[Chapter 565: Riding the Wave]
Tesla's booming sales finally struck a nerve with the Big Three Arican automakers. Honestly, the sheer stupidity of these guys was astounding.
We couldn't learn lean manufacturing for now; the unions were way too reactive. Those 4S dealerships seed really impressive. Why don't we try to open a few ourselves?
The year 1990 wasn't bad; at least the car market was thriving. Considering the number of cars sold, Tesla was already on par with Chrysler. There was still so gap, but it was becoming negligible.
Tesla's modular production was indeed impressive. The company had no burdens or historical baggage. They also didn't have to deal with union interference. Surpassing Chrysler was just a matter of ti.
Just as everyone was waiting for Tesla to seek more funding, the company surprisingly announced its IPO. The most embarrassing part was that Lehman Brothers took on the underwriting.
This choice truly caught everyone off guard. Although Lehman was considered an old investnt bank, it had always been marginalized and pressured, seen as a lone wolf on Wall Street.
In the aftermath of the subpri mortgage crisis, could Arica really not save Lehman Brothers?
Co on, the governnt threw hundreds of billions into the bailout; Lehman needed just $20 billion.
Clearly, these guy offended Goldman Sachs, and their relationships on Wall Street were terrible. They were sacrificed without a doubt, leaving not even bones behind.
The world of capital was incredibly ruthless; survival of the fittest was the only rule. William White was also a lone wolf, but his situation was better. He not only had a significant amount of cash but also held a large amount of military-related stocks. Going against him was clearly a foolish choice.
Looking at his security company, it seed more like an army.
It was obvious William White was no longer prepared to reason. If anyone dared to act recklessly, there would be no good outco.
Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs were already incredibly stressed. Being at the top of the pyramid, they had seen every kind of darkness, and it was simply survival of the fittest. Victors faced no bla. If you went against them on the news group issue, they would cut off all transactions with you.
Faced with furious shareholders, a group of old-tirs gritted their teeth in frustration. They knew full well that if they didn't fix their relationships promptly, these shareholders would tear them apart.
Going against Arican interests was a foolish act. Consortiums were not a solid block; everyone had their own interests. Since you couldn't provide benefits, you might as well get lost!
The Big Three automakers wanting to establish 4S stores sent shivers down the spines of dealerships. Stores like Tesla's weren't cheap. If they were talking about Bentley and Aston Martin, that would be even more absurd; how much would that cost?
Unfortunately for them, their objections were utterly useless. These major Arican automakers had made up their minds.
This wasn't so isolated case; several companies in Japan also had similar plans.
Monopoly? Unfair competition?
Don't kid yourself; that's nonexistent. At least half of Tesla's dealerships were franchises. Even those they managed themselves could be sold.
They made it clear they welcod investnts; how could anyone claim unfair competition?
Right, they also offered credit support.
Dealers were at their wit's end. Seriously, how could they compete with Tesla? Let's be real, from A-class to C-class cars, and the newly introduced SUVs, every model they had was a hot seller.
With the completion of the second phase of a few factories, their comrcial vehicles were also about to launch. Could they produce an entire line like that?
Take a good look; Bentley and Aston Martin weren't in the sa 4S store.
Damn, looks like the only contenders left were Buick and Cadillac. Besides those two, what else did they have to compete with?
Seeing they were off track, dealers decided to chat with Tesla. If they could buy a few existing 4S stores, it should be quite profitable. As for General Motors and Ford, they were on their own.
...
"Sir, your IPO this ti dropped a massive bomb; the expressions on those guys' faces were simply priceless."
"Heh, next year's biggest IPO will be spectacular, for sure. By the ti the White Plaza project disappears, they'll be due for a leadership change."
"They're scared; it's amusing to say, but those two mining companies in Australia are really under pressure now."
"Yeah, Filson, if they can complete the acquisition in ti, we can work together again."
"With that kind of pressure, they'll be working their tails off."
A few investnt banks realized that business competition was one thing. When it got personal, it was best not to get involved.
Personal vendetta?
By the way, what kind of personal feud does he have with Murdoch?
Co on, does he really need to be so petty? It was just a bit of bad-mouthing, right? Did he really have to be that ruthless?
Faced with such childishness from a wealthy person, the big shots could only put their heads in their hands and weep. They made a fatal mistake.
Yes, as William White continued to grow, they deliberately or inadvertently overlooked his age.
Looking at the recent tis, this guy did things without considering the gains or losses.
Everyone was sitting around the table playing cards when suddenly a kid barged in. Faced with such a scene, the first reaction was naturally to refuse.
It didn't help; this kid was not only wealthy but also brandishing a Desert Eagle.
With an adult, you could always try to reason with them. If that didn't work, a threat was also a reasonable option.
Facing a kid?
Who knew if he'd pull the trigger.
Soone suggested letting him play and cheat him out of all his money; would he still dare to be cocky after that?
Well, it'd be easy to win his money if you played by the rules. But if this kid thought you were cheating? Alright, that would be too chaotic to handle.
That was the kind of situation faced by the investnt banks today. Unless absolutely necessary, it was best to stick to the rules.
*****
spatreon/Sayonara816.
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