The Big 3 fight back

[Wingtips1]

The Big 3 are throwing an astounding # of cars on their platforms this year at the NAIAS in Detroit. There may be some fight left in the old boys after all. Also, GM won both the 2007 car and truck of the year awards with the Saturn Aura and their new pickups.

The Chrysler Nassau

http://forums.detnews.com/pix/autos/concepts/07chryslernassauconcept/c.jpg

The Chevy Malibu

http://info.detnews.com/pix/autos/2008/08chevmalibu/b.jpg

the Cadillac CTS

http://info.detnews.com/pix/autos/2008/08cadillaccts/4.jpg

[Wingtips1]

The Ford Focus

http://info.detnews.com/pix/autos/2008/08fordfocus/1.jpg

The Ford Interceptor Concept

http://info.detnews.com/pix/autos/concepts/07fordinterceptorconcept/3.jpg

The Dodge Avenger

http://forums.detnews.com/pix/autos/2008/08dodgeavengerrt/2.jpg

[Amores Perros]

Yeah the Japanese are in for a bad time when they find out how much more superior the American cars built in Mexico are to Japanese cars built in the Confederate states.

Every time Toyota switches production of a line of cars to the US their MotorTrend ratings goes down while every time the big three move production to Mexico their MotorTrend ratings goes up.

Mexicans build the best cars baby!

[Foots]

The Big 3 are throwing an astounding # of cars on their platforms this year at the NAIAS in Detroit. There may be some fight left in the old boys after all. Also, GM won both the 2007 car and truck of the year awards with the Saturn Aura and their new pickups.

The Chrysler Nassau

http://forums.detnews.com/pix/autos/concepts/07chryslernassauconcept/c.jpg

The Chevy Malibu

http://info.detnews.com/pix/autos/2008/08chevmalibu/b.jpg

the Cadillac CTS

http://info.detnews.com/pix/autos/2008/08cadillaccts/4.jpg

I call it desperation.

[Metros Striker10]

I call it desperation.

Exactly. They saw how their numbers went down so they had to add all these HEMI and new flashy designs that no one will be interested in a couple of years. Just look at the PT Cruiser. It looked neat at first. No one wants one now. I'd still rather drive an import.

[DoctorD]

Yeah the Japanese are in for a bad time when they find out how much more superior the American cars built in Mexico are to Japanese cars built in the Confederate states.

Every time Toyota switches production of a line of cars to the US their MotorTrend ratings goes down while every time the big three move production to Mexico their MotorTrend ratings goes up.

Mexicans build the best cars baby!You're right. Did you know that the Turks build some of the finest cars today? Turks who live in Sindelfingen, that is.

[Devil500]

That CTS is one I'd go for it looks really good and sporty :p

[Pathogen]

The Malibu's front end doesn't look too disimilar to the Camry.

[Mstr. Baitor]

The Malibu's front end doesn't look too disimilar to the Camry.
The PT cruiser is pretty long in the tooth, Chevy's HHR has been selling rather well since it debuted.

That being said, import car designs tend to age rather bad..

And if I see another civic with overgrown bumpers, and a ratty, lawonmower esque sounding engine, im going to kill them..

[Pathogen]

The PT cruiser is pretty long in the tooth, Chevy's HHR has been selling rather well since it debuted.

That being said, import car designs tend to age rather bad..

And if I see another civic with overgrown bumpers, and a ratty, lawonmower esque sounding engine, im going to kill them..
That's not the manufacturers fault that they're tricked out. Talk to all of the ricers that get wood when they watch the Fast and the Furious.

[Wingtips1]

Exactly. They saw how their numbers went down so they had to add all these HEMI and new flashy designs that no one will be interested in a couple of years. Just look at the PT Cruiser. It looked neat at first. No one wants one now. I'd still rather drive an import.

it is true the ******** still do have a quality lead. but the big 3 have moved past just about all the european brands, including bmw and mercedes. with their quality ever rising and them starting to design cars that illicit an emotional response, their plight does not seem as bad as some may think.

[MattR]

Look, a lot of these cars are new and shiny and... pretty okay.

And I agree that for the most part, GM's quality control and initial quality rankings have improved dramatically over the last 10 or so years -- almost to Japanese standards, and better so in some models.

But they're problem is twofold: (1), the 70s and 80s instilled in many of my age range (30s-50s) that GM cars are not quality, and that will take years of people getting dependable GM cars to overturn, and (2) American cars are two big, and too gasoline-hungry, for most of the rest of the world. GM ain't selling the Malibu in France or China, and those are the markets they need to win to compete with Toyota and China.

Right now, gas is at a low! 2.50 a gallon. Is that sustainable? When the price goes up again, does the new Malibu's 24MPG compete with an Accord's 32?

[Mstr. Baitor]

Look, a lot of these cars are new and shiny and... pretty okay.

And I agree that for the most part, GM's quality control and initial quality rankings have improved dramatically over the last 10 or so years -- almost to Japanese standards, and better so in some models.

But they're problem is twofold: (1), the 70s and 80s instilled in many of my age range (30s-50s) that GM cars are not quality, and that will take years of people getting dependable GM cars to overturn, and (2) American cars are two big, and too gasoline-hungry, for most of the rest of the world. GM ain't selling the Malibu in France or China, and those are the markets they need to win to compete with Toyota and China.

Right now, gas is at a low! 2.50 a gallon. Is that sustainable? When the price goes up again, does the new Malibu's 24MPG compete with an Accord's 32?
GM owns brands in Europe and Asia that are pretty strong over there..

Opel comes to mind

[Devil500]

GM owns brands in Europe and Asia that are pretty strong over there..

Opel comes to mind

Yeah thats the thing GM uses other brands to sell in other parts of the world and keeps most of the good ol American brands at home

[act smiley]

Yeah, that shiny new car of the year Saturn whatsit is actually a 5-year-old Vauxhall-Opel Vectra

[Devil500]

Yeah, that shiny new car of the year Saturn whatsit is actually a 5-year-old Vauxhall-Opel Vectra

The Aura you mean :)