Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, first you said companies not just manufacturing companies so I would have pointed to Wal Mart. But since you have limited the range it's more difficult because manufacturing companies are not as high profile as retailers. I will point to China as a whole as a contemporary example. Chinese companies have consistently beaten the previous generation's manufacturers by achieving lower costs. Anyway, since you say "…
what about Honda vs.... I dont know.. Detroit ? That is a good example of manufacturing companies winning on cost.
Car companies that tried to deliver a low-cost product without the quality behind it (eg Yugo) ultimately failed.