Sports cars, in fact, are a thankless field, especially the top of the class.

It's like Aston Martin launched the One-77, and the world is limited to 77 units, even if these 77 have been sold out, but in fact, this car can't make money, and even capital preservation is a problem.

As the so-called business of cutting off heads, there are people who do it, and no one does the business that costs money.

Why did Aston Martin continue to work on the One-77 even though he knew it was losing money?

The reason is simple, this is a business model of a class sports car.

The launch of this industry-leading sports car establishes and maintains Aston Martin's brand image and position in the industry.

But how can you get it back if you invest so much money in the early stage of research?

This will have to be earned from other models other than the One-77.

So the problem is that when your other models don't sell well, you're going to lose money.

Over the years, with the emergence of the subprime mortgage crisis and the European debt crisis, almost all of the entire luxury car brand field have suffered losses in different ways, except for Ferrari that can barely be maintained, and Porsche has entered the luxury field from the luxury field early, including Lamborghini, Maserati, etc., which one is not a loss?

And Porsche's exit from the crisis happened to be the launch of the low-end luxury car Cayenne, and detonated sales in one fell swoop.

Yang Huan and Ulrich? Bates, Zhao Yuanfang and others have all said that if Aston Martin wants to improve its current predicament, it must go out of the sports car field and launch a four-door luxury sedan, SUV or crossover.

Because in emerging markets such as China, this kind of car can be sold and can make money.

Then use the money earned by this car to feed back the research and technological innovation of the sports car, and then use the brand image and industry status established by the sports car to further boost the sales and influence of low-priced models.

What Aston Martin is thinking about and doing now, including luxury brands such as Lamborghini and Maserati, is also doing.

Even in a certain sense, Aston Martin is relatively late.

It's also important to note that Aston Martin had only previous experience with sports cars.

Therefore, when Yang Huan proposed to drive luxury cars, suVs and crossovers, the entire management did not have any problems, as long as there was financial support, they could do it completely, because this is the trend.

How to solve the problem of people?

How to deal with the weakness of inexperience?

These are all big troubles.

Yang Huan sat in the center of the oval desk, turned his chair, turned sideways to the crowd, and left hand flat on the desk, listening to the lively discussion between the Aston Martin group of management.

It includes a lot of highly professional terms, and Yang Huan has never even heard of it, so he can't participate in it at all.

However, seeing that this group of people was arguing more and more intensely, Yang Huan couldn't help it.

He slammed his desk hard, and with a thud, it spread throughout the conference room.

Everyone in the conference room was startled by Yang Huan's sudden move, and suddenly one or two quieted down.

"What's the noise?" He glared at the two rows of six or seven people below.

Sitting in this position, can they still quarrel like this?

Like words?

"Marrick, you come on." Yang Huan pointed to the design director Marik? Rickman.

The young Aston Martin design director immediately stood up, "Master Huan, in fact, designing a car is a very complex system engineering, and it is the result of the operation of a whole team. ”

"The reason why many brands that have stepped out of luxury have not succeeded is that there are problems in this aspect."

Malik? Rickman felt that Yang Huan might not understand, so he took the initiative to explain the process of car design to Yang Huan.

Automobile industry design is the most important and critical part of a car, the overall design and research level, project management ability, the accumulation of the number of cars, the performance and quality assurance of the whole vehicle, etc., a large part of which are determined by the strength of the design strength of the automotive industry.

Aston Martin's industrial design in the field of sports cars is second to none, and they have accumulated a lot of data and experience in this field, and when it comes to sports cars, they have no problems, but in the field outside of sports cars, it is not known.

Tong guò Marik? Rickman's explanation, although Yang Huan didn't understand the twists and turns, he understood a little bit.

Just like many people talk about Apple, almost no one will deny that the success of all Apple's products is very important because of their industrial design, from computers and mp3s to mobile phones to tablets, Apple's industrial design has ushered them with countless loyal fans.

The same Android phone, doesn't Samsung distinguish itself from other manufacturers by virtue of its excellent industrial design?

Like automobiles, many people say that Korean cars are durable or unbearable, but this cannot stop the sales of Korean cars around the world from rising steadily, and gradually become a powerful new force in the global automotive field.

Kia, in particular, has seen its sales skyrocket year after year after hiring a European design director.

From these, and even from many more fields, we can see the importance of industrial design, and it is becoming more and more important.

"Is there a way to expand our industrial design team in the shortest possible time?" Yang Huan looked at Malik? Rickman.

The latter nodded, "Of course, more talents in this area will be introduced, but in the accumulation of some digital libraries and engineering analysis, the weakness is still very obvious. ”

"Actually, there's another way." Ulrich? Bates offered it.

"What's the solution?"

"Outsource!" Ulrich? Bates said.

This is also the first consideration of most crossover car companies.

It is to outsource to an independent automotive design company.

Yang Huan shook his head, "I don't like outsourcing, it sounds like it's very low-end and copycat." ”

"Master Huan, in fact, outsourcing is very common in the European automobile market." Ulrich? Bates smiled wryly, the outsourcing strategy he had adhered to for many years was reprimanded as low-end, but he had no choice but to smile bitterly.

"Or, we can just buy it." The German Mediterranean added.

"Acquisition?" Yang Huan was a little strange.

