| The Daihatsu Situation | ||
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(Tue 15 Dec 09) It's not often that Daihatsu becomes one of the most talked-about manufacturers in the UK motor industry, but that's what has happened today. The basic story is that the Birmingham-based IM Group, which imports Daihatsus into this country as well as Subarus and Isuzus, has stopped ordering cars from Japan on the basis that the exchange rate between the pound and the yen has made it uneconomic to do so.
The IM Group has stressed that this does not mean Daihatsu has been removed from the UK market. However, since there is no immediate plan to restart imports, certainly not until the financial situation becomes more favourable, it's possible that dealers will run out of stock before more cars come into the country, at which point British customers will no longer be able to buy a new Daihatsu. A couple of rumours have been circulating about all this, one being that Toyota - a majority shareholder in Daihatsu - will take on the UK franchise, but this is being vehemently denied. It has also been suggested that Daihatsu dealers will be offered the chance to sell models from Great Wall, a Chinese manufacturer which currently has no presence in the UK. The IM Group is being much more vague and cautious about answering this; it does say that it is talking to other manufacturers with a view to developing its own business, but won't comment on whether or not this is relevant to the Daihatsu situation. Comment on this story on Facebook or Twitter. |
