stefanmueller

The Cobalt sedan isn't ugly, and really neither is the Corolla, current or future. In fact pretty much every compact sedan I can think of is incredibly boring. The only difference is the Corolla doesn't have a snazzy coupe or 5-dr hatch to add some spunk to the line-up. The Matrix isn't much better than the sedan.

I can say that the camry is a good looking 3 ser5ies rip off, but the corolla is just butt ugly. do you really think thats a good looking car? Everytime I see one I can't believe someone would buy such a plain homely looking car. Sure, its reliable, runs good, wahtever, but theres nothing visually pleasing azbout it at all, its hideous. you really think it isnt ugly?

IMO, the TUNDRA ads are a lot more effective than THIS IS MY COUNTRY bs. That GM ad sounds like desperate pandering to patriotism for the reason to buy GM over TOYOTA. They tried that in the 80s and it didnt work. What makes them think it will work now?

I disagree, I love those chevy truck ads and that is a great looking truck. I think that was the perfect song for their ads, and the exolution from their first truck to the newest one emphasizes how much they've learned and changed over the years to be the solid truck it is today. I give props to whoever made those ads, they are bang on.

I sometimes think that I am a little bit biased and maybe toyotas aren't as ugly as I think they are. Wait a minute, that's the most boring new car I've seen in a while. I bet your local totota dealer is really excited about getting it on the lot. Real people selling real ugly cars.

All I'm doing is spelling out reality. If you read carefully, you'd have understood that Toyota's treatment of temp workers is as relevant to this conversation as Ford's tactics 80 years ago: AN ANALOGY!

Second, I love Detroit (the city & the motor industry)---I HATE that the slow burn of the 2.5 will leave that city, along with others, as smoldering wastelands of poverty and broken promises.

Japan, Inc. is creating jobs---are they Union-style, work 'til you die jobs? NO. But you're a hypocrite because you'll bash the Union and what they're doing to GM in another thread. The 'Wal-Martization' of unskilled jobs began long ago and, if you look at the current issues with GM's Lordstown and epsilon factories, you'll see that part of the labor impasse is that GM wants Non-union (i.e. low wage, low benefit) janitorial staff!

In other words, GM WOULD do the same, if it COULD! It can't because of the Union contracts. Do you expect the transplants (BTW, Korea and Germany are also doing this) to just give Union wages and rules to ALL of their employees because their US competitors are stuck within that framework. That's like an NFL team deciding not to use 5 yds. of width of the field because they know their competitor is slower and cannot compete on a full playing field.

Doesn't happen in the real world, my friend. Blame should go where its deserved. Making excuses for others failings is, in psychological terms, being an ENABLER. That has nothing to do with Morals or Integrity. You don't know me, so don't judge me because I disagree with you---Morality is when my employees have to feed their families, so I acquire a business with a more optimistic outlook, so that those people and I can benefit and stay gainfully employed. Integrity is being the #1 Domestic dealer in my region and meeting or exceeding sales targets when 75% of my region misses theirs---for 4 years runnning. Ironically, you should be THANKING me, as I'm selling more when others sell less.

You're right. I'm a collaborator with those that want to run successful businesses they're proud of....perhaps when you have 400+ people depending upon your decisions and your morals and your integrity, I'll be more concerned about your misinformed opinion of me.

I'm glad you like to offend everyone in this forum. It makes me sad that people see Toyota building plants as a good thing. Why do you think Ford and General Motors are closing car factories? Do you think they just do it for fun, and feel good about not having jobs for their employees? Every plant toyota builds closes one or two already existing plants that people have spent their life's work. Sure it looks good for Toyota right now, because they offer new jobs, but when you look at the whole picture it is actually reducing the total number of jobs in America (and Canada). All of Toyotas profits go through the bank and back to Japan, while our car companies are struggling to make ends meet and deal with the harsh reality of chosing what plants need to be closed in order to maintain profitibility. You act like these closures are unnecessary, and that they enjoy doing it. How can you be so sinicle as to be oblivious to the fact that these closures are all because Toyota keeps eating up our market share. Japan is set up so that GM can't enter their market, and it is virtually closed to non-domestic auto manufactures. Here we have GM, the largest contributer to the American healthcare system, loosing marketshare because here we allow competition and the government fails to adress the problems these manufacturers face. My dad works for GM, and has given me a pretty nice lifestyle, but there is times where thanks to the continuing growth of Asian Manufactures he has been afraid he will loose his job.

You say that temp agencies and jobs are good, but I think it is complete garbage and an insult to their employees. Our American companies have employed generations of families, and have always been the backbone of our ecomy. How you can say "hey, look at toyota, they have a 3 year probation period to aviod high pension, healthcare costs, and are creating all these new jobs" and turn around and say "These American Manufactures keep laying off people, they don;t care about america" is a tremendous insult to me. Why don;t you wake up and see the whole situation, and get out of your little "fairy" tale world where life in your Prius is so good and Toyota is creating all these amazing temp jobs for americans. If America looses its car industry, people like me will be devastated, but people like you will realize how stupid and you were when America's economy is all foreign and we'll replace China with cheap labour and low standards of living.

"The Reckoning" by the recently deceased D. Halberstram, was published, IIRC, in the 80's.

Perhaps a read by some on this board would be intructive?

CARBIZ--just one, philosophical question: If GM is adding jobs elsewhere and cutting them here, why should I root for them? (BTW-the key stat you site is that somone was ADDING jobs, not sending them to a 3rd world country so that Lutz' golden parachute gets paid. Also, there are tons of US co.'s kicking ass and innovating? Ever spend time in Sillicon Valley or the Financial Centers in NYC? There are plenty of US co.'s paying great wages to citizens....The myopic, 'just good enough' nature of the Big 2.5 has come home to roost. The upheaval is life threatening for these hallowed American institutions. The difference between you and me is that I think the response is inadequate, you obviously think that they're doing well---but we're both fans.

