Japanese and European car comparison

¶ … Japanese and European Automobiles

The reputation of European automobiles has been built on automobiles such as BMW and Mercedes. These automobiles are known for their visual beauty. The lines and look of these automobiles beckon the looker to see what's inside. Once inside, the automobiles exude luxury. The interior is well appointed and convenient. This is just the beginning of the love affair with these automobiles. The drivers are hooked on the automobile's performance, which is smooth and powerful. The reputation of luxury and powerful performance is deserved.

The Japanese automobile makers have also been successful in developing automobiles that have captured the world's attention. The Toyotas, Nissans and Hondas are popular and have a reputation of being reliable, attractive and well put together. American automobile consumers have come to depend upon the reliability of the Japanese automobiles, in particularly, the Honda, which is the one of the best selling cars in the U.S.

BMW automobiles have been in existence for 75 years. The history of BMW auto manufacturing is varied, with many different types of vehicles offered through the years. The first BMW automobile manufactured was in Berlin in 1929. It featured an all steel body and was developed under the Austin Seven license (BMW Classics, 2004). The next models were developed in 1932 and 1933, respectively. The BMW 303, sold in 1933, had the trademark kidney front grille, which is still in use today. The first luxury BMW saloon was the 335, which was the last BMW automobile to be manufactured prior to WWII (BMW Classics, 2004).

BMW did not immediately begin making automobiles after WWII. The German plants were in ruins and so it was 1951 before BMW introduced its first post war automobile. Although other BMWs were produced, the introduction of the BMW 1500 in 1961 as the "New Class" automobile, which paved the way for the new BMW future models of luxury and performance (BMW Classics, 2004). BMW didn't restrict the model applications to luxury models. The mid engine sports car, M1, was a racecar and made Procar history. The addition of the 2 seaters sports cars built on the BMWs popularity and once again, BMW was producing cars in mass. Although, racing and touring automobiles are a part of BMW history, the BMW reputation is largely built on the luxury large saloons and coupes that were built during 1970s through today. BMW added a 12-cylinder vehicle and patrons of the BMW luxury vehicles felt that they purchased exclusive automobiles. They were correct. Only a few other European automobile manufacturers matched the performance and style of the German BMW.

At the same time the BMW reputation was building, so was the Japanese automobile market. The Honda has been touted as being on the short list of the best selling automobiles in the U.S. The Honda is also known as having an excellent resale value and having been manufactured with quality workmanship. In 1985, J.D. Power and Associates said that Honda was number 1 in customer satisfaction and had even beat out Mercedes Benz in customer satisfaction (Koepp, 1996). Honda started in the United States by producing and introducing motorcycles in 1959. The advertising company for Honda was largely responsible for the positive image of Honda by taking away the "Hells Angels" image of motorcyclists (Shook, 1988). Honda built its first cars in 1963 and initially, they were such a small part of the automobile market that they did not have their own dealerships, but had to be a part of one of the big three dealers. In 1976, however, Honda introduced the Accord, which quickly became a popular vehicle. The Honda received the "Import of the Year" award from Motor Trend Magazine in 1976 and sales accelerated rapidly (Shook, 1988).

The American public fell in love with the Accord and the Civic, produced by Honda. They were quality automobiles and very efficient. American automobile buyers were impressed with the detailing in the interiors of the automobiles. The Honda Accords were on backorder all over the country.

There was an initial concern about Honda moving some of its production to America. American workers were known to be lazy and sloppy in their work. Honda began their American production in Maryland. Initially, there were some problems with the work, but the president of Honda American Manufacturing, Schoichiro Irimajiri, was able to implement adjusted work innovation and flexibility in order to ensure that Honda still made quality automobiles (Koepp, 1996).

In January 2004, the J.D. Power and Associates, named Honda as the highest non-luxury brand of car. This same study looked at buyer's perceptions of problems such as engineering problems, quality of workmanship and worker errors in production. Buyers were happy with Honda, and it ranked fourth behind Lexus, Cadillac and Jaguar. The Honda also ranked first in Van and entry level SUV, and in the top three in compact, sports car, and midsize SUV (Honda Ranks, 2004). This study clearly shows that reliability and quality workmanship are important to the public when they are looking for an automobile to purchase.

Clearly, there are differences in the markets that each automobile company targets for sales and this makes the individual qualities of the vehicle important to the consumer. By 1990, the public could choose from 572 models of vehicles. Advertising and the public's perception of the automobiles are important. The European automobile market has been unfavorably compared to the Japanese and the American markets in terms of quantity, but the buyers of European automobiles are generally more loyal to their usual brand of vehicle. They will continue to buy their BMW and Mercedes Benz automobiles instead of the luxury vehicles introduced by other manufactures, such as Nissan and Toyota. The BMW management suggests that people who buy BMW automobiles know the quality of the luxury vehicles they usually buy and they will not be swayed by the blitz of "new" luxury cars (the Automobile Market, 1991).

When a consumer thinks of a BMW, they think of a luxury automobile whether it is a sports car, a coupe or a sedan. The engine is powerful and the interior of a BMW is well appointed. The BMW is all wheel or rear wheel drive. The ride of a BMW, no matter what model, is firm and controlled and the steering is the benchmark for all vehicles. The larger sedan has many safety features with several airbags and the joystick knob has all of the special features on it, like phone, climate, stereo and navigation. The seats are ventilated, and there is obstacle detection and an adaptive cruise control. It is as if all of the amenities that can be considered, are a part of these vehicles. The seats are roomy, the wind is minimal and luxury is the fundamental quality. The BMW management may be right when they say that other manufacturers may produce luxury vehicles, but that doesn't mean BMW buyers will switch. The hefty price tags of BMW automobiles may deter some buyers who want luxury, but it may be hard to match the quality without spending the money.