For the past decade whenever anyone in Congress would talk about raising CAFE standards or requiring SUV's to meet the safety standards of passenger cars instead of trucks we would get the response from auto executives that they have to listen to the market. People won't pay for safety or fuel economy they would say. We are only building what people want.<p>Well listen to the market now - go die. No one wants the crap you are building and you were too short-sited to hedge your bet by making anything else. Why should we prop-up this aging dinosaur? There are plenty of profitable car manufactures making cars in the US people want - the Honda Accord for one.
Another thing about american auto makers I could never understand is that they have always believed in selling 2nd grade crap to general public, splitting their products into two very distinct niches. Ford and GM can innovate, they have brilliant engines and great designers, but all that stuff is generally reserved for european models or for "luxury" divisions. Two examples:<p>1. GE has always had two different lines of V6 and V8 engines: low-tech, gas-guzzling one (for cheap Chevy/Pontiac models) and high-tech modern ones for Cadillac and European Opel and Saab.<p>2. Ford is even worse. They make cheapened-down version of Focus specifically for US, while selling a <i>great</i> little car in Europe. I just got back from vacation and I truly enjoyed one. Just compare these two photos from european and american versions of Focus, see all that cheap hard plastic painted fake aluminum in US version? Jeee....<p>American: <a href="http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/images/vehicle/pg/fcs09_pg_901_int_lg.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/images/vehicle/pg/fcs09_p...</a><p>European: <a href="http://img.worldcarfans.com/US/2007/12/4/9071204.006/9071204.006.Mini9L.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://img.worldcarfans.com/US/2007/12/4/9071204.006/9071204...</a>
This article didn't mention that a 25% tariff on importedntrucks, but not cars, was a major factor in getting US automakers to focus on trucks and SUVs, where they could have fatter margins. Paradoxically, the legislation that was meant to protect them may end up killing them instead.
GMs problem is that they put all their eggs in that basket. They became an SUV company first, then followed by sporty cars. They completely ignored the compact, midsize segments and let those deteriorate until they produced nothing but crap. Which is how the japanese cars took over.<p>I mean honestly for me, GM can come out with an Ferrari looking honda accord competitor, that is more reliable, has more features and costs 40% less...and I STILL will go and buy a accord.<p>Why? Because the last and only GM vehicle my family owned was a piece of crap that fell apart with only 70K miles on the clock and cost us 4K in repairs before we sold it.<p>While the 7 Hondas we owned combined only cost us a total of $600 in repairs. And that $600 was our own fault because we missed replacing the timing belt on time per maintenance schedule.<p>You only get once to make a good impression.
"And with that, the era of the big S.U.V. was as good as dead, done in by soaring gasoline prices and consumers fleeing to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars."<p>And nothing of value was lost.
Agreed. I have had three Honda and Toyota vehicles. My last one had 350,000 miles on it - all handled well, were gas misers, always looked good, never gave me any problems, and were easy to maintain myself.<p>GM/Ford make, frankly, excrement. I really cannot believe people buy their goods. They are uneconomical, break down constantly, reflect zero innovation....and the companies themselves have had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.<p>And then there is the Jeep I once owned. I spent all my free time fixing every conceivable part on it - they all seemed to break as soon as it was out of the driveway. The body started rusting out immediately, the engine began consuming great quantities of oil at 25,000 miles....even the SPARE TIRE carrier on it was so flimsy it broke off, not offroad, but driving through my neighborhood streets.<p>The Toyota 4WD pickup I still have will probably outlast me and any grandchildren I ever have.