The car giant started by marrying the daughter of the king

Chapter 439: The final madness, the creation of a legendary car

The year 1988 was a major turning point in the Iran-Iraq War.

In the first quarter, both sides used hundreds of missiles to attack each other's towns, launching an unprecedented "city attack war".

After that, Baghdad gradually gained a certain advantage in the stalemate.

However, the large number of Land Rover X-Series pickup trucks used by Persia to transform them into heavy fire support equipment also caused huge losses to Baghdad.

In particular, on April 4, the Baghdad army launched an offensive code-named "Ramadan" against the Persian defenders in the Fao region.

According to original history, after two days of fierce fighting, Baghdad completely recovered the Faao region that had been occupied by Persia for two years on the afternoon of the 18th.

However, because Persia had a variety of heavy firepower equipment that could quickly support various battlefields in a short period of time, the attack on Baghdad failed.

Baghdad is naturally unwilling to accept this.

"Didn't Land Rover open a branch here?"

"Tell them to transport all the nearby stocks to Baghdad. We'll take them all."

"Then I demand that at least 5 Land Rover X-series pickups be delivered to us within a month and within the next three months."

Abdul Hamid was the head of the munitions department in Baghdad.

He had previously arranged for someone to purchase a batch of X-series pickup trucks from Land Rover.

However, many of these pickup trucks were placed at various checkpoints, and only a part of them were used to attack Persia.

On the Persian side, all of these special equipment were deployed to the front line, and the difference in impact between the two sides was immediately apparent.

By now, both Baghdad and Persia were exhausted and could not continue.

But everyone is a little unwilling.

Because it is impossible for Persia to voluntarily withdraw from Baghdad's territory, and it is impossible for Baghdad to accept the loss of territory.

Then we must continue fighting until we recover the territory.

At that time, the conditions for peace between the two sides had basically been formed.

"I heard that Land Rover ships a large number of X-series pickup trucks to the American and European markets every month."

"As long as they temporarily deliver this part of the inventory to us, there will be no problem in getting 2 vehicles within a month."

As Abdul's favorite assistant, Ajibuge is quite familiar with the situation of Land Rover X.

After all, the most cost-effective and high-quality heavy firepower support device that Baghdad can obtain now is undoubtedly the Land Rover X pickup truck.

On the battlefield, this pickup truck has proven its superiority.

Whether in extremely harsh environments or under intensive use, the Land Rover X Series can maintain excellent performance and is not prone to failure.

The open cabin and solid body structure provide it with great modification potential.

Armed personnel can make various modifications to the vehicles according to specific needs to improve their combat performance and adaptability.

Nowadays, not only Baghdad and Persia are equipped with this pickup truck, but many tribes below are also following suit.

Invisibly, the Land Rover X-Series pickup truck has become a popular choice for armed personnel in the Middle East.

This trend has even begun to spread to Africa.

This is undoubtedly a good thing for the sales of Land Rover X Series pickup trucks.

"Then contact them as soon as possible."

"It's acceptable if the price is a little higher, but the speed must be guaranteed."

"We must use these pickup trucks in the next battle."

Abdul knew that Baghdad also wanted to find a suitable way to end the war.

Continuing to fight will not gain any advantage but will only bring even greater losses.

But what is not obtained on the battlefield is obviously impossible to obtain at the negotiating table.

They must drive Persia out of their territory before the war is over.

At the same time, after fully witnessing the combat effectiveness of the Land Rover X-Series pickup truck, Persia is also increasing its orders.

……

"Mr. Jiang, we have orders from Persia and Baghdad for 5 vehicles that need to be delivered next month, and another 5 vehicles in the next three months."

"This year, thanks to orders from these two countries, our Land Rover X Series has successfully surpassed the sales volume and become the best-selling model of the group."

Chen Chenxing is in a very good mood now.

"So, our Land Rover X-Series pickup truck has become the new king of war in the Middle East?"

Jiang Hui knew that as the Land Rover X Series appeared in various battles, its popularity would inevitably increase rapidly.

But he also did not expect that Persia and Baghdad would be so generous as to deploy so many pickup trucks into the battle.

Of course, the more pickup trucks joined the battle, the more casualties there would naturally be.

After all, these pickup trucks cannot always be running at high speeds.

Once the speed slows down, it will be easily destroyed by anti-tank missiles.

Coupled with some landmines and pickup truck bombardment scenes, there are countless Land Rover X Series that have been damaged.

However, considering its low cost and very easy access channels, both parties can accept this situation.

