Toyota Tops GM in 1Q Global Auto Sales

[maxximus1]

its a sad day...

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=3071399

[thegriffon]

Ironic because GM has never sold so many vehicles as it did in the first quarter, 60% in overseas markets. GM could still revise their Q1 sales numbers in many markets.

[91z4me]

Ironic because GM has never sold so many vehicles as it did in the first quarter, 60% in overseas markets. GM could still revise their Q1 sales numbers in many markets.

I hope they don't. The US Media will have their field day, the import humpers will claim they said it was coming and long overdue. There may even be a final "GM Deathwatch." But in the end it really doesn't matter. If GM was more concerned w/ production numbers than Profit they could probably ratchet out more than enough vehicles to cover the increases by Toyota but it doesn't matter. Profit and the long term health of the brands/company are what is important and I am glad they see that.

Lets just see GM Execs say "Congrats, now can we move on?"

[andy82471]

Sad but not entirely unexpected. We have been told over and over again that this day is coming. I mean can you actually count the number of articles written in the last 3 years that Toyota will topple GM ? I wonder if the media has actually helped out Toyota in their quest for the global No.1 title ?

[capriceman]

how they did it for 76 years us a mystery to me, but it would be sweet to have the biggest car maker on there 100th anniversary.

[Intrepidation]

Life goes on, but I hope Toyota suffers the fate GM suffered for being to big.

[RJB]

Who cares about the numbers, I don't. I forsee Toyota spinning out of control, there are already signs of this. They are concerned about their defects already, engine problems, the Tundra isn't setting the world on fire like they said it would either. And of course the Unions want in on Toyota. They are going to find out real fast that being #1 has more problems than they think. I mean once you get so big so fast its hard to maintain this "image" of being the "best" as everyone says they are. GM found out the hard way about being the biggest, but maybe Toyota will have lessons learned from this. But GM has some of their best products coming out and other ones on the burner so I feel they are poised to be moving on the up and up, and these products are in the car market right where they need them.

[Dragon]

meh

I'd rather focus on GM's record quarter, especially given the woes of recent and not so recent years rather then dwell on Toyota selling more

[big blue]

"Our goal has never been to sell the most cars in the world," Nolasco said. "We simply want to be the best in quality. After that, sales will take care of themselves."

Somehow, I doubt this statement is true.

As for it actually happening, I don't care really. GM is improving and that's what counts, if Toyota is #1, fine.

[toesuf94]

I am with Big Blue on this one. Who cares. GM was # 1 with bloated fleet sales and record poor resale values because of it. As far as the quality rap that GM has had over the years - I can say that NO GM PRODUCT EVER LEFT ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN 30 + years!. My brother cannot say that about his Toyota.

We have seen the future on both sides: GM's quality is up, profits are up even with less units sold. Toyota's sales are up and recalls are at record levels. It sickens me to see so many Americans buying a Japanese car, but at least my Tahoe stands out on the road with all the me too Camry's.

Does anyone else sense the jubulation in the press while reporting this? Like it was them that toppled the giant that is GM? It seems like they are so happy to be saying that the largest American company has fallen to the Japanese. Well, now that Toyota is the # 1 automaker in the world, will the bullseye be placed on them - let's wait and see.

[Camino LS6]

Unimportant.

The margin was a mere 90k units worldwide, so I don't think Toyota is celebrating yet.

The test will be seeing if Toyota can maintain or expand this lead by the end of the year.

I think that the two companies will be neck and neck for some time to come.

[Camino LS6]

I hope they don't. The US Media will have their field day, the import humpers will claim they said it was coming and long overdue. There may even be a final "GM Deathwatch." But in the end it really doesn't matter. If GM was more concerned w/ production numbers than Profit they could probably ratchet out more than enough vehicles to cover the increases by Toyota but it doesn't matter. Profit and the long term health of the brands/company are what is important and I am glad they see that.

Lets just see GM Execs say "Congrats, now can we move on?"

The only problem with that is that GM is required by law to revise the numbers if a discrepancy is found.

