RE: GM to cut 30,000 jobs, close 12 plants

["Widiker, John D" <john.widiker@xxxxxxx>]

I deal with people there all the time, even they say (quietly) that
their marketing and design strategies are totally schizophrenic. The
front drive 6 cylinder Impala, the Monero GTO (more poorly thought out
marketing plan I have yet to see), the Firebird and Camaro price/target
fiasco. The parts bin Hummers. All concepts that were executed either at
the wrong time, to the wrong demographic (most common) or completely
ineptly. The list is almost endless. Had a long talk with one semi
important guy about the 4.0 Javelin, he looked it over and was just so
enthused about it. We had a laugh when we talked about how if they built
one it would have satellite navigation, heated seats, 6 cup holders, yaw
and antilock controls, power everything, be 4300 pounds (destroying the
power/weight ratio), cost $35,000.00, and be styled like a Ford Taurus
after going through the committee process. 

My cousin had the pleasure of seeing the original Aztec drawings, it was
beautiful and looked mean as hell, after it went through the 7 wussies
out of 10 people committees it was, well, something else entirely (if
you have ever driven one they really are pretty good over all).

Putting production in line with sales is a funny concept, how about
putting out things people want to buy so that sales demand additional
production. 

I hope to hell that GM gets it going (I'm one of the people that counts
on them for my livelihood), but without real car people at the helm and
good choices starting yesterday I think it's going to be a long painful
road. 

~J

-----Original Message-----
From: farna@xxxxxxx [mailto:farna@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 7:49 AM
To: mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: GM to cut 30,000 jobs, close 12 plants


Obviously that attitude hasn't changed! That's why they are where they
are, and Toyota isn't. One of the oldest business axioms: "The
customer's always right (even when they aren't)". Toyota has been making
it a point to listen to customers, while GM has turned the hearing aid
off. I hate saying such about a US company, but I really think it's the
truth. DCX and Ford are taking a bit more notice, though Ford seems to
be throwing out a lot of feelers (I think the 500 isn't going to do so
well, unless they get into the cop car/fleet business with it) and DCX
got lucky. 

On November 21, 2005 andrew hay wrote:

> i'm not sure it's occurred to them in the last 40 years.  back in the 
> '60s they boasted they could sell anything they wanted to make. 
> ______________________________________________________________________
> __
> Andrew Hay 

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