Ulrich? Bates nodded: "At present, the entire automotive industry is in a downturn, especially some independent car design companies, and the world's three best Italian car independent design companies have encountered problems in recent years, all of them have fallen into debt crisis, and even leaders like Giugiaro are unable to make ends meet." ”

"I mean, buy one of those car design companies."

Yang Huan was thrilled, this is indeed the fastest way to improve Aston Martin's industrial design capabilities.

At this moment, Zhao Yuanfang, who had never spoken, suddenly interjected.

"Dr. Bates, as far as I know, 60 to 70 percent of the car design tasks abroad are done by independent car design companies, and the best of them are undoubtedly Italian design companies, why do they have debt crises one after another?"

Ulrich? Bates looked at Zhao Yuanfang, "It's actually very simple, more and more car companies are beginning to pay attention to independent research and design, such as BMW, in Chris? After Bengo became the design director of BMW, he strongly acquired a design company, which now not only designs models for BMW, but also Boeing airplanes and Nokia mobile phones, which are their customers. ”

"And many car design companies have their own car factories and some other businesses, once the management is not good, the company will naturally fall into the quagmire of debt, difficult to extricate itself."

"Oh." Zhao Yuanfang understands a little that since large companies have established or acquired design departments, the market for these independent design companies has gradually shrunk, especially in recent years, and the entire European and American automotive industry is in a downturn.

Emerging markets represented by China are rising strongly.

"Master Huan, I agree with Dr. Bates!" Zhao Yuanfang looked at Yang Huan with a smile, "But I don't think Dr. Bates has thought enough, we should go further." ”

"Oh?" Yang Huan was interested in Zhao Yuanfang's idea.

The most important thing for Zhao Yuanfang now is to establish the image of his investment consultant in Yang Huan's heart, and he has seized a rare opportunity, so he is naturally very hardworking.

"As far as I know, the entire automotive design field is just starting in emerging markets such as China, but it is already very mature in Europe and the United States, and my idea is that either you don't do it, you can simply become bigger, and directly acquire these three companies, integrate them into a large industrial design company, give up other businesses including production, and specialize in industrial design."

Zhao Yuanfang said this, Ulrich? Bates and the others were shocked.

That's a lot of money!

You know, Giugiaro, Broadcom and Pininfaria are all valuable assets, and it is not easy to acquire one, and it is even more difficult to acquire three, among which Giugiaro has to face competition from the Volkswagen Group.

You're smart, and you're not stupid.

Volkswagen gives a lot of business to these independent car design companies every year, and now it wants to buy a design company of its own.

Do you have the wealth of the masses?

Who knows, Yang Huan nodded happily when he heard it, "It's a little interesting." ”

He has always been interested in challenging difficult things.

Ulrich? Bates shook his head, "Let's not talk about whether we can acquire these three independent design companies, even if they are acquired, integration is a big problem, my opinion is that the acquisition of one of them belongs to Aston Martin, and I built yì to poach Jaguar Seat Design Director Ian?" Karum was responsible for the design of cars other than sports cars. ”

Ian? Callum once designed a sports car for Aston Martin, helped Aston Martin usher in a revival, and is now the design director of Jaguar, winning awards and winning soft hands, known as the James of automotive design? Cameron.

The Scotsman is most famous for the strong British aristocratic style in the models he designed, which caters to Yang Huan's taste.

"Since Jaguar Land Rover was acquired by Indians, it has been losing money every year in the past few years. There's also a lot of pressure on Callum and I'm sure he'd be happy to switch from Jaguar to Aston Martin, and because he understands the culture of Aston Martin, I believe he's the right fit. ”

Seeing that Yang Huan was moved, Ulrich? Bates further convinced.

In the past few years, Aston Martin has increased its sales a lot, but the quality of its products and brand image have declined.

As the executive officer, Ulrich? Bates was under tremendous pressure.

finally ushered in the change of dynasty, and when the new boss came, he naturally wanted to keep his position at any cost.

This requires him to prove his worth in front of his new boss.

And as a veteran doctor of the automotive industry, Ulrich? Bates does believe that if anyone can build a luxury car with Aston Martin pedigree and win the outside world, it would be Ian. Karum!

Even past the current Aston Martin design director Marrick? Rickman.

The latter is still too tender after all.

Yang Huan heard of Ulrich? Is Bates sure to poach Ian next door? Callum suddenly became interested, since it is known as James in the field of automotive design? Cameron, that's a talent for sure.

At the very least, Yang Huan likes the Jaguar he designed very much, and is looking forward to the luxury car he designed for Aston Martin.

Zhao Yuanfang looked at Yang Huan's expression, and secretly screamed in his heart, he didn't want to miss the opportunity to show his face that he had won so hard, so he hurriedly said.

"I think it's very promising to acquire and integrate these three design companies, and if nothing else, orders from those car companies in China alone are enough to support this design company, and I don't think it's a problem to integrate, and I think there's a person who is very suitable and must be very interested in helping us complete the acquisition and be the head of this design company."

"Who?" Yang Huan is also interested in the project.

Industrial design, indeed, is very important and very promising.

If we can acquire and integrate these three design companies, it will be a very competitive thing.

In a Chinese phrase, go your own way and let others have no way out.

In the future, those car companies will have to take the initiative to come to me if they want to design models.

This is one thing that is so cool and enjoyable!

Moreover, he could see that Zhao Yuanfang and Ulrich? Bates seems to have a faint sense of merit.

He likes it because reasonable healthy competition is good for any team.

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