evok

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/05/business..._r=1&oref=login

Agreed - My feelings are well known on those two.

I came across these thoughts posted on camaroz28 about 386 Malibu spy photos. I had to LOL when I read this. This was about the funniest auto related thing I read in a long time. Seems like something Stephan Cobert would write for Comedy Central if he were covering automotive. I do not know how people can be so creative to make this stuff up. I love comedy. Did I ever tell you about the story about the Hybrid, mid engine C7 Corvette? If not sit back you are going to love this story... "Really intresting. The car seems like it's based on the Lucerne, which would make sense because there was alot of money invested in the Lucerne to make it just a single model. Also, the Malibu is supposed to grow to about the size of the current Impala for 2008, and Chevy needs a true full size car yesterday. IF this really is the next Impala, this means a few astounding things. First, Chevy is going to have TWO all new high volume cars for 2008. Malibu & Impala. Second, the Impala, at least, is going to have a rapid fire design cycle. 2006/2007 for the current one, 2008/2009 for this one, and the RWD version for 2010. And finally, that GM actually spent money on interium cars (Lucerne & this Impala) instead of running out the old designs till then. This would show that GM is turning into a hella aggresive competitor in the market. But then again... it could also be a foreign-market Chevrolet. Afterall, it does have fender marker lights (taped over in the pics) and Korean-made Hankook Optima tires. "

What? For a non-trade publication Detroit News provides the best coverage of the industry in the US. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...416/1148/AUTO01 How exactly is that biased? McCormick is just pointing out the obvious. And to top it off Dan Howes is by far one of the most knowlegable and balanced auto writers in the business overall and he just happens to write for Detroit News. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...319/1363/AUTO02 At the end he does point out potential kinks in the armour of Nissan and Toyota. Detroit News is not perfect though they do a very competent job of reporting the industry in a fair and balance way. Sorry but the Detroit auto industry has some serious systemic problems. It is Detroits auto reporters job to point that out. And it has been like that for over 30+ years. You do not have to be biased to point out the obvious.

69 Eldo - Count me in. OK I recently sold it but BV count me in anyway if you want.

Having an intelligent discussion with FOG is like trying to teach a Gold fish to do tricks. It just is not going to happen. Ford lost a million US sales in the last 6 years. 1,000,000 That was 1/4, 25% of their US volume. Let me repeat - 1,000,000 sales in the US. And might I add: MKZ? As of last month's tally FMC sold exactly zero, nilch, nada MKZs for the year.

I am right there with you. If they would just figure out that really attractive stand out product with top in class quality is the key. 175830[/snapback] It has nothing to do with figuring out how to deliever world class product, it has everything to do with delivering the product in the variety that will grow volume in an ever more fragmented market.

I am not pessimistic on the product GM will come out with. Far from it. I just have my doubts about the public even caring no matter how good the product is. IMO - I really like the new MALIBU built off EPSILON. I think it is the right direction. But it is not my opinion that matters, it is the the import owners that need to be convinced. That is where the pessimism comes into play. Oh I assure you my pessimism for an OEM is elsewhere.

Yea - your right - I sent back and added "availabe" 6 speed to make things more accurate. Maybe I should have also added the statement, "standard 5 speed in the camry" and "only" before 4. ha ha

So what, GM's IQS have gone up. Big deal because it has not generated any more enthusism for the product as measured by sales. And again, even with the bad press from the recent bout with recalls Toyota sales are up for the year. As for this 6 speed recall you keep bringing up, the total number of problematic vehicles were a couple hundred and the problem was corrected. I posted on that subject a while back also so I will not go any further. Thought I will add, at least Toyota has a 6 Speed AVAILABLE in the Camry compared to the Malibu's 4. Factor in GMs and Fords fleet sales and the true retail difference between the the new Big three is a lot less. I have already crunched the numbers and have posted them on CG in the past few months so I do not need to read second hand reporting. As for your comments on comparing Ford and Toyota total sales. It was not that long ago when the difference was a million this time of the year instead of a few hundrewd thousand. Point being of all this, GM with this new Impala? Lucerne? in the spy photos has a long way to go to capture the hearts and minds of the population.

Your not good at this game - so I would not try.

