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Originally Posted by Red Bread
You're trying to argue that the Fords (or Waltons for that matter, as they're as divergent in ownership now) have a similar level of control as the Quandts. That's just not logical. If you don't see how three active family members owning a 46+% share of the stock (and we're just talking common stock, not voting shares) is different than a disparate group of 50+ people with small piece meal shares, than I don't think we'll ever see this the same way.
I've worked for "public" companies where the ownership is held in similar fashion to what the Quandts have, and it's so far from the idealistic American view of a public corporation. The top three owned about 35% of the voting shares and had managed over the years to get their cronies into the board, representing another 20+% of the shares. The board never really convened, the C level execs just called the shots and the board backed them up if investors cried. It was eye opening. I'm guessing you haven't worked in a similar situation?
If Mulally could just pick up a blue phone and get 80 Ford family members to back him up and dive in, then this would be a similar situation, but the Quandts can get one or two other investors on board and ram things through. That's why they have a significantly different situation than just about any other car manufacturer.
Piech and Pischetsrieder had similar stories, but through the VW and Porsche infighting have lost their strong hold on both companies.
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I never said all 81 Ford Family members vote, you made that assumption. It is quite clear William Clay Ford II has control over the company with respect to the Ford family involvement. The point I was making is that just because three Quandts hold 40 some percent of the shares doesn't mean they make the level of decisions that keep BMW "independent", in fact since the Quandts have had that level of stock ownership for decades now, I'd put forth that they have slowly been diluting the BMW brand to the point most BMW enthusiasts (not the Roundel Hounds) are disenchanted customers.
But still ownership of the corporation and it's independence from platform dilution are two entirely different things. When BMW was truly "independent" it made 3 or sometimes 4 platforms: 3-Series, 5-Series, and the 7-Series, sometimes a 6-Series coupe, and the 8-Series Coupe both however derived from the 5 and 7 Series respectively. So not to argue the point, but with the introduction of the X-Series (based off of the car platforms) and now the 4-door grand coupes (a 4-door based off a 2-door coupe based off a 4-door sedan - LOL) and the Mini/1-Series platform and the 7-Series/Rolls platform, BMW is no more independent auto manufacturer than a company such as Toyota, or Ford.