GM problems

What is up with the GM styling and design team. Ford and Chrysler are
pulling away. I am a GM junkie but I find myself always looking back
at the "good ole days" instead of the present. Other than the Corvette
the Chevy line up is weak. It seems as though the bean counters have
left Ford and taken up residence at GM.

Maybe they will wake up and realize that most people want well made
and good looking cars. That will answer the question of why they
aren't selling the cars that they currently are producing. For the
love - I find myself considering a new Mustang.

Rick
73 LS4 vert

> wrote in message
news
> What is up with the GM styling and design team. Ford and Chrysler are
> pulling away. I am a GM junkie but I find myself always looking back
> at the "good ole days" instead of the present. Other than the Corvette
> the Chevy line up is weak. It seems as though the bean counters have
> left Ford and taken up residence at GM.

Yeah, the 500, the Freestyle, the Focus - those are really exotic. And that
retro T-Bird was so hot they couldn't keep 'em in stock.

> Maybe they will wake up and realize that most people want well made
> and good looking cars. That will answer the question of why they
> aren't selling the cars that they currently are producing. For the
> love - I find myself considering a new Mustang.

Which is about all they'd have going for them right now if it wasn't for the
F-150.

Ford isn't GM's problem - the imports are. That and their bloated executive
ranks, and labor contracts that the market can't support anymore.

AJM
'93 Ruby coupe, 6 sp

"CardsFan" > wrote in message
...
> > wrote in message
> news
>> What is up with the GM styling and design team. Ford and Chrysler are
>> pulling away. I am a GM junkie but I find myself always looking back
>> at the "good ole days" instead of the present. Other than the Corvette
>> the Chevy line up is weak. It seems as though the bean counters have
>> left Ford and taken up residence at GM.
>
> Yeah, the 500, the Freestyle, the Focus - those are really exotic. And
> that
> retro T-Bird was so hot they couldn't keep 'em in stock.
>
LMAO! You hit the nail on the head.

The GT is exotic. GT 40 that is.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 17:55:55 -0500, "CardsFan"
> wrote:

> wrote in message
>news
>> What is up with the GM styling and design team. Ford and Chrysler are
>> pulling away. I am a GM junkie but I find myself always looking back
>> at the "good ole days" instead of the present. Other than the Corvette
>> the Chevy line up is weak. It seems as though the bean counters have
>> left Ford and taken up residence at GM.
>
>Yeah, the 500, the Freestyle, the Focus - those are really exotic. And that
>retro T-Bird was so hot they couldn't keep 'em in stock.
>
>> Maybe they will wake up and realize that most people want well made
>> and good looking cars. That will answer the question of why they
>> aren't selling the cars that they currently are producing. For the
>> love - I find myself considering a new Mustang.
>
>Which is about all they'd have going for them right now if it wasn't for the
>F-150.
>
>Ford isn't GM's problem - the imports are. That and their bloated executive
>ranks, and labor contracts that the market can't support anymore.
>
>AJM
>'93 Ruby coupe, 6 sp
>
>

> wrote in message
...

> The GT is exotic. GT 40 that is.

For crying out loud, for 140 grand, it had better be, huh???

Oh, and nice top-post. *PLONK*

AJM
'93 Ruby coupe, 6 sp

"CardsFan" > wrote in message
...
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> The GT is exotic. GT 40 that is.
>
> For crying out loud, for 140 grand, it had better be, huh???
>
> Oh, and nice top-post. *PLONK*
>
> AJM
> '93 Ruby coupe, 6 sp
Now if you were going to spend money like that, try the Grand Sport replicar
and kick the neighbors GT40's ass with a 700 HP big block..
http://www.fastcorvette.com/SpecsPrices.htm

--
Dad
05 C6 Silver/Red 6spd Z51
72 Shark Black/Black/4spd

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 10:47:00 -0500, "Dad" > wrote:

