For GM, Ford, and Chrysler, at Least Two More Years of Misery

BIG 3

Ok here goes! Any good Born USA american does not want to see them go. Now here is an idea that could work and all three can and will servive. Now we know that Chrysler owns the American Motors name. Which I believe to still be true. All three merge and keep making there products but under one major name. USAmerican GMFC Motors Limited. They will benefit from streamling parts and sales outlets. The workers can and will be willing to work with this, because they want to keep there jobs. The corparate jobs can be cut and be shared with all three as well as engineering and tech. I don't want to see Ford, Gm or Chrysler go. They all have there own great vehicles going on. I will drive my Fords even after if ever happened Ford to go under until I could not get parts for them. I would then buy a GM or Chrysler . We must keep something made in USA or we are all gone. This is our country not Toyota or Honda's. Forever USA.

RON MADDING of IL @ Jul 04, 2008 09:34:01 AM

I think it's sad to watch the demise of the American car companies. And how many faithful Americans will celebrate independence day tomorrow, and the next day go purchase a Honda or Toyota and think nothing of it. Where has our pride gone, does no one care that an American icon such as Chrysler, who has stood for 75 years, is on the brink of extinction?

of @ Jul 04, 2008 00:37:45 AM

Where this really all began

Students of American industry often overlook the genesis of the problems facing Detroit.

It really boils down to philosophy.

Simply put, the Big 3 have historically been committed first and foremost to making money, and they choose as their means of achieving this goal the manufacture of cars and trucks.

The Asians, by contrast, are committed above all else to making cars and trucks, and they reason that if they get it right, time and time again, they'll make money.

The two approaches could not be further apart. Not surprisingly, the fruits of these different trees speak for themselves.

For Detroit, it's management vs. labor. Both are culpable in the present mess, given as both are driven mostly by greed.

For the Asians, it's one hand washes the other.

For Detroit, it's about quarterly results.

For the Asians, it's about where we'll be five years, ten years from now.

For Detroit, it's about garnering stock options and "creating shareholder value."

For the Asians, it's about delivering value for the (paying) customer.

Of course, it wasn't always like this. Until the mid 1960's, executive management at the Big 3 overwhelmingly came from the ranks of in-house engineers. From the mid 60's forward, top management was generally recruited outside from the crop of "new management" whiz kids versed in structured finance. The new leadership (think Harvard MBA's) was likely to disdain the "car guys" who, in any case, didn't have the savvy to extract maximum profits from operations. Or so it was thought. Is it any coincidence that the greatest vehicles this country has ever produced became somehow less great about this time?

My fix for the Big 3? Put "car guys" in control, tell the unions to take a hike, and field a product line united by a coherent, readily identifiable design philosophy that offers no excuses and that places as its highest objective the satisfaction of the paying customer.

Alas, I'm not at all confident Detroit will deliver.

Adam of OH @ Jul 03, 2008 02:24:53 AM

Ford/GM

Watch for a GM/Ford merger. It has to happen.

Steve of MI @ Jul 02, 2008 17:30:33 PM

Ford survives?

Isn't Ford fully 'hocked'?

Does not GM have the ability to do the same, if necessary to raise cash?

All Ford's assets are pledged as collatoral.

Does that not make Ford the #2 likely to survive and GM most likely?

I'd still bet on GM over Ford, but agree that Chrysler is pretty much gone.

Joe Kirby of TN @ Jul 02, 2008 13:17:49 PM

Correction on Photo Caption

The white SUV shown next to the Black Navigator (in the picture), is a Ford Expedition, not a Ford Explorer.

Prashant of MI @ Jul 02, 2008 09:33:32 AM

EVIL INTENT!

You failed to mention GM's willful withholding of its sub-liter

Matiz (Aveo's smaller model) from the American market, but you

did mention Ford's reintroduction plans of the Fiesta without

mentioning its one-liter joint venture Fiat 500 vehicle frame

source. While Daimler finally introduced the Smart car to the US

market to now a waiting list for purchase. As mentioned, there

seems to be some nefarious forces to blame for the small car

foot-dragging development in the US!

LAWRENCE PREVITI of VA @ Jul 02, 2008 08:12:53 AM

Ford will survive.

And only Ford.

*Take the thinking behind the Ford Escape Hybrid and multiply this throughout the company

- or die.

PulSamsara of IL @ Jul 02, 2008 01:22:55 AM