[Drive571]

There's no doubt that Toyota (and Honda, and others) invested heavily in trucks at a very bad time, and regarding that specific market, showed no more foresight than GM. That said, you'd also have a very hard time arguing that Toyota didn't do a better job covering its rear end on the fuel-efficient side of the market. Well-rounded product portfolios are the best insurance against unstable economies.

Everyone's hurting this quarter (except MINI and Nissan, IIRC), but things are approaching crisis proportions at GM. It's a disheartening time for car fans.

Regarding the above debate, I too was a fan of the underappreciated GTO. A much better car than the 'Stang in all respects save styling, marketing, and shift action. But let's be realistic; niche cars aren't going to save GM. Given that most people don't care about/can't afford fast or flashy vehicles, the key to survival really is to build a better Honda Civic.