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In the early 1950s a small number of
Americans began purchasing foreign manufactured imports
after military servicemen brought home unique vehicles
at the end of their tours in Germany, England, France
and Italy. MGs, Volkswagens, Renaults and Mercedes-Benzs
began to be imported by dealers in New York and California.
Nash brought over the Metropolitan, GM the Vauxhall,
Ford the English versions of Ford, Chrysler the Simca
and Studebaker joined with Mercedes-Benz. To compete
with these smaller products, Kaiser produced the Darrin
and the Henry J, Nash (Rambler) the American, Chevrolet
the Corvette and Ford the Thunderbird. Later the serious
weapons against imports were the Corvair, Falcon and
Valiant.
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The Japanese, in need of cash to re-build
their country after World War II, went from exporting
cheap household products and novelty items to heavy
machinery and automobiles, both much more profitable.
Initially Americans, who had become used to the poor
quality, but cheap, Japanese products, did not take
Japanese cars seriously. But Toyota, Honda and other
Japanese companies had done their homework. They had
acquired the top selling models of Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen
and BMW and copied their advanced technology, engineering
and design. Quality soon followed. Engines and suspensions
of the more expensive European cars were created to
out-perform American products and they cost less than
the cars they copied. To a growing number of Americans
these cars made a lot of sense. With the oil embargo
of 1973, along with the strict pollution controls and
safety regulations imposed by the U. S. Government,
American manufacturers threw up their hands and began
building poor quality, poorly engineered automobiles.
The Japanese saw the opportunity to show their ability
to succeed whereas American companies gave up. Today
Toyota is the most successful automobile manufacturer
in the world.
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DATSUN
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HONDA
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SUBARU
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TOYOTA
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