Automotive Family Tree

[martinfan5]

Here is an up to date family tree of who owns who in the automobile world, I cant post it here, sorry, you have click on the link, its an interactive map, If I did post here , you wouldn't be able to read anything.

You will be surprised as who really owns your favorite car maker, its not like it used be, the line between American and Foreign cars is pretty much gone now.

http://www.toomanyca...Rel-Image2.html

Edited April 8, 2012 by martinfan5

[trogdor]

Very enlightening diagram. A lot of incest in that family tree

[martinfan5]

It funny really, the only real American cars left are Ford and Chevy, well that are based here .

[Dr. Cranky]

Thanks, Jonathan. No wonder all cars look pretty much the same these days. They must all share the same little group of designers. Square-shaped and plastic, that's the ticket. Make the Volvo look like Mercedes look like Saturn look like Chrysler . . . etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum.

[martinfan5]

Virgil, I know, its sad how half the cars do look like each other, I do miss the days where cars had their own looks to them, and you could tell them apart , now you have to read the name plate to see what it is.

I am trying to a way to post the map in the thread still

[moparmagiclives]

It would be interesting to know how old that is and where the writer got his info. Keep in mind, there isI a difference in "owning" a company, and "owning stock" in a company. I kinda miss DSM myself.... But that was more of an afair, not really ownership.

[martinfan5]

Its current

[Brizio]

That's very interesting! Agree that is sad see all those cars that look alike...

[cobraman]

I too miss the days when you could tell the make of a car from 50 yards, They all had their own style. Now most of the cars look like butter dishes, Where is the style ?

[stewart]

I know this is a matter of viewpoint but I would completely disagree that all cars look the same. True, some cars look similar but each era has its own look and unless you are interested in the era, all the cars look the same. For instance, I'm not really into anything before the 60's. Therefore, the cars tend to all look the same. However, I do agree that it is rather sad how entangled each of the car companies are with each other and that there are few distinct automotive companies.

STewart

Edited April 8, 2012 by stewart

[MrObsessive]

I know this is a matter of viewpoint but I would completely disagree that all cars look the same. True, some cars look similar but each era has its own look and unless you are interested in the era, all the cars look the same. For instance, I'm not really into anything before the 60's. Therefore, the cars tend to all look the same. However, I do agree that it is rather sad how entangled each of the car companies are with each other and that there are few distinct automotive companies.

STewart

I have to agree...........to me ALL 1930's cars look alike, but I can spot a '50-'60's car from blocks away!

I think today's cars are quite distinctive as compared to say 10 years ago, Not everyone's cup of tea of course, but I happen to like Hyundais and I think they are VERY distinctive! I can certainly tell when one of them is coming down the road!

[Fabrux]

I'd just like to point out that out of the domestic manufacturers Ford is the only one that still owns themselves.

[mikemodeler]

There are many reasons why the designs of the current vehicles tend to look alike to many, some of it is government mandates, some of it is multiple vehicles being built off the same platform, others it is copying a popular model to win over new buyers.

When manufacturers step outside the norm, they tend to go overboard and deliver something so ugly they end up not selling well- Edsel, Pacer, Aztec- and are afraid to do that again.

American made and American owned are two different things today. The import or foreign nameplate vehicles are built here in large numbers that those manufacturers employ more workers than the big 3 do. It can be argued where the profits go but in the end, it comes down to jobs.