Big 3 bailout compromise reached - then vote cancelled

Agreed. Their 70's and 80's success went to their corporate heads, which allowed their Asian and Euro competition to surpass them in every respect. The fact is now though, that there's virtually no difference in quality comparably, but people are to stuck up on German and Japanese engineering to realize the equality in current quality. I must admit I'd never buy American (apart from a select few models), It'd be a shame to let go of the potential that they may have in the future.

The big three have systematically ground down all that is distinctive about nearly ALL of their brands. Their badge engineering policy of taking 2 3 or 4 brands and using a series of one size fits all generic cars with no character barr small differences in engines and styling and trim, which are unreliable and made down to such a penny pinching price. These brands really have been so cynical about the US consumers, for every good American car there is a better Japanese, Korean or European car, and the big 3 should just thank their lucky stars that Americans are such a small minded most of them will buy anything American over foreign on the basis of nationality

joshg_5 - have you ever driven a european car? american cars are in NO WAY comparable to european cars when you factor in build quality or handling characteristics. and dom6698, if badge engineering was such a problem, please explain why Audi is still reporting an increase in sales despite the current economic crisis? they are (and i say this as an Audi owner) "badge engineered" VWs in a lot of respects.

sub39h, I'm not talking about the platform sharing used by Audi, the bodies used are always different, I can understand the fact that A3/Leon/Octavia/Golf latform sharing thing because it saves lots of development costs and the cars have different bodies and engines and interiors often. Look at the 1980s Vauxhall Cavalier/Opel Ascona/Oldsmobile Firenza/Buick Skyhawk/Chevrolet Cavalier/Pontiac 2000 or Sunbird/Cadillac Cimarron/Holden Camira/Isuzu Aska 9 name plates for one body - look at pictures and the rear windows are the same, they didn't even bother trying to hide the fact they are all the same car with just a different badge, and after a while that sort of under investment and complacency has just nearly killed those companies

Whoa calm down dick cheney.. you'd like me to be shot?? pretty extreme buddy. Check your facts and you'd realize that you're the one that's ignorant. GM cars actually do well in international markets. It's the US market they constantly struggle in, because they think they can get away with selling crap here. They constantly refused to get on par with their competitors here and A few good cars doesn't mean their entire line up is of any good. Across the board Honda and Toyota make far superior cars. They might make good cars now, but from a business stand point, it's too little too late. Get your facts straight before you start running your mouth.

American cars were too damn big back then to sell in europe on a large scale. The US infrastructure was basically built for large cars and open road driving. And have you forgotten about the fuel shortage in the 70's?

you're right. americans cars arent meant to be fuel efficient or small engined. they are purposely built with a huge amount of torque. and you cant use fuel expense as an excuse because american cars are dirt cheap and make up for the extra running cost. euros are excellence....most times overpriced because you get a bmw badge. american cars are cheap thrills.

Yea right hofmeyer. If Europeans don't like American cars then why do so many of them buy American muscle when they come here. My dad works for NATO and all of these Europeans come over here raving about American muscle and the go out and buy a Camaro or a Mustang with a V8. ones from Denmark with a Mustang GT, ones from Finland with an 02 Camaro SS, and ones from somewhere I can't remember and he has a Mustang GT. They all rave about their cars and how that can't get that power back home in Europe. The love American muscle cars so don't sit there and say that Europeans wouldn't not buy a Camaro. These are not isolated incidents either every couple of years a new round of Europeans comes over here and they buy big V8s and love them till they have to go back home to Europe and they are always very sad. One guys fighting hard as hell to extend his tour for another two years buy Denmark is just not having it.

Thank you. well said. Not all markets are equal.

This bailout must and will happen.

Unfortunate as it may be, if Ford, GM and Chrysler group all collapse a global ecconomic recession could occur. The amount of job losses would be mind boggling. When Rover went bankrupt they took with them alot of small companies making parts and they were only effectively one marque (two really but the cars being the same) selling in one continent.