> someone claiming to be [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Just read an article in the Economist about the auto industry and it claimed > that the Porsche Boxter is not manufactured by Porsche but contracted out to > engineering firms because of its limited production. It also went on to say > that this is likely to be more and more common with auto manufacturer's in the > future.
Well, in reality that's the case now with the Big Three to a large extent, GM in particular was the first. Huge amounts of the componetry, including assembly of pretty large 'subassemblies' that just get bolted in on the line, is done by outside suppliers. Magna International (Frank and Belinda Stronach) is the biggie I believe. Main benefit is low cost, non-UAW labour, as well as better responsiveness to changes in spec requirements than the big manufacturers can get from in-house operations. Mac
