Ford, Kia, Toyota, Wagoner

NO PARK FOR YOU!
CNN/Money reports: Ford bans competitors' vehicles from lot. This is what Ford is focusing (ha!) on? Can workers even buy other brands of vehicles? Any particular TV shows they shouldn't watch? How about beer? Only American beer? Or can they have some Guinness? We'd be curious to know why the union workers bought a non-Ford. If we were part of Ford's upper management, we'd buy a few cars from all of our competitors to see how they stacked up, day to day, compared to our cars. Banning people for driving some other car seems pretty silly and a waste of time, however. And, come on, when management and the union agree on the something, you know it's smacked up. In unrelated news, Ford now requires all employees to purchase 12 Fords a year.

"Chevy, We're Comin' For You, Buddy"
AutoWeek reports: Kia putting Chevrolet in its cross hairs, U.S. boss says. Based on how Chevy's parent corp. is doing, we'd be willing to bet that Kia could drink booze for 24 months and still wind up on top. Heh, Kiefer. Anyway, Chevy should worry because based on how well Hyundai has evolved, Kia is going to do what they say.

Toyota's Hittin' The No-No Juice
AutoWeek reports: A new Golden Age? What the fuck is up with Toyota? First, the CEO says they are going to take the hell over (look for "GM and Ford: Crap" piece). Then later says stuff like "we (Toyota) don't want to be number one." Now, there's weird stuff like:

The auto industry has a huge responsibility to make sure its products don't inflict harm on society or the environment, Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., told his Automotive News World Congress audience.

With all due respect to Mr. Press, but WTF, mate? Cars pollute like crazy. Big engines pollute like crazy. You, Mr. Press, sell a lot of big trucks here with V-8s, so we're not sure what you're talking about since you're actively part of the problem. Oh, sure, the Prius is nice and sweet and little, yummy Cameron Diaz drives one around, but you still make (and sell) more of the bigger dealies. Stop making these if you want to help. Or make 'em use less fuel. And what is this (continued crap)?:

Press said he believes General Motors, Delphi Corp. and Ford Motor Co. will work through the problems they're facing and emerge stronger and more dynamic than ever.

"This is an exciting time that is really a rebirth," he said. "When we look back five, six years from now, we may not see as dark a time as people see when they look forward today."

"We have no interest in GM declining. We have no interest in becoming number one," he said. "GM is a global icon. They support the economy, and they represent the strength of the industry. There is no joy in the difficulties they're having."

Strength of the industry? If losing billions in one year (more than anyone expected them to) is what strength is... the auto industry has some problems. And yeah, there's no joy in the bonuses you get for kicking the ass of the number one automaker. The same as there is no joy booze. And hookers. Eh, for the bonuses and booze.

8.6 Billion Is Nothin'!
Jalopnik reports: GM Losses top $8.6 Billion for 2005, Not the Worst Year Ever. Everyone is pounding on GM (for good reason), but what we found interesting is that Rick Wagoner was CFO at the time and had this to say about 1992's $23.5 billion loss: "[It's a] paper hit." We wonder how the current loss could be glibly defined.

Comments

[Not a dumbass]

I've had three toyotas, all pieces of shit. I've have I chevy s10 20 years ans 377,890 miles on it. Saturn sl1 10 years old almost 260,000 miles. I will never buy a toyota, and every one I talk to about my experiences will never buy a toyota.

[Richard]

Hmm

fuck non american made cars
we're all going to be pussies in small box cars because of the fucking asians.
make V8's
dont give a fuck about the gas.
The nigger president better do something about the petrolium so we can all drive v8's
and mock the little match boxes with fags inside

[Some guy with a little tech savvy...]

First of all, I think all driving is bad and that driving in a city is a right reserved only for fat asses and people with damned good excuses.

If anyone's still reading... Toyota's choice of hybrid technology signals the birth of the hybrid revolution in the auto industry. The design of their hybrid transaxle is simplicity itself. In a few years every automobile company will (or should) be making something like it. They'll still be pumping out those SUV's, and I'll still be riding my bike and scowling at fools who drive them, but those CO2 monsters will be getting at least 7mpg better in town and 3mpg better on the highway. The lighter the vehicle, the better the mileage increase, from the Lexus LX down to the Toyota Prius or smaller. Two or three years down the road, a diesel hybrid line will come down the chutes from Toyota. If the (some say Isuzu) diesel engine is even halfway decent , that combined with lithium-ion battery packs (http://www.edrivesystems.com/technology.html) are going to show you cars that get well over 100mpg in town. Car traffic will all sound like this:
vrooo-whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr........ but even quieter. I can't wait.

Anyway, using fossil fuels is baaaaddd. Hybrid technology is less bad.

[john constantine]

f1 carssssss

[jimmy]

Sounds like someones mad just because toyota is doing well. If you had a toyota facility in your area with stable good paying jobs you would change your tune. so shut up.