What does a car cost to build?

[hawk20]

I'm afraid I don't understand those statements In my world companies that don't make profits rapidly go out of business or lose their investors. Don't you just love "creative accountancy"

Yes; it is clear you don't understand. Ford USA have been losing a bundle. Go to Business Week and check (or the FT). GM too have been losing a fortune. Fiat has lost more money over the years than you could imagine but is kept alive as nobody wants to face all the job losses. Ford are trying to sell Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin to prop up the losses. If you read regularly the financial Press you will see that most car makers either make losses or make very little. Renault would have gone under but for the French Government propping them up like our government did with Rover (who also made heavy losses). Buy shares in any of the major car companies and you will find it is not creative accountancy but a really hard tough world trying to compete with the Japanese, South Koreans, Malaysians and so on.