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dethbass wrote:
I'd rather put my bets on Toyota, or even Tata motors, rather than GM. I'm still waiting for them to prove me wrong.
/Bass
I agree with you. I will believe there is a "new" GM when I see it. Trust for real change in this company is no longer warranted.
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dethbass wrote:
Yep I agree.
But anyways these plug-in hybrid cars are coming, regardless of what GM does. If they are wise, they will also have a compact plug-in hybrid in the showroom as well eventually. But GM being GM it might take a while. They announced lately that they will have a crossover SUV with the same drivetrain as the volt in 2011 (and likely pricy as well). So you see which road they are taking.
I'd rather put my bets on Toyota, or even Tata motors, rather than GM. I'm still waiting for them to prove me wrong.
/Bass
No doubt, I agree. Ford though would be a play. GM living on Government Cheese is a pity.
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I guess it is still the "same old GM."
GM use to try to run other businesses by forcing vendors into low prices until they went bust, or made calls to how they ran their business.
Bloomberg reported more of the same. Lutz basically telling ad companies to FIRE their creative teams and hire new people, as if the creative team was the problem, and not GM itself.
“There’s no plan to change the agencies,” said Lutz, 77, who took on responsibility for advertising and marketing after GM’s July 10 Chapter 11 exit. “If the creative talent at your agency is not meeting your needs, you can get them to change the creative team.”
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TraderJoe wrote:
I guess it is still the "same old GM."
GM use to try to run other businesses by forcing vendors into low prices until they went bust, or made calls to how they ran their business.
Bloomberg reported more of the same. Lutz basically telling ad companies to FIRE their creative teams and hire new people, as if the creative team was the problem, and not GM itself.
“There’s no plan to change the agencies,” said Lutz, 77, who took on responsibility for advertising and marketing after GM’s July 10 Chapter 11 exit. “If the creative talent at your agency is not meeting your needs, you can get them to change the creative team.”
Lutz, strangely enough, rymes with putz.
I watched him interviewed on CNBC, where he was showcasing the Volt.
He gave a nice, neatly groomed schpiel on what a great product it is, how well made it is, how clean and sharp it looks and so on.
Then he was asked what the price tag was.
He was then asked why anyone would pay $5K more for a Volt when they could get a Prius.
He was completely lost to answer the last.
Though I understand the difficulty competing with foreign automakers that get labor at a fraction of American rates, it defies logic as to why he hadn't planned on this question coming up in interview.
This mode of preparedness says it all, after years of pumping bright and shiney objects with charismatic sales pitches, these guys are clueless.
And, if memory sevres, as much as ten percent of our entire labor force is dependant on GM in one way or another.
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Mark, the "dear in the headlights" on CNBC is not good. As you said, you would think these guys should be prepared to answer any question. Funny I thought the Volt was starting at around 40k where the Prius starts at 20k. Maybe they dropped the price?
The volt is very sharp, but $5 more for a look, well...
Prius, first the space and dependable will be hard to beat. It has been around for so long that the volt this late in the game is really kind of a joke for a company as big as GM.
With 10% of the workforce dependent on GM you would think they would be better stewards of the company. It will be interesting to see what level of market share GM will have down the road.
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Joe, I'm pretty sure I misquoted, the real price difference makes it that much more funny.
Again, I understand the costs of doing business here vs foreign MFG's, but that's a question you couldn't possibly have not realized they wouldn't ask.
I was ready to hear him go about all the extra features, or the technology that makes it "worth" the price, but nothing, he just came up with a blank expression and after a pause threw out the word "quality".
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markram wrote: all the extra features, or the technology that makes it "worth" the price, but nothing, he just came up with a blank expression and after a pause threw out the word "quality".
HA! wow, "quality" Toyota is all about that, Lutz needed to say more. Really, it is time to retire, Lutz at 77 should go play golf, be with his family, and have a good time .....let GM go.
I searched online, and amazing to me, GM said the first generation will be around 40k, the second gen around 20k. So do not buy the 2011 model, wait one more year and save $20,000  .
Here is the link...
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