GM is going to go out of business these guys have announced the will sell their product at a increased price. Ford is trying to curb their prices. I have to say GM is not favorable in cunsumers eyes as the product of choice. They do not make the TBONE of the industry. With the induction of Toyota and Nissan into the full size market this company and we're making bread instead of vehicles mentality is going to hurt themselves. This market is going to tighten. Oil prices are going up gasoline is not getting cheaper. The big three are going to have to change their line of thinking. C.A.F.E. standards are going to rise for trucks. There will always be a necessary need for full size trucks. If you want a truck with metal get it now. I have a feeling you will see more fiber body vehicles in the future with reduced size.

 

UM! in case you haven't noticed Ford motor corp is in grave danger having of all the same things happen to it.

Long before any one of the big three go under Uncle Sam will step in with a nice big fat bail out. Just like they did for Chrysler corp in the 80's. The companys in question are so large that allowing one to tank would cause an economic apocylapse across the board. Whatever party is in power at the time is not gonna let that happen on thier watch.

 

Gm dropped their prices several months ago and this is a little of it back. The price increases were minimal.

 

Toyota will buy all three

 

Krochus- The government did not "bail out" Chrysler. What they did is offer loan guarantees. In other words, Chrysler went to private sources to borrow money, and the government guaranteed that if Chrysler defaulted, the government would make good on the loans. Chrysler never defaulted, under Lee Iacocca, they actually paid off their loan obligations early. Bottom line, it was a smart thing to do because saving all those jobs at Chrysler meant reduced public assistance payments to out of work Chrysler employees, plus people with jobs pay way more taxes than people without jobs. And, it didn't cost the government anything as it turned out.

 

Sadly one the single most misunderstood history ….of Americas big three

 

I recently went to the Tampa Auto Show, and the Big 3 had very meager displays compared to imported makes. I was very disappointed. Jeep had a cool looking full-sized Gladiator pick-up I thought was cool, though. I personally think ALL U.S. manufacturing is on the way out. If China comes out w/ a decent, reliable car, it's all over.

 

Fords new fly boy has made it clear he is targeting their lack of competetiveness ( read labor costs). HAs already been talking to the UAW ad planning an early buy out. Key is reducing production to meet demand. That will tend to stabalise prices and put them back in an upswing. He also mentioned new lines, invlolving a Ford's international platforms (!!!!!! lots of possible fun) and reducing the total number of platforms. Best deals are probably still now, unless the Non Domestic heat up the competition.


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DETROIT — Ford is "not competitive," new Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally said Friday.

"We are clearly not competitive," Mulally said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press. "We're not competitive, and it's been getting worse year after year.

"The most important thing we can do is recognize our reality and deal with it."

Mulally's biggest surprise since joining Ford from Boeing six weeks ago, he said, has been "the opportunity to improve this place." Mulally is credited with turning around Boeing Commercial Airplanes during his tenure from 1998 until early September, when he resigned to head Ford.

He plans to improve Ford by using its global resources to improve efficiency and with a buyout plan that is slightly ahead of schedule to reduce the automaker's North American salaried work force by 25,000 people this year.

Mulally pumped his fist enthusiastically while talking about the Ford Fusion sedan, which just won Consumer Reports magazine's coveted "recommended" status.

"The Fusion is a fabulous car," he said, adding that Ford's large pickups and SUVs are also "world-class."

However, he said, the company must build a "more robust plan across the product line" to reduce its dependence on sales of big pickups and SUVs.

Mulally said he and the CEOs of General Motors and the Chrysler Group will raise the issues of exchange rates, commodity prices, tariffs, health care and pension benefits when they meet with President Bush on Tuesday.

"Clearly, having a level playing field is very important," he said.




Mulally also said:

• There is "unlimited potential" for savings from uniting Ford's global operations in product development, manufacturing and purchasing.

• UAW chief Ron Gettelfinger "understands completely" the challenges Ford faces to become competitive.

• Ford's "No. 1 priority" is to reduce capacity to meet lower demand for its vehicles.

• He has "no plans to divest of Ford Motor Credit or sell a piece of it."

• The company does not expect any increase in its U.S. vehicle sales until it introduces new vehicles and the overall market begins to grow.

Ford will invest in new vehicles, engines and transmissions while reducing the number of vehicle platforms it uses around the world.

On a three-hour visit to Ford's Rouge assembly plant, he rode the length of the moving assembly line meeting line workers.

"I like hanging out with the team and knowing what's going on," he said. "It's one of the most efficient plants in the world

 

The cornerstone of their problems