When carmakers outsource most of their components, assemble their products in different countries around the globe, are majority-owned by foreign shareholders and sell mainly overseas, does it still make sense to promote them as national champions? Nicolas Sarkozy thinks so, albeit with some controversial conditions. Just before unveiling an $8 billion loan for French carmakers Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroen last week, the French President suggested the aid should be conditional on them packing up their plants elsewhere in the E.U.
