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We have been there. same policies that gave us the 55MPH Speed limit and 165 HP V8's. Not a future I want.
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A speed limit? Petty . . . speed limits are still low in my area.
165 hp? Blame GM for that.
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IMO... People who buy GM want what GM does best-an American V-8. HP and torque for towing and power for performance.
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No, you're speaking of the hobbyist who drives V8s as a hobby.
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GM has tried to gain back market segment in cars from the imports for years by trying to be "like an import", while abandoning its core market for car buyers. Discontinuation of the F-body platform in 2002 is a prime example where the cobalt was to compete against the imports and the SSR was a bone thrown to the Camaro buyer.
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You're mistaken about Detroit's marketing. Discontinuing the F-body was arguable. The Cobalt was replacement for the unlamented Cavalier, and merely was Chevy's submission to competing in a class of vehicles. SSR? A niche vehicle.
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Wrong on the Cobalt wrong on the SSR. More people left GM and went to other market segments.
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What's wrong with the Cobalt? Lackluster in comparison to the competition? So whose fault was that?
Ditto with the SSR - lack of hp? Whose fault was that?
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Along the way GM finally became self aware and tried to reverse course. Difference is that now GM will be forced to build cars that are aligned with a market segment that they lost a decade ago to Honda and Toyota and I seriously doubt those buyers will be back abesent a rock bottom price.
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This may come as a surprise to you, but GM is not self-aware. GM's current situation most certainly has something to do with the economy but, even more so, GM's current situation has a hell of a lot to do with
GM. Blaming the government is a convenient way to ignore the problems GM has had . . . but that's par for the course as GM has ignored its problems for years. Ironic, considering they have a portfolio of stellar cars.
Now, against the wall, GM is faced with making compromises in its future. The capitalist in me says to let GM die, but the American in me says we need to help Detroit as much as we can. . . so we have the government to do that.
You can't get back to health until you figure out what's causing the symptoms. I hope that GM has figured it out for once.