[EMan]

Does anyone else sense the jubulation in the press while reporting this? Like it was them that toppled the giant that is GM? It seems like they are so happy to be saying that the largest American company has fallen to the Japanese. Well, now that Toyota is the # 1 automaker in the world, will the bullseye be placed on them - let's wait and see.

I agree, the two articles I read today had the same feeling. I just can't believe how excited one of the author was.

[CARBIZ]

Wouldn't it be amusing if GM actually gave up the North American market? Since 60% of GM's sales are now from outside the U.S., and Japan Inc. (courtesy of MITI) is in the final phase of its assault on the 17+ million market here, wouldn't it be funny if GM just gave up and let Japan's Big 5 fight over the carcass? What is more sad is that America's own Big 2.5 can't sell in their own country what Japan's Big 5 can.

GM is doing well in South America, China and Europe. Why is that? How long will Detroit treat us like North America is different? This is not 1965. And Washington had better wake up, too, as well as the media because Japan Inc. will not relent until Detroit is smoking ash.

Japan is a tiny island with virtually no natural resources of its own and not too many original ideas, but they are focused and their populace stands behind their government like sheep while their companies assault Fortress America (and by default, Canada) from one market to another.

[gmcbob]

I sense from a lot of the articles I saw in Business Week/ AP / Reuters, etc, that the Japanese analysts working for some of the large investment banks were extremely arrogant about how Toyota has a great reputation and GM doesn't. The old "GM has a reputation for poor quality and it's only getting weaker/worse" argument. That *REALLY* bugs me for some reason. Makes me hope that Toyota totally flops with their new Tundra. It does seem true that that US media likes to play on that too. But that's what sells I guess - extreme articles that play into trendy thinking. Oh well.

GM doesn't play it right though. I don't think their marketing is aggressive enough here in the US. They need to talk about how many models they have that are built here, etc, before people begin to really think that GM outsources everything. And believe me, a lot of people will, especially if they read a lot of the press that tends to spin the news in Toyota's favor. I notice they tend to talk about Toyota opening factories in North America, and GM closing them, but they never follow up by saying that GM still has 5 times as many factories in North America, even after the closing. The problem is - GM never says that either! They really need to stress that - big time.

[gm4life]

This is a very sad day. I knew once I added up the sales for the first 1/4 of 2007 I knew they were screwed. Big deal off by 100K. Toyota doesn't even want the problems and crud GM got for being nu. 1. Sad day... But oh the bright side it might not hold long. Still 3 quaters remain with some strong new product. When will the 08 Malibu come out? (NOT SOON ENOUGH!) And uhh Tundra sales have been slow, what put Toyota over was the Camry/Corolla sales to Avis and Hertz.

[Z-06]

It seems like Toy and Japanese Co. in general have found a new tag line. The quality of cars manufactured by them in Japan are better than ones produced here. Import humpers are buying into this. Toy used to boast of having quality regardless of their location, I guess they found an excuse here.

Coming back to the subject, I really do not care for GM losing the #1 spot, so as long we have a strong bottom line. The products in the pipeline look good. Good to see GM concentrating on reducing the fleets. With GM removing its stake from fleets, I see a lot of Toys, especially the Crapollas in their.

However, GM needs aggressive marketing. They need to be more daring and slap back at the Japanese co.

[Northstar]

As long as GM still makes cars that are more desirable to me I could care less what someone on the other side of the world is buying. It would be nice to be #1 in the world, but it's not the biggest deal.

[gm4life]

Northie makes a good point. If they become profitable and make excellent cars and that sell on merits and not rebates who cares if they are nu. 2? I would like to see them stay on top it is 1/4 of the year wait till the new Enclave, new Malibu and HD GMT-900's get out and in stock on dealers lots. (I know they are out but not well stocked! My local dealer sold 4 just like that!) When is the Aura Hybrid coming? That will hurt the Camry Hybrid I think, because of the PRICE!

[Polish_Kris]

As long as GM still makes cars that are more desirable to me I could care less what someone on the other side of the world is buying. It would be nice to be #1 in the world, but it's not the biggest deal.

