation.

Volkswagen Group has long been the largest automaker in Europe. As of two thousand seven it edged out Ford to rank third in the world after General Motors and Toyota. It is also the parent group of Audi, Porsche, SEAT, Škoda, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Bentley.

Daimler AG holds major stakes in other automakers including Mitsubishi Fuso.

BMW also produces Mini branded vehicles, and has been the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 1998.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi make up about 86% of the luxury midsize market. [48]

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

In the automotive industry of the United States of America, the term Big Three refers to the three major American automotive companies: General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) [1] (recently, some sources claim Tesla, Inc. to have taken the spot of FCA US). [Two] Germany’s Big Three are Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) and BMW. [Three] Japan’s Big Three are Toyota, Nissan, and Honda. [Four]

Ford has held the position of second-ranked automaker for the past fifty six years, being relegated to third in North American sales after being overtaken by Toyota in 2007. That year, Toyota produced more vehicles than GM albeit GM still outsold Toyota that year. At that time, GM had seventy seven consecutive calendar years of top sales. For the very first quarter of 2008, Toyota ultimately overtook GM in sales. [6] [7] In the North American market, the Detroit automakers retained the top three catches sight of, however their market share is dwindling. [8] Honda passed Chrysler for the fourth spot in two thousand eight US sales. [9] [Ten] Since then, because of Toyota’s controversy surrounding their latest unintended acceleration recall, Toyota has fallen back to fourth place in sales, with Honda trailing in fifth place, permitting the Detroit Three to reclaim their Big Three title.

In order to improve profits, the Detroit automakers made deals with unions to reduce wages while making pension and health care commitments. GM, for example, at one time picked up the entire cost of funding health insurance premiums of its employees, their survivors and GM retirees, as the US did not have a universal health care system. [17] With most of these plans chronically underfunded in the late 1990s, the companies have attempted to provide retirement packages to older workers, and made agreements with the UAW to transfer pension obligations to an independent trust. [Eighteen] In 2009, the CBC reported that the non-unionized Japanese automakers, with their junior American workforces and fewer retirees will proceed to love a cost advantage over the Big Three. [12]

Falling sales and market share have resulted in the Big Three’s plants operating below capacity (GM’s plants were at 85% in November 2005, well below the plants of its Asian competitors), leading to production cuts, plant closures and layoffs. They have been relying intensely on considerable incentives and subsidized leases to sell vehicles. which was crucial to keeping the plants running, which in turn drove a significant portion of the Michigan economy. [24] These promotional strategies, including rebates, employee pricing and 0% financing, have boosted sales but have also cut into profits. More importantly such promotions drain the automaker’s cash reserves in the near term while in the long run the company suffers the stigma of selling vehicles because of low price instead of technical merit. Automakers have since been attempting to scale back on incentives and raise prices, while cutting production. The subprime mortgage crisis and high oil prices in two thousand eight resulting in the plummeting popularity of best-selling trucks and SUVs, perhaps forcing automakers to proceed suggesting strenuous incentives to help clear excess inventory. [12] [25]

The Big Three sued California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to prevent a tailpipe emissions requirement. In response, Governor Schwarzenegger told the Big Three to "get off their butt". [26]

In 2008, with high oil prices and a declining US economy due to the subprime mortgage crisis, the Big Three are rethinking their strategy, idling or converting light truck plants to make puny cars. [11] [27] [28] [29] Due to the declining residual value of their vehicles, Chrysler has stopped suggesting leases on its vehicles. [30]

In 2009, General Motors and Chrysler filed for and emerged from Chapter eleven restructuring in the United States. General Motors of Canada did not file for bankruptcy. The United States and Canadian government control are reported as improvised. On June Ten, 2009, Chrysler Group LLC emerged from a Chapter eleven reorganization bankruptcy and was sold to the Italian automaker Fiat. [31] [32] On June Trio, 2011, Fiat bought out the remaining U.S. Treasury’s stake in Chrysler for $500 million enhancing its ownership of the automaker to 53%. [33] On January 21, 2014, Fiat bought out the remaining stake in Chrysler Group that it did not already hold from the United Auto Workers’ employee medical benefit retirement trust. [34]

