FUTURE_OF_GM

Hopefully the RL version will have a true manual.... I must say that, not having an available manual WOULD be a deal breaker for me. However, I do realize (and I think many don't) that a manual for this car probably wasn't worth the cost because of the small numbers it would sell.

BINGO!!! They (The journalists) are just fencing off buyers for the import brands... The new domestics are o competitive that they might have the chance to conquest, so instead of just blatantly trashing them, which now seems to be coming under more and more scrutiny, they just take the attitude of "outta sight, outta mind" therefore, if an import minded consumer NEVER sees a domestic tested against his car, then he'll never give a domestic a chance, much less SERIOUSLY CONSIDER one... Case closed/mission accomplished! It's a "plateau" state of thinking... Now that ACTUAL domestic performance is equal or BETTER, the big PR push in the press is to instill in the buyer a sense that imports are AUTOMATICALLY the 'grade A' vehicles of choice WITHOUT ny comparison... It's not a FACT based idea, it's more of a FRAME OF MIND; like, "Oh, imports like Toyota and Hyundai are probably the best, then there is the domestic platform, which isn't premium and isn't aspirational (Where the euros have so carefully been placed)

OF COURSE there was no avalon or azera.... They're FENCING OFF BUYERS. We all know that those cars are better anyway, right???? They're just throwing a "dieing market" a bone. "The average large import car buyer and domestic car buyer are a different lot" Yeah, and we know who gets the NUMBER and CONQUESTS funneled to them too... Aparently domestics don't have the ability to conquest, yet imports do. They view the domestics as a rotting animal that can just be picked over by all of the "FUTURE STARS" So, I'm assuming the 300 won DESPITE the Montego being the overall better car?!?! Typical SUBJECTIVE bull$h!. GOD FORBID they give props to Merc, because they're hoping that the division dies in a few years (That's the goal---the more american divisions they can collapse, the better. Which means: Pontiac and Mercury are being gunned for big time, then it'll be Lincoln and Buicks turn) As for the Lucerne... I'm sure they take about a million cheap shots about the age of it's drivers, eventhough most old farts (READ: people like analysts and journalists) drive Toyotas and Lexi now.

It "might" be a worthy consideration.... What a cop out, but TYPICAL of a BIASED journalist.

Looks like the "media slurping" of the Ridgeline is working... Maybe THAT is why they were shoving an ill conceived disaster of a truck down our throats, because they knew about the gas spike and knew they had an opportunity to win Honda some share. Of course, the fact that it COINCIDES with Honda's big new ad push (something fishey there) doesn't hurt either. As for Toyota and Nissan trucks.... CAN WE SAY "BIG INCENTIVE SPENDING"?!?!?!? And before ANYONE (You all know who you are) jumps to their defense. Just check the recent articles posted for proof. ***Detroit won't stop losing share anytime soon... The media has SUCCEEDED at slamming the door shut on their opportunites for at least 5-10 years, that is, if they even survive. They're even starting to "POSITION" Hyundai and Subaru as a better alternative. Like Delorenzo said; the media has cannonized everything import (In the mind of the consumer) as automatically better. MOST of them provbably don't even consider domestics as a possible purchase anymore... I guess Detroit got too competitive and we had to stack the deck even MORE blatant.

LOL... I hope you were joking.... (This isn't the 70's where those 'amerchun cars cain't handle gud') I think this is a bad move on Honda's part and I'm GLAD to see it! The RSX had a HORRIBLY ugly interior and was a weak excuse for performance... Now, that said, someone hand our members from Car & Driver a tissue becuase I'm sure they're crying now that their favorite "Car to make over-the-hill farts feel like they're effeminate young college boys again" is being "taken behind the barn and shot" because it was apparently "glued to the floor" too. Just like in the 'Cheap Speed' write up where the GM twins AND SRT-4 moped the floor with the RSX's ass and they still chose it as the winner. (Because they're out-of-touch and biased)

Silly boy.... Don't you know that J.D. Powers DOESN'T COUNT anymore?!?!?! We in the press go by Consumer Reports now (Well at least until Detroit finds a way to beat them and some other KNOW NOTHING geek comes up with an alternative statistically unrelaible and FACT-less system of measuring the performance of how much BETTER our imports are than your domestics) Anyway.... That's just Flint... OLD, STUPID, ARROGANT and slowly slipping into senility. As for the G6. I'm sure it's 'TOO competitive' enough to scare some journalists, so I expect to read HORRIBLE articles on it soon... Well, unless some of them did with the coupe and figured that they had already handicapped the sedan launch so bad with bad PR, that a convertible launch won't save the sinking ship. (REMEMBER: Anti-GM journalist rule #1: TARGET the volume cars! Hence why the Cobalt, G6, and Lacrosse got such $h!TY reviews... That's a HUGE chunk of GM's volume there and by introducing them all at once, GM extended the media a HUGE opportunity to "bring home the bacon" for the imports by zonking GM of HUGE share because of three POORLY reviewed VOLUME entries at once. And, boy did they!)

VW and interior quality... Oxymoron at best!