The smartest comment on this post. You are a GM fan because you like what they make, and they appeal to your tastes. The other people here seem to be throwing personal political opinions instead of the love for the cars.

[CARBIZ]

I wish the two could be separated, but it is naive to believe that there is not some sort of assault on the North American market. The Japanese Big 5 don't have near the market presence anywhere else in the world that they do here in North America. Why is that? Is it because the North American market is (was?) more homegenous and, therefore, easier for Japan Inc to attack? After all, Europe is also a big market, but until recently was fragmented into dozens of smaller pieces. Now, suddenly Japan Inc is interested in Fortress Europe, but the Europeans are far more skeptical of everything imported.

Or we can just be lazy and take everything we read at face value and continue shipping our money overseas.

[gm4life]

I think throwing in passion and your love for something is okay. Check my sig, would I have purchased so many GM vehicles if I didn't like or believe in their product? $h! no, seriously there products appeal to me and I am biased but care very deeply about them, so what is wrong with that? So honestly I think a combo of both is a good thing. I really do like what they make, would I have ever purchassed 8 soon to be 9 with-in a year if I didn't like them? Not me, I buy what I like and it happens to General Motors products... GM you can do it, kick so Toyo a$$!

Edited April 25, 2007 by gm4life

[MyerShift]

Some of these opionions remind me of what my grandparents keep telling me, "Japan said after WWII that they would take us over without firing a single shot"

Could this be from the industry?

Rather interesting to think about.

[Flybrian]

I think throwing in passion and your love for something is okay. Check my sig, would I have purchased so many GM vehicles if I didn't like or believe in their product? $h! no, seriously there products appeal to me and I am biased but care very deeply about them, so what is wrong with that? So honestly I think a combo of both is a good thing. I really do like what they make, would I have ever purchassed 8 soon to be 9 with-in a year if I didn't like them? Not me, I buy what I like and it happens to General Motors products... GM you can do it, kick so Toyo a$$!

Amen, brother! One day, my sig will be as long as yours!

[AxelTheRed]

Toyota has grown at an alarming rate. In the last few years its passed DaimlerChrysler and Ford and now its GM's turn.

Toyota's goal was to overtake the American auto industry...they may have failed to put any of the Big Three out of business, they've essentially completed their goal. Now what?

Any company...ANY...will be scrambling to cover all their ground after such explosive growth and something in their operations is liable to give, causing problems. Toyota's become disgustingly arrogant, the quality of their vehicles is slipping...we're even seeing the beginning of some anti-Toyota sentiment.

If this is how they're acting after being number one for only a few months, just imagine how complacent they'll get in a few years. Personally, I'm hoping to see Toyota get like GM got in the 80's, just to watch them crumble and fall.

[knightfan26917]

Not entirely surprising news.

But, a bit of irony in this whole thing ... 2 of the newscasts in Chicagoland tonight that did stories about this talked about how Toyota is known for quality products and efficient gas mileage ratings ... and how GM has been cutting production because of sales slumps of its truck and SUVs. The kicker in both reports? The images shown while they were talking about GM's slumping truck/SUV sales ... TOYOTA TRUCKS and SUVs! heh ... irony rocks.

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

my radio show:CD SHOWCASE.7:30p central.Friday/April 27 = www.wrmn1410.com

[vrazzhledazzle]

I just pray that our auto industry isn't overtaken by the Japanese like our electorics (TVs, cameras) industry.

I mean, can you name one global american electronics company? Sony, Toshiba, even the ones that sound kinda American like Alpine are all Japanese.

[FAPTurbo]

It's not a bad thing to be Number 2... just ask Burger King.

[ellives]

In one key way, Toyota has been number 1 for a very long time.... profits. Profits drive future success and without them you die. Not to beat a dead horse but until GM gets their labor and legacy costs under control, they'll continue to play second fiddle to Toyota. They've been able to stay ahead of Ford and Chrysler because all three are burdened with the same costs.

They need drastic measures to level the playing field. Their great success in China tells you they can compete very well without the albatross around their necks.