Before Honda unveiled Acura in 1986, Japanese automobiles exports were primarily economical in design and largely targeted at low-cost consumers. The Japanese big three created their luxury marques to challenge the established brands. Following Honda’s lead, Toyota launched the Lexus name with the LS four hundred which debuted at $38,000 in the U.S. (in some markets being priced against mid-sized six cylinder Mercedes-Benz and BMW models), [38] and was rated by Car and Driver magazine as better than both the $63,000 Mercedes-Benz W126 and the $55,000 BMW E32 in terms of rail, treating and spectacle. [39] It was generally regarded as a major shock to the European marques; BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. sales figures dropped 29% and 19%, respectively, with the then-BMW chairman Eberhard von Kuenheim accusing Lexus of dumping in that market. [39] Nissan’s Infiniti became a player on the luxury market mostly thanks to its popular Q45. The vehicle included a class-leading (at the time) two hundred seventy eight hp (207 kW) V8 engine, four wheel steering, the very first active suspension system suggested on a motor vehicle, and numerous interior luxury appointments. These made it competitive against the German imports like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which by the time of Infiniti’s release had overtaken Cadillac and Lincoln in predominant the luxury segment of the American market. In 1990, four years after the debut of the Legend and Integra, Acura introduced the NSX, a midship V6 powered, rear-wheel-drive sports car. The NSX, an acronym for "Fresh Sports eXperimental", was billed as the very first Japanese car capable of contesting with Ferrari and Porsche. This vehicle served as a halo car for the Acura brand. The NSX was the world’s very first all-aluminum production car, and was also marketed and viewed by some as the "Everyday Supercar" thanks in part to its ease of use, quality and reliability, traits that were unheard of in the supercar segment at the time. [40]

The success of the Japanese automakers contributed to their American counterparts falling into a recession in the late 1970s. Unions and lobbyists in both North America and Europe put pressure on their government to restrict imports. In 1981, Japan agreed to Voluntary Export Restraints in order to preempt protectionism measures that the US may have taken, where it be tariffs or import quotas. Consequently, Japanese companies responded by investing strenuously in US production facilities, as they were not subject to the VER. Unlike the plants of domestic automakers, Japanese plants are non-unionized (save for NUMMI), so they have lower wage expenses and do not face the risk of strikes. [41] The VER was lifted in one thousand nine hundred ninety four upon agreement of all members of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). [42] Establishing US production facilities was also a significant step in improving public relations, along with philanthropy, lobbying efforts, and sharing technology. [43] Europe has still largely maintained its protectionism policies against Japanese cars, tho’ their varies considerably. [39]

Daimler AG holds major stakes in other automakers including Mitsubishi Fuso.

BMW also produces Mini branded vehicles, and has been the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 1998.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi make up about 86% of the luxury midsize market. [48]

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Ford has held the position of second-ranked automaker for the past fifty six years, being relegated to third in North American sales after being overtaken by Toyota in 2007. That year, Toyota produced more vehicles than GM albeit GM still outsold Toyota that year. At that time, GM had seventy seven consecutive calendar years of top sales. For the very first quarter of 2008, Toyota eventually overtook GM in sales. [6] [7] In the North American market, the Detroit automakers retained the top three catches sight of, however their market share is dwindling. [8] Honda passed Chrysler for the fourth spot in two thousand eight US sales. [9] [Ten] Since then, because of Toyota’s controversy surrounding their latest unintended acceleration recall, Toyota has fallen back to fourth place in sales, with Honda trailing in fifth place, permitting the Detroit Three to reclaim their Big Three title.

In order to improve profits, the Detroit automakers made deals with unions to reduce wages while making pension and health care commitments. GM, for example, at one time picked up the entire cost of funding health insurance premiums of its employees, their survivors and GM retirees, as the US did not have a universal health care system. [17] With most of these plans chronically underfunded in the late 1990s, the companies have attempted to provide retirement packages to older workers, and made agreements with the UAW to transfer pension obligations to an independent trust. [Eighteen] In 2009, the CBC reported that the non-unionized Japanese automakers, with their junior American workforces and fewer retirees will proceed to love a cost advantage over the Big Three. [12]