>"CardsFan" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> The GT is exotic. GT 40 that is.
>>
>> For crying out loud, for 140 grand, it had better be, huh???
>>
>> Oh, and nice top-post. *PLONK*
>>
>> AJM
>> '93 Ruby coupe, 6 sp
>Now if you were going to spend money like that, try the Grand Sport replicar
>and kick the neighbors GT40's ass with a 700 HP big block..
>http://www.fastcorvette.com/SpecsPrices.htm

You're right - the GT40 is 140 large. I can only dream of getting a
car like that. The point is that Ford stepped out and brought back a
modern day version of a legendary race car. It is in an exclusive
club. I probably will never be able to own one, but if given the
choice between that and a replica of a Grand Sport the GT gets my
pick. Now if it was a REAL GS it would obviously be a different story.

> Anonymouswrote:
What is up with the GM styling and design team. Ford and Chrysler
are
> pulling away. I am a GM junkie but I find myself always looking
back
> at the "good ole days" instead of the present. Other than the
Corvette
> the Chevy line up is weak. It seems as though the bean counters
have
> left Ford and taken up residence at GM.
>
> Maybe they will wake up and realize that most people want well made
> and good looking cars. That will answer the question of why they
> aren't selling the cars that they currently are producing. For the
> love - I find myself considering a new Mustang.
>
> Rick
> 73 LS4 vert

I agree. And it just seems to be getting worse.

Look at this HORRIBLE and UGLY HHR that Chevy is releasing

http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=390

Hopefully it is not a sign of things to come

In article >,
lid (Bababooey) wrote:

> I agree. And it just seems to be getting worse.
>
> Look at this HORRIBLE and UGLY HHR that Chevy is releasing
>
> http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=390
>
> Hopefully it is not a sign of things to come

Looks a LOT like a PT Cruiser to me - which brings me to my next
blasphemous thought...

Anyone think the new Corvette looks very similar to the Viper? Now I've
only seen a couple on the street plus pics but that front end reminds me
of the Viper - maybe it's the exposed headlights or something.

These days GM reminds me of Microsoft - few original ideas, just
following the pack (Chrysler in this case, Apple and Mozilla in MS's
case) and glomming onto good products but reworking them without taking
the step to a higher level. Where's GM's innovation and styling
departments? I think, looking over the fence at the Chrysler design
studios.

Chrysler has done a FANTASTIC job of rising from the ashes of bankruptcy
and then the K-car. They've built mountains from the success of the
Dodge Ram trucks. They've not put all their energy into the trucks
though; they've pushed the styling and taken great risks in the Viper
(fer God's sake stuffy 'ol Chrysler put a V-10 in that thing!), PT
Cruiser, Prowler and Crossfire (that Bugatti-like styling just looks
great to me - must be the fastback look I've grown so attached to over
the last 26 years...), brought out the magnum sedan and wagon-looking
cars. Chrysler has really set themselves apart from the Big-3 pack. They
have new cars and great styling to appeal to all types of buyers.
However, when you look at GM, they're standing still. All they've done
is put out big, gas-guzzling SUVs, cut out the Camaro and Firebird, put
out ugly cars like that weird boxy Pontiac thingamajig that's not even
remotely quirky like the Scion line, and restyled the Corvette to look
like a Viper. Where's the out-on-a-limb restyles of the past Corvette
generations? '63 was a milestone of design as was '68 - radical.
Where're the Shinodas, Mitchells and Duntovs? Working at Chrysler. The
new Corvette should have been on the order of the Ferrari Enzo - at
least drop a V12 into the fiberglass.

On the other side of the coin, the Asian imports have stuck to much of
their strong suits in continuing to build quality cars that get very
respectable gas mileage - my wife's '03 Accord 4 door gets just shy of
30 mpg. They've started brand new companies (Accura and Lexus) to
attract those who started in the Civic and Corolla 20 years ago, the
Accord and Camry 10 years ago, and are now financially comfortable
enough to look to the luxury market - quite successfully I might add .
They've also invested quite a few bucks into the hybrids with
outstanding success - the waiting list for the Prius and Civic hybrids
are 6 months long. People can sell their used Prius for more than they
paid for it last year. Can anyone else say that of their mass-produced
vehicle? The Japanese have not been sitting on their asses milking a
good trend with no eye on the future of the oil situation. Toyota, is
it?, who plans a hybrid powerplant for a model in every single line?
Where is GM in this new market? Playing catch-up.

