ABSTRACT
As world leaders of the sector in the 1890s, French automobile companies have been active direct investors in America since the very beginning of the twentieth century. Renault set up sales, repair and spare parts depots in New York and on the West Coast in 1906. Michelin operated a tyre factory in New Jersey in 1907, rapidly turning into an early and serious competitor to the domestic tyre industry (Wilkins 1993: 18). During the interwar period the prosperity of French manufacturers in the US declined due to the changing nature of the demand (Fridenson 1986). Post-1945, conflicting images of early successes were darkened by later failures. In the long run, automobile manufacturers have not been successful in their multiple attempts to turn export successes into durable distribution and manufacturing operations. Renault’s American ventures in the late 1950s and the 1980s exemplify these downturns. The story, however, is not limited to the nationalized company. Peugeot, Simca and Citroën, though on a lower scale, have also been successful in importing cars into the US. The combined market share for all French automobile manufacturers nevertheless remained rather marginal.