Despite the history of their marques, many long running cars have been discontinued or relegated to fleet sales, [Nineteen] [20] [21] as the Big Three shifted away resources from midsize and compact cars to lead the "SUV Craze". Since the late 1990s, over half of their profits have come from Sport utility vehicles, while they often could not break even on compact cars unless the buyer chose options. [22] Ron Harbour, in releasing the Oliver Wyman’s two thousand eight Harbour Report, stated that many puny “econoboxes” of the past acted as loss leaders, but were designed to bring customers to the brand in the hopes they would stay loyal and stir up to more profitable models. The report estimated that an automaker needed to sell ten puny cars to make the same profit as one big vehicle, and that they had to produce puny and mid-size cars profitably to succeed, something that the Detroit three had trouble doing. [23]

Falling sales and market share have resulted in the Big Three’s plants operating below capacity (GM’s plants were at 85% in November 2005, well below the plants of its Asian competitors), leading to production cuts, plant closures and layoffs. They have been relying powerfully on considerable incentives and subsidized leases to sell vehicles. which was crucial to keeping the plants running, which in turn drove a significant portion of the Michigan economy. [24] These promotional strategies, including rebates, employee pricing and 0% financing, have boosted sales but have also cut into profits. More importantly such promotions drain the automaker’s cash reserves in the near term while in the long run the company suffers the stigma of selling vehicles because of low price instead of technical merit. Automakers have since been attempting to scale back on incentives and raise prices, while cutting production. The subprime mortgage crisis and high oil prices in two thousand eight resulting in the plummeting popularity of best-selling trucks and SUVs, perhaps forcing automakers to proceed suggesting mighty incentives to help clear excess inventory. [12] [25]

The Big Three sued California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to prevent a tailpipe emissions requirement. In response, Governor Schwarzenegger told the Big Three to "get off their butt". [26]

In 2008, with high oil prices and a declining US economy due to the subprime mortgage crisis, the Big Three are rethinking their strategy, idling or converting light truck plants to make puny cars. [11] [27] [28] [29] Due to the declining residual value of their vehicles, Chrysler has stopped suggesting leases on its vehicles. [30]

Due to the corporate structure of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles which is no longer wielded or managed by US investors, some media sources now list Detroit as having a "Big Two" (GM and Ford) as opposed to a "Big Three". [35] Some media sources are now including Tesla in the "Big Three" because it is the third largest US possessed automobile manufacturer with a valuation ($34.16B), much higher than FCA ($9.05B). [36] [37]

As well, the Nissan 240Z was introduced at a relatively low price compared to other foreign sports cars of the time (Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, etc.), while providing spectacle, reliability, and good looks. This broadened the photo of Japanese car-makers beyond their econobox successes, as well as being credited as a catalyst for the import spectacle parts industry.

Before Honda unveiled Acura in 1986, Japanese automobiles exports were primarily economical in design and largely targeted at low-cost consumers. The Japanese big three created their luxury marques to challenge the established brands. Following Honda’s lead, Toyota launched the Lexus name with the LS four hundred which debuted at $38,000 in the U.S. (in some markets being priced against mid-sized six cylinder Mercedes-Benz and BMW models), [38] and was rated by Car and Driver magazine as better than both the $63,000 Mercedes-Benz W126 and the $55,000 BMW E32 in terms of rail, treating and spectacle. [39] It was generally regarded as a major shock to the European marques; BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. sales figures dropped 29% and 19%, respectively, with the then-BMW chairman Eberhard von Kuenheim accusing Lexus of dumping in that market. [39] Nissan’s Infiniti became a player on the luxury market mostly thanks to its popular Q45. The vehicle included a class-leading (at the time) two hundred seventy eight hp (207 kW) V8 engine, four wheel steering, the very first active suspension system suggested on a motor vehicle, and numerous interior luxury appointments. These made it competitive against the German imports like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which by the time of Infiniti’s release had overtaken Cadillac and Lincoln in predominant the luxury segment of the American market. In 1990, four years after the debut of the Legend and Integra, Acura introduced the NSX, a midship V6 powered, rear-wheel-drive sports car. The NSX, an acronym for "Fresh Sports eXperimental", was billed as the very first Japanese car capable of contesting with Ferrari and Porsche. This vehicle served as a halo car for the Acura brand. The NSX was the world’s very first all-aluminum production car, and was also marketed and viewed by some as the "Everyday Supercar" thanks in part to its ease of use, quality and reliability, traits that were unheard of in the supercar segment at the time. [40]

