Jean-Louis Loubet is an automobile historian. He returns to the landing of the Japanese in the 1980s which had caused a wave of panic in European industry.
In the 1980s, the arrival in Europe of Japanese brands aroused many fears among manufacturers. Were they justified?
The concern was very real. Not so much at the level of the Japanese cars, which were rear-wheel drive and looked quite unsophisticated or even rustic. The European brands were sure of the superiority of their products, which were more modern with their independent rear wheels and front-wheel drive. On the other hand, when they looked at the factories of their new competitors, the Europeans had the impression of not being on the same planet. Japanese firms bought 75% of their cars from subcontractors while they themselves manufactured 75%.
The leaders of Peugeot and Renault then went to Japan to understand who they were dealing with. They discovered an organization based on quality and the absence of stock, far removed from the reality they knew. They were stunned. Never, they thought, would they be able to adopt this organization in the factories of Billancourt or Sochaux.
The price/equipment ratio of Japanese cars was very interesting. Has the competition been destabilized?
The French brands were very surprised by the prices charged by the newcomers. They were convinced that their Asian rivals were heavily subsidized by the Japanese state. Their leaders opened up about it to the French government, which, after looking into the subject, assured them that this was not the case.
Finally, Europe did not suffer the dreaded Japanese tidal wave. The same cannot be said for the United States…
American brands were much more affected by the arrival of Toyota, Nissan or Honda. The big three in Detroit had models whose costs were not under control and whose engines were completely unsuited to the consequences of the oil shock. Comparatively, the design of the European models was much better and this is what allowed them to resist better, especially since Europe protected its market.
We can even say that a kind of osmosis has occurred. Gradually, the Japanese upgraded their vehicles and designed all their cars as if they were to be sold to customers in the Old Continent. At the same time, the Europeans have transformed their factories by adopting an organization similar to that of their competitors. As for the Koreans, who arrived later, they were largely inspired by the Japanese, playing on both price and quality.
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