Drew Dowdell

GM isn't really giving up presence... they are just shedding redundant brands :AH-HA_wink: Chevy is growing rather well in Europe.

Not as much anymore... at least not in Europe. The Corsa, Astra and Vectra are fairly popular and if nothing else, well respected. However, ask a non-enthusiast German what they think of Opel and they'll tell you that the new ones are great but the old ones were terrible. Opel is/was pulling off a VW or Nissan style renessance over there..... pity it only really mattered in Western Europe. The recent Opels we got here are fine as Opels but not great as Saturns. If you look at what they did with Saturn it's just Oldsmobile part zwei. 1. Change all the names (Cutlass Surpeme->Intrigue, Toronado/Ninety Eight->Aurora, Cutlass->Alero) v. (SL/SC -> Ion -> Astra, LS -> Aura) 2. Change the target market (Midmarket cushy cruisers to midmarket sportish cars) v. (basic, fuel efficient, dent free transportation -> SUVs, Roadsters, and mid-pack MPG sedans/hatches) 3. Attempt to move up market (Aurora and Intrigue trying to move into Infiniti and Lexus territory) v. (a brand that 10 years ago maxed out at $20k now only 1 vehicle bases under 20k, most base around 24k, two base above 27k and can be optioned up to around 40k)

It's the attitude that they are so much better than GMNA or Holden or GMDAT. Up until very recently Opel has been an also ran in Europe with about as much brand cache as Skoda. They come up with the Vectra(epsilon) and the Astra and BAM they think they are gods gift to GM. Supposedly we are to forget about stuff like the Omega(Catera) and old Vectra(Saturn LS) and Kadett (Chevette). We're supposed to turn away from excellent platforms from Holden for no reasons Opel cares to explain. We're supposed to fawn over the Insignia, which I'll admit is a very nice car, but it's no Lacrosse.

definitely a case of you get what you pay for.

Japan's Trade Surplus Vaporizes The Business Insider Talk about cliff diving. Japan, which at one point was synonymous with phrase 'trade surplus', is now a net importer. The country's trade surplus collapsed a staggering 99% in March, as a sharp dropoff in imports was not matched on the other side. The collapse means Japan ran a deficit for the year -- its first in 28 years.

..and such.

1. Who said the game is over? 2. Toyota has 3 brands in the U.S. 3. The Terrain and the Buick "Vue" would be substantially different vehicles. 4. Have you looked at Toyota's sales lately? They are tanking just as hard as the domestics... they just had a cash horde to help them through.

GM as Chevy, Pontiac/Buick/GMC, Cadillac makes sense and easy to reduce/eliminate model overlap.

No no... I can post pics.

suction out the fat to make biofuel. "Honey! The Suburban is below a quarter tank. Have a double whopper with cheese and hook up the shop vac!"

Don't I know it.

comes spittle.

I'm not in favor of taking choices away at all. I just want the costs to go up.

Even if they are born that way, we can change them, we'll just have to put them into special camps and make them pray a lot.

So is shoving greaseburgers down your throat even after you can no longer fit in an airline seat.

*still holds the keys to the server* Actually, I think Walt would appreciate it.

Plenty at my local dealers.

Happy Birthday dear leader. *really wishes he had a pic of Walt so he could turn it into an Obama style poster*

Not at all.... but I also don't eat a triple bacon whopper with cheese, a bucket of fries, and wash it down with a gallon of cola just because I can. We as a society have lost the ideas of moderation, self control, and self responsibility. "It's not my fault I'm obese, it's those McDonald's cheeseburgers that are so so good!" "It's not my fault I'm obese, McDonald's fries their fries in fat." "It's not my fault I'm obese, McDonald's increased the size of the medium fries and it's only 35 cents more for the large... it's such a good deal!" "It's not my fault I'm obese, the only time AmericanIdolWantstobeaMillionairebystudyingLawandOrdertobeaSurvivoronCSI:Miami is on are the 7 hours after I get home from work so I really don't have time to exercise."

It's just another symptom of our (on average) gluttony.

50 hours a week? That's my standard work week for my day job... then in the evenings and weekends I manage my rental properties... somehow in between all that, I have to come on here and babysit you miscreants. *shakes cane*

Electra of course

Aveo, Agila, Corsa, Astra, Meriva, Vivaro, and Zafira Hyperbole aside, the government healthcare amounts to a huge subsidy for these foreign companies. Airbus is a wonderful example of this. They receive huge subsidies from the EU membership not just in healthcare, but in grants, low interest loans, etc. just to compete with Boeing. For now, Boeing is still the leader, but how long can they compete like that? And more to the greater argument, how is this situation anything resembling free trade? My point is, we haven't had free trade for a very very long time.

Those laws apply equally to both Toyota and General Motors. Cars manufactured in Japan, by Toyota, for Japanese consumption do not have to go through the inspection process (and associated fees) that cars manufactured in the US, by General Motors, for Japanese consumption do. Japan has the second largest automotive market in the world. You think GM is selling in Europe, China, and the Middle East but not Japan because they just didn't get around to it yet? You think that Opel and GMDAT couldn't have scrounged up enough Aveos, Agilas, Corsas, Astras, Merivas, Vivaros, and Zafiras to at least make a go at it? Please!!