The success of the Japanese automakers contributed to their American counterparts falling into a recession in the late 1970s. Unions and lobbyists in both North America and Europe put pressure on their government to restrict imports. In 1981, Japan agreed to Voluntary Export Restraints in order to preempt protectionism measures that the US may have taken, where it be tariffs or import quotas. Consequently, Japanese companies responded by investing intensely in US production facilities, as they were not subject to the VER. Unlike the plants of domestic automakers, Japanese plants are non-unionized (save for NUMMI), so they have lower wage expenses and do not face the risk of strikes. [41] The VER was lifted in one thousand nine hundred ninety four upon agreement of all members of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). [42] Establishing US production facilities was also a significant step in improving public relations, along with philanthropy, lobbying efforts, and sharing technology. [43] Europe has still largely maintained its protectionism policies against Japanese cars, however their varies considerably. [39]

Toyota has always been by far Japan’s largest automaker, and it recently overtook perennial world leader GM in both production and sales by early 2008. As the most aggressive of Japan’s companies when it came to expanding into light trucks and luxury vehicles, this proved largely successful. Their high-end brand Lexus became the top-selling luxury marque worldwide in 2000, despite being only commenced up in 1989. Consequently, Toyota’s stock price has traded at a much higher premium than other automakers. [44] Nissan regained its position on 2nd place, financial difficulties in the late 1990s caused it to lose its place to Honda before. Nissan is Japan’s 2nd largest automaker and ranks sixth in the world, behind Toyota, GM, Volkswagen, Ford, and Hyundai. Suzuki, Mazda, and Mitsubishi are in a distant fourth, fifth, and sixth place compared to the Japanese Big Three. [45]

Other major German manufacturers are Opel and Ford-Werke, but are not considered as part of this grouping, albeit they are among the top selling brands in Europe – they are both foreign-owned (Opel is a subsidiary of Groupe PSA, whilst Ford Werke is a wholly wielded subsidiary of Ford Motor Company), and are largely Germany based and carry out much of their research and development in the nation.

Daimler AG holds major stakes in other automakers including Mitsubishi Fuso.

BMW also produces Mini branded vehicles, and has been the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 1998.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi make up about 86% of the luxury midsize market. [48]

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Ford has held the position of second-ranked automaker for the past fifty six years, being relegated to third in North American sales after being overtaken by Toyota in 2007. That year, Toyota produced more vehicles than GM albeit GM still outsold Toyota that year. At that time, GM had seventy seven consecutive calendar years of top sales. For the very first quarter of 2008, Toyota eventually overtook GM in sales. [6] [7] In the North American market, the Detroit automakers retained the top three catches sight of, however their market share is dwindling. [8] Honda passed Chrysler for the fourth spot in two thousand eight US sales. [9] [Ten] Since then, because of Toyota’s controversy surrounding their latest unintended acceleration recall, Toyota has fallen back to fourth place in sales, with Honda trailing in fifth place, permitting the Detroit Three to reclaim their Big Three title.

In order to improve profits, the Detroit automakers made deals with unions to reduce wages while making pension and health care commitments. GM, for example, at one time picked up the entire cost of funding health insurance premiums of its employees, their survivors and GM retirees, as the US did not have a universal health care system. [17] With most of these plans chronically underfunded in the late 1990s, the companies have attempted to provide retirement packages to older workers, and made agreements with the UAW to transfer pension obligations to an independent trust. [Eighteen] In 2009, the CBC reported that the non-unionized Japanese automakers, with their junior American workforces and fewer retirees will proceed to love a cost advantage over the Big Three. [12]