[CARBIZ]

Just to be clear - all you lovers of everything imported out there, GM's "legacy costs" which we all love to debate to death on this board are monies payable to Americans (and Canadians) who work and pay taxes here. These monies will go into their communities and be recirculated throughout the economy of North America. So the billions in pension and health care costs that GM and Ford are desperately trying to get a handle on is money that will eventually benefit us all.

That is something that cannot be said of the sent to Toyota City and Stuttgart.

[OCcarnut]

I cannot believe some of the posts on here...Toyota arrogant?? Arrogance is what got GM into this situation. Legacy costs benefit local communities?? If the company goes out of business because they are not competitive with competitors and there are no salaries to pay guess what...NO money goes to the community. If anybody on this site found a way to make a product cheaper and better than the biggest competitor and make a fortune doing it...you would do it...but now Toyota is the bad guy for doing just that. I would say that some of the people posting on here who are blaming the media, blaming Toyota, blaming the US buying public should probably realize that they are part of the reason GM just lost #1..that is arrogance. Go ahead..start calling me names...

[91z4me]

I cannot believe some of the posts on here...Toyota arrogant?? Arrogance is what got GM into this situation. Legacy costs benefit local communities?? If the company goes out of business because they are not competitive with competitors and there are no salaries to pay guess what...NO money goes to the community. If anybody on this site found a way to make a product cheaper and better than the biggest competitor and make a fortune doing it...you would do it...but now Toyota is the bad guy for doing just that. I would say that some of the people posting on here who are blaming the media, blaming Toyota, blaming the US buying public should probably realize that they are part of the reason GM just lost #1..that is arrogance. Go ahead..start calling me names...

Since you asked to be called names I choose "Tinkerbell."

Legacy costs are GM's commitment to its former employees. GM is locked into contracts and can't just not pay them. GM made a promise and is living up to it. The problem is that Toyota et al came in and started 'domestic' factories MUCH later. So they don't have retired employees so they have no legacy costs. This reduces their fixed costs and decreases their cost per car. Around $2000 per vehicle by most accounts. Now add in that most of their engineering is being done overseas at lower rates AND in all their overseas plants they have 0 health care costs b/c of socialized healthcare (not something I want to see happen here at all!). So now they have another reduction of costs per model. Lets say that is another $2000. If you add in the lowered value of the Yen, which typically makes Toyota b/t $2000-$5000 per car *by some estimates, you get to see how they are so profitable. So lets see they save around $6000 per car compared to their domestic counterparts! No wonder they can have a nicer interior. No wonder they can have a sophisticatd aluminum intensive multilink rear on the Corolla while the Cobalt and Ion make do w/ a twist beam.

And the reason many of us on here percieve Toyota as being the bad guy and arrogant is because they are! They benefit from the 'Japanese is better' mentality and thrive off their 'green' image. But they try to have it both ways and start advertising themselves as American. In SE Indiana there are billboards showing how Toyota has 10 plants in the US, compared to GM who has over 50! They also consider themselves 'green' and do things like give Prius' to celebs for awards shows. And constantly advertise the car, even though the production is limited and they can sell every one of them they make. But that isn't what chaps my ass. It is that while living the 'green' image they are producing large trucks and SUVs like everyone else, except the Koreans and Honda. The Sequoia gets worse mileage than a Tahoe, actually worse than a Suburban as well. It is on level w/ the H2! The new Tundra is HUGE and yet Toyota gets a pass from the media on it. Nobody has said anything about it taking away some of the 'greenness' of the company (except those environuts at NY).

[Z-06]

Since you asked to be called names I choose "Tinkerbell."

Legacy costs are GM's commitment to its former employees. GM is locked into contracts and can't just not pay them. GM made a promise and is living up to it. The problem is that Toyota et al came in and started 'domestic' factories MUCH later. So they don't have retired employees so they have no legacy costs. This reduces their fixed costs and decreases their cost per car. Around $2000 per vehicle by most accounts. Now add in that most of their engineering is being done overseas at lower rates AND in all their overseas plants they have 0 health care costs b/c of socialized healthcare (not something I want to see happen here at all!). So now they have another reduction of costs per model. Lets say that is another $2000. If you add in the lowered value of the Yen, which typically makes Toyota b/t $2000-$5000 per car *by some estimates, you get to see how they are so profitable. So lets see they save around $6000 per car compared to their domestic counterparts! No wonder they can have a nicer interior. No wonder they can have a sophisticatd aluminum intensive multilink rear on the Corolla while the Cobalt and Ion make do w/ a twist beam.

