thenewdamage

Hmmm...I wonder if all the ads attacking American car companies are designed and made by American or Japanese ad agencies? I am pretty sure it would be American ad agencies.

Thanks for the clarification. Yeah, a mid to low end roadster for Chevy would seem to be a no-brainer. Instead we got more trucks and SUV's.

I keep hearing from people in the media supposedly 'in the know' that bankruptcy is not an option for Detroit. Could someone 'splain to me why that is? It seems to have worked for the airline industry. As far as Pelosi goes the unions own her so anything she says is irrelevant.

I think it would be a mistake to market it as a 'junior corvette' of any sort. Now if they want to unofficially make comparisons by such things as the name 'Sting Ray' and body lines that might work. But no way should they dilute the corvette name. It is the only true American sports car made. But then GM seldom does what us car guys think they should. Sorta like using the name 'LT1' in '92 for the new corvette engine. I read an article in Car Craft magazine and the author said that 'GM has sold all the '71 vettes they will ever sell and won't hesitate to trade on the legend of the LT1 name to sell cars now'. And as long as you remember that designing and marketing cars isnt the same as being a 'car guy' it makes sense. Sorta. I was a corvette owner in the past and would definitely have considered a 'Sting Ray' where I wouldnt a new regular corvette. And that is nothing against the new corvette as I wouldnt buy any high end new car with the horrible depreciation on them. Six years ago my SLK320 was $51,000 new. I bought it 6 months ago for $16,000 and it is very low mileage in pristine condition.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/gossip/coming-soo...ette-207918.php Interesting.

What reading the OP made me think of was how an efficient parasite keeps its host healthy enough to survive and to feed it forever.

This is just anecdotal evidence but what I have seen is rather sobering. A customer of mine is a Chevy/Cadillac/Hummer dealer. They have 3 seperate lots, all relatively new, on a culdesac street just off an interstate in So Calif. I was doing some computer work at the cadillac lot and it was quiet as a grave. The Chevy lot next door was almost as quiet. There were like 6 sales reps standing outisde the main entrance. They reminded me of vultures waiting for something to die. The Hummer lot across the street is now their used car lot. Last week I was in a mercedes dealership ordering some parts and the place was packed with people, cars going in and out constantly and a LOT of activity. As I said, strictly anecdotal, but thats what I am seeing.

I have often scratched my head wondering why Chevy didnt have an entry level roadster like the Sky. Just having the Chevy nameplate on a variant would have assured several times the exposure and probable sales compared to the Sky. It would have been a solid competitor to the S2000 or Miata. Cadillac could have had a 'little brother' to the XLR that would easily compete with the premium roadsters from Mercedes, BMW and Porsche. Of course I am a sports car addict and rather biased.

Reorganization thru chapter 11 bankruptcy has worked very well for many businesses. Most notably the airlines . Why are the auto companies fighting it so much? It would give them a chance to get out from under the labor contracts that are choking them to death.

Which models are you thinking of?

I think a big part of the problem with the auto industry is that we as a people have not decided on any specific energy policy. When gas was $4 a gallon a few months ago everyone was talking alternative fuel cars. As soon as gas is back to $2 a gallon people go back to their SUV's and not another thought to energy in the long term strategic sense. GM has been taking the path of least resistance as most businesses do.Their culture is not geared towards small fuel effecient cars because small cars mean cheap cars and theres just not been any margin in that segment for them historically. They could build them but it would be a very big (read expensive) paradigm shift and instead they keep pumping out trucks and SUV's that have a decent profit margin. Management that does otherwise is likely to be tossed out by the shareholders.

Get ready for Prius wannabes that run on tofu and patchoulli. What I heard was the 'committee' will have say over any GM decision involving $25B or more. And considering the social reengineering the Dems are known for there will be a million strings attached to this bailout. I could be really wrong here and everything is all rainbows and lollipops for GM...But I expect that GM will regret this decision sooner than later.

You guys really think the Solstice is better looking than the Sky? Just a personal opinion but I always thought the Solstice butt ugly...actually the front end sorta reminds me of a big fat butt, lol. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess. Hell, some people like Azteks too I hear.

Ok so where and why did GM go wrong?

Actually I had been shopping for several months for a CTS when I saw how depressed Mercedes prices were due to gas prices. The only other import I have ever owned was a '72 Toyota when I couldnt afford anything better. That was a long time ago. I have a beautiful low mileage Maui Blue '90 Reatta in the driveway and recently gave my Corvette to my youngest son and my Fiero GT to the oldest son. I had a Blazer (total POS) and 2 El Caminos ('68 & '72) before that. My first car was a new '75 Chevy LUV (my dad sold Chevys). I drove the CTS and I hate to say it but it just doesnt stack up. Yes I know it is apples and oranges as far as handling, performance etc. But I am talking about obviously differences in the quality of manufacturing and the fit and finish. I want GM to succeed. I hope they choose to survive.

I was in a Mercedes dealership this afternoon and the place was full of customers and busy employees. I was in a Chevy and Cadillac car lot recently and both were dead silent. The same dealership also has a Hummer lot but use it for used cars now. Ive been a Chevy and Buick guy all my life. I drive a Mercedes now. If GM had anything even halfway comparable I would be all over it.

I got an '02 SLK320. This is a pic of it. Best built and highest quality car I have ever owned. GM could do the same if they wanted to. They have chosen not to.

Probably not the best time to be saying this...but this life long GM guy (my dad sold Chevys and I grew up on car lots) was shopping for a CTS and ended up getting a Mercedes. My last cars were a Corvette, Reatta, Fiero, Blazer, El Camino, Skylark etc. Times change. Id love to see GM give Mercedes, BMW or Porsche a run for the money. Cadillac is probably coming the closest, which is why I was shopping for one. But that day is still a long way off.

We could have had something of this caliber almost 2 decades ago if Buick hadnt gotten all wobbly kneed after building the Reatta and Grand National. I still have a Reatta and it is light years beyond anything made by Buick in the last decade. I am still a Buick fan (I gave my son my Corvette and drive my Reatta now) and would love to see them become relevent again. But I wont hold my breath. Bob Lutz talks big but dont forget he is the man that brought us the Aztek.

I just gave my corvette to my son and have been driving my Reatta the last few months. Ive just about talked myself into a CTS. I saw my first CTS4 at a clients office today, WOW!!! I was researching that as I had not even heard of that model and thats how I found this place. Id love to get a CTS-V actually but will probably end up with a 5 speed manual trannie model. And yeah Im a GM guy thru and thru. I had a Fiero GT (gave to another son) and a '72 El Camino I restored myself. And a Blazer after the ElCo. My first car was a brand new LUV truck and my dad was a Chevy salesman, lol. GM thru and thru.