Despite the history of their marques, many long running cars have been discontinued or relegated to fleet sales, [Nineteen] [20] [21] as the Big Three shifted away resources from midsize and compact cars to lead the "SUV Craze". Since the late 1990s, over half of their profits have come from Sport utility vehicles, while they often could not break even on compact cars unless the buyer chose options. [22] Ron Harbour, in releasing the Oliver Wyman’s two thousand eight Harbour Report, stated that many puny “econoboxes” of the past acted as loss leaders, but were designed to bring customers to the brand in the hopes they would stay loyal and budge up to more profitable models. The report estimated that an automaker needed to sell ten puny cars to make the same profit as one big vehicle, and that they had to produce petite and mid-size cars profitably to succeed, something that the Detroit three had trouble doing. [23]

Falling sales and market share have resulted in the Big Three’s plants operating below capacity (GM’s plants were at 85% in November 2005, well below the plants of its Asian competitors), leading to production cuts, plant closures and layoffs. They have been relying strongly on considerable incentives and subsidized leases to sell vehicles. which was crucial to keeping the plants running, which in turn drove a significant portion of the Michigan economy. [24] These promotional strategies, including rebates, employee pricing and 0% financing, have boosted sales but have also cut into profits. More importantly such promotions drain the automaker’s cash reserves in the near term while in the long run the company suffers the stigma of selling vehicles because of low price instead of technical merit. Automakers have since been attempting to scale back on incentives and raise prices, while cutting production. The subprime mortgage crisis and high oil prices in two thousand eight resulting in the plummeting popularity of best-selling trucks and SUVs, perhaps forcing automakers to proceed suggesting mighty incentives to help clear excess inventory. [12] [25]

The Big Three sued California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to prevent a tailpipe emissions requirement. In response, Governor Schwarzenegger told the Big Three to "get off their butt". [26]

In 2008, with high oil prices and a declining US economy due to the subprime mortgage crisis, the Big Three are rethinking their strategy, idling or converting light truck plants to make puny cars. [11] [27] [28] [29] Due to the declining residual value of their vehicles, Chrysler has stopped suggesting leases on its vehicles. [30]

In 2009, General Motors and Chrysler filed for and emerged from Chapter eleven restructuring in the United States. General Motors of Canada did not file for bankruptcy. The United States and Canadian government control are reported as makeshift. On June Ten, 2009, Chrysler Group LLC emerged from a Chapter eleven reorganization bankruptcy and was sold to the Italian automaker Fiat. [31] [32] On June Three, 2011, Fiat bought out the remaining U.S. Treasury’s stake in Chrysler for $500 million enhancing its ownership of the automaker to 53%. [33] On January 21, 2014, Fiat bought out the remaining stake in Chrysler Group that it did not already hold from the United Auto Workers’ employee medical benefit retirement trust. [34]

Due to the corporate structure of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles which is no longer possessed or managed by US investors, some media sources now list Detroit as having a "Big Two" (GM and Ford) as opposed to a "Big Three". [35] Some media sources are now including Tesla in the "Big Three" because it is the third largest US wielded automobile manufacturer with a valuation ($34.16B), much higher than FCA ($9.05B). [36] [37]

As well, the Nissan 240Z was introduced at a relatively low price compared to other foreign sports cars of the time (Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, etc.), while providing spectacle, reliability, and good looks. This broadened the pic of Japanese car-makers beyond their econobox successes, as well as being credited as a catalyst for the import spectacle parts industry.

The success of the Japanese automakers contributed to their American counterparts falling into a recession in the late 1970s. Unions and lobbyists in both North America and Europe put pressure on their government to restrict imports. In 1981, Japan agreed to Voluntary Export Restraints in order to preempt protectionism measures that the US may have taken, where it be tariffs or import quotas. Consequently, Japanese companies responded by investing intensely in US production facilities, as they were not subject to the VER. Unlike the plants of domestic automakers, Japanese plants are non-unionized (save for NUMMI), so they have lower wage expenses and do not face the risk of strikes. [41] The VER was lifted in one thousand nine hundred ninety four upon agreement of all members of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). [42] Establishing US production facilities was also a significant step in improving public relations, along with philanthropy, lobbying efforts, and sharing technology. [43] Europe has still largely maintained its protectionism policies against Japanese cars, tho’ their varies considerably. [39]

