Joined
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2,173 Posts
How to fix GM (by division):
Chevrolet: The bread and butter division, it needs to hit the mainstream and take on (and beat) the Camcord and Civrolla. The Malibu proves GM can take a good European chassis and ruin it. The 4 cylinder is pointless as it gets worse mileage than V6, which itself is a pushrod mutt no enthusist could love. At least make optional a 240hp+ DOHC that can compete with the Accords silky 3.0. The Malibu styling also leaves much to be desired: Whats up with those dorky arches over the wheelwells, why does it look jacked up from the back, and did they forget some exharst hangars? The interior is much improved, but looks plain jane next to the Accord.
Hopefully the Cobalt can compete. The VVT Ecotec is a good start, although its ten years late (when did Honda VTEC the Civic). The styling is blah and dated in my eyes.
The Impala should switch to Zeta ASAP and use the styling from the SS concept. A good all alumium V8 optional of course. Make a 2-door version called Chevelle, it will sell on name alone. Kill the Monte Carlo.
For the love of my balls keep the Camaro dead. The mullets and white trash ran this nameplate into the ground and it will only get worse as the 4th gen ages. Most people laugh at the guidos driving theses cars and you couldnt pay me to drive one, its the automotive equivilent of a sock in your pants( this coming from a guy who kept a picture of a black 94 6-speed lingenfelter in his wallet in juniorhigh). Build the Nomad.
Pontiac: The execitment division. Lutzs idea of an lower priced BMW is good, and God bless 'em for getting rid of the dreaded cladding. The G6 has good styling, although a tad conservative. Hopefully the 3.9 doesnt have the NVH problems of other GM pushrod sixes. The 6-speed manual is an excellent idea. Dump the Grand Prix and Bonneville and make a Zeta 4-door with AWD. Call it G8. The Solstice (and Kappa in general) is the best thing GM has done in ages. It is beautiful and with luck it will spawn a cult following. Make sure the coupe version makes it to production. Also, make the next GTO less conservative, but not cheesy.
Buick: End the embaressment. Spend the 3 billion elsewhere
Saturn: This division should start making hybrids and they should do it 3 years ago. Make saturn into a warm and fuzzy people company like it was in the early 90s. Target the hippies and volkswagon people with ergomonicly perfect, reliable cars-as-appliance. Play "shiny happy people" in the showrooms.
Cadillac: The mechanicals are already good. Upgrade interior quality in the CTS and SRX. The "Art & Science" styling took some chutzpah but isnt all that attractive. Redesign the entire line in the vein the the stunning 16.
Overall
Also, when charging for a leather wrapped steering wheel please wrap the entire wheel, this includes the spokes. This is the most tactile driver/car interface and epitimises GMs cheapness. The entire company need to upgade interiors dramatical. Get quality up. Your not going to change perception by coming in second (but improving!) annually. Dump the groaning 3800, this misfiring stump of a Buick V8 should have died 10 years ago. 4-speed autos are not competive anymore.
To beat Honda and Toyota and reverse perception, GM need to come in #1 in JD Power IQS, have better interiors than the competion, and generally be best in all areas. As it is, GM is perpetually trying to catch up. Here on the left coast, harbinger of whats to come for the rest of the country, Americn cars are looked down on. They sell only on rebates and really are competeing with the Koreans. Now im drunk and sick of writing.
Chevrolet: The bread and butter division, it needs to hit the mainstream and take on (and beat) the Camcord and Civrolla. The Malibu proves GM can take a good European chassis and ruin it. The 4 cylinder is pointless as it gets worse mileage than V6, which itself is a pushrod mutt no enthusist could love. At least make optional a 240hp+ DOHC that can compete with the Accords silky 3.0. The Malibu styling also leaves much to be desired: Whats up with those dorky arches over the wheelwells, why does it look jacked up from the back, and did they forget some exharst hangars? The interior is much improved, but looks plain jane next to the Accord.
Hopefully the Cobalt can compete. The VVT Ecotec is a good start, although its ten years late (when did Honda VTEC the Civic). The styling is blah and dated in my eyes.
The Impala should switch to Zeta ASAP and use the styling from the SS concept. A good all alumium V8 optional of course. Make a 2-door version called Chevelle, it will sell on name alone. Kill the Monte Carlo.
For the love of my balls keep the Camaro dead. The mullets and white trash ran this nameplate into the ground and it will only get worse as the 4th gen ages. Most people laugh at the guidos driving theses cars and you couldnt pay me to drive one, its the automotive equivilent of a sock in your pants( this coming from a guy who kept a picture of a black 94 6-speed lingenfelter in his wallet in juniorhigh). Build the Nomad.
Pontiac: The execitment division. Lutzs idea of an lower priced BMW is good, and God bless 'em for getting rid of the dreaded cladding. The G6 has good styling, although a tad conservative. Hopefully the 3.9 doesnt have the NVH problems of other GM pushrod sixes. The 6-speed manual is an excellent idea. Dump the Grand Prix and Bonneville and make a Zeta 4-door with AWD. Call it G8. The Solstice (and Kappa in general) is the best thing GM has done in ages. It is beautiful and with luck it will spawn a cult following. Make sure the coupe version makes it to production. Also, make the next GTO less conservative, but not cheesy.
Buick: End the embaressment. Spend the 3 billion elsewhere
Saturn: This division should start making hybrids and they should do it 3 years ago. Make saturn into a warm and fuzzy people company like it was in the early 90s. Target the hippies and volkswagon people with ergomonicly perfect, reliable cars-as-appliance. Play "shiny happy people" in the showrooms.
Cadillac: The mechanicals are already good. Upgrade interior quality in the CTS and SRX. The "Art & Science" styling took some chutzpah but isnt all that attractive. Redesign the entire line in the vein the the stunning 16.
Overall
Also, when charging for a leather wrapped steering wheel please wrap the entire wheel, this includes the spokes. This is the most tactile driver/car interface and epitimises GMs cheapness. The entire company need to upgade interiors dramatical. Get quality up. Your not going to change perception by coming in second (but improving!) annually. Dump the groaning 3800, this misfiring stump of a Buick V8 should have died 10 years ago. 4-speed autos are not competive anymore.
To beat Honda and Toyota and reverse perception, GM need to come in #1 in JD Power IQS, have better interiors than the competion, and generally be best in all areas. As it is, GM is perpetually trying to catch up. Here on the left coast, harbinger of whats to come for the rest of the country, Americn cars are looked down on. They sell only on rebates and really are competeing with the Koreans. Now im drunk and sick of writing.