NEW US IMPORT DUTIES
Discussion
In a policy proposal that as an American citizen I don’t agree with the Trump administration may slap a 25% import tax on foreign car imports.
As a long time Aston owner I an only imagine the chaos this would cause for the company and our domestic dealers. While the audience
who buy Aston’s new are financially well off this would mean the base price of a new Vantage here would rise from the current $194,086
to an eye watering $242,607. Once again this is for a base car. What will happen to parts prices?
I am wondering if any one thinks that this is a catastrophe in the making in what is Aston’s biggest market.
As a long time Aston owner I an only imagine the chaos this would cause for the company and our domestic dealers. While the audience
who buy Aston’s new are financially well off this would mean the base price of a new Vantage here would rise from the current $194,086
to an eye watering $242,607. Once again this is for a base car. What will happen to parts prices?
I am wondering if any one thinks that this is a catastrophe in the making in what is Aston’s biggest market.
Rjscharer said:
In a policy proposal that as an American citizen I don’t agree with the Trump administration may slap a 25% import tax on foreign car imports.
As a long time Aston owner I an only imagine the chaos this would cause for the company and our domestic dealers. While the audience
who buy Aston’s new are financially well off this would mean the base price of a new Vantage here would rise from the current $194,086
to an eye watering $242,607. Once again this is for a base car. What will happen to parts prices?
I am wondering if any one thinks that this is a catastrophe in the making in what is Aston’s biggest market.
As a long time Aston owner I an only imagine the chaos this would cause for the company and our domestic dealers. While the audience
who buy Aston’s new are financially well off this would mean the base price of a new Vantage here would rise from the current $194,086
to an eye watering $242,607. Once again this is for a base car. What will happen to parts prices?
I am wondering if any one thinks that this is a catastrophe in the making in what is Aston’s biggest market.
The President was talking about the trade balance disparities between countries.
2024 Estimated published figures.
UK TO US = $ 68 bn
US TO UK = $ 80 bn
EU TO US = $ 605 bn
US TO EU = $ 370 bn
Those figures show greater trade to the UK from US.
I wonder if the figures are goods only and perhaps not including financial services.
The trade imbalance is much greater in the case of the EU (I guess German motor vehicles would be a major component) than UK, so my initial thinking was that the UK might be let off lightly.
Mr. Trump has since pointed a finger at countries that impose a sales tax on US imports (ie. VAT).
Imposed tariffs have usually resulted in retaliation, so who knows what might happen.
I think both the EU and US have introduced tariffs on Chinese battery cars, but they seem to still be tariff free in the UK.
Wonder if the Chinese are now diverting car carriers from Zeebrugge to Felixtowe?
Edited by Jon39 on Wednesday 19th February 17:25
US political happenings are pretty crazy right now, tariff threats for everywhere. I think a lot of it is bluster, but how knows. Makes managing a multinational supply chain pure chaos. I don't think he'll actually manage to stay in power beyond the normal term limits, but if he tried or somehow did, it really wouldn't surprise me. Traditional alliances and allegiances mean nothing to him in regards to europe etc. If you're in russia and want to buy american goods, I'm sure he'd be happy to help....
Jon39 said:
I think both the EU and US have introduced tariffs on Chinese battery cars, but they seem to still be tariff free in the UK.
Perhaps to please Millipede's headlong rush to 'net zero'.And as a random afterthought, why doesn't the US make cars like Astons, Ferraris, McLarens etc - or do they?
As a student of history I am well aware of the special relationship between our two countries. I am reminded of Sir Winston’s comment in the mid 50’s when meeting with our then Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. After the meeting,The Prime Minister said that Dulles was like a bull in the china shop that brought his own china with him.
I’m afraid we are there again.
I’m afraid we are there again.
US certainly doesn't make anything on that level.
Actually too bad lincoln or cadillac haven't become something like a US mercedes or bmw, but just absolutely not on the same level. In an alternative world I could kinda squint and imagine a cadillac competitor to like a RR ghost or wraith. But they are garbage by comparison. Or a Lincoln bentley cont Gt competitor. but again would never happen
There were some super old brands back in the 20s-30s but long gone.
Actually too bad lincoln or cadillac haven't become something like a US mercedes or bmw, but just absolutely not on the same level. In an alternative world I could kinda squint and imagine a cadillac competitor to like a RR ghost or wraith. But they are garbage by comparison. Or a Lincoln bentley cont Gt competitor. but again would never happen
There were some super old brands back in the 20s-30s but long gone.
Beckson said:
US certainly doesn't make anything on that level.
Actually too bad lincoln or cadillac haven't become something like a US mercedes or bmw, but just absolutely not on the same level. In an alternative world I could kinda squint and imagine a cadillac competitor to like a RR ghost or wraith. But they are garbage by comparison. Or a Lincoln bentley cont Gt competitor. but again would never happen
There were some super old brands back in the 20s-30s but long gone.