And the reason many of us on here percieve Toyota as being the bad guy and arrogant is because they are! They benefit from the 'Japanese is better' mentality and thrive off their 'green' image. But they try to have it both ways and start advertising themselves as American. In SE Indiana there are billboards showing how Toyota has 10 plants in the US, compared to GM who has over 50! They also consider themselves 'green' and do things like give Prius' to celebs for awards shows. And constantly advertise the car, even though the production is limited and they can sell every one of them they make. But that isn't what chaps my ass. It is that while living the 'green' image they are producing large trucks and SUVs like everyone else, except the Koreans and Honda. The Sequoia gets worse mileage than a Tahoe, actually worse than a Suburban as well. It is on level w/ the H2! The new Tundra is HUGE and yet Toyota gets a pass from the media on it. Nobody has said anything about it taking away some of the 'greenness' of the company (except those environuts at NY).

Well said. Toy humpers do not realize, that how "unbiased" the automobile field is. They just say that if Toy can do it GM must, there are no excuses.

Perception is the name of the game. Forget how many good products you make, if people have bad perception about you it does not matter about your deeds, and vice a versa (I did not mean the sh*tbox Nissan).

[OCcarnut]

Well said. Toy humpers do not realize, that how "unbiased" the automobile field is. They just say that if Toy can do it GM must, there are no excuses.

Perception is the name of the game. Forget how many good products you make, if people have bad perception about you it does not matter about your deeds, and vice a versa (I did not mean the sh*tbox Nissan).

And who created this mis-perception that GM suffers from?? Did it just materialize form out of nowwhere?

[91z4me]

And who created this mis-perception that GM suffers from?? Did it just materialize form out of nowwhere?

GM's products fo the 80s were sub par in quality and the perception grew from that. Their models from the early 90s-00 were typically large/more substantial than their Toyota/Japan Inc counterparts. Leading to a perception of GM/Domestics being less fuel efficient. As the Toyota/Japan Inc cars have grown over the generations this is generally not true. The only reason a CAFE deficet exists b/t the Domestics and Imports is because of the mix of product sold. And if the market wants a lot of large SUVs I see no problem in providing them. Positive reinforcement by a bias media has led to the expanded perception of this 'quality gap' that in reality doesn't exist.

[OCcarnut]

Since you asked to be called names I choose "Tinkerbell."

Legacy costs are GM's commitment to its former employees. GM is locked into contracts and can't just not pay them. GM made a promise and is living up to it. The problem is that Toyota et al came in and started 'domestic' factories MUCH later. So they don't have retired employees so they have no legacy costs. This reduces their fixed costs and decreases their cost per car. Around $2000 per vehicle by most accounts. Now add in that most of their engineering is being done overseas at lower rates AND in all their overseas plants they have 0 health care costs b/c of socialized healthcare (not something I want to see happen here at all!). So now they have another reduction of costs per model. Lets say that is another $2000. If you add in the lowered value of the Yen, which typically makes Toyota b/t $2000-$5000 per car *by some estimates, you get to see how they are so profitable. So lets see they save around $6000 per car compared to their domestic counterparts! No wonder they can have a nicer interior. No wonder they can have a sophisticatd aluminum intensive multilink rear on the Corolla while the Cobalt and Ion make do w/ a twist beam.

And the reason many of us on here percieve Toyota as being the bad guy and arrogant is because they are! They benefit from the 'Japanese is better' mentality and thrive off their 'green' image. But they try to have it both ways and start advertising themselves as American. In SE Indiana there are billboards showing how Toyota has 10 plants in the US, compared to GM who has over 50! They also consider themselves 'green' and do things like give Prius' to celebs for awards shows. And constantly advertise the car, even though the production is limited and they can sell every one of them they make. But that isn't what chaps my ass. It is that while living the 'green' image they are producing large trucks and SUVs like everyone else, except the Koreans and Honda. The Sequoia gets worse mileage than a Tahoe, actually worse than a Suburban as well. It is on level w/ the H2! The new Tundra is HUGE and yet Toyota gets a pass from the media on it. Nobody has said anything about it taking away some of the 'greenness' of the company (except those environuts at NY).