During this period, many journalists in both countries also captured a large number of Land Rover X-Series pickup trucks speeding with heavy machine guns or mortars mounted on them.

Photos from the battlefield also showed some Land Rover X vehicles riddled with bullets still stubbornly driving.

Invisibly, these have become huge advertisements.

"Yes, not only that, the hot sales of Land Rover X-Series pickup trucks in the Middle East and Africa have attracted wide attention in the global market."

“Our brand presence is growing rapidly, especially in regions where off-road performance and durability are critical.”

Chen Chenxing further analyzed, his eyes flashing with optimism and expectations for the market prospects.

This situation was much better than he had expected.

“This is really a market response we did not anticipate.”

"Originally, the Land Rover X-Series pickup was designed to meet the needs of off-road enthusiasts and to meet the needs of operations in some special terrains."

“I didn’t expect that its application in the military field, especially as heavy fire support equipment, would bring such a huge increase in our sales.”

Jiang Hui certainly couldn't tell anyone that he wanted to push the Land Rover X-Series pickup truck to militants in various places from the beginning.

If that gets out, it'll be easy to be attacked.

In fact, the heavy machine gun mounting bracket on the pickup truck frame has been criticized.

However, even if the media wanted to throw mud, they couldn't treat a pickup truck that was clearly a civilian vehicle as a weapon.

If that really happens, it's estimated that other auto giants will jump out to oppose it, not just Land Rover.

"Yes, this is entirely due to the excellent durability, off-road capabilities and modification potential of the Land Rover X Series pickup truck."

"On the battlefield, it can not only withstand high-intensity use, but also be quickly modified according to specific needs to adapt to different combat environments."

"This flexibility makes it the first choice for armed forces with insufficient strength."

"More armed forces will surely choose our X series in the future."

Chen Chenxing added an optimistic explanation.

"Hot sales are definitely a good thing, but we also need to note that as sales increase, our production pressure is also increasing."

“How to ensure product quality while meeting market demand is our main challenge at present.”

Jiang Hui changed the subject and raised a key question.

The current status of the Land Rover X Series is closely related to various factors such as durability, stable quality, etc.

If Land Rover itself destroys its reputation, the loss will be huge.

Chen Chenxing nodded in agreement: "Indeed, we have already begun to adjust the production arrangements, and our fourth factory is also under construction in full swing."

"At the same time, I will also inform the purchasing department and the quality department to strengthen the quality control of raw materials and accessories procurement to ensure that every Land Rover X-Series pickup truck leaving the factory can meet the highest standards."

Land Rover's reputation has been slowly established in the international market with great difficulty.

It must not be destroyed.

"As the number of Land Rover X Series vehicles increases in markets such as the Middle East, we also need to strengthen the construction of our after-sales service system."

"The quality of after-sales service in the future will directly affect our brand image and reputation."

Jiang Hui mentioned a factor that has not been fully valued by domestic companies in this era, but will have a particularly huge impact in later generations.

For cars of this period, after-sales service was generally handled by the drivers themselves.

Otherwise, drivers would not be required to have the ability to repair cars when taking a driving test.

There is obviously a reason why drivers can become one of the "eight major members" of this era.

Not everyone can eat this meal.

"I have already considered this." I
“We are establishing more after-sales service outlets around the world and training professional technicians to provide timely and efficient after-sales services.”

Chen Chenxing is now very busy every day, and naturally he has achieved remarkable results.

Jiang Hui no longer needed to arrange many things in advance, as he had already considered them.

There are successful experiences to learn from for many things in the automotive industry.

Toyota, General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen...

With so many car companies, we can always find some experience that is suitable for Land Rover.

If it doesn't work, we can combine the practices of several car companies and make adjustments based on the actual needs of Land Rover.

It’s no wonder that with such fierce operations, the construction of various after-sales systems of Land Rover is going very well.

"Although our pickup trucks are very competitive now, we still need to continue to pay attention to market trends, understand user needs and feedback, and continuously optimize product design and functions."

"Only in this way can we maintain our market competitiveness and continue to lead the development of the industry."

With its excellent exterior design and vehicle structure, the current Land Rover X Series will not need major changes in the next decade.

However, some specific details will definitely need to be adjusted every one or two years.

Or continue to launch new configuration models.

For example, the diesel version, or the larger displacement power version, can all be considered.

Chen Chenxing naturally had no questions about this.

This is what the sales department is supposed to do.

"By the way, regarding the orders from Persia and Baghdad, we must try our best to ensure that they are delivered on time."