Toyota has always been by far Japan’s largest automaker, and it recently overtook perennial world leader GM in both production and sales by early 2008. As the most aggressive of Japan’s companies when it came to expanding into light trucks and luxury vehicles, this proved largely successful. Their high-end brand Lexus became the top-selling luxury marque worldwide in 2000, despite being only commenced up in 1989. Consequently, Toyota’s stock price has traded at a much higher premium than other automakers. [44] Nissan regained its position on 2nd place, financial difficulties in the late 1990s caused it to lose its place to Honda before. Nissan is Japan’s 2nd largest automaker and ranks sixth in the world, behind Toyota, GM, Volkswagen, Ford, and Hyundai. Suzuki, Mazda, and Mitsubishi are in a distant fourth, fifth, and sixth place compared to the Japanese Big Three. [45]

Other major German manufacturers are Opel and Ford-Werke, but are not considered as part of this grouping, albeit they are among the top selling brands in Europe – they are both foreign-owned (Opel is a subsidiary of Groupe PSA, whilst Ford Werke is a wholly wielded subsidiary of Ford Motor Company), and are largely Germany based and carry out much of their research and development in the nation.

Daimler AG holds major stakes in other automakers including Mitsubishi Fuso.

BMW also produces Mini branded vehicles, and has been the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 1998.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi make up about 86% of the luxury midsize market. [48]

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Ford has held the position of second-ranked automaker for the past fifty six years, being relegated to third in North American sales after being overtaken by Toyota in 2007. That year, Toyota produced more vehicles than GM albeit GM still outsold Toyota that year. At that time, GM had seventy seven consecutive calendar years of top sales. For the very first quarter of 2008, Toyota eventually overtook GM in sales. [6] [7] In the North American market, the Detroit automakers retained the top three catches sight of, however their market share is dwindling. [8] Honda passed Chrysler for the fourth spot in two thousand eight US sales. [9] [Ten] Since then, because of Toyota’s controversy surrounding their latest unintended acceleration recall, Toyota has fallen back to fourth place in sales, with Honda trailing in fifth place, permitting the Detroit Three to reclaim their Big Three title.

Despite the history of their marques, many long running cars have been discontinued or relegated to fleet sales, [Nineteen] [20] [21] as the Big Three shifted away resources from midsize and compact cars to lead the "SUV Craze". Since the late 1990s, over half of their profits have come from Sport utility vehicles, while they often could not break even on compact cars unless the buyer chose options. [22] Ron Harbour, in releasing the Oliver Wyman’s two thousand eight Harbour Report, stated that many puny “econoboxes” of the past acted as loss leaders, but were designed to bring customers to the brand in the hopes they would stay loyal and budge up to more profitable models. The report estimated that an automaker needed to sell ten petite cars to make the same profit as one big vehicle, and that they had to produce petite and mid-size cars profitably to succeed, something that the Detroit three had trouble doing. [23]

Falling sales and market share have resulted in the Big Three’s plants operating below capacity (GM’s plants were at 85% in November 2005, well below the plants of its Asian competitors), leading to production cuts, plant closures and layoffs. They have been relying strenuously on considerable incentives and subsidized leases to sell vehicles. which was crucial to keeping the plants running, which in turn drove a significant portion of the Michigan economy. [24] These promotional strategies, including rebates, employee pricing and 0% financing, have boosted sales but have also cut into profits. More importantly such promotions drain the automaker’s cash reserves in the near term while in the long run the company suffers the stigma of selling vehicles because of low price instead of technical merit. Automakers have since been attempting to scale back on incentives and raise prices, while cutting production. The subprime mortgage crisis and high oil prices in two thousand eight resulting in the plummeting popularity of best-selling trucks and SUVs, perhaps forcing automakers to proceed suggesting strenuous incentives to help clear excess inventory. [12] [25]

The Big Three sued California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to prevent a tailpipe emissions requirement. In response, Governor Schwarzenegger told the Big Three to "get off their butt". [26]

In 2009, General Motors and Chrysler filed for and emerged from Chapter eleven restructuring in the United States. General Motors of Canada did not file for bankruptcy. The United States and Canadian government control are reported as improvised. On June Ten, 2009, Chrysler Group LLC emerged from a Chapter eleven reorganization bankruptcy and was sold to the Italian automaker Fiat. [31] [32] On June Three, 2011, Fiat bought out the remaining U.S. Treasury’s stake in Chrysler for $500 million enlargening its ownership of the automaker to 53%. [33] On January 21, 2014, Fiat bought out the remaining stake in Chrysler Group that it did not already hold from the United Auto Workers’ employee medical benefit retirement trust. [34]

As well, the Nissan 240Z was introduced at a relatively low price compared to other foreign sports cars of the time (Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, etc.), while providing spectacle, reliability, and good looks. This broadened the pic of Japanese car-makers beyond their econobox successes, as well as being credited as a catalyst for the import spectacle parts industry.

