re: #38 WindUpBird

Ford is world class, some of Ford’s best products are not even sold in the US. Google the Focus RS! I love GM cars (well, the ones with 400+hp and RWD, or whose names being with C and end with vette) but GM does not have the spread that Ford does around the world. Ford is properly diversified, GM wasn’t, and Chrysler was basically a dying animal.

Yeah. I was ready to buy my second Focus, mostly because I heard they were finally bringing their European model to the states, but when that didn’t happen I snagged a Mazda instead. I hear they’re finally going to make the transition next year, which will give them a single product sold worldwide.

Chrysler, as you say, is doomed. Too many owners in rapid succession have gutted the engineering staff, and left those still employed cowering under their desks. And they have, let’s see…oh, yeah, NO MODELS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO BUY. I look for them to be swallowed when the economy improves and one of the other car companies is willing to take on their debt in exchange for their nameplate, if that’s worth anything. Their market share certainly isn’t.

I loath GM with every fiber of my being. When I build my own house, I plan to arrange the toilets so I pee in GM’s direction no matter which one I use. I had a very, very bad experience with one of their J-cars a quarter century ago, and that wound is still festering.