You make unsupported statements about Toyota quality and ellude to consumer persepction changes about Malibu. http://bwnt.businessweek.com/brand/2006/?c...id=yahoo_brands Oh GM ... GM ... where for art thou. This was laughable. Well you opinion does not sway the customers of a company that sold more vehicles than Ford for the second July in a row in the US and is the third best overall in the US and second globally.

Ford's got bigger problems than the Town Car. How about building anything that is relevant to the average public!

I would submit that to the Onion.

Oh drama queens - what do want people to say? Good job Ford! Good job GM! Your both excellent BLUE CHIP companies, producing excellent product people desire and purchase while making boatloads of cash. Give me a break. If anything the press has been kind to both companies and has given Ford a free ride as the company continues to implode. Ford is TEETERING on disaster.

Nuff said: http://www.darnellworks.com/rps/cadillac.html

There is a distinction between what Brown talks about that must be made with regard to Buick. Buick is not a company it is just a brand that does not sell global product. Look where BMW's "English Patient" Rover is now. What about Fiat's Lancia and Alfa? Selling recycled Daewoos is not going to help Buick in NA. Selling the new zeta Statesman is not going to help Buick in NA. What I said by consistent product refers to good, high quality appealing product, model after model, year after year. They have been selling consistent product, just to a smaller audience that has less and less appeal. The Lucerne is a good vehicle in search of a bold face. http://news.u-car.com.tw/news-detail.asp?nid=4431

Let the back peddle begin: http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybri...omktNews&rpc=44

The Lucerne is selling on par. It is not growing businees and it is not loosing. And since this is the the future we are talking about, to speak it absolutes would be foolish. The correct response is, a VE Buick MAY/COULD/POSSIBLY really eat into the Lexus crowd. But 5 years from now is a long time.

Actually it is the other way around. Historically GM has always relied on their upper mid and fullsized cars. It was in the 80s after the second gas crunch when GM downsized those vehicles and added the look alike styling that the market went south fast. Also in the day GM always sold those cars at a premium compared to the competition. It was not that long ago that GM was selling a million fullsized cars a year. And now in that segment there is only the DTS and Lucerne in the traditional fullsize market and the 3 W's. And we all know the premium pricing just is not there today. It is an uphill battle and as time passes the viablity of the Buick brand has to be questioned. Where will Buick be in 3 - 4 years? I know that I used the Chrysler 300 as an example. There is one major difference. Chrysler is in the company's name. Buick is not. For that very reason the is more reason for Chrysler to succeed and receive the necessary investment than Buick. And what happens if a zeta Buick is a bust. What then?

Don't forget: "Cadillac Style" And my favorite for the Allante' intro: "It's a New Cadillac" all this from the company that brought you "Two Big Doors" for the G Body Riveria. Absurd: But I will give GM the benefit of the doubt and hope the ads are more in line with "Moments". "Our mission is to reignite a love affair with Cadillac," said Kevin Smith, a spokesman for the brand.

And you base that off what exactly. Because you disagree with the JD Studies you blow them off - You are full of $h! balthazar. Really - sorry it might not be the best data - but it sure is better than your uneducated opinion. You never even gave a reason to blow off the data. That BS does not fly with me. Back it up with something defendible. Going to tell me the sky is not blue also. Give me break.

6 months after the Aurora II was released, the announcement was made to kill Olds. Hence the brand became a lame duck. Dynamic, consistent, highly styled product over time. The CTS and Escalade did it for Cadillac and the 300 did it for Chrylser. But bland product like the STS, SRX, zeta Commodore and Statesman will not turn around GM in NA. And neither will rental queesn like the questionably styled Charger. Time and the right product, year after year and model after model. But that also means investment. The question might not have a good answer for Pontiac and Buick. Too much time may have passed to make them viable in their current place in the GM portfolio. The Enclave might be the product that determines if Buick is saveable. Personally I loved the Aurora I&II. But...we see what happened there. Too little too late.

Not only was Olds a lame duck brand right after the Aurora was launched, the vehicle was expensive compared to the vehicle it really replaced in the line up. http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehic...ra&ReviewID=880 http://www.lotpro.com/cars/1999/oldsmobile/88 Remember at that time Olds was not a premium brand but a discount brand like much of GM is today. Remember the Gen2 Aurora really replaced the 88 in the line up.

And not in a good way. Granted the Vectra exterior styling is getting old and tired but the interior is first class. The Aura would have been about perfect in the styling department as a total package if it were to have shared the Vectra's interior.