The O.C.

I've said this many times before and I'll say it again....because Flint's story hits the nail on the head.... For 95% of the population of this country, the failure of GM or Ford will not impact them one single bit. This country has spent the last 30 years diversifying way too much.....and we will be better because of it. I've heard numbers that say around 1% (2.91 million out of 291 million people) are directly or indirectly associated with the automotive industry in this country. AND a growing number of those are associated with the "new" auto industry with the imports in the south....leaving a shrinking populace threatened by the decline of "Detroit." Flint's right.....and GM better realize it. People (in general) really DON'T care if Detroit fails. And it's not because they are heartless or unsympathetic, it's just because "Detroit" holds a literal fraction of the importance it held 50 years ago.

THANK you..... Everyone is creaming their pants so much over Solstice and SKY they are forgetting what a MAJOR mistake GM has made in not engineering a bit more practicality into the car.....(re...decent trunk space, a-la MX-5) I guarantee it will be a major killing point with these cars when the initial excitement wears off....(a-la the last Toyota MR-2) I keep harping on this because I LOVE the cars.......but can NEVER or will NEVER buy one because I can't carry ANYTHING in the trunk with the top down....not luggage, not groceries, not anything (well maybe something....whatever will fit into an irregularly-shaped 0.9 cu/ft.) In fact, a Solstice GXP would be AWESOME.....and maybe even a much better value than my C6.....but it would never work for me because of that one fact.

....they already are..... At least based on the craploads I see at the rental agency every time I travel.....

Actually.....the WHOLE dash panel below the woodgrain is hard, brittle, and hollow..... And....yes....the LaCrosse has softer stuff in that area (as does the Lucerne's platform-mate, DTS) I've been in three different Lucernes now.....(CXS, CXL V6, CXL V8) and they are all the same.....

.....and HENCE....the perfect argument for why GM has too many division (and too many models)

Are they just going to build ONE version of this Jeep? At Frankfurt, they showed two near-production-ready concepts.....the Patriot and the Compass. The vehicle in these photos looks like the Patriot....which Jeep said WOULD be tagged "Trail Ready" which would suggest fairly decent off-road ability. The Compass was built on the same chassis....but lowered to be more of a rally-racer type of compact Jeep and would NOT be labeled "Trail Ready."

I just simply disagree. First of all, I get around 14-16 normally.....my BEST was 20mpg with alot of freeway driving in town.... It's gearing...and no, Ferraris are geared WAY shorter...in all gears...to take advantage of their radically-different horsepower and torque bands. Don't get me wrong....I LOVE the LS2 in my car.....but it's no fuel-economy-miracle.....or so I've learned with personal use of the car....at least it's no miracle compared to the other V8 imports in the household....

F-150 deserves its #1 sales ranking. We got to spend a couple of days in an F-150 Lariat as a loaner vehicle and was extremely impressed. F-150 is heavier than GM's full-size pickups.....but one things for sure, it feels a hell of a lot stouter and more solid than the last Silverado we had (also as a loaner.) There was NO comparison in interior styling and/or quality......Ford rules this segment HANDS down (although that might change with GM's next generation pickups....) The 5.4L OHC 3V/cyl engine certainly doesn't "suck"......Ford's getting a smooth 300hp and 365lb/ft of torque (at 3,750rpm) from the 5.4L V8. Compare that to Silverado at 295hp and much less torque at higher rpm (335lb/ft at 4,000rpm.)

First, I'd have to say product line-up is the biggest problem. Too many models and divisions for the market share that GM looks to be trying to stabilize its business at. AND....too many models that are simply not competitive enough with the other domestic and import competition. Secondly, obviously IMO, would be the cost structure of the organization. Thirdly, I'd say the negative perception of GM and the products they offer (which has alot to do with the product line-up issues in the first place.)

ABSOLUTELY ditto......... If you gave me the choice of Impala SS or Accord EX V6 6-speed (just introduced in the sedan) then I'd take the Accord EX V6 6-speed. Impala is too big on the exterior compared to its interior size......(thanks W-car architecture) and the interior material quality doesn't match up to Accord.....and from reports I've read (I've driven the Accord, but not the Impala) it sounds like Accord is going to remain a more-nimble handler. NOW.....if given the choice of a loaded Ford 500 Limited....or an Impala SS....I'd take the Impala SS any day (even with the substandard rear-seat room.)

I bet you could find a surprising deal on a base CTS 2.8L. Not overly powerful, but I bet it's still nice.... Reports are the 6-speed manual is somewhat sluggish in 5th and 6th.....but if you don't mind using revs and gears, I bet a 2.8L/6-speed CTS would be a fun car to drive and a nice value.

