DAF in America

In your early childhood you of course also devoured the Tintin books. "Tintin in America" ​​was also a release. It must have been the inspiration for Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler from Fred Schaller in 1969 to also put his then new employer DAF on the map? Wasn't Volkswagen also successful?

DAF had a fully automatic transmission and the Americans wanted that? DAF sold 1969 passenger cars in 64.000 throughout Europe and could use some expansion. Schaller managed to get permission from the management and conceived the plan to interest 185 dealers across the street who had to purchase thirty-five passenger cars every year. This would increase sales by more than 10 percent. People in Eindhoven did not notice that the Fiat and Renault appearance on the American market had not succeeded. The plans remained nasty, because after wasting a lot of money, the plan was canceled. The DAF passenger cars were now history, the empire with the help of the so-called 'great statesman' Joop den Uyl became a state-owned company, heavily sponsored by the taxpayer, was repeated in the 1980s. The Volvo (…) 480ES would be a success on the American market. Many millions later this project was canceled. Shortly thereafter, the Volvo dream was over. When the Dutch money tap was turned off under political pressure. In spite of that, everyone (er) lived happily ever after.