Tom Toles for February 18, 2009

Hey, let’s strengthen their union and add more fuel economy and emissions regulations and really bury ‘em!

Toyota ain’t doin’ too well either of late, so I hear.

Toyota is having its worst year since WWII. But they’re still doing better than the Big Three.

And etocme - if GM had invested in hybrid technology when they first had it (long before Toyota, which is on its third generation), they might not be in this mess. So much for “fuel economy” burying the Big Three. You want to pay them to build more Hummers people don’t want?

They forgot the silly, but accurate cliche: “it’s the product, stupid”

GM has largely not made quality products people have wanted for a long time (with a few exceptions).

Let me again point to the Fusion Hybrid, Focus, Aspire. At least one gets it. GM seems to be getting religion as well and is trying to catch up–and they have to.

claudermilk … there was piece in the news this evening concerning GM. It was noted that GM bought Opel in 1929.Well Opel hasn’t done well in the last couple of decades, for the most part “their designs are tired” is the general consensus.

Ford is definitely more on the ball here; the CEO has been getting them focused (so to speak) for a year or two now. They’re definitely moving the right direction, and they’re probably not going under.