I rest my case. Trust me...if GM could work the "angle" that Toyota is working to with the same degree of success they would. I hope GM can hang on to number 2. Nothing you said is going to save GM or makes Toyota the bad guy. The name of the game is adapting to the rules that exist...if you can't your history. The general buying public does not care about legacy costs or the poor me scenario...too many people face similar competitive challenges in other industries every day at work. Some survive, others cannot adapt and fade away.

[enzl]

As an accused 'humper', I realize that my cred on this topic is low with some here, but let's be realistic...

Toyota has done the impossible....in a generation, they've overtaken the world's largest company as the #1 producer of automobiles. We can all debate how it was done, or critique Toyota's past, current or future, but, the bottom line is that this is a historic achievement.

I'm not sure how many of you derive a living from GM...I do. If you're a UAW factory guy or a marketer or whatever, there's a palpable sense at GM that something has gone terribly wrong. GM's squandering of its position in the global auto market is tragic, for employees and for fans, but they did it to themselves!

We've beaten the missteps to death on this board, but the cold hard truth is that any one of a number of changes could have avoided this result. No one read the warning signs and the ship was directed into the ground. Blame Toyota all you want, GM had a dominant market position and destroyed it themselves. The fact that other companies took advantage of GM's weakness shouldn't surprise anyone here. I'm assuming that most here understand that business is not about being nice to the competition or paying your employees benefits no longer being offered to most others in most other industries.

Beat up on Toyota all you want. It doesn't change the simple fact that GM did this to themselves. And all of those benefits, financial commitments, pensions and moneys being pushed into US communities will dry up because the stewards of those commitments (i.e. GM management) did a criminally negligent job.

Blaming others is the American way. That doesn't mean its accurate or true--we've become a nation of victims. To me, if termites are eating away at the structure of your home, you get an exterminator. You don't blame the termites for being termites and go out and hire an interior decorator to redo the window treatments.

[91z4me]

I rest my case. Trust me...if GM could work the "angle" that Toyota is working to with the same degree of success they would.

What angle that GM is American? It hasn't worked for them. But it works for Toyota. Tell me how that makes sense.

The 'green' angle? GM's hybrid trains and busses save FAR more fuel and emissions than Toyota's Prius, Camry hybrid, Highlander hybrid, or Lexus hybrid ever will over the couse of their lives. Yet they can get no credit for it. GM is like the Rodney Dangerfield of cars they get "No Respect."

Nothing you said is going to save GM or makes Toyota the bad guy.

Of course. Nothing I can EVER say will save GM. Only GM can save GM. And Toyota is doing some pretty questionable advertising. That is why I don't like them. They are trying to have it both ways, import perception and homespun values. Give me a break they are and ALWAYS will be an import.

The name of the game is adapting to the rules that exist...if you can't your history.

Which they are doing! If people would just pay some freaking attention!

The general buying public does not care about legacy costs or the poor me scenario...too many people face similar competitive challenges in other industries every day at work. Some survive, others cannot adapt and fade away.

Your right and that is the freaking problem! Everyone only cares about themselves. That is why Walmart has put tens of thousands of small businesses out of business, so someone can save a few bucks on cut rate clothing. That is why our trade deficet is larger than it EVER has been. That is why we are a nation of individuals with no savings and no accountability! GM is the #1 provider of health insurance in the nation! Supporting directly well over 1 million people as active employees and retirees. Add in their family and the number is likely over 2 million. Add in Ford and Chrysler and all the supporting suppliers and the numbers are staggering. Yet in order to compete the Domestics have to reduce costs on an almost daily basis, which gets them slammed by the media. They have to ship jobs overseas, which gets them slammed by the media. They have to do all these things to stay competitive and yet all you hear from the media is that it is GM's own doing.

