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Why GM Must Shed More Brands

I think GM has been crystal clear on their brand intentions and I agree that I'm not sure what the author of this blog is suggesting...is he saying that GM should cut down even further than the 4 brands they have committed to? They have also really gotten away from the badge engineering game. The cars look little alike even though underpinned by the same chassis and engines. Examples...aura/malibu, enclave/acadia/outlook... new chevy equinox/new gmc terrain...interiors are different too with different options. GMC seems to be the one brand that stands out in the group of 4 of having little of its own identity not repeated elsewhere but that might be because we don't understand the future plan for gmc...with the loss of hummer for example and the look of the new terrain it may be that gmc will take on the competitor for jeep as one thought...

The GM Bankruptcy Debate

You are right...there is no way to find out without actually doing it and if you are willing to take that risk and bet a million jobs and maybe a devastaing hit to a weak economy and confident you are right then you shouldn't be writing here you should be sitting at a black jack table in vegas because you are one great stare-em-down-nerves-o... my friend. But I can't help but wonder what if it were your job on the line....?

If You Thought the Auto Bailout Was Ridiculous Before...

Either way, the truth is that GM vehicles today are not only competitive but leading in some categories. Further, their product development and design has all but taken almost every big award over the last 3 years (2009 euro car of the year the most recent). Many hold perceptions that are as old as the oldmobiles referred to earlier and just as out of date. The data tells a different story....

The 'New' GM: Too Much Like the Old GM

You are not thinking clear on Buick...number one brand in china, country with the fastest growing middle class. They already sell more buicks in china than in the u.s. and the new lacrosse (which is stunning by any account) was mostly designed in china for china. GM's ratio of cars sold in the u.s. vs. outside the u.s. is already at 40-60 and going even more towards the foreign shift. Truth is, U.S. market has matured and with all the automakers playing here it will become like Europe...no one with more than teens of market share. Lift your eyes up above the shoreline and you'll see that buick is important to the future and why.

Can We Get a Little Creative with the Auto Industry?

I'm not a pro-union guy but have some background in journalism and what I can tell you is the UAW is a great story right now that most of the mainstream media is missing and as the comments above indicate few have little understanding the transformation that has taken place within the uaw. All you have to do is check the stats on the highest quality plants in North America by and of the reputable 3rd parties that so them and you will notice a trend that will be quite disturbing to the anti-union bashers....the trend has been very distinct over several years that it is the uaw plants that now occupy the most efficient, highest quality plants. It is easy to bad mouth the union and blame them for the problems but they have done their job over the last few years and changed from within. Even though I would never join a union or argue that one should be formed, I will happily give credit where credit is due and the UAW deserves credit here.

If Toyota Is Projecting a Loss, Imagine the Pain Detroit Is in For

Of course, this is all assuming that all your assumptions are correct...that toyota really is a well managed company and that the american auto companies are poorly managed. And that despite correctly predicting the market toyota can't make money in it so how could the american auto companies who can't understand the american market have a hope of making money. If your assumptions are right...fine. But, I might suggest if you look at the actions and investments of the last 2 years you might find your assumptions are in need of updated data and certainly a little deeper research then what you demonstrate in this story. I'll leave it there, but this industry is not where you think it is and the announcements by toyota, honda, and other manufacturers over the last 2 weeks give you a pretty good indication of the chaos in this industry that defies the easy and old perceptions of japanese=smart, savvy, american=incompetent, hapless..

Why the Detroit Bailout Should Include Bankruptcy

Is there anyone on this blog who would make a 20k-40k purchase that will need parts and service for several years from a company that is in bankruptcy? No....I didn't think so. End of discussion, bankruptcy not an option because it would never make bankruptcy but would skip straight from insolvency to liquidation. Bankuptcy=Nuclear option. GM knows that and that is why they avoid the "B" word at all costs. Problem is you financial guys think like financial guys when it is consumers who buy the product. Thank God GM management inept or brilliant doesn't think like that.