The company’s announcement that it is embracing compact cars, shutting down four truck plants and possibly even dumping Hummer shows GM – and, by extension, Detroit – realizes fuel prices aren’t coming down and SUVs are a dead-end. It’s a fundamental change of direction for the world’s largest automaker, which has for more than 10 years counted on pickups and SUVs to provide the bulk of its sales – and profits – while all but ceding the passenger car market to Japan and Europe.
But with gas poised to top $4 a gallon any day now, auto sales tumbling and the economy tanking, company CEO Rick Wagoner – like his peers at Ford and Chrysler – is scrambling to keep up with seismic changes that are coming far faster than anyone expected.
“These moves are all in response to the rapid rise in oil prices and the resulting changes in the U.S., changes that we believe are more structural than cyclical,” Wagoner said before making his announcement at GM’s shareholder meeting in Delaware. “While some of the actions … are very difficult, they are necessary to adjust to changing market and economic conditions.”
Translation – we grew fat and lazy cranking out SUVs that ran on cheap gas, but it ain’t working anymore. [/quote]
Oooh! A WHOLE $4 bucks! What a load of shit. Petrol in the UK is three times the price it is in the states – 96pence per litre at the moment – yet SUVs still outnumber most other cars on the street.
Are Americans REALLY so much more penny-conscious than the Brits? If American companies stop making gas guzzlers, the Japanese and European makers’ll just fill the gap.
[quote=“sandman”]Oooh! A WHOLE $4 bucks! What a load of shit. Petrol in the UK is three times the price it is in the states – 96pence per litre at the moment – yet SUVs still outnumber most other cars on the street.
Are Americans REALLY so much more penny-conscious than the Brits? If American companies stop making gas guzzlers, the Japanese and European makers’ll just fill the gap.[/quote]
I look for modification of power trains and electrical systems to evolve and provide a similar vehicle that will meet the fuel costs and environmental laws.
I read somewhere yesterday that the Hummer is about to be phased out in the civilian market. Good riddance I say.
Yes, some company will use this as inspiration to market a suitable vehicle. There is a market for this type of vehicle. Obviously. Hybrid, fuel cell, all electric…remains to be seen. A fertile market for someone to enter.
Personally, I’ve never had one, never wanted one and thought they were ridiculous for about 90% of the people who drove them - no real ‘need’ for what they used them for.
However, I think it is an elitist and stupid mentality that calls such people names and would deny them the possibility of purchasing the type of vehicle they want.
Too much sucking at the nanny state teat makes people like that…I guess.
I hope that the trend of getting rid of SUV’s will extend all over the world, especially in Latin America. The only vehicle I support for dirt roads is a Range Rover safari, maybe a Toyota pick up. Anything heavier is dangerous to you and others, not to mention costs, environment, etc.
On the other hand, this was the last nail in the coffin of my uncle’s factory. RIP.
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]
However, I think it is an elitist and stupid mentality that calls such people names and would deny them the possibility of purchasing the type of vehicle they want.[/quote]
market economies (and its assumed freedom of choice) have always been tempered by public safety policies. Arguably, wasteful energy consumption is harmful to the collective good (which may lead to a “positive” slippery slope). In the end, it would mean (hopefully) that personal freedom and personal responsibility would go hand in hand.
[quote=“sandman”]Oooh! A WHOLE $4 bucks! What a load of shit. Petrol in the UK is three times the price it is in the states – 96pence per litre at the moment – yet SUVs still outnumber most other cars on the street.
Are Americans REALLY so much more penny-conscious than the Brits? If American companies stop making gas guzzlers, the Japanese and European makers’ll just fill the gap.[/quote]
Well American SUVs are MUCH less fuel efficient than the general SUVs you would find in the U.K. Also many of the SUVs in the U.K. are mostly used for short trips, school runs, shopping with kids and the distances aren’t as far. An American SUV is about the size of the average British house and requires its own pipeline.
It’s strange to say goodbye however when I never even said hello in the first place. I’ve hated the damn things since day dot. Pointless contraptions that don’t do anything that they say on the box.
Good point.
I used to commute over a hundred miles a day, just to get to work.
Glad I had a Geo Metro. 50 MPG was sweet.
What is sweeter is the 6 bucks (USD), I put in my scooter here.[/quote]
You mean Suzuki Swift with a different badge on otherwise American’s wouldn’t buy Japanese at the time.
The Geo was slightly different in that it had a soft top version.
Suzuki Swifts are also known as Pontiac Fireflies too. It makes me giggle when I hear that name.
The best Swift for fuel economy was the three cylinder version. I drove one flat out mostly in third and fourth gear at top revs all the way from north England to London and back and only managed to get the fuel economy as low as 45 MPG. Customers reported they could get 70MPG. It was great on fuel, but terrible in build.
[quote=“sulavaca”][quote=“sandman”]Oooh! A WHOLE $4 bucks! What a load of shit. Petrol in the UK is three times the price it is in the states – 96pence per litre at the moment – yet SUVs still outnumber most other cars on the street.
It’s strange to say goodbye however when I never even said hello in the first place. I’ve hated the damn things since day dot. Pointless contraptions that don’t do anything that they say on the box.[/quote][/quote]
I week ago Saturday night I was swimming on a deserted beach with my cousin, with my floodlights lighting up the entire beach as we played frisbee in the waves. Dive gear in the back, tunes going as my 32 inch BF All terrain TA’s made short work of the 3km stretch of deep sand/rocks to get there. A priceless moment that could have not been replicated by any other genre of vehicle…X hundreds for me. I use/abuse the hell out of mine, the most recent excursion causing huge dents in skid plates and gas tank.
I’m in the market for another vehicle now, and much as I look at gas prices/taxes, etc, I’m probably going with either an Infinity QX4 or Mitsubishi Challenger. Both are gas hogs with huge running expenses, but for what I enjoy/need to carry a car just isn’t an option.
The humvee is evil incarnate.
As are most civilians that can’t be bothered.
In essence, it’s much the same as dirt bike riders ripping up the terrain on government land.
I’m not saying that you recreational vehicular fiends should not be able to get your release. Only that y’all should be taxed, and heavily.
Same with snowmobiles.
