#NAIAS: The Reds Arrive On US Shores, Can Anyone Tell Us WHY?

Nothing perplexing about it. The Chinese are the future. The "Eurobigots" here will scoff as will the JDM fanboy.

In the 60s, the Japanese were laughed at and accused of making garbage. Twenty years later they were the benchmark.

In the early 90s, everyone laughed at Hyundai/Kia. A decade later, the laughing had subsided.

Underestimating the Chinese would be fatal and they will not need 20 years to worthy cars. Their presence at the show would indicate a much quicker reality.

FCA should ink a deeply interdependent deal with a major player like SAIC/Nanjing.

The European auto industry is most vulnerable.

The French automakers are hardly vibrant.

Volvo is owned by the Chinese.

Opel is flirting with irrelevancy within GM and could be replaced in a heartbeat by GM Korea for product.

Fiat did a "Hail Mary" with Chrysler to stave off death.

BMW and Mercedes seem robust but both would be more sustainable with a full-line mainstream brand. Toyota's interest in BMW is hardly platonic.

Meanwhile, VW is pursuing volume at all cost even if profit goes into the toilet--as it has--to fuel the sales.

VW is the "Old GM" of Europe and if VW staggers, the Chinese will pick up the pieces.

In the 60's, the Japanese were laughed at. Look at it now, they are...

Still laughed at. How many people tell you that Lexus is far better than Mercedes-Benz or Rolls-Royce? I said this a lot and no one agrees. Didn't you mock me for comparing them, too? And now you betray me like this?

In the early 90's, Hyundai/Kia were laughed at. Look at it now, they are....

Still laughed at. I compared Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz to Hyundai and everyone thought I was a fool. So, Matt, where is this highly respected Hyundai?

In the early 1900's, the U.S. automakers were respected by many. Look at it now, they are....

Garbage.


And Matt, I do not in any way support the European automakers and you know it (But I know why you say I do, it is because you know how powerful the Europeans are as well, and you want to let that frustration out on me)

Volvo is owned by the Chinese? What difference does that even make, when the U.S. automaker like Chrysler is now a DUTCH COMPANY? Is Dodge an Italian/Dutch company now then? Or is GM a Government Motors? No, who owns, does not matter, like the relationship of Tata and Land Rover. You don't see Land Rover and Jaguar promoting themselves as Indian companies, because Tata knows that will not help their brand image, at all.

Matt, I already know all about it, but really, you shouldn't let your inferiority complex (that many Americans have) out like this.

But you can bring out that comment when Lexus and Hyundai beat Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz in terms of brand power, and Volvo and Land Rover promoting themselves as Indian/Chinese brands.

I mean, I can't even believe you are actually talking about the European auto industry here, and calling them vulnerable.

Why don't you just say Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz are learning a lot from Hyundai Genesis Coupe and Lexus LS when they develop high performance V12 engines? If that were actually true, then your comment actually would have some value there.

Poor, poor, pathetic JD...you need to get back on meds.

You were so easy to bait it was just silly.

This is not a bait, Matt. We both know this is actually how you feel.

I mean, come on, Matt. You always told me that the Koreans and the Japanese are the benchmark.

I mean, I want to agree, but we both know this ain't true.

Really, Matt. I am only saying this for you, not to offend you. You know this.

poor JD you fell for it twice...might I suggest an IQ test?

Matt, you don't need to pretend, at all. You know we are friends, right?

I already know your inferiority complex. I have that, too. We are friends. So you don't need to lie to me at all. Just be honest with me. Do not be discouraged, my good friend.

planting seeds is why they are here...

We all know when the Chinese come to the North American market, it means the Americans, the Japanese and the Koreans are all in trouble, if they actually manage to make reliable cars.

Especially the Americans would be in a big trouble. At least the Japanese are barely surviving, the Koreans, trying their best but still recognized as the bottom of the food chain, and the Americans....well they always sucked.

So the Chinese vs. Americans would be very interesting.

Eventually - as has happened with the Japanese as well - the Korean cars will lose their price advantage - and will have to sell on something else. Japanese cars sell to the audience that other companies seem to want to completely ignore - the masses of people who want a good - reliable - piece of transportation - not flashy - a little upmarket - but staid. THat is because they no longer have a price advantage,

Korean cars still sell - at least in my area - on their price advantage - but as their workers and the cost of transportation increases - the search for the next low wage worker situation is already happening - and it will likely be China and later India. Mexico already is in the mix.

However - it is NOT the American manufacturers (There are now only two - FORD and GM) that they will compete with - it is the low end Korean cars they will first go against - as is the case that most of their current cars are small - and narrow.

The real question for me is when American car manufacturers already produce "american" cars in china - when will THEY be brought here?