Looks excellent, but I'm willing to bet that GM DUMBS it down too much when it comes here... The Aura looks good, but it sure ain't the Aura that I would've bought from a few years ago.

I largely agree with that post on the issues with the Impala... It's a good car, but Chevrolet certainly needs MORE. That said, I do not appreciate C&D's BLATANT disdain for GM and Ford (Notice how DCX is left out now because they are not an american company)

Sounds like the "Dumbing down of Saturn" continues... Too bad!

Well, as much as I hate to say it... If it helps keep Pontiac alive until new blood comes, then so be it. (BTW, The Torrent seems to be REALLY picking up around here)

"The Truth About Autos" What???? Who the hell is that?!?!?!

F_O_G SCREAMS: BIAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ONLY reason the GXP was approved and the Impala panned is because of sales trends. GXP cannot hold it's own, DESPITE their praise, against the competition. Impala, on the other hand, is lighting up the sales charts (And ESPECIALLY the SS--- as per GM press releases) therefore C&D decided to do the noble thing and bitchslap it around some (What a surprise---their timing is becoming impeccable) JUST like they did with the HHR, G6 and Lucerne.

I wouldn't mind Penske coming in...

I've ALWAYS thought GM should do a campaign like this... Kinda like the Employee driven ads, except with individuals and thier vehicles and them talking up the RELIABILITY, DEPENDABILITY and GENERAL SATISFACTION of the vehicles... It should be a MASSIVE campaign!!!! Of course, the media would just take a dump on it.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!!!!!!! It's funny that when incentives are mentioned with an import firm that the word BRIBE never comes into context.... I find it hard to BRIBE someone into the second biggest purchase of thier LIFE. GM offered GOOD deals and was AGGRESSIVE in gaining share, yet it is spun as a monumental FAILURE by the anti-Detroit. Ummm.... Seems like RETAIL sales have been doing JUST FINE to me. Of course, the 'journalist' who doesn't know the facts (GO FIGURE) paints a different story. It's STUNNING!!!!! Oh GOD!!!!!!!! They WON'T seperate them because it would be a free-for-all in the media with negative ANTI-DETROIT articles springing up in everything from the WSJ to 3rd grades classrooms. Well, we see what side of the fence THIS journalist is on.... (enzl, is that you?!?!?!) Pretty sad that sentiment is so bad that he can get away with a $h!ty statement like this... GM PRACTICES COMPETITVE BUSINESS TACTICS, YET, it GETS what IT deserves.... BULL$h!!!!! Had this been Toyota, then we would be seeing ass kissing sympathy articles.

Personally, I think GM should sue this bastard for slander and make an EXAMPLE out of him of how the media CONSTANTLY FALSIFIES information to the detrement of the company. Where's the proof?!?!?! You're liberal media, so you automatically are IMO (And save the complaints, because I'm to the point that I don't care if I piss people off.) Give me a F*ckin' break.... Why do you think Companies have expense accounts and BUY reviewers hotel rooms and wine and dine analysts?!?!?! To make them FEEL obligated to return the favor (It's simple Psychology, and one of the reasons why TESTIMONIALS like CR are not CREDIBLE) It's even used as a SALES TACTIC. Companies have been BRIBING analysts/media for YEARS in round about ways and MOST of the time these yuppies are happy to partake. And IMO< the only reason you WEREN'T is because **IF IT DID HAPPEN** you wanted to have ammo against GM. NOBODY CARES!!!!!!! You lost the election!!!!! Must liberals ALWAYS find some way to WEASEL politics into the discussion?!?!?!?! LIKE IT or NOT "W" is the president... LIVE WITH IT!!!!! You've been BLIND to this for the last 10-20 years?!?!?!? NO ONE plays to morals anymore! Never could TRUST them in the first place... WELCOME to the 21st century!!!! My SPIT has more integrity than 90% of the media in this god forsaken country. Funny that it only mentions AMERICAN corporations doing this..... Self LOathing at it's BEST! Destroy AMERICAN corporations because WE are the devil! Doesn't matter that NO ONE else plays by the rules, we'll just kiss their asses. Not really. If they agree with it, then how is it wrong?!?! Because, just like MOST media, you write based on HERESY and NOT FACT. WHAT PUBLIC TRUST?!?!?!? Sure, there are the FEW naive sheep but by in large media/analysts have LOST thier end all/be all punch. Everything IS for sale in america... It's about the almighty dollar. It's NOT, you say?!?!? Then why is Wall Street trying to DISOWN GM and Ford, who employee THE MAJORITY of american auto workers AND support our economy the most; and then ADOPT TOYOTA as an american company?!?!?! You guessed it::::::: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ****A few years ago, Josh BLATANTLY witnessed a bribe take place for positive PR on a Honda vehicle, yet he was laughed off this board. Now GM is accused by a LEFT WING wacko with NO PROOF and the insiders CONFIRM it's probability.****

