U.S. preparing Chrysler for Chapter 11

Jakerooni said:
Well GM just announced tonight that they have officially decided to kill of Pontiac.... So I guess their next LOL...
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Did I miss that? After being a GM man since I was about 15 and having a Pontiac for 16 years, IMO they were just as rudderless as the whole company. Maybe the guys in the south have a different take on this, but I though GM figured out mainstream cars in the 80's...they went pretty much all FWD, made good solid cars that were roomy, performed well, got decent mileage, etc. Then they just went nuts in the 90's with all the trucks and SUV's, and have been in the process of changing everything back to RWD...why? So the cars can have less room, be worse in the snow, have less efficient packaging so they can get worse mileage...90% of the car-buying public couldn't tell or care if the car is FWD or RWD...except when they are stuck in my driveway in the snow with their RWD car (like happened to my friend).



All of the GM divisions (except maybe Chevy and Cadillac, which will be the only ones left) forgot who they were or were supposed to be. Buick has more truck models than cars? Sheesh. They put a bean-counter, admitted non-car guy in charge for the last decade, and all they gave a crap about was making money, not good cars. They cry that the imports are eating their lunch, then they don't pay attention to what the imports are making...:sosad, which is why they were eating their lunch. How smart would GM look now if they had done the Volt 2 years ago? Toyota and Honda have been selling hybrids here for 10 years...and GM STILL doesn't have anything comparable...that from the company that has the largest engineering resources of the Big 3 and arguably at one time of any car co. in the world, including owning Hughes Electronics and EDS. /rant



Of course, I'm not telling you anything, Jake, you lived it.
 
GM didn't officially announce a damn thing yet. Neither did Chrysler. But they're both headed on a one way train to C11-ville.



So now we sit and wait for the deals on cars to start happening.
 
I pitty the poor people that buy the hummer brand and dealer network....that is a failure waiting to happen.



Ford is on track for its internal financial targets (although it is missing wall street estimates).
 
XRL said:
GM didn't officially announce a damn thing yet. Neither did Chrysler. But they're both headed on a one way train to C11-ville.



So now we sit and wait for the deals on cars to start happening.
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I'm sorry i guess being right in the thick of things we tend to get info a little faster than the others. But yes last night on the News (all of them around here) GM officials announced Pontiac is dead. In you're regards I guess they did say the offical nation wide ammouncement will be held on Monday. So wait till monday to hear it down there.
 
bwalker25 said:
I pitty the poor people that buy the hummer brand and dealer network....that is a failure waiting to happen.
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Another missed opportunity for GM to turn lemons into lemonade. They developed a great hybrid system for the big trucks, increased the city mileage by 50%, but cost $10,000...not too many takers at Chevy and GMC. Since Hummer has no resale value, why didn't they make "H is for Hummer...H is for Hybrid!" and put that system into every Hummer? That volume may have gotten the price down, and the Hummer buyers are more style/fashion conscious than Chevy/GMC...they could have their cake and eat it too...have the meanest looking truck as well as the most fuel efficient!



Instead, GM will probably not be able to sell Hummer, or get some fire-sale dollars for it that won't even help them. And these finance-based MBA-CEO's are supposed to know something about business?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Another missed opportunity for GM to turn lemons into lemonade. They developed a great hybrid system for the big trucks, increased the city mileage by 50%, but cost $10,000...not too many takers at Chevy and GMC. Since Hummer has no resale value, why didn't they make "H is for Hummer...H is for Hybrid!" and put that system into every Hummer? That volume may have gotten the price down, and the Hummer buyers are more style/fashion conscious than Chevy/GMC...they could have their cake and eat it too...have the meanest looking truck as well as the most fuel efficient!



Instead, GM will probably not be able to sell Hummer, or get some fire-sale dollars for it that won't even help them. And these finance-based MBA-CEO's are supposed to know something about business?
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ya know if they had done that, hummer might not've been such an epic failure waiting to happen.



I heard they have a couple bids ranging from 100 million to 200 million and that includes the hummer brand and the entire dealer network. Doesn't include the manufacturing plants though.
 
bwalker25 said:
I heard they have a couple bids ranging from 100 million to 200 million and that includes the hummer brand and the entire dealer network. Doesn't include the manufacturing plants though.
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That actually sounds like a pretty good offer...but what are they getting? Of course they get no plants because Hummers are just GMC/Chevy trucks with different panels/trim...so would GM still make the Hummers for the new owner? Or would the new owner have to come up with their own designs and manufacturing? Or have to build them under license?
 
The way I read it here:



For sale: Hummer, baggage included - Apr. 22, 2009



is GM may continue to manfacture some Hummers after the sale. And that the 100-200 million doesn't include a plant to make them (at least not the Shreveport, LA plant).



The Shreveport, LA plant wouldn't ever be included in that sale because that plant makes the Canyon and Colorado trucks.



I know A.M. General does the military Humvees under contract for GM. Perhaps the GM Hummer as we know it isn't truely dead.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Another missed opportunity for GM to turn lemons into lemonade. They developed a great hybrid system for the big trucks, increased the city mileage by 50%, but cost $10,000...not too many takers at Chevy and GMC. Since Hummer has no resale value, why didn't they make "H is for Hummer...H is for Hybrid!" and put that system into every Hummer? That volume may have gotten the price down, and the Hummer buyers are more style/fashion conscious than Chevy/GMC...they could have their cake and eat it too...have the meanest looking truck as well as the most fuel efficient!



Instead, GM will probably not be able to sell Hummer, or get some fire-sale dollars for it that won't even help them. And these finance-based MBA-CEO's are supposed to know something about business?
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Toyota is just worried about profits this year by over producing. GM/Chrysler are worried about just being around another year. Do you live off the peaks or survive off the bottoms?



In the end someone is going to own the Jeep brand. I think Chrysler/Dodge may not make it but I do think Dodge styling is currently one of the best in the industry.
 
my random thoughts...



Is anyone really surprised?! JEEP is the only brand I would buy (and I can't see JEEP disappearing) -but as far as my car tastes, they haven't done it right for a looooong time.



The Sebring makes the Yugo look like a good idea...



I feel bad for the workers that took pride in their work -the management should be hanging their heads in shame.



I think the best thing GM could do is trim the fat- The everyday brand and the sport luxury line works pretty well: Honda/Acura - Toyota/Lexus
 
Jakerooni said:
I'm sorry i guess being right in the thick of things we tend to get info a little faster than the others. But yes last night on the News (all of them around here) GM officials announced Pontiac is dead. In you're regards I guess they did say the offical nation wide ammouncement will be held on Monday. So wait till monday to hear it down there.
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GM denies anything, but CNN is reporting what Jake did: GM to pull the plug on Pontiac car brand - Apr. 24, 2009



Looking at the sales numbers I'm not really sure I understand it, but they do say this: ""There was a time, a long way back now, when you knew exactly what Pontiac stood for," which is akin to my comment that they forgot who they were. :(
 
Setec Astronomy said:
GM denies anything, but CNN is reporting what Jake did: GM to pull the plug on Pontiac car brand - Apr. 24, 2009



Looking at the sales numbers I'm not really sure I understand it, but they do say this: ""There was a time, a long way back now, when you knew exactly what Pontiac stood for," which is akin to my comment that they forgot who they were. :(
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I had read somewhere that they may keep one car style with the Pontiac name. It could be carried at Cadillac dealers for example, etc.
 
We'll have to wait and see the effect on all the tier suppliers and their ability to withstand this blow. Their failure could bring down the healthier companies with them.
 
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