Everyone only cares about themselves. They care about the all mightly dollar. That is the damn problem. That is why we are a nation of consumers where once we were a nation of producers. That is why this country is going to hell in a handbasket. People can't look far enough into the future to see that the me, Me, ME attitude is only going to lead to their and everone else's eventual downfall. Customer service is practically a thing of the past. Stores that do actually offer knowledgeable sales staff have to lower pay and fire people because someone else is paying cheaper for lower quality staff. Then the store paying less has to lower its quality further to fight online stores who have no sales staff who only have people loading the shipping containers.

THAT IS THE f@#kING PROBLEM

[/rant]

[Mr.Krinkle]

No shock here. Some people here did a good job of outlining the why and how come but dont forget Toyota is worth about 13X what GM is worth.

``Toyota has been successful in introducing about 10 new models every year, while GM has been slow,'' Toyota dwarfs its rivals in almost every other measure including profits, market capitalization and cash reserves

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=new...id=aekCL1duTGXc

The biggest plus is the forecast in the Chinese market.

Link: GM's committment to building quality cars that Americans were looking for throughout the 80's and part of the nineties, and the mid 70's

[Mr.Krinkle]

Not a pretty picture.

From april 2006

April 2007

Not any rosier, and no, I did not forget a Zero on GM's cap.

Toyota Market Cap-220,523.89

6.50 profit margin

GM Market Cap- 17,454.77

-1.00 profit margin

Edited April 25, 2007 by Mr.Krinkle

[Z-06]

Everyone only cares about themselves. They care about the all mightly dollar. That is the damn problem. That is why we are a nation of consumers where once we were a nation of producers. That is why this country is going to hell in a handbasket. People can't look far enough into the future to see that the me, Me, ME attitude is only going to lead to their and everone else's eventual downfall. Customer service is practically a thing of the past. Stores that do actually offer knowledgeable sales staff have to lower pay and fire people because someone else is paying cheaper for lower quality staff. Then the store paying less has to lower its quality further to fight online stores who have no sales staff who only have people loading the shipping containers.

THAT IS THE f@#kING PROBLEM

[/rant]

Well said. The myopic mentality of the current generation and as a matter of fact capitalism is hurting GM and US manufacturers in general. Consumers think they have power to buy anything and cheap, by supporting competition, and what they forget are they themselves in some ways or other are producers if goods will be manufactured here. If uncle Tommy wants a cheap ladder made from China he forgets that his distant cousin Sue who used to work for a ladder manufacturer in USA is getting laid off as the company is going down. Walmart is like a category 5 hurricane, that it destroys jobs and small vendors which come in its ways, while "creating" their happy face customer "associates".

I certainly hope up to a certain extent for the dollar to be devalued especially against Yuan and Yen. It will put our economy in a brief spin, but if we have courage and desire to stay a superpower as we call ourself to be we will come out of it. People are living in a sense of Matrix created by our politicians and media in general and it is time for some Neo to have courage and start putting the things back.

[bowtie_dude]

Man, the market cap stats really show how strong Toyota truly is. The big question now is, where does/is GM going from here? Hopefully GM is, internally speaking, already on the road to better products consistently from here on out. No more hit'n'miss. No more simply catching up. GM needs consistent hits and it needs to aim above and beyond what the competition offers. If the 08 CTS is any indication, hopefully thats already happening internally. The next Aura, Lacrosse, Lucerne, Cobalt, Equinox, Impala, STS, DTS, etc etc NEED to be better, not only than the current competition, but better than future redesigns. GM needs to aim 2 generations beyond all the competition in every single aspect.

[Z-06]

I wished some how GM would have had foothold in Japan itself, by buying one of the smaller Japanese companies.

[Z-06]

Man, the market cap stats really show how strong Toyota truly is. The big question now is, where does/is GM going from here? Hopefully GM is, internally speaking, already on the road to better products consistently from here on out. No more hit'n'miss. No more simply catching up. GM needs consistent hits and it needs to aim above and beyond what the competition offers. If the 08 CTS is any indication, hopefully thats already happening internally. The next Aura, Lacrosse, Lucerne, Cobalt, Equinox, Impala, STS, DTS, etc etc NEED to be better, not only than the current competition, but better than future redesigns. GM needs to aim 2 generations beyond all the competition in every single aspect.

