Posted on 09/28/2007 6:17:37 AM PDT by vietvet67
DETROIT: General Motors solved one problem this week by reaching a deal with the United Automobile Workers. Now it hopes its new Chevrolet Malibu will help solve another - winning sales and market share back from its Japanese rivals.
For years, family sedans have been a lower priority for GM and the other Detroit automakers. They focused instead on big trucks and sport utility vehicles, which earned tidy profits, while letting Toyota and Honda dominate the less-lucrative market for cars.
But the best days for those big vehicles have passed, and GM is eager to break the Asian stranglehold on midsize sedans, with a redesigned Chevrolet Malibu set to go on sale Nov. 2 that it views as its most important vehicle in years.
The company is spending $100 million to introduce the new "Bu," as executives call it, significantly more than it has for any other car in recent memory. It has to invest heavily, experts say, in order to make a dent in the market led by the Toyota Camry, the country's best-selling car for the past seven years, and the Honda Accord.
"It's tough to get the broad American public to reconsider an American car in that price class," the vice chairman of GM, Robert Lutz, said at an industry conference in northern Michigan last month. "The Camry and the Accord have established, and justifiably so, such strong brand value, which means that you've got to have a really outstanding car."
While the Malibu may be improved, so is its competition. This month, Honda began selling a redesigned Accord sedan that is bigger, more powerful and more luxurious than previous versions. The Camry and Nissan Altima were also overhauled last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Jaguar certainly needed an aggressive warranty, to overcome their rightfully acquired reputation for nightmarish quality issues, same as Hyundai.
Lexus RX/Toyota Harrier/Toyota Highlander. Sorry about that.
“Oh, I completely agree. The styling on the imports have been just as boring and uninspiring.
There have been a few American models that stand out (Ford Mustang, Ford Fusion, Chrysler 300, Cadillac STS) but, for the most part, they have all the styling of a jellybean.”
The shame of it is, GM and Ford have some pretty nice looking cars for the European market that for whatever reason they don’t sell here.
GM does as well, yet they don’t have one.
SMART people minimize their expenses on transportation, which is a cost center, not an investment. Camrys and Accords will do that, but the up-front cost is considerable. Consumer Report will tell you how to manage it at a lower price point.
No, we’re all the lowest common denominator.
I live in my home, not my car, and I prefer something efficient, reliable, safe, and comfortable for the occasional long trip. I don’t care too much about styling, though I do think the average sedan (Accord/Camry/Altima) looks nice enough.
I’m reminded of the people in high school who lived in a three-room trailer but had a pair of shiny new Trans Ams parked out front.
Do you find it "telling" that no one else offers it, either? The Korean makes have made tremendous strides in less than a decade, as far as build quality and styling, but the truth is, resale is hideous on Hyundais and Kias. It becomes absolute bargain basement, after that vaunted warranty expires. That warranty was a necessity, in order to overcome the resistance to an off-brand make, as well as the really crappy first generation Hyundais with the cardboard interior door panels.
The overall proportions are beetle like and rather doughy. There is no integration of either the tail or headlights aside from their outer edges following the adjacent fender contours.
The wide, smooth surfaces devoid of surface development are intended to appeal to a risk averse mentality, making the odd front fender bulges look all the more tacked on.
The front grille is a really inspired egg-crate affair that just reeks cutting edge, and the slight curve above the badge seems like another tacked on detail.
In fairness to Toyota, any car designed to be the best selling model in America cannot afford to take any risks. However, I would never nominate the very vanilla Camry as anything approaching a prime example of automotive design. The Altima, on the other hand, has been very well designed for a while now, lest anyone accuse me of bias against the Japanese.
“Do you find it “telling” that no one else offers it, either?”
Toyota and Honda have a reputation for quality, so they’re not under the same pressure to up their basic warranties. Like Hyundai and Kia, GM has to make strides in convincing people their cars will go the distance. So while the 100,000 mile powertrain is a step in the right direction, GM’s basic warranty of 3 year/36,000 miles is still insufficient.
I’m with you. I just bought an 84 BMW 6-series coupe for $4k, and it is so worth it. You couldn’t pay me to drive an Accord or a Camry or whatever this nondescript new Chevrolet thing is.
Not while it’s in the shop!
That particular Jag XJ model was panned in the European press, for having way too much American influence from parent company, Ford Motor Co. They particularly disliked the front end restyle, comparing it to a Mondeo (Contour in the US).
Here’s what one writer had to say:
“I happen to like vanilla ice cream. Especially those premium kinds from the companies with the fancy names. But “vanilla” has another meaning in Webster’s Dictionary. If you look it up, the word “vanilla” is also listed as an adjective with descriptions like “lacking distinction”, “plain” and “ordinary”.
Many people use that adjective to describe the Toyota Camry. It may be the quintessential family sedan, but it is also a prime example of a plain, ordinary, generic car. People who buy a Toyota Camry do so because they feel it is a safe choice. They know that it is a car that does everything right, lasts seemingly forever with only basic maintenance, and doesn’t call attention to itself. Camry owners think of themselves as sensible people with good taste who make smart buying decisions. They are generally not automotive enthusiasts and consider their car as another appliance just like their refrigerator or vacuum cleaner.”
The fact is that mass market products ARE designed for the lowest common dominator. That does not mean the car is not well designed, but simply that it is designed to be bland. Previous Camrys were just that but I think that Toyota’s designers took it one step further with the latest incarnation. it is not hideous, IMHO, but just a tad homely this time.
And these damned windshields ... ya sit up straight, all you can see is the sun visors. There's enough room from the firewall back under these slanty windshileds to put another bench seat!
Put out a $15,000 turbo diesel sedan with ABS, A/C, Rear wheel drive with a decent transmission and American cars could take back the world and raise fleet mileage to 35 mpg.
OK, Honda Accord is great car. But Mom doesn't need a $30,000 120 mph cruiser to go to COSTCO!
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