Posted on 01/25/2011 7:05:06 AM PST by SeekAndFind
FLINT, Mich. – General Motors has a shot at being No. 1 again.
The resurgent automaker reported Monday that its worldwide sales last year came within 30,000 of beating Japanese rival Toyota, which took a big hit because of safety recalls.
GM is hiring, producing more and basking in a better reputation for quality. It expects to sell even more cars and trucks this year, putting it within reach of the title of biggest in the world — an honor it held for 76 years before losing it in 2008.
Regaining the global lead means a lot to workers on the assembly line in Flint, a town devastated by years of auto industry job losses. Just two years ago, they didn't know if their factory or even their company would survive.
Dana Rouse, a union official at the pickup truck factory here, called overtaking Toyota the Heisman Trophy of the auto business.
"We're going to take Toyota on, and the people in Flint are going to be a part of that," he said. "This is the birthplace of General Motors. We kind of take it a little more seriously than maybe some other towns."
GM executives say they are focused on keeping customers happy, not on the title. They remember the company's disastrous recent history, when it sold cars at a loss just to hold on to market share.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
You can KMA!
And yet another way to report this situation: “Toyota Number One, GM Still Number Two”.
Mike
“AP reporting on government motors and quoting union members? How can you doubt it? “
Lol!!!! Exactly....
“So your wife works for the Government?? Buy the way since you brought a GM car, you are supporting Obama..”
WHOA! I think you’re crossing the line there, don’t ya think? Not everyone who works for GM is an Obama supporter.
I have a friend who retired from GM 10 years ago and is conservative to the core and was ardently opposed to the UAW and the Democratic Party.
I don’t agree with what happened to GM, but there are many patriotic Americans who work/have worked for that company and it is simply unfair and not right to automatically assume that people who buy GM products are Obama supporters.
For the record, I also drive a GM product: an Oshawa, Canada-built 2008 Chevrolet Impala LS and I love it! Spacious and very fuel efficient for a larger car, averaging 32-34 MPG on the hwy, all the time.
“We have and will continue to buy Toyota for the rest of our lives.”
Yep. Toyotas and Hondas are still the best cars out there today, though I get the impression that some of the Korean cars are almost as good, certainly better than GM crappola.
GM passenger vehicles have always sucked and it’s pretty evident they always will, right up until the moment GM goes bankrupt for real. The “new” GM is behaving exactly like the “old” GM. With a shortage of new models, GM recently “rebranded” their pathetically failing and miserably made GM Daewoo cars as “Chevrolets”. So they attempt to make up for having no engineering with slight of hand. Hey, say goodbye to the old GM; say hello to the new GM!
Me neither. That's why my next pick-up truck is gonna be American: a Toyota Tundra, not some Mexican piece of crap like a Dodge Ram or Chevy crew cab.
Gad, the spew of lies coming from the Administration is just too much. Those skunks tried to do in Toyota, and I bet it was just for this headline. Planning ahead.
Gad, the spew of lies coming from the Administration is just too much. Those skunks tried to do in Toyota, and I bet it was just for this headline. Planning ahead.
LOL...everything becomes a propaganda event for this team...
...and good luck selling more bonds.
Oh! let me guess, the unions buy them but the government will hold them as security on the “peoples” investment.
BWWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
NIPS???? How racist!
“Those skunks tried to do in Toyota...”
They certainly did....and the media was eager to assist.
RE: Yep. Toyotas and Hondas are still the best cars out there today, though I get the impression that some of the Korean cars are almost as good, certainly better than GM crappola.
For those of you living in the cold Northeast, I can recommend the 4 wheel drive SUBARU OUTBACK or FORESTER. Great for all weather driving and MADE IN Lafayette, Indiana.
I’ve owned two of these gems for 6 years and NEVER had any problems. Who says Americans don’t make quality cars anymore?
You're not too bright, are you...
And then Tom Krisher, AP hack for liberals, woke up. His sheets were soaked.
I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER buy a GM car...you got that, Tom? You got that Obama? Toyota, yes. Ford, yes. Any NON-BAILED OUT company? YES. Hell, I'll drive a VOLKSWAGON before I buy any GM product.
I believe most car and truck purchases are by governmental units. The UAW can scratch my family off as potential customers.
I might buy a ford, but a Government Motors and Dodgee cadre car, no thanks and I don’t believe this tripe for a moment from the state run media.
Of course, the Chinese and other foreign markets are very strong, but for those sold here, they are mostly financed by GMAC and other “Bailed Out” banks. They are backed by Federal money like Fannie and Freddie were before 2008. The very same thing that caused the crash in the first place is being accelerated into hyper drive.
These 40 thousand dollar vehicles on 8 and 10 year finance contracts will come crashing down hard and fast when the economy really tanks. These “sales” numbers are all smoke and mirrors, as the so called “profit” they have made. GM/Chrysler is the first Fed backed ponzi scheme in Auto industry history!
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