Those cars were all built by divisions they OWN; their Korean cars are all from their Deawoo divison, the Astra and Opel GT (Maxwell Smart’s car) were from their Adam Opel Division. Some Saturn cars are from their Saab divison. The Pontiac G8 is from their GM Holden division in Australia; all Vauxhalls imported in the past were from their Britsh Vauxhall divions, etc.
Doc, can you say “Pontiac Vibe”? Or “Chevy Prism”?
It is OK by me if GM wants to set up shop in China and make cars and sell them to the Chinese. Once they fill this need we can talk import. The traditional barrier that has kept the Chinese out of the U.S. market is that the Chinese will not produce cars that meet U.S. safety standards. Does anyone have a problem with China and safety/quality?
Yes, the Vibes and Prisms were and are built by a JOINT VENTURE between GM and Toyota, NUMMI, in California. Likewise the small Geo cars (Tracker, etc) were built by a JOINT VENTURE between GM and SUZUKI, called CAMMI (Canadian Motor Manufacturing, Inc) in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. GM tends not to import a car and just slap their own name on it, like Ford did with the Festiva, made by Kia.
When I was in Mexico, I saw a Dodge name on a Hyundai Accent; apparently Chrysler needed a small car the size of the Accent, and Hyundai wanted some distribution.
Sorry about the misunderstanding; I thought you alluded to GM willy nilly importing cars from all over and slapping their names on it.
I agree that the design of these cars was by Toyota and Suzuki, while the plant was financed jointly.
No apology necessary. Besides, I have no problem whatsoever with joint ventures or with badging. Both can be an intelligent way to do business. Perhaps I should have made that point. Even if the cars do turn out to be Chinese.
We’re a global world now, in no industry more so than the automotive industry. The days of isolationism are gone.
Personally, I’d like to see dirt-cheap econocars back in the market mix, as long as they’re safe, no matter who brings them in, and no matter whether they’re Chinese or Indian (read: Tata). It’ll be like the influx of the Beetle all over again.
Buick is and has been for decades the epitome of Chinese cars. Don’t try to figure it out - they just love them. And until 2006, the Cadillac CTS was built in China as well as Michigan.
"Note 2 Toyotas are on the list. "
The Corolla and Tacoma are assembled at the NUMMI plant. It is a shared operation between Toyota and GM. That GM is part of the team is why the Toyotas are built by UAW employees.
There are also Mazda and Mitsubishi vehicles on the list. Mazda is partly owned by Ford and Mitsubishi is owned in part by Chrysler.
"…MANAGEMENT is 90% of the problem…
LoL. Your usual gross exaggeration. More correctly, the UAW and Beg 3 car companies are 100% of the problem. Teamwork, both positive and negative, is the key.
You struck a nerve. You do not need to wear the Chinese Harley costume stuff to enjoy a Harley.
“Read the “I bought a Cobalt” post from yesterday. To some a car is a car and only the price matters.”
I bought the Cobalt, and I agree - sort of. But remember that I paid less than half of the cost of an equivalent, more popular car, like a Civic or Corolla. How many people would pay double for a Civic? I suppose there might be a minute segment that would, but Remember this: I have over $9000 to play with that would be gone if I bought a Civic. Another way to look at it is if you can pay MSRP of $17,500 for a Cobalt, would you seriously consider a similarly equipped Civic, Corolla, or Mazda3 costing $35,000?
If the Chinese want to build GM cars, let THEM put up the money to save GM. Why should UAW workers finance their own destruction?? Made In The U.S.A. It Matters.
As usually jt…you haven’t a clue.
Yes, there is definitely room for a stripped-down econobox as a second car, a car for students and young people, and a car for seniors who drive very little and don’t take long trips. These mini cars are basically family cars in all developing countries; the Chevy Aveo (the Daewoo version ) is very popular in Asia.
The new CAFE standards will force all manufacturers supplying the North American market to carry these, or face hideous fines! Chrysler’s salvation by Fiat makes a lot of sense; they could not survive withouth small cars, which Fiat has in spades!
Of course you don’t, but H-D does a very effective job of marketing the H-D “lifestyle,” and you would be hard pressed to find a Harley rider who isn’t decked out in Harley gear and wrapped in the American flag (figuratively speaking).
I want to see specificaly what super secret new tech FIAT has that is going to part the Atlantic and save Chrysler. “FIAT” has “small car technology” but they all have small car technology, whats different about FIATS?
Gentlemen, you are all correct. Every concession made to the UAW was approved by management…under threat of strike. That means both groups get to share the blame. In the end, the UAW may have cut off its nose to spite its face, but management enabled them. How to assign the blame is a matter of opinion based on whether you are “pro-union” or “pro-business.” I like to think I am both “pro union” and “pro business,” so I personally avoid assigning blame since I wasn’t in the room when the UAW met with management to decide on concessions.
Basically nothing, oldschool! It’s just that no one else seems to want to touch Chrysler, and Fiat wants to come back into the North American market, using a ready-made dealer network!
They have basically good small cars good small engines, including diesels and they know that Chrysler could not on its own ever meet the future CAFE mileage standards, because of its product mix. Because of the CAFE standards Americans may be forced to accept small cars that are less than perfect. Don’t expect the Ford Fiesta, Chevy Aveo and Chrysler’s Fiat cars to immediately jump to Toyota and Honda levels of quality and reliability.
There is a world-wide shakeout coming in the industry, and 6 large firms will dominate the market, followed by a number of smaller player, of which Fiat wants to be one. They are doing well in Latin America, Europe, Asia and parts of Africa. North America is the largest and most competitve, market and they have a big gap there.
“As usually jt…you haven’t a clue.”
Do you believe in personal accountability? Based on many of your responses, I would guess that you do. I think that when the Union suggests something at the bargaining table, they own it. And they continue to own it after it becomes the rule through contract acceptance. As soon as Management accepts the suggestion, they own it, too. When the Union suggests a change that benefits them, they need to consider the ramifications of it, even several years into the future. The Union management is in charge of strategic planning in the same way the corporate executives are. If they engage in short term planning to get re-elected, they are as much to blame as the corporate executives that managed the bottom line over the short term. What’s so different about the situation that corporate executives are always bad and unions always good (inferred from your 90% rule)?
Whitey, I am a little off topic but you seem well versed in this area so I will ask. For me (and I thought others) motorcycles were about individualism and not conforming. Now we have a somewhat prerequisite look to be a biker. You must have the right bike,the boots,the wallet on the chain,the hair, the beard,the attitude my question is what ever happened to “Then Came Bronson?”
China… the same country whose agents hacked into the US power grid computers? The same China that brutally murders the Tibetan people? The same China that puts political prisoners into the gulag prison system? The China that uses slave labor and mandatory abortion? All this reminds me of how Henry Ford was secretly selling parts to the Nazi’s, during World War Two: large corporations have no loyalty to a country-- they are only loyal to money.