New Zealand car industry
Discussion
Isn’t it strange that New Zealand produces some of the finest automotive engineers in the world, has proved repeatedly that Kiwi designers can produce some of the most imaginative and innovative designs and yet New Zealand has virtually no car industry to speak of?
I see adverts for government sponsored programs every night on television for people to join media schools and learn the crafts for the virtually non-existent film industry that is undergoing short term growth. Yet Kiwi’s have been going to Europe and establishing themselves in engineering/racing since the mid 1950’s, there seems to be virtually nil sponsorship or interest in building a lucrative industry here in New Zealand by the current government. It’s strange that the New Zealand government feels that creating this drastic oversupply of media studies students is somehow more beneficial than establishing profitable industries.
What do you think of this issue?
I see adverts for government sponsored programs every night on television for people to join media schools and learn the crafts for the virtually non-existent film industry that is undergoing short term growth. Yet Kiwi’s have been going to Europe and establishing themselves in engineering/racing since the mid 1950’s, there seems to be virtually nil sponsorship or interest in building a lucrative industry here in New Zealand by the current government. It’s strange that the New Zealand government feels that creating this drastic oversupply of media studies students is somehow more beneficial than establishing profitable industries.
What do you think of this issue?
Well I guess the people building the "HULME" are on the right track to spark this off... I think that a lot of it comes from the fact that we're antipodean and we've not got a decent manufacturing base to lever off (although with the advent of NZ being a world leader in the boating field and car using more composites, this could change).
Australia doesn't really build any hyper-cars either, despite them being also at the forefront of Automotive engineering..... actually, when you look at it... for their motoring industry size, America builds very few successful supercars... the Saleen S7 and Ford GT being probably the only two bona-fide ones they have in production now.... I think it's a lot about tradition and European thoroughbreds have that tradition.... I mean in the end, these days supercars are all a fascade these days as you can go quicker in a jap 4-door.
I don't think there's any big reason as to why it's not been done, perhaps there's just never been the right people meeting in the right place at the right time to bring it all together?
I await to see how the Hulme does... although, from what I can tell... this is doomed to be little more than a low, low volume oddity that never really gets off the ground.... but I'll wait and see
Australia doesn't really build any hyper-cars either, despite them being also at the forefront of Automotive engineering..... actually, when you look at it... for their motoring industry size, America builds very few successful supercars... the Saleen S7 and Ford GT being probably the only two bona-fide ones they have in production now.... I think it's a lot about tradition and European thoroughbreds have that tradition.... I mean in the end, these days supercars are all a fascade these days as you can go quicker in a jap 4-door.
I don't think there's any big reason as to why it's not been done, perhaps there's just never been the right people meeting in the right place at the right time to bring it all together?
I await to see how the Hulme does... although, from what I can tell... this is doomed to be little more than a low, low volume oddity that never really gets off the ground.... but I'll wait and see
Unfortunately the market economics just don't stack up. Even things like setting up the equipment to produce a rear indicator require a mountain of shekels.
Just ask Gordon Murray
A NZ tin box will never be a go-er in a free market, which leaves two options :
1) Go for a low volume exotic (like a Hulme)
2) Re-introduce tarrifs and take a pounding on our exports
Why is it that Edward de Bono always gives me the Black Hat ?
There is of course a thrid option which is to really do some paradigm busting and rather than a tin-box, produce a plastic-box, or a ceramic-box, or a carbon-box, . . . or a tin-sphere
[Your idea goes here . . .]
Just ask Gordon Murray
A NZ tin box will never be a go-er in a free market, which leaves two options :
1) Go for a low volume exotic (like a Hulme)
2) Re-introduce tarrifs and take a pounding on our exports
Why is it that Edward de Bono always gives me the Black Hat ?
There is of course a thrid option which is to really do some paradigm busting and rather than a tin-box, produce a plastic-box, or a ceramic-box, or a carbon-box, . . . or a tin-sphere
[Your idea goes here . . .]
speedy_thrills said:
I’m not even talking about sports, super or hyper cars. Just ordinary tin boxes for every day use, the kind of thing people would buy just because it was made here in New Zealand (Sort of like a Rover of New Zealand but without the money pits).
I think we've simply not got the manufacturing grunt.... even Australia, which is significantly bigger and more populous than us with a MOUNTAIN more natural resources (especially steel), is still only a very small manufacturer with Ford/Holden being little more than platform-adjustors.... I just don't ever see it happening.
Mind you, there was always the trekka (google it)
It would take a VERY special car to make NZ a player in the world market. NZ itself is WAY too small to support making a car for itself obviously.
But if any small country could do it, it would be NZ. Heck, if I was doing the planning, I would be designing a series of cars for China, since thats where the real market is at the moment.
Weren't there a fair number of cars that were assembled here in the past? What happened to that?
But if any small country could do it, it would be NZ. Heck, if I was doing the planning, I would be designing a series of cars for China, since thats where the real market is at the moment.
Weren't there a fair number of cars that were assembled here in the past? What happened to that?
gtivr4 said:
It would take a VERY special car to make NZ a player in the world market. NZ itself is WAY too small to support making a car for itself obviously.
But if any small country could do it, it would be NZ. Heck, if I was doing the planning, I would be designing a series of cars for China, since thats where the real market is at the moment.
Weren't there a fair number of cars that were assembled here in the past? What happened to that?
Deregulation of the importation industry made it far cheaper to import cars already built... that's what happened.
As for making cars for China, you'd have to be doing it cheaply, and in HUGE quantities.... something the Chinese are very good at themselves... when you have the need for car plants as big as that, they take up the space of a city like Hastings or New Plymouth.... and then you have to grasp the logistics and magnitude of raw material in, energy consumed and product out of such a venture... it's just out of our reach..... if NZ were to make it, I'd think it's in something a little more niche..... like I said, it's hard to imagine the Hulme being anything other than a flop, but something down-market from that but a little more upmarket and well-finished than a Saker is the sort of thing that NZ could be really successful at.
Basically a semi-supercar based on WRX/Evo/Skyline Turbo (last one ain't likely due to the boat-anchor-sized engine) running gear would have it for me.
jamieheasman said:
Like a TVR / Marcos kind of thing then? That sort of company can exist in any country.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking.... I mean perhaps a slightly less chassis-technical Lotus Elise with Subaru WRX running gear and 4WD would be very kiwi I think... like a mini TVR-style chassis... glass and carbon bosy over Jap running gear.... there shouldn't be too much there that the kiwis couldn't do... you'd end up with a ~950kg car with 320bhp.... then you'd be able to terrorise Porkers
All it needs is someone with the nouse, passion and backing to make it happen.
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