I saw this on yahoo mail today. It will be very interesting to see how the obama administration will handle GM's bankruptcy filing. Obama has always said that his administration will push to make all manufacturers produce cars making a minimum of 35mpg. If it is up to him, all of our beloved muscle cars (Corvette included) will go away, and more Prius like vehicles will come to fruition.

You all ought to grab a newspaper today as history is being made. At no time in US history has a major automaker such as GM filed bankruptcy where the government will take ownership. The government will now own 70% of GM with their bankruptcy.

Obama will most likely appoint of one his staff to become the new leader of GM. I mean, GM has a posted huge deficiencies in the past years so why not restructure the giant automaker. What this means is Obama will have control of a very large entity that affects everything that you and I know.

Good news is.........more jobs will be created. The overall dynamics of GM will inevitably change making room for his economical vehicle plan. The new regime will have to totally redesign GM which means more efficiency (hybrid) applications, and beefing up on all the parts needed for widespread deployment. Undoubtedly this will create jobs....more skilled techinicans for these types of cars, new plants designed to create the parts for the vehicles, suppliers, etc...etc...etc.

Bad news for us car enthusiasts.....we will slowly say goodbye to cubic inches, and say hello to more evolution in hybrid/electric technology......can see it now, Hybrid Corvette......can't wait to see the green label on the back of the vette in the future that says hybrid....or buy a Ford who seems to be unscathed at this point....lol

Interesting, and stimulating article none the less......Matt


The Big American Gas-Guzzler: Down but not out


Reuters – A Hummer truck is seen at General Motors dealership Laurier in Quebec City, May 31, 2009.REUTERS/Mathieu … By Chris Baltimore Chris Baltimore – 2 hrs 36 mins ago
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Even though U.S. pump prices are nearly half the $4 per gallon ($1.06 per liter) levels of a year ago, the legions of American fans of gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks don't have much to celebrate.

President Barack Obama's White House has unveiled new fuel-efficiency rules that will push auto companies into making more small cars and General Motors and Chrysler -- both heavily associated with large vehicles -- have sunk into bankruptcy.

But don't expect many dents in the Sport Utility Vehicle fan club.

Cities like Houston, where driving is at the heart of the daily routine, are proof of the American love affair with the big car.

"I couldn't get by without this thing," said Kathy Fieldman, a mother of three who was washing her black Chevrolet Suburban at the Bubbles Car Wash in Houston.

"Obama can do whatever he wants -- I need to get my kids to school," she said. "I can afford to put gas in it, especially where it is now."

GM, the country's No. 1 automaker, filed the biggest bankruptcy in history by a U.S. industrial company on Monday under the direction of the Obama administration. Fellow Detroit auto giant Chrysler had filed for creditor protection in May.

GM's move came weeks after Obama ordered the struggling auto industry to make more fuel-efficient cars under tough new national standards to cut heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions and increase gas mileage.

GRADUAL CHANGE

The new fuel rules and Detroit's economic hardships will transform the face of the U.S. auto fleet over time and nudge Americans toward smaller models, said Joe Wiesenfelder, a senior editor at Cars.com.

But the change will be gradual and driven by financial, not environmental, concerns.

"People who have Hummers and pickup trucks don't need to dump them and get a (Toyota) Prius," he said. "When it's time to buy something new, they are absolutely going to get something more efficient -- even if it's one size smaller."

For the typical two-car American family, one might be an SUV for local trips and the other a smaller, more fuel-efficient model for long-haul excursions, he said.

For many Americans, the choice between buying an SUV or a fuel-efficient hybrid seems to be about meeting family demands of carpools and soccer games.

"There's still an SUV market in Texas," said Michael Wolf, a salesman at Sterling McCall Toyota, beside a bustling highway where 20,000 people commute to Houston from the suburb of Sugar Land every day. "There are all those families with two and three kids down in Sugar Land."

But if gas prices return to last July's record U.S. average of $4.11 a gallon -- versus about $2.44 a gallon now -- SUV drivers might have little choice but to seek lighter cars.