Yup, GM created its short term defense from the Bankruptcy in 2005-06, now it is time for a long term approach. GM made its market cap fail, it is in their hand to restructure it. I am sure the numbers are more than 11B in 2007 compared to the 2006 shown by Mr. Krinkle, and at the same time I am sure that Toy might have increased their numbers too. Honestly, I think GM is in better shape in 2007, they now know what to target at (TOY), now all they need is target-practice.

[ZL-1]

It'll be interesting to see how GM reacts if the trend in global sales continues throughout the year.

[The O.C.]

I agree, the two articles I read today had the same feeling. I just can't believe how excited one of the author was.

I think people are "excited" because they hope this will be the swift kick in the ass that GM (AND Ford, AND Chrysler) needed to bring them up to a current state of reality.

Nothing short of a major overhaul of the way GM and the others do business (UAW, too many divisions, too many dealers, etc., etc.) will even begin to put them on the right track......and up until now, they've been blind to that reality.

I have way too many friends today that still work for GM that tell me that although there have been some recent product hits (that deserve to be celebrated), the corporation still goes about it's business in the same way they have done for the last thirty years.......and that simply cannot continue.

Unfortunately, I don't think GM will see this as a wakeup call. I see way too many talented spin-meisters that will continue to "explain away" the reality of the situation.....just like they always have in the past.

[hyperv6]

No news here and we all knew it was coming. It is here and done now time to get back to work.

This is not just about the NA market or japan market and GM now knows this and is gearing up to fight it on a global scale. Why do you think we have Pontiac's from Austrailia, Saturns from Europe Korean Chevys in Europe and Buicks in China.

GM is doing the right thing and finally going global with most of their platforms after so many false starts. Chrysler and Ford have still to make a big move to this concept and will pay the price for each day they don't.

GM is in a place to be a player in the market of the future. As of now Ford has yet to embrace their products from down under or Europe out side their own markets and Chrysler is going to lose the Daimler connection and has a future with a parts supplier that will have to find a dance partner to survive.

In the the big picture this will remove a lot of the pressure off of GM byt the Media and others and let them get on with their rebuilding. Lets just be greatful the rebuilding started when it did as if it started now it would really be a very sad day as it would be the begining of the end.

China will be a big player in all of this as Japan will never be as strong there due to the hate and mistrust in China od Japan. Next the big fight will be the Indian market as it is about to explode.

[ellives]

Not a pretty picture.

From april 2006

April 2007

Not any rosier, and no, I did not forget a Zero on GM's cap.

Toyota Market Cap-220,523.89

6.50 profit margin

GM Market Cap- 17,454.77

-1.00 profit margin

Sorry for this out of order post but I just had to point out the fact that market cap is driven by the potential for future profits - or at least the PREDICTION of future profits. From this you can see why GM's is so low having lost so much money recently. And again, to bang the drum yet again.... GM MUST do something about their labor costs in September OR preferably the UAW grow a pair and unionize Toyota and let them deal with the albatross for a while. It's this or DIE. VERY SIMPLE.

[Z-06]

[Mr.Krinkle]

Sorry for this out of order post but I just had to point out the fact that market cap is driven by the potential for future profits - or at least the PREDICTION of future profits. From this you can see why GM's is so low having lost so much money recently. And again, to bang the drum yet again.... GM MUST do something about their labor costs in September OR preferably the UAW grow a pair and unionize Toyota and let them deal with the albatross for a while. It's this or DIE. VERY SIMPLE.

Well, aside from the numerous obvious problems at GM theres the One Trillion Yen Question.

Not exactly light reading but its short.

http://www.automotive.com/features/90/auto...8119/index.html

btw, GM needs 4X as many workers to build 2X the amount of cars as Toyota.

Toyota may be inadvertantly saving GM and they are arguably getting them to build better vehicles.