There are several automakers in the world that have come and gone in the auto market. This fluctuation goes to show how difficult it is to firstly develop and then maintain a car brand. However, there are some models that have literally saved their automakers from an unfortunate fate. These car models are literal saviors. Here are a few popular cars that saved their brands in tough times.
7 Cars That Saved Their Brands
The following car models were literal saviors for their makers.
Bentley Continental GT
In the 1990s, Bentley’s popularity was declining after its separation from Rolls-Royce. Later by 1998, Volkswagen bought Bentley and immediately invested a reported $2 billion for Bentley’s revival.
The car designed and built for the revival under Volkswagen’s watch was the 2003 Continental GT powered with a twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 engine. This was Bentley’s first-ever car that was built using mass production manufacturing techniques, keeping high quality in consideration. The Bentley Continental GT was not just better built it was also quick to assemble.
The demand for Bentley’s before 2003 (before the advent of Continental GT) was just averaging 100 units per year. However, as soon as Continental GT entered the auto market, the sales soared high. Had it not been from the Bentley Continental GT, Bentley – the car brand would have been a thing of the past.
If you wish to buy the model, here is a list of used Bentley Continental GT cars for sale in the UAE.
Aston Martin DB7
Aston Martin wasn’t doing too well in the 80s. In 1988, Ford rescued Aston Martin with the DB7. The car model basically saved Aston Martin. The DB7 car model was initially supposed to be the successor to Jaguar’s XJS model, however, Ford didn’t want the high development costs of a new Aston Martin model. Another thing that saved Aston Martin was a design partnership between Ian Callum and Keith Helfet.
Aston’s CEO, Walter Hayes, saw the design and approached Jaguar. Based on the Jaguar XJS platform, Callum redesigned the car using Jaguar’s supercharged six-cylinder engine and made it look like an Aston. This car was intended to be the new entry-level model under the V8 Virage.
As history has it, it was a Jaguar platform with items pulled from Ford, Mazda, and Citroën to complete the design of DB7 that saved Aston Martin from a collapse. The DB7 was well-received by car buyers and it re-asserted Aston Martin as a brand that offers luxury, style and performance. If you are a DB7 fan, explore these used Aston Martin DB7 cars for sale in the UAE.
Volvo XC90
When thinking of cars that took their brands to greater heights, the XC90 can not be forgotten. The SUV saved Volvo not once but twice. The first time: it was in 2002 under Ford’s ownership. At this time, Volvo only had sedans and station wagons. The Volvo Group decided it was time to focus on commercial vehicles.
However, sedans and wagons were becoming unpopular, this is when Ford knew Volvo needed an exclusive and made SUVs came up with the XC90. The SUV claimed the North American Car of the Year award, Motor Trend magazine’s 2003 Sport/Utility of the Year, and Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame decided it was so practical for having children that he owned one.
Later in 2010, Volvo was purchased by a Chinese automotive giant called Geely. The company gave Volvo a new platform that resulted in the shape of the XC90. The SUV has Drive-E powertrains (including hybrid) and refreshing interiors. The XC90 gained popularity and its units were sold in Asia, Europe, and North America. To put it simply, the XC90 brought back profits to the Volvo brand.
At present, the XC90 is present among the anticipated upcoming SUVs in the UAE. Here is a list of used Volvo XC90 cars for sale in the UAE.
Ford Taurus
Who would have thought that an automotive giant like Ford could ever get in a financial crisis – but it did. It happened in the 1980s when the mid-size sedan market was thriving. This is when the Japanese cars were booming, giving tough competition to American carmakers. At this time, the styling of Ford vehicles was outdated and reliability was not the best and the carmaker was facing losses. Ford badly needed a design revolution at this point.
To cope with this situation, the automaker invested about $3billion on a project to develop a car with enhanced levels of manufacturing technology in 1980. This approach was called the “directed autonomy,” it basically broke down the working mechanisms between design and engineering.
In 1986, the carmaker came up with the front-wheel-drive Ford Taurus. The carmaker focused on the interior design and aerodynamics of the Ford Taurus. Had it not been for this model, Ford would’ve become bankrupt long ago. If you’re willing to buy the model, go through these used Ford Taurus vehicles for sale in the UAE.
Porsche Boxster
Today, Porsche is a popular German used car brand. However, the sales for Porsche dropped down to just 14,000 units in 1993 – earlier in 1986, the carmaker sold about 50,000 units. The biggest concern Porsche had at that time was its bloated production process that made up for higher costs for customers. This is when the carmaker thought of introducing an entry-level model that is going to be cheaper and Porsche Boxster came into existence.
During that time period, Mazda MX5 became a massive success and Porsche decided to follow suit and launched the Boxster. The carmaker launched the 986 Porsche Boxster in 1996 (the model was first showcased as a concept in 1993.)
Porsche discovered how to save on the cost of car parts from Toyota and to date, the Boxster remains the least expensive Porsche you can buy. The carmaker brought in former Toyota engineers to help apply a Japanese “just in time” style production process.
Porsche gave its new roadster a perfect twist with a mid-engine. Moreover, this new production process quickly reduced the build time per unit from 120 hours to 72 hours, it also reduced the number of manufacturing errors per car by fifty percent.
The Boxster was an instant hit and it made profits that helped the carmaker launch more car models and broaden its appeal massively in the years that followed. Here is a list of used Porsche Boxster cars for sale in the UAE, in case you want to buy one for yourself.
BMW 700
Again, it’s hard to think that a mega auto giant like BMW could ever experience financial constraints – but it did. After WW2, Germany was not allowed to manufacture cars, however, in 1952 BMW started building vehicles once again.
Things at the company were so bad BMW almost accepted an acquisition by Mercedes. Later, BMW released the BMW 700 – it was a small rear-engined car and it became popular among carmakers within no time. The BMW 700 garnered praise for driving dynamic and easy maintenance.
Volkswagen Golf MKI
The story for Volkswagen Golf began with the Volkswagen Beetle, one of the most iconic cars ever produced. Somewhere in the early ’70s, the carmaker tried developing a number of replacements, including the Type 4 and the EA266. These were Porsche-designed mid-engined hatchbacks.
However, Rudolph Leiding, Volkswagen’s new boss at that time, invested in a new line of models led by the Passat. Later the carmaker launched the Golf MKI. The car gained popularity immediately becoming an instant hit. Basically, this new front-wheel-drive platform powered by an inline-four engine struck gold garnered VW new levels of success. If you are a VW Golf fan and want to buy one for personal use, here is a list of used Volkswagen Golf cars for sale in the UAE.
That is all about the car brands that saved their makers during hard times. If you wish to buy any of these cars or vehicles from other auto manufacturers, explore these used cars for sale in the UAE.
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