(Damn, I didn't plan on writing all that rant - just sort of came out on
its own.)

Here's waving to ya - \||||

Owen
___

'67BB & '72BB

-- not affiliated with JLA forum in any way -- alt.autos.corvette is
original posting --
___

"To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
-- Ann Hayman Zwinger

On Fri, 13 May 2005 01:14:52 -0700, Barking Rats
> puked:

>In article >,
> lid (Bababooey) wrote:
>
>> I agree. And it just seems to be getting worse.
>>
>> Look at this HORRIBLE and UGLY HHR that Chevy is releasing
>>
>> http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=390
>>
>> Hopefully it is not a sign of things to come
>
>Looks a LOT like a PT Cruiser to me - which brings me to my next
>blasphemous thought...
>
>Anyone think the new Corvette looks very similar to the Viper? Now I've
>only seen a couple on the street plus pics but that front end reminds me
>of the Viper - maybe it's the exposed headlights or something.
>
>These days GM reminds me of Microsoft - few original ideas, just
>following the pack (Chrysler in this case, Apple and Mozilla in MS's
>case) and glomming onto good products but reworking them without taking
>the step to a higher level. Where's GM's innovation and styling
>departments? I think, looking over the fence at the Chrysler design
>studios.
>
>Chrysler has done a FANTASTIC job of rising from the ashes of bankruptcy
>and then the K-car. They've built mountains from the success of the
>Dodge Ram trucks. They've not put all their energy into the trucks
>though; they've pushed the styling and taken great risks in the Viper
>(fer God's sake stuffy 'ol Chrysler put a V-10 in that thing!), PT
>Cruiser, Prowler and Crossfire (that Bugatti-like styling just looks
>great to me - must be the fastback look I've grown so attached to over
>the last 26 years...), brought out the magnum sedan and wagon-looking
>cars. Chrysler has really set themselves apart from the Big-3 pack. They
>have new cars and great styling to appeal to all types of buyers.
>However, when you look at GM, they're standing still. All they've done
>is put out big, gas-guzzling SUVs, cut out the Camaro and Firebird, put
>out ugly cars like that weird boxy Pontiac thingamajig that's not even
>remotely quirky like the Scion line, and restyled the Corvette to look
>like a Viper. Where's the out-on-a-limb restyles of the past Corvette
>generations? '63 was a milestone of design as was '68 - radical.
>Where're the Shinodas, Mitchells and Duntovs? Working at Chrysler. The
>new Corvette should have been on the order of the Ferrari Enzo - at
>least drop a V12 into the fiberglass.
>
>On the other side of the coin, the Asian imports have stuck to much of
>their strong suits in continuing to build quality cars that get very
>respectable gas mileage - my wife's '03 Accord 4 door gets just shy of
>30 mpg. They've started brand new companies (Accura and Lexus) to
>attract those who started in the Civic and Corolla 20 years ago, the
>Accord and Camry 10 years ago, and are now financially comfortable
>enough to look to the luxury market - quite successfully I might add .
>They've also invested quite a few bucks into the hybrids with
>outstanding success - the waiting list for the Prius and Civic hybrids
>are 6 months long. People can sell their used Prius for more than they
>paid for it last year. Can anyone else say that of their mass-produced
>vehicle? The Japanese have not been sitting on their asses milking a
>good trend with no eye on the future of the oil situation. Toyota, is
>it?, who plans a hybrid powerplant for a model in every single line?
>Where is GM in this new market? Playing catch-up.
>
>(Damn, I didn't plan on writing all that rant - just sort of came out on
>its own.)

I agree with pretty much all of that except I don't think the Vette
looks like a Viper...
--
lab~rat >:-)
Do you want polite or do you want sincere?