Ex GM CEO Warns Apple About Entering The Auto Industry - But Weren't They Warned Before By Mobile Phones And Music Execs Too?

I believe warnings about entering the auto industry should come from people who come from a successful auto manufacturer, rather than one that went bankrupt. Listening to an ex GM CEO can be likened to taking advice from a street person about the dangers of becoming a millionaire.

I do find it interesting that both the carriers and the music industry originally scoffed at Apple. Now they are playing to Apple's terms and conditions.

So I wouldn't be too sure they can't make a go at it in the boutique market of EV's.

The automakers are the weakest here and Apple knows it.

I agree with you to a point, but I'd rather take advice from someone from a company that has seen the highest of the high and the lowest of the low, which is the case for GM, i'd rather learn from their mistakes then waste billions making the same ones.

Most of the top tier auto manufacturers have seen highs and lows, just as Apple could share a thing or 2 about bankruptcy in the computer biz themselves...

No ones immune, the best companies of ny industry take risk, make mistakes, and sometimes have to suffer the consequences

Car4Life writes "...I'd rather take advice from someone from a company that has seen the highest of the high and the lowest of the low, which is the case for GM..."

My understanding is that GM used be king of the automotive industry, but that was several decades ago. Since then, they've been wrestling with challenges and figuring out how to get billions of dollars from taxpayers' pockets via government middlemen (bailouts, stock purchases during bankruptcy, etc.)

If I were to seek advice, I'd ask BMW about their formula for staying consistently profitable, regardless of market and economic conditions, and how to stay consistently desirable in the automotive sector. I think that's far more impressive than GM's story.

(BTW, I'm not currently a BMW fan, but I do tip my hat to their enduring success.)

-TheSteve writes "If I were to seek advice, I'd ask BMW about their formula for staying consistently profitable, regardless of market and economic conditions, and how to stay consistently desirable in the automotive sector. I think that's far more impressive than GM's story."

Correct me if I'm wrong but there was a point in BMW's history where they were struggling so bad, Daimler/Mercedes nearly bought them. Mercedes was at the top of the luxury heap for over half a Century, similarly GM ran the Auto Industry for decades.

BMW is celebrating their first decade at the top of their sector, which is noteworthy, but at the start of 2015 they have already slipped behind Audi and Mercedes, and it appears to most they have nearly lost the very thing that drove them to the top.

While hit makers are nice, I prefer careers of longevity... BMW would not be bad to seek advice from, however I would not write off GM just yet either...they can tell you some things.

Car4Life writes "...Correct me if I'm wrong but there was a point in BMW's history where they were struggling so bad, Daimler/Mercedes nearly bought them..."

I'm not aware if that happened. Please do share details if you have insights. I'm aware that BMW was struggling in the post-war era. I understand they've been doing very well, consistently, for the past several decades. By "very well" I mean being consistently profitable, even in times of economic upheaval. This is independent of whether they're in the #1 or #4 spot in premium vehicle unit sales numbers. They've even turned around the Rolls Royce brand, which was hurting financially and which had become tarnished after decades of neglect, price cutting, and trying to be profitable by raising production volume.

Car4Life: Sorry about accidentally starting a new subthread.

FYI, I found this link, which supports your statement about BMW being on the verge of bankruptcy. According to the article, in 1959 BMW was close to collapse and Mercedes' plan was to purchase BMW and convert it into a parts supplier:
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/herbert-quandt-the-man-who-saved-bmw-2185.html

So it appears that yes, 55 years ago, BMW was in seriously sad shape! To contrast, 55 years ago GM was a world leader, admired and respected, and Cadillac was a prestigious brand. The picture has changed significantly in the decades that followed.

TheSteve writes: "The picture has changed significantly in the decades that follow."

Let's put something in perspective first buddy, when Bimmer nearly collapsed all they had to carry was their own brand. When GM was at the brink of collasped they oversaw, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, GMC, Saturn, Saab, feel free to add anymore if I forgot some in addition to their big rig/truck division. Some brands have been discontinued but many analyst believe they would have died sooner if GM had not picked them up when they did.

I'm no fan of GM, but with a portfolio like that, it's clear who has the experience and wisdom.

The man probably has syphilitic dementia setting in which is causing him to make such asinine statements.