Ford, GM consider new small cars

[jwight]

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/219250/

Maybe the change in Detroit's thinking is gathering steam?

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by jwight

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/219250/

Maybe the change in Detroit's thinking is gathering steam?

It's about time!!

[LinuxGuy]

Yes, but we want small cars with small prices, not $30,000 cars with a $10,000 bonus profit margin for the Big 3 in Detroit and the dealers!

[vanslam]

Man US car makers are always late to the table. And they wonder why the Japanese are eating their lunch. The best part is that the CEO's of these companies are making a ton of money for bad decisions and poor management strategy. ...

[jwight]

Yep, never fails. When the British two seater sports car market went away, Detroit should have been all over that. They weren't, hence the Mazda Miata - great success story. 20 years later we get the Solstice and the Sky. Ford has had the Ka out in Europe for years, now they're scrambling to get the new Fiesta over here by 2010 - by which point smart may have added something new (electric?) to their line up. Talk about slow learners!

[SmartBob]

Yes to all the above. We can be proud to pioneer this movement.

[rolly]

Remember - Profit is still what business is about. (I think I'm right in stating this)
Even Mercedes didn't make any profit selling Smarts for the first NINE years.

[Duckhunter]

profit is not bad just a reasonable amount, do not overcharge, and do not force people to take loads of extra stuff they may not want.

[vwW12]

...
National Public Radio NPR, December 7, 2007:

Subcompacts account for just 2 percent of U.S. auto sales, compared with 15 percent for midsized sedans.

Yeah.

Truly bad decisions, not to go after a tiny segment of the market. ... Yesssirreee.

[jwight]

needless political baiting

Most people are aware of that tendency....