It once was the case that you knew cars by their nationality and most brands were wholly owned in the country of their origin. Volvos were Swedish, Bentleys were British, and Citroëns were oh-so French, ooh-la-la.
Today however, thanks to something called the global economy, it’s hard to tell who owns what, and the entire idea of a car exemplifying the tone and ethos of its country has kind of been thrown out the window. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing however. For every Mondeo-based Jaguar X-Type, which was thrust upon an unreceptive cat-fancying public under the American company’s ownership of the British marque, there has been a Bentley Continental GT, which feels as British as a bowler hat and grousing about the EU despite its VW underpants.
Ratan Tata, whose India-based namesake company has in fact breathed new life into both Jag and its sister marque, Land Rover is a good example. Each brand’s new products under Tata ownership have felt like the British cars they are, and not some Indian interpretation. It should be noted however that the Royal Enfield motorcycle is the latter and it’s still pretty cool. So, considering the highs—like Tata and Jag—and the lows—exemplified by Citroën and Maserati—what brand do you think has most benefitted from having been sold to those outside their country?
Image: Telegraph.uk