At least you're not threatening to ban me 'cause we disagree.

The part you neglet to understand is that so long as GM's HQ's are in North America, America stands to gain from Any sales no matter where in the world they are. Toyotas profits all go back to Japan. They can boast about how they employ americans and build here, but the truth is Toyota treats so many of their employess as dispensible tools. One thing that makes American and European manufactures so good is that they give their employees a pretty good lifestlye, wherever its built. Toyota is such a crokid organization and with these 3 year probation periods, firing people who have given them 2.99 years of good hard work becvause the less pensions they have to pay the better. At least wherever their factories are, they treat thir employees so much better than the so called "Toyota way". Americans aren't stupid, and lately I've noticed that toyotas perception is starting to faulter because they contradict themselves in so many ways. Way to prove to everyone how stupid you are.

All I want is an Aura 5 speed. never gonna happen...

Here's another way to fix Saab:

It gets sold.

Well setting up a massive headquarters in China which would be rosponsible fo rthe asia pacific region and toning down, although not to a large degree, their detroit operations seems like an amazing idea to me.

yeah, Its a different league than the malibu, but I stil don't see anything sensational in it, that line down the middle of the side looks terrible if you ask me. I really think you guys are making this out to be way more sensational than it is, it looks about 3 years late to be increadible.

My son just showed me this site cheers and gears a few days ago. I come from a backgound where there was only GM vehicles in the house hold and still do, although a few years ago I needed a toy for a second vehicle and then had a 75 BMW 2002. I have always admired SAAB, and had always like the original 900 Turbo with the Inca wheels.

Currently we own a 2003 9-3 and will probably upgrade to the 9-3 Sports Combi. When GM first started acquiring SAAB I was pretty happy and I really hope they never decide to unload the brand. At the time of the SAAB purchase Ford was pursuing Volvo, Aston Martin and Jaguar and these three companies like SAAB could never remain independent on their own, especially with the develoment cost of power trains. Depending on the monthly sales figures SAAB has had some gains, but Jaguar and Volvo sales have been in the $h!ter. Perhaps this is because Ford has expanded the Jaguar and Volvo lineup.

I really hope that GM would leave SAAB with only three models Keep the 9-3 and the 9-5 and then build a two door coupe in the mould of the 9-3X. I really love the Aero X concept, but I always thought that the 9-3X concept woud help in bringing in younger buyers as well as the loyal SAAB customers. With the 9-3 and 9-5 you wuld still offter the Sports Combi thus no need for useless Crossovers and Sport Utes and equally dumb Sport Cutes. It's really too bad North America cannot wake up to sporty Euro Wagons.

Some of the readers have been arguing that SAAB cannot offer GM any technology other than saftey. Besides SAAB with decades of Turbo Charging technology, was it not SAAB who first offered ditributorless ignition and using direct coil packs and then picked up by GM and now everybody else? Also, I remember a few years ago where SAAB took out a patent where they had an engine where they alter the compression ratio in an engine through a means where as the cylinder head was hinged on one side and they could then tilt the head while the engine was running to achieve the variable compression ratio. I know this sounds bizzare, but SAAB did the experimenting.

SAAB is a remarkable company and a very great driving and owning experience.

some sources would be nice too.

Actually, an update from the poll I just voted and 83% (102k votes total) said GM makes better cars

I', up in Canada and I was so happy to see GM has increased its sales by 15.6 or something liek that since april.

This article neglected to mention that this was a combined reasearch project from Mercedes, Chrysler, BMW, and GM. Look for V8 Hybrids in our truck line up comming out soon too!

I would love a repeat this month

It's also not the car but the driver.

You can only argue that to a certain extent. Williams Toyota often does better than Toyota should really be faster than those cars. Toyota sits fifth in constructors with 5 points, when points pay up to the 8th position each race. They can't match the pace of Ferrari, McLaren , BMW, and renault even in a straight line. They have the biggest budget out of any F1 team, and while they don't have any Drivers that Ferrari or Mclaren have made famous, there''s nothing good to say about a team who finishes a lap behind virtually every race. Trulli is considered to be a good driver and given the right car would be able to keep up with some of the front runners. I guess you don;t watch F1 and listen to what their drivers have to say about the performance of their car, because it is never good.

hahaha thats awesome, bet that one will sit on the lot for a while.

Well thanks for that big F U!

You have no idea how much that would cripple michigan further. were already 4 billion in debt since the middle class isnt working over time so there goes all there tax money.

Besides they have a huge complex in arizona some where dont they? Like a 2nd head quarters.

Also GM is starting to hire people this week i heard of 10 people being hired by GM.

Also Why move? Is Michigan not local? Do you not see us on the Map? Well hopefully Canada can just finish teh buyout since we are there land fill even no they have millions of acres of land up there. Plus if canada bought us out i would have healthcare too.

I wouldn't get upset, its not going to happen. I don't know why you think changing the location would change anything. GM has a pretty increadible headquarters right now and even though Detroit isn't Americas biggest city or flashy california, Detroit is Auto City and something do be proud of. When I think of detroit I just think of detroit muscle and how sweet that to me thats the center of the car universe.

And We (in Ontario) sending you garbage was considered profitibale by your politicians and they let us do it. You may get Torontos garbage but we dispose of most of your toxic waste, which is wosre?

HAHAHAHAHA

I love when whatever the team is running on a toyota engine beats them!. I believe they have made the podium once in their history and that was a third place finish, where half the field wiped out.

It's hard for them to compete when you can't rip apart your rivals car and see what they do.