"No one had to tell people who were spending $100 a week to fill their tank that this isn't sustainable," Wiesenfelder said. "That is not a lesson that people forget."

For Dan Bryant, a member of the Houston Hybrid and Hypermilers Club and owner of a 2007 Toyota Prius, using a fuel-efficient car for his 15-mile (24-km) commute from his home in Cypress, Texas, has little to do with ecology.

"I'm not the stereotypical hybrid owner," he said. "My primary motivation has nothing to do with the environment or polar bears."

Instead, Bryant said he drives a hybrid to help cut U.S. dependence on crude oil imports.

 

You forgot one important thing. This is America and no matter what enthusiasts will always have a say. We have some of the smartest technicians and mechanics around. To tell me that no one will figure out how to make high horsepower cars with 35mpg or higher is unamerican. I hate whats going on with GM but in the face of desparety America always rises to the occasion. I mean if a highschool class could make that fast electric car and or the Tesla. I dont see why we couldnt have fast electric cars or hybrids in the future.

 

It's not saying our engineers couldn't figure it out, but with a Democrat lead Federal Gov't and a Union more than happy to work for them the engineers will never get the chance. Plus, I, that's "I", don't want an electric or a hybrid. But they will be forced down my throat whether I like it or not. No thanks, I'll hold onto my Z until I draw my last breath, $10/gallon gas be damned.

 

They are going to own most of GM..
no longer General Motors..

now its going to be AGM.... LOL

American Government Motors...

Or just

Government Motors......

but overall I think this is going to be like the gas crunch of the 80's... Make a **** load of crappy cars that everyone hates.. LOL..
Then bring back all the high horsepower ones later on...

 

****** Obama!!!

He just can't leave **** alone can he.. Gzzz

He has his fingers and even toes in everything these days..

 

i dont think v8s are going anywhere. if im not mistaken gm is full of cars that get over 30-35 mpg. i think the mustangs and camaros and vettes etc, will still be around. gm would just have to make sure most of the line of cars gets over 30-35mpg which they are almost if not already doing. to me ways

gm has some hybrid suvs the Escalade and yukon or tahoe <--forgot which one.
although it would be cool to see gm go the vw route and put diesel engines in cars. either way i hope this goes well.

 

Ahhh ****....

 

I like the fact that is is less environmentaly friendly to build/own/operate/maintain a hybrid than it is a standard SUV.

 

I think the best plan of action right now is for everyone to jump to conclusions.

 

and thats why im a future Ford owner.

 

HMP will have segway test and tune nights now
awesome!

 

maybe all our beloved horsepower wil die, or maybe we'll start seeing boosted cars that get great gas milage.

only time hold the answer if you ask me, we cant do anything but wait it out.

 

makes me sad

 

Good luck with that one. The ford lot around the corner from my house is at 1/4 capacity. One new car on every 4 spaces. Ford is not far behind buddy.

 

Do you mean southern ford? I have lived in pearland for 3 years now and have never seen them with a full lot, let alone much other than fleet trucks and vans.

 

Corvettes Produced in '08

Coupes 20,030
Convertibles 7,549
Z06 Hardtops 7,731

Total 35,310

Ford Mustang GT
By Model: GT = 60,792 ,
These numbers were for 05 you can also add about 7000 Shelbys

I think these 100,000 cars are not really the problem the govt is trying to suppress, it is all the soccer moms in 8 passenger Suburbans that get 8 mpg that is the real issue. Also this is nothing new Bush started this in 07

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22326795/

 

There was a thing on yahoo that I saw and its now pulled but the guy they put in charge for the gov was a 30 year old college grad...........................................

 

best response in the thread right there

 

Yes. It used to be Central Ford on Westheimer then they moved several years back. Their lot has never been full, but now its worse than ever.

 

wait until you see 7.00 a gallon gas!!!!! Obama says he will make sure the little GM cars sell. He intends to do this by taxing larger cars to where you cannot drive them. He is going to post a high tax on gasoline.

The only thing wrong with that is when the working man quits buying gas and cars. Gas price will fall just like it did this time.

This country is heading in the same direction as SOUTH AFRICA into the toilet.....


That is if 2012 does not get it.....