LOL... WOW! Just WOW!!! This is the NEW level that the anti-Detroiters are willing to take it to to prevent the impending GM renaissance... This'll make HUGE news and make all the liberal yuppies snub GM vehicles that much more. And, I love how all of the insiders here are SO ANXIOUS to say that GM IS pushing bribs, yet when Toyota gets their asses licked over a barely adequate product, then it's all 'honesty and professionalism'. What about all of the HUGE Honda hype in the media that "JUST HAPPENS" to coincide with 2 major new vehicle launches and a MASSIVE advertising push?!?!?! Complete honesty??? I think not. WHY would GM try to bribe the press???? ESPECIALLY given that the company is cash strapped, HAS NO FRIENDS in the press and KNOWS that it would be made public because so many people are out to see the company die??? (Just look at AutoBlog or HERE for examples--Die hard fans are even caving to the "EVERYTHING IMPORTED IS BETTER AND WE NEED TO ELIMINATE DETROIT" mindset that has pre-occupied the media and insiders minds for close to 5 years now.) These people WANT GM dead for whatever reason. (READ: No particular reason what-so-ever) WHY in the HELL would GM give them AMMO???) ***If GM is offering the press bribes, then Honda and Toyota must give AWEFULLY good head given some of the articles spat out for them in comparison to the 'gems' for GM.***

It was begrudgingly optimistic, especially coming from the assholes at Foreign Car and Import Drivel Besides, C&D isn't exactly the target audience for this car anyway, so screw 'em.

It was my understanding that the DTS carried Cadillac to it's gain in sales last month and in fact was besting the Lucerne. But I could be wrong.

You know... By and large I find this to be the case with EVERYONE I talk to in our age group. NOT MANY are that biased against Detroit, (WAY different from the boomers, in which it is a virtual SIN to buy domestic) it's just that Detroit needs to step it up a bit and become more competitive and offer more appealing models especially marketed at our group. And this even applies to "Damaged" brands. ALL of my friends (16-25) LOVE the Solstice and Sky as well as the 300C. That right there shows that even "damaged" brands can devlop new ties to relevance. Most of this age group tends to think of Toyota as reliable, but a 'mature' persons car while Scion (The tC at least) seems to be catching on with the more import oriented and Honda kinda has a universal appeal (I would consider Honda more of a threat than Toyota in this group) The FLIP SIDE to that though is the fact that THERE IS NO LOYALTY in this age group. They buy what they like no matter who makes it. GM could both leverage this or suffer from it.

NIIIICE!!!!!!! GM, the Solstice should show you just how "DAMAGED" Pontiac is!!!!! Sexy and Alluring product SELLS!!!!! And people REMEMBER what Pontiac was meant to be. Well, well...... What do we have here?!?!?! A crack in the foundation? And one that is not easily fixed! Looks like Scion FAILED at it's main mission!

And WHY have they done that?!?!?!? Because without success in Asia-Pacific, GM would never be able to fund it's fat ass (buy japanese) american healthcare subscribers and OVER PAID union. End of story. The "universal" insider line is always about INVESTMENT.... How much has Detroit INVESTED?!?!? Well I'll spin that a few more ways 1) How much (After tax breaks and lost jobs/revenue from Detroit) have the import companies invested??? 2) Why is it all of the sudden about investment??? Why hasn't Toyota and Co. been investing in our economy for the past 100 years like Ford and GM have??!?! 3) What about the profit? You know, the BILLIONS that american minions building and buying Toyotas sends to Japan? America sold GM out before GM sold america out... Until the government makes it advantageous to DO BUSINESS in america WHILE being an american company instead of a "transplant" or "new domestic" then I say we outsource the whole DAMN COMPANY! Maybe THEN americans might give GM a little credit for it's GOOD products, becuase THEN it will be an awe inspiring import, just like Toyondassanyundkia. ***As for the article and it's "comments".... As usual, they're pretty off base and steeped in fantasy. It's as if these people assume that labor, healthcare and trade practices are all universal throughout the world. There is not feasible way for GM to OUT Kia, Kia with an american built vehicle and still shut Wall Street up (a.k.a. make a profit) P.S. Speaking of investment (On a PURELY UNRELATED NOTE) it gets a liitle tiring to hear; GM is obligated to employ americans and GM better make a profit in the same breath. You can't HAVE your cake and EAT it too. Pick one or the other and stop chastising GM just to see them get screwed over.

This is probably the best article I've read in a long time. Too bad it'll fall on deaf ears. The 'weasels' WILL get their way (Just look at this very board, a GM board nonetheless, for our insider commentary on how the new Saturns "Are a joke" and "Just aren't good enough") Detroit has been doomed for years, the only difference now being that the PR WAR and propaganda has entensified over the last few years for fear that Detroit might recover (Because they were showing potential to, so the 'weasels' were sure to launch an all out "EVERYTHING FROM DETROIT SUCKS!!!1111!!!111!!" war before the new models had a chance to sway anyone. Now the're pretty much doing 'mop up' work by fencing off the import buyers and domestic buyers in comparisons and quietly waiting for Detroit to fall for good) It's just too bad that someone can't make these people pay without causing a scene and bad consequences.