US auto industry in massive upheavel

why not put, how gm's coming comeback is working slowly but surely, or how its saturn brand has completely turned around, or how well some of their new models are doing sales wise.

The article deals with what has already occurred. Not what may or may not happen. Sure GM is doing good things with Saturn and Pontiac but they were far too slow to react and I don't see them ever getting back to their full strength.

Fully agree that GM is making a big comeback and recent stock price supports that. However, I want to see some heads roll for screwing up the 2008 Saturn VUE. Lack of front passenger seat height adjustment makes it very difficult for me to get into that seat without banging my head on the roof. My wife wants a small SUV and we will now probably get the Tribeca instead. The Tribeca has a nice H6 engine and fairly decent AWD system while GM's el cheapo AWD system leaves the VUE stranded if one entire side has its wheels spinning on glare ice. I was not pleased with the cheap plastic interior of the VUE. Come now GM, stop pressuring your Saturn executives to save money to the point where customers are turned off by the product -- you should know better. Lucky for Cadillac that the same thing did not happen to the new CTS although my wife did complain , during a test drive, that her seat back felt as hard as wood. I'm still trying to convince my wife that the CTS is the cat's meow.

well if you were in the market for a tribeca, you werent in the market for a vue in the first place....ever thought about that...not being rude or anything just saying they arent in the same price, size, or class. you should have looked at the outlook. the vue is a compact and it seems to be selling very well

and on the first comment, thats the same thing gm and ford were thinking about toyota, and honda some years back that they will never get to where we are, now look at where things are. its not impossible it will just take time decades of bad moves does that, but the arrogance thing works both ways

"Sure GM is doing good things with Saturn and Pontiac but they were far too slow to react and I don't see them ever getting back to their full strength."

GM, TOO SLOW? Do you know how long it takes to "turn around" a multi-billion dollar corporation that has TEN separate brands worldwide? If GM was "too slow," where does that put Ford and Chrysler? They haven't even reacted yet! They're still spewing out pieces of crap and then throwing them at airport parking lots when they can't sell!

You can't simply believe the status quo will stay the same. Toyota will not be on top forever; that's just how life is. GM is moving quickly. Every new vehicle they have introduced in the last two years has been very impressive and they are poised to hold their ground against the Japanese in the US market. Eventually, they will probably regain their worldwide position on top- but they will not only have to get through the Japanese, but Koreans, Chinese and even VW, first.

Don't forget, GM, Ford and Dodge/Chrysler were pumping out junk cars into the U.S. market for the better part of 20 years, from the 1980's to the early 2000's. They all admitted to this and the poor quality they had. They were arrogant in their beliefs that they'd always be "number 1" with the American people no matter what. It will take a while to change the perception they have made for themselves over the past two decades.

Not really if they keep taking out multiple-page ads and huge billboards all over the place.

Part of the problem is health care costs compared to foreign competition. However as has already been mentioned the big three made some massive mistakes. Making a medicor products for so long allowed the Japanese to get a permanant foot hold in the US car market. GM and Ford do make better products now but can they change the consumers perception of them?Chrysler with the Stratus and Avenger still has not learned from the Japanese. It is sub par. I really thought after the 300 that Chrysler had figured it out. It turns out not yet.

I couldn't have said it any better myself...Just as you already mentioned how Chrysler totally dropped the ball with ther new midsize Sebring/Avenger. Do they really think the Sebring/Avenger can complete with the Camry/Accord/Altima??? I was so disappointed, and I thought that after the success of the 300 they would finally have what it took to get onboard.

"Century old brands are languishing. Take Buick for example, the GM division has been passed by luxury brand Cadillac and relative newcomer Lexus is on the verge over taking mass-market brand Pontiac."

Cadillac and Buick are both from GM... strange statement.

BTW, good for Cadillac.

Buick is making a strong comeback. Case and point, the Enclave. WHen a new Lacrosse comes out (probably with the next gen Impala), it will steer people back to Buick, as a sexy, luxury brand, not just an old-person, boat company.

Yes, I know what the Enclave is. But they're just not there yet. Buick's image has been so, so, so scarred that it will take decades for them to do what Cadillac has done.

s4: "... strange statement."

strange to YOU 'cuz you did make pick up on the meaning and significance. buicks cost less than caddys. one would EXPECT more sales of the former.

likewise, the second part: Lexus is about to overtake Pontiac in sales volume. an even bigger price differential. thus an even bigger embarassment to gm that pontiac is doing so poorly.

...did NOT pick up on

...

With subprime housing meltdown, $100 a barrell oil this is just the start, cost of the war also, nobody will be buying anything if this mess doesn't it a wall and reverse soon?