I agree......and to me, it seems like such a "no-brainer," I simply cannot fathom why this car isn't a PRIORITY with GM.....

I totally disagree.....from personal experience that is...... My parents' Regal GS (2000 model) has 100K miles on it.....and they have never had a SINGLE issue with any part of the engine or supercharger.....AND the penny-pinchers that my parents are...they NEVER put anything more than 87-octane in it (it recommends 91-octane.) In fact, the engine reliability is made more notable because the rest of the car has literally fallen apart. My parents are 60+ years old....and take care of their cars religiously (other than the octane gas used) and the Regal is the BIGGEST bucket of bolts I've seen in a long time.....(squeaks, rattles, chassis shakes, trim falling off, etc.) They also just got rid of a Reatta that had over 200K miles on its (non-SC) 3800 with very minimal problems. However, the Reatta had same "bucket-of-bolts" problem as the Regal unfortunately..... I've never had a SINGLE problem with 3800 long-term reliability. The cars and their related components, however, THAT'S another story. Have you ever driven a, say 20-year-old Mercedes-Benz with 250K miles on it? It feels like a TANK....nothing EVER seems to loosen up on THOSE cars...

The ONLY reason a Corvette gets good gas mileage is the gearing in 6th. My C6 has about 4,200 miles on it now.....and in 6th gear, at 85mph, you are still BELOW 2,000rpms. YES, on a straight freeway cruise (freeway speeds from full to empty with the cruise on)....I averaged a bit over 25mpg....which IS awesome in such a powerful car. HOWEVER, driving around town at home sees fuel economy consistently in the 14-16mpg range....even with some freeway driving mixed in. (and I really don't get on it too much....I drive pretty conservatively 90% of the time.) The BEST I've ever gotten driving in and around L.A. has been 20mpg.....with a significant amount of time on the freeways. SO....the Corvette's a mixed-fuel-economy-bag. It should be praised for the ability to get such good economy on a straight freeway cruise.....but you can thank gearing for that more than you can the engine.

You can't tell anything from those pics......can't assume it will be "safe and boring" as usual. I'd figure on some styling cues from the new IS and the upcoming LS to factor into the new ES' styling.

I think L.A. is going to win the "weather battle" with Detroit this year for the auto shows..... No rain in sight now......

Oldsmobile Achieva SCX W41

First-generation Ford Taurus SHO

With all due respect.......GM can't be saved by catering to the remaining loyal GM buyers.....

Avoiding the argument on whether GMC should or shouldn't be around....... Why would anyone choose the Yukon over a Tahoe LTZ or Z71 or an Escalade? (I happen to think the Yukon is the least-attractive, by far, of the trio....) I don't see the point of the Yukon.....other than to give someone a choice that just HAS to have a "GMC" badge.... From what I've seen, it's certainly not as luxurious or feature-laden as the Escalade....and also, doesn't seem to have anything to offer over a loaded LTZ or Z71 Tahoe.....

Most people I see driving HHRs have a rental-car-barcode in the rear driver-side window.... (not that I have a problem with the HHR....just seems like they are all fleet out here...)

Many would argue that's what GM needs.....a "Corvette" under every GM vehicle's skin.... ....in other words....if they executed their mainstream products with the excellence they have shown on the C6....GM wouldn't be in the retail sales problem they are today...

Well, my C6 has tight panel gaps with its FCP (fiberglass composite plastic) body panels.....so I don't know if the Saturn excuse of expansion/contraction is really true....if so, why doesn't the C6 have those huge, ugly panel gaps? Saturns however, look really bad with such wide panel gaps. I was looking at some VUEs at the San Diego Auto Show and the gap that runs down the "B" pillar is so wide, you can easily see the insides of the door panels....it just makes the cars look like they were shoddily put together.

No....I meant Aurora....and I was wrong on date.....'95 was first model year.

Cananopie.....you've totally missed my point..... I TOTALLY understand where you are coming from in your above post.....but ALL that time you put into writing that post could be considered wasted..... ....if the public simply does NOT have the perception that GM's technology is competitive.....be it "media bias" or whatever..... Sometimes people feel they've been SO burned in the past......or that GM has SUCH a negative image....that you can do next to nothing to CHANGE their perception with your arguments (which ARE good arguments, BTW...) In such a case.....GM, IMHO, has no other choice than to bring themselves up to, or really above, a level or technology and product development that the best competitors have been at for many years now.....and the sad thing is....they've SHOWN us they can do it....WHEN they want to....