Auto News 5

You know the Brembo brand, which peeks out from between the wheel spokes on the world's most potent automobiles, as a boutique maker of exemplary braking components. But while you weren't paying attention, Brembo grew from a 1961 Italian upstart into the world's largest independent manufacturer of cast iron brake rotors, aluminum calipers, and carbon-ceramic-material (CCM) discs. Brembo supplies braking equipment for cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles worldwide with 35 manufacturing and business operations in 14 countries on three continents. This $1-billion enterprise has over 5000 employees, more than 500 engineers and technical specialists, and its fingers in more than brake rotors, calipers, and friction materials. Brembo affiliates manufacture seat belts, child safety equipment, helmets, and motorcyclist air bag jackets. This firm also assembles corner modules -- consisting of suspension linkages, wheel hubs, brake components, and ABS sensors -- for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati, and Porsche.

The rivalry between BMW and Mercedes-Benz dates back to 1959. On December 9, Daimler-Benz tried, via the Deutsche Bank, to take over BMW, which was on the brink of bankruptcy. But the minor shareholders, the dealers, and the unionized workforce prevented the takeover at the eleventh hour. Over the next few years, the Quandt family bought a majority stake in BMW, but even with fresh cash, it took the company until the early 1970s to establish a truly competitive model range. From that point to the present day, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have been fighting each other in the marketplace. Instead of aiming at gaps in the enemy's product portfolio, each would invariably challenge the other head-on. The current lineup still reflects this eternal duel: 1-series vs. A/B-class, 3-series vs. C-class, 5-series vs. E-class, 6-series vs. SL, 7-series vs. S-class, X3 vs. GLK, X5 vs. ML, Z4 vs. SLK, Mini vs. Smart, M division vs. AMG, Rolls-Royce vs. Maybach, BMW Sauber vs. McLaren-Mercedes. Both makes ventured downmarket by teaming up with a volume brand, and both failed: while the Bavarians almost went under together with Rover, the Swabians can still feel the aftermath of the Chrysler debacle. BMW hasn't followed its rival into trucks and buses, and Mercedes has steered clear of motorcycles.

You can be forgiven if the names don't mean anything to you. One is a pair of initials currently being slapped on Chinese-built Rover sedans; the other is a word usually used to reference old, oil-leaking motorcycles. Neither has appeared on a new car in this country in more than twenty-five years, but once, both were household names.