Before Honda unveiled Acura in 1986, Japanese automobiles exports were primarily economical in design and largely targeted at low-cost consumers. The Japanese big three created their luxury marques to challenge the established brands. Following Honda’s lead, Toyota launched the Lexus name with the LS four hundred which debuted at $38,000 in the U.S. (in some markets being priced against mid-sized six cylinder Mercedes-Benz and BMW models), [38] and was rated by Car and Driver magazine as better than both the $63,000 Mercedes-Benz W126 and the $55,000 BMW E32 in terms of rail, treating and spectacle. [39] It was generally regarded as a major shock to the European marques; BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. sales figures dropped 29% and 19%, respectively, with the then-BMW chairman Eberhard von Kuenheim accusing Lexus of dumping in that market. [39] Nissan’s Infiniti became a player on the luxury market mostly thanks to its popular Q45. The vehicle included a class-leading (at the time) two hundred seventy eight hp (207 kW) V8 engine, four wheel steering, the very first active suspension system suggested on a motor vehicle, and numerous interior luxury appointments. These made it competitive against the German imports like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which by the time of Infiniti’s release had overtaken Cadillac and Lincoln in predominant the luxury segment of the American market. In 1990, four years after the debut of the Legend and Integra, Acura introduced the NSX, a midship V6 powered, rear-wheel-drive sports car. The NSX, an acronym for "Fresh Sports eXperimental", was billed as the very first Japanese car capable of contesting with Ferrari and Porsche. This vehicle served as a halo car for the Acura brand. The NSX was the world’s very first all-aluminum production car, and was also marketed and viewed by some as the "Everyday Supercar" thanks in part to its ease of use, quality and reliability, traits that were unheard of in the supercar segment at the time. [40]

The success of the Japanese automakers contributed to their American counterparts falling into a recession in the late 1970s. Unions and lobbyists in both North America and Europe put pressure on their government to restrict imports. In 1981, Japan agreed to Voluntary Export Restraints in order to preempt protectionism measures that the US may have taken, where it be tariffs or import quotas. Consequently, Japanese companies responded by investing intensely in US production facilities, as they were not subject to the VER. Unlike the plants of domestic automakers, Japanese plants are non-unionized (save for NUMMI), so they have lower wage expenses and do not face the risk of strikes. [41] The VER was lifted in one thousand nine hundred ninety four upon agreement of all members of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). [42] Establishing US production facilities was also a significant step in improving public relations, along with philanthropy, lobbying efforts, and sharing technology. [43] Europe has still largely maintained its protectionism policies against Japanese cars, however their varies considerably. [39]

Toyota has always been by far Japan’s largest automaker, and it recently overtook perennial world leader GM in both production and sales by early 2008. As the most aggressive of Japan’s companies when it came to expanding into light trucks and luxury vehicles, this proved largely successful. Their high-end brand Lexus became the top-selling luxury marque worldwide in 2000, despite being only commenced up in 1989. Consequently, Toyota’s stock price has traded at a much higher premium than other automakers. [44] Nissan regained its position on 2nd place, financial difficulties in the late 1990s caused it to lose its place to Honda before. Nissan is Japan’s 2nd largest automaker and ranks sixth in the world, behind Toyota, GM, Volkswagen, Ford, and Hyundai. Suzuki, Mazda, and Mitsubishi are in a distant fourth, fifth, and sixth place compared to the Japanese Big Three. [45]

Daimler AG holds major stakes in other automakers including Mitsubishi Fuso.

BMW also produces Mini branded vehicles, and has been the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 1998.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi make up about 86% of the luxury midsize market. [48]

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Contents

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Contents

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Contents

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Contents

Big Three (automobile manufacturers)

Contents

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