"This not only affects our business reputation, but also directly affects our market share in the Middle East."

Jiang Hui knew that in the next ten years or so, relying on the large amount of oil trade, Baghdad and Persia would still be strong.

Especially Baghdad, its economic strength has always been strong before the United States messed with them.

This is a big market.

If their purchasing needs are not met during this period, Land Rover will definitely encounter unnecessary troubles in Baghdad in the future.

On the other hand, when Baghdad has thoroughly tasted the sweetness, the Land Rover X Series may become a long-lasting model there. Jiang Hui knows that there are still many tribes in Baghdad, and the armed forces there cannot be compared with the regular army of Baghdad.

For them, purchasing insensitive civilian cars and converting them into armed vehicles is definitely a very good option.

Before, no one had given much thought to this aspect, but now the regular armies of Baghdad and Persia have set a good example for everyone, and the various tribes naturally know that they should copy their homework.

"We have developed a detailed production plan and inventory management plan for you."

"First, we should transfer some of the vehicles exported to other places to Baghdad and Persia."

"Even a shipload of vehicles sailing directly into the Indian Ocean would be transported to Baghdad first."

"The final delivery should not be a big problem."

It is impossible for any car manufacturer to truly achieve zero inventory.

There must be various kinds of inventory in each circulation link.

It’s just that different car companies have different levels of control in this regard.

"Okay, report any problems immediately!"

Jiang Hui still has confidence in Chen Chenxing's abilities.

Therefore, he didn't want to spend too much time on these delivery issues.

There are many more important things waiting for him in the group.

……

"President, Land Rover's sales in the Middle East have increased significantly this year."

"Land Rover X-Series pickup trucks, in particular, have set historical sales records in places like Baghdad and Persia."

"Land Rover's sales in the Middle East have now surpassed ours, making it the highest-selling car company this year."

At the monthly market situation analysis meeting, Shoei Saito reported to Shoichiro Toyoda some information that made people very unhappy.

In the American market, Toyota's sales have been greatly affected due to the cooperation between Land Rover and General Motors.

Although it is not to the point of being unable to survive, the growth rate has dropped significantly.

Toyota's sales in North America have been growing over the past decade, but have been experiencing stagflation in recent years.

I have to say that this is a very uncomfortable thing for Toyota.

Now we find that the Middle East market is even more exaggerated, and Land Rover has quickly become the sales champion.

Although the scale of the Middle East market cannot be compared with that of the North American, European and Japanese markets, the annual sales volume of all countries added together is not small at all.

In the past, the market there was also one of Toyota's key overseas markets for expansion.

"Have you analyzed the specific reasons?"

“Why are Land Rover’s pickup trucks so popular in the Middle East?”

Shoichiro Toyoda asked with a frown.

In recent years, he has heard many reports related to Land Rover.

Almost every time I hear news about this company, it is not good news.

"From the current situation, Land Rover X-series pickup trucks are being used in large quantities in Persia and Baghdad to be converted into armed vehicles."

"It is equipped with weapons such as heavy machine guns or mortars."

"This way, we can take advantage of the pickup truck's fast movement and provide timely vitality support on the battlefield."

"Especially since Persia purchased a large number of anti-aircraft machine guns from China, after these machine guns were installed on pickup trucks, their lethality was amazing."

"According to Reuters, in April Persia repelled a major attack on Baghdad, and the key role played by the Land Rover X-Series pickup truck equipped with an anti-aircraft machine gun was that of a 4 Land Rover."

Saito Shoei's answer surprised everyone.

Many people present, including Shoichiro Toyoda, thought they had heard it wrong.

Land Rover X-Series pickup trucks are popular in the Middle East for this reason?

Isn’t this too magical?
"How do you plan to break this situation?"

Shoichiro Toyoda, who was familiar with the market, felt the situation was difficult.

The Middle East has already formed an inherent impression of Land Rover X, and in the future there will definitely be a large number of people who will continue to transform this car into an armed vehicle.

Although other vehicles have a chance, it is unlikely that they can catch up with the Land Rover X.

"I have communicated with the design department to make some modifications to the Hilux's cabin so that it can also become a pickup truck suitable for conversion into an armed vehicle."

"In this way, relying on our existing sales accumulation, we should be able to compete with Land Rover X in the Middle East market."

The trouble should end it.

The Land Rover X Series is famous for its armed vehicles, so the only way Saito Shoei could think of was to use armed vehicles for promotion.