Trump was whining about the number of US cars sold here...they could be tariff free and govt subsidised and US cars would largely remain unsold here because they simply don't suit what we need (and many of them are sActually too bad lincoln or cadillac haven't become something like a US mercedes or bmw, but just absolutely not on the same level. In an alternative world I could kinda squint and imagine a cadillac competitor to like a RR ghost or wraith. But they are garbage by comparison. Or a Lincoln bentley cont Gt competitor. but again would never happen
There were some super old brands back in the 20s-30s but long gone.
t - quantity over quality).As for US Astons, we'll see. I suspect they may keep selling...more of a status symbol. And imagine used values will be shored up. Which would help too.
Rjscharer said:
In a policy proposal that as an American citizen I don’t agree with the Trump administration may slap a 25% import tax on foreign car imports.
As a long time Aston owner I an only imagine the chaos this would cause for the company and our domestic dealers. While the audience
who buy Aston’s new are financially well off this would mean the base price of a new Vantage here would rise from the current $194,086
to an eye watering $242,607. Once again this is for a base car. What will happen to parts prices?
I am wondering if any one thinks that this is a catastrophe in the making in what is Aston’s biggest market.
Isn't the supposed plan to be reciprocal tariffs to start? The uk iirc applies 10% import tax to US cars so presumably that'll be the starting point for UK cars being imported to the US rather than 25%. As a long time Aston owner I an only imagine the chaos this would cause for the company and our domestic dealers. While the audience
who buy Aston’s new are financially well off this would mean the base price of a new Vantage here would rise from the current $194,086
to an eye watering $242,607. Once again this is for a base car. What will happen to parts prices?
I am wondering if any one thinks that this is a catastrophe in the making in what is Aston’s biggest market.
You can see his point.
Taxes in USA aren't completely clear to me. Some states have sales tax, some don't, so you would have to look broadly at overall tax rates applied to cars imported to USA inc local sales tax, and the equivalent VAT and import tax applied to USA cars imported to europe.
I don't see a problem with having a level playing field, however, I don't think it should be a lever used to modify overall balance of trade.
Taxes in USA aren't completely clear to me. Some states have sales tax, some don't, so you would have to look broadly at overall tax rates applied to cars imported to USA inc local sales tax, and the equivalent VAT and import tax applied to USA cars imported to europe.
I don't see a problem with having a level playing field, however, I don't think it should be a lever used to modify overall balance of trade.
vaud said:
Many US cars just aren't suited to European roads, car parks, etc. A few might work but the value proposition is quite different in the bulk markets.
This.GM tried selling the Australian Holden Commodore as the Vauxhall VXR8 in the UK and despite it being cheaper and better spec'd than in Australia it didn't sell because it was too big and too American..
They also tried selling it in the US as a Pontiac and it was too expensive for them.
That's why they don't make them.any more.
captain_cynic said:
GM tried selling the Australian Holden Commodore as the Vauxhall VXR8 in the UK and despite it being cheaper and better spec'd than in Australia it didn't sell because it was too big and too American..
It wasn't too big, it was no bigger than a Saab 9-5, Volvo V70, Audi A6 or a 5 Series BMW at the time.It didn't sell that well because of UK fuel prices, and GM made the mistake of putting a crappy Vauxhall badge on it instead of leaving the Holden one on it.
The only think American about it was the engine and gearbox. They should have celebrated its Aussie-ism, rather than trying to disguise it. They didn't do that until the end when they actually called one of the last version the Bathurst edition, but the writing was already on the wall for what was a great car.
aeropilot said:
captain_cynic said:
GM tried selling the Australian Holden Commodore as the Vauxhall VXR8 in the UK and despite it being cheaper and better spec'd than in Australia it didn't sell because it was too big and too American..
It wasn't too big, it was no bigger than a Saab 9-5, Volvo V70, Audi A6 or a 5 Series BMW at the time.It didn't sell that well because of UK fuel prices, and GM made the mistake of putting a crappy Vauxhall badge on it instead of leaving the Holden one on it.
The only think American about it was the engine and gearbox. They should have celebrated its Aussie-ism, rather than trying to disguise it. They didn't do that until the end when they actually called one of the last version the Bathurst edition, but the writing was already on the wall for what was a great car.
The model they sold in the UK was better than the one they sold in Australia. Charging £44K staring for a car with cloth seats would have gone down like a lead balloon. Your wouldn't even get away with that today, let alone 10 years ago.
Vauxhall may not have been prestigious, but neither was Holden. In fact it's more working class than Vauxhall. In Australia they tried launching Opel as a premium GM brand selling the Astra (it didn't work as everyone knew an Astra was just a Holden).
It wasn't even that fast either (imagine your 6L V8 being beaten by a 3.5L Nissan) I lived in Australia, it was a terrible car and people refused to admit it. It didn't sell becasuse it was so terrible and if import restrictions hadn't protected it in Australia it would have died far sooner.
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