Law and Rights
Detroit's Big 3 have a unique chance to take back market share and prove American engineering and know how are still King. But is anyone listening?
Like the gasoline crisis of the 1970's, here we are again. And just like it was then, Americans (being the fickle lot we are) are running away from SUV and other gas guzzlers as fast as they can and heading toward gas-miserly, efficient cars again. The cure of choice for politicians in the 1970's gas war was just to import more gas. No one tried to fix the problem.
The problem? Cheap gas itself was the problem. Okay, maybe the American attitude of bigger is better, I'll pay for that tomorrow, conserving and the environment are just not for me ... maybe that was part of the problem too.
But now, Detroit has a chance. Opportunity is knocking again. Maybe this time Detroit's Big 3 will listen.
Building fuel-efficient cars isn't impossible. Plenty of small businesses and entrepreneurs have proven it can be done. Even GM built an electric car, once upon a time. Daimler and Smart proved that an inexpensive fuel efficient car can be built for the masses of people living in big cities and the millions of people living in small town who just don't need to drive that far that often.
So when is Detroit going to get in on the action? With business-savvy investors now in charge at Chrysler, they've got the best chance of taking the lead. GM? It's just too slow with too many chiefs in charge of decision making. And Ford? Ford just needs someone named Ford in charge of everything again. A pretty PR face with a corporate business card doesn't make a dime worth of difference.
Chrysler, on the other hand, has investors and money people in charge. Odds are, they've got the best chance of making the corporate attitude turn on a dime and go after this fuel-conscious market faster than the others. But then again, that's not the real question.
Question is, will the Asians beat Chyrsler to it? Will Prius take over while Chrysler managers meet with committees who meet with managers who meet with committees who meet with ... and on and on.
This is Chrysler's time. If the new owners want to really prove they know how to run a car company, this is their chance.
On the other hand, if they're just in it for the short term profit, then they can follow GM's geriatrics and Ford's flatulence into the sunset. Chrysler is at a crossroad. Let's hope they know it.
Subscribe in a reader
- When Car Designs Were Art, And It Wasn't That Long Ago, They Were Cool. Chevy's Billboards Show Off Old Art
There's a great set of billboard art that is making the internet rounds. Don't know if they are actual billboard signs up in Detroit - but they should be. The one's we've seen are all Chevy and - like a rock - that kind of makes sense....
- Chrysler-fiat Iffy While Gm Gets Gloomy And Saturn Is Selling Out
Fiat has said that there's no better than a 50-50 chance they will work out a deal with Chrysler, which only has until the end of the month to get the deal done. Apparently Fiat has put some hard terms on the table that Chrysler may not be able to...
- Chrysler Selling Viper ?
Rumor has it that Chrysler is looking for a buyer for its Dodge Viper division. The hand-built sports car attained a lot of high praise since it's debut at the 1989 Detroit auto show and Chrysler has made about 25,000 of the hot sports cars since...
- Cadillac Charges And Mitsubishi Goes Mousey
One way to measure car manufacturing plans is to count platforms. And when you do that, it looks like Cadillac is planning to charge ahead and Mitsubishi plans to cut back production big time on its Eclipse and Spyder models. A car's "platform" is...
- Top 10 Vehicles
Consumer Reports has released its "Top 10" Best Cars for 2008 in its annual auto issue that is about to hit the newstands. Here's the scoop... The "Top 10" list is their ranking of the top vehicles in ten categories and for the last two years Japan...
Law and Rights
Opportunity is Knocking on Detroit's Door. Is Anyone Listening?
Detroit's Big 3 have a unique chance to take back market share and prove American engineering and know how are still King. But is anyone listening?
Like the gasoline crisis of the 1970's, here we are again. And just like it was then, Americans (being the fickle lot we are) are running away from SUV and other gas guzzlers as fast as they can and heading toward gas-miserly, efficient cars again. The cure of choice for politicians in the 1970's gas war was just to import more gas. No one tried to fix the problem.
The problem? Cheap gas itself was the problem. Okay, maybe the American attitude of bigger is better, I'll pay for that tomorrow, conserving and the environment are just not for me ... maybe that was part of the problem too.
But now, Detroit has a chance. Opportunity is knocking again. Maybe this time Detroit's Big 3 will listen.
Building fuel-efficient cars isn't impossible. Plenty of small businesses and entrepreneurs have proven it can be done. Even GM built an electric car, once upon a time. Daimler and Smart proved that an inexpensive fuel efficient car can be built for the masses of people living in big cities and the millions of people living in small town who just don't need to drive that far that often.
So when is Detroit going to get in on the action? With business-savvy investors now in charge at Chrysler, they've got the best chance of taking the lead. GM? It's just too slow with too many chiefs in charge of decision making. And Ford? Ford just needs someone named Ford in charge of everything again. A pretty PR face with a corporate business card doesn't make a dime worth of difference.
Chrysler, on the other hand, has investors and money people in charge. Odds are, they've got the best chance of making the corporate attitude turn on a dime and go after this fuel-conscious market faster than the others. But then again, that's not the real question.
Question is, will the Asians beat Chyrsler to it? Will Prius take over while Chrysler managers meet with committees who meet with managers who meet with committees who meet with ... and on and on.
This is Chrysler's time. If the new owners want to really prove they know how to run a car company, this is their chance.
On the other hand, if they're just in it for the short term profit, then they can follow GM's geriatrics and Ford's flatulence into the sunset. Chrysler is at a crossroad. Let's hope they know it.
Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Cars and Lemon Trucks Since 1978
For Free Help to get rid of your lemon, call us now 1.888.331.6422 Toll Free.
Click here to find out what your state's Lemon Law says.
To find a Lemon Law Lawyer near you, Click here.
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Cars and Lemon Trucks Since 1978
For Free Help to get rid of your lemon, call us now 1.888.331.6422 Toll Free.
Click here to find out what your state's Lemon Law says.
To find a Lemon Law Lawyer near you, Click here.
Subscribe in a reader- When Car Designs Were Art, And It Wasn't That Long Ago, They Were Cool. Chevy's Billboards Show Off Old Art
There's a great set of billboard art that is making the internet rounds. Don't know if they are actual billboard signs up in Detroit - but they should be. The one's we've seen are all Chevy and - like a rock - that kind of makes sense....
- Chrysler-fiat Iffy While Gm Gets Gloomy And Saturn Is Selling Out
Fiat has said that there's no better than a 50-50 chance they will work out a deal with Chrysler, which only has until the end of the month to get the deal done. Apparently Fiat has put some hard terms on the table that Chrysler may not be able to...
- Chrysler Selling Viper ?
Rumor has it that Chrysler is looking for a buyer for its Dodge Viper division. The hand-built sports car attained a lot of high praise since it's debut at the 1989 Detroit auto show and Chrysler has made about 25,000 of the hot sports cars since...
- Cadillac Charges And Mitsubishi Goes Mousey
One way to measure car manufacturing plans is to count platforms. And when you do that, it looks like Cadillac is planning to charge ahead and Mitsubishi plans to cut back production big time on its Eclipse and Spyder models. A car's "platform" is...
- Top 10 Vehicles
Consumer Reports has released its "Top 10" Best Cars for 2008 in its annual auto issue that is about to hit the newstands. Here's the scoop... The "Top 10" list is their ranking of the top vehicles in ten categories and for the last two years Japan...