Anyway, Toyota's car quality is world-famous, and its durability is no worse than that of Land Rover X.

But now it has been taken advantage of by Land Rover X.

They dare to take the initiative to display armed vehicles and provide inspiration to others.

Toyota is more passive in this regard.

However, there is an urgent need to catch up now, and Saito Shangying feels that it is not too late.

"You can try it first."

"The explosion of the Middle East market is likely to lead to continued growth in the sales of Land Rover X in the global market."

“The sales department needs to be prepared to respond!”

Shoichiro Toyoda couldn't think of a better solution at the moment, so he could only let Shoei Saito give it a try first.

It's always better to make an effort than to do nothing.

……

"Edward, why is the sales of the X-series pickup truck that Chevrolet cooperated with Huaxia Land Rover declining this month?"

A meeting was also going on at General Motors at this time.

Murphy saw the report materials from the sales department and raised a lot of questions.

In the past two years, General Motors has completely recovered.

On the one hand, the cooperation with Land Rover has enabled them to increase sales by hundreds of thousands of vehicles a year.

These hundreds of thousands of vehicles are all high-quality, high-profit models, and the profits they provide can reduce a lot of pressure on General Motors.

So when Murphy saw the sales of Chevrolet X-Series pickup trucks decline, he immediately expressed his concern.

"Murphy, the situation last month was a little special."

"In fact, there has not been a significant change in market demand, and normally we can achieve a slight increase."

"However, Land Rover reported that due to insufficient production capacity at the factory, the delivery of some pickup truck models will be delayed by half a month to a month."

"This resulted in some of our dealers not having enough cars to sell to consumers, which had a certain impact on the final sales volume."

Edward knew that this question would be asked sooner or later, so he had made preparations in advance.

Although this result is not particularly satisfactory, it is at least not bad news.

It would be troublesome if the vehicle was not popular with consumers and sales fell.

"Will Chinese factories also have insufficient production capacity?"

In Murphy's impression, BMW Group is eager to sell all kinds of cars, parts and equipment to the United States to export and earn foreign exchange.

He also knew that in China, earning foreign exchange through exports was a huge matter.

Now, Land Rover has actually given up some export orders due to insufficient production capacity.

This sounds incredible.

"It is indeed insufficient production capacity, but the reason is rather special."

"Land Rover X has become the most popular model in the Middle East. Baghdad and Persia have placed large orders for conversion into armed vehicles."

"Influenced by this, some armed forces in the Middle East followed suit and purchased Land Rover X from the market."

"Even some second-hand Land Rover Xs that have been used for more than a year can be sold at prices close to new ones."

After Edward said this, Murphy was even more speechless.

Land Rover X is so popular in the Middle East for this reason?

According to his understanding, the main market for Land Rover X before was the American market.

The second largest market is sales in Europe through America.

As for the markets in the Middle East and China, they can only serve as a supplement.

Such a big change has occurred now.

“Do you think this situation will continue?”

Murphy asked a question that many people are curious to know.

The answer to this question affects many things.

Will GM’s own pickup trucks follow suit in this market in the future?
Will the positioning of pickup trucks change in the future?
“I think in war-torn areas like the Middle East and Africa, this situation is likely to continue.”

"In the future, the Land Rover X Series will become a classic model in this field and a legendary car of the generation."

Edward was well aware that this special vehicle could easily become a classic.

In particular, the appearance of the Land Rover X is beautiful enough and the performance is stable enough.

The situation has now been completely opened up in Persia and Baghdad, and this trend will inevitably become more and more obvious in the future.

According to his understanding, these two countries alone have ordered more than 10 Land Rover X Series in the past six months.

The demonstration effect brought about by the use of these vehicles will certainly continue.

"Land Rover X occupies a very special niche in the Middle East market."

"Let's wait and see for a while."

"But Land Rover must ensure the supply to the American market!"

Murphy thought about it for a while and decided to ignore the Middle East market for the time being.

The domestic American market is General Motors' core market.

The Chevrolet X-Series pickup truck has become the choice of many American farmers and has made a significant contribution to the increase in General Motors' sales.

As long as Land Rover's supply to the American market does not continue to be affected by the outbreak in the Middle East market, Murphy doesn't want to care too much.

"Starting next month, all supplies will return to normal."

"And Land Rover is building a super factory, so the production capacity will definitely be sufficient in the future!"

Edward's words made Murphy feel relieved.

As long as it doesn't affect GM's profitability, then everything is fine.

(End of this chapter)