Brits are used to seeing that just about everything they thought was British to the core, is now owned by foreign companies; but this is going a step too far!
Yes, Malvern based sports car manufacturer Morgan, that quintessential English company, has been flogged-off to Italy's 'Investindustrial'.
Investindustrial already own 31% of Aston Martin (what? you thought they were still British owned?); amongst a swathe of other companies.
I've driven an old Morgan 3 wheeler, and I'd love to drive a Plus 8. The Plus 8 above has been on Lady Magnon's Christmas wish-list for as long as I've known her (Santa ignored her). I'm not sure what she'll think now, knowing that it's bloody Italian.
It won't be long before we'll hear that The Queen has been sold to N Korea!
A sad reflection of our modern times, it's difficult to know who actually owns what?
ReplyDeleteIt's safe to assume that very little is actually British.
DeleteIt's a beautiful car. Strangely, I think it looks Italian, although the leather strap to hold the hood flaps down looks British. Lady M, your life partner and you begrudge her even the price of an old car.
ReplyDeleteI am pondering selling The Queen to North Korea. She is well used and showing her age. I don't think the sale would cover Britain's national debt but there are plenty of replacement models ready and waiting. I am just not sure they would be quite as good. On balance, keep her and privatise her. No, on second thoughts, nationalise her. We don't want the free market getting its hands on the profits and debts paid by the taxpayers.
What is this odd phrase, lèse majesté?
ReplyDeleteIt has to be said that the Taxpayers do very well out of the Royal Family. The income they relinquish, and the income they attract, way exceeds what they receive back from the state. This is rarely mentioned.
DeleteCow & Gate baby food, owned by a French company, jar food made in Poland and Czechoslovakia. (200 employees made redundant in Somerset 2005).
ReplyDeleteWhen KitKat was sold to Nestlé I nearly wet myself. Nothing is sacred.
DeleteMy brother in law has had two Plus 8’s and has just changed his last one for a Jaguar. The Morgan is a beautiful car and gets a lot of attention but are quite uncomfortable on a long journey. There isn’t any room for any luggage either so I won’t be getting one 🤣 XXXX
ReplyDeleteThey're not built for luxury; more for fun. Most of those classic small British sports cars were designed for attracting the opposite sex, and showing off. Nothing wrong with that!
DeleteI love that car and would love to own one but the trouble is I might get in to it but I am darn sure I wouldn't get out of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm already like that with the 'Compact Royce'.
DeleteI think we are also in danger of becoming the 51st state of America.
ReplyDeleteAndi,It may just be the latest region of China.
DeletePerhaps the US will revert to becoming a UK colony.
DeleteIt is the best thing that could have happened. Full order book, great engineering expertise and now some new money from the right source. Brexit doesn't bother them, don't listen to the CBI, they speak for only minority of Britis business. The factory will remain here. We have similar story with Lotus Cars, foreign investment years ago and they are still going strong in the same factory. This isn't a story like Cadburys, this is small, specialist industry with some foreign investment, not a takeover.
ReplyDeleteThat investment could easily have come from the UK. We are, after all, one of the great economic hubs of the world; Italy is one of the great failures!
DeleteItaly and car manufacturing is something different. This firm already put money into Aston Martin.
DeleteAnd knowing Italy, the money was probably borrowed from London.
DeleteThe thought did cross my mind.
DeleteCro, all ages of empire come to an end. We owned businesses in almost every country of the world at one time. That was in a time of power and exploitation at home and abroad by the British. And Government expenditure was concentrated on Empire not social services. Now we've lost the will and other countries have the hunger and will take over. But Italy owning Morgan. Come on! Play fair!
ReplyDeleteI've had the feeling for several years that the UK thinks it's the turn of other nations to be on top, and the UK's turn to be 3rd world.
DeleteLet's all club together and buy Ferrari.
ReplyDeleteMy ten quid's already in the pot!
DeleteIn this time of globalization, the names stay the same but who owns them changes all the time. Companies are bought and sold constantly and you just have to be satisfied that the work stays where it was and people still have their jobs. There is sadness, but this is the way it is and it won’t change.
ReplyDeleteYou sound far too logical. I want anger, and manning the barricades. Shotguns at dawn. None of this international harmony nonsense.
DeleteCro, get real, you live in a foreign country for heaven's sake.
DeleteThat's probably why I feel so passionate about it. No-one back in Blighty seems to give a damn.
DeleteIt is not anything like as bad as you make out. It is an injection of investment funds. We are too up our own arses thinking we can't do anything so the Italians handed over some dosh. We spend all our time worrying about a no deal and that just about sums us up.
DeleteWell, at least the Italians have faith in a post-Brexit Britain.
Delete