Talk > Automotive Social > GM to take back #1 position.

GM to take back #1 position.

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DETROIT — General Motors Co. is on track to retake the title of world's top-selling automaker, riding strong sales in the U.S. and China to beat Volkswagen and Toyota.

GM, which lost the crown to Toyota in 2008 after holding it for more than seven decades, won't release global sales numbers until later this month, but it's on pace to finish 2011 at around 9 million cars and trucks, at least 800,000 more than its German and Japanese rivals.

Read more: »www.timesunion.com/business/arti···j6MS55WH

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I guess for GM it's more about quantity over quality... Same old thinking that got them in trouble the first time.
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My Blog 2.2

reply to Lurch77
They were down for the count, gasping for air and the free market was stepping on their throat. Somebody just had to be a hero.

We are all the worse for letting them live.

reply to Gbcue
Say what you want, people are buying them. They just make what people buy. Isn't that what any business tries to do?

But they should have been dead already, any other business would be dead... and do not kid yourself, saving GM saved no American jobs, so don't use that line.

I'd also like to know what they are selling where.

I wasn't going to bring anything like that up. I'm not here to defend GM. I don't own one and probably won't anytime soon. I just posted an automotive new story for social discussion here.

But since you bring it up, and seem so positive it saved no American jobs, I have to ask you, where do you suppose the approximately 65,000 American workers would be if GM had shut down? Were you planning to hire all of them? How about the trickle down effect when a plant closes? What of the small businesses that support the plant with services and products? What about the businesses that are supported by the employees of those plants?

Even my little city here in northeast WI would be directly impacted. We have a wire harness company that builds product for GM. There's a couple hundred people right there out of a job. You tell my friends and family who were stressing on whether they were going to have a job or not that it saved no American jobs.

GM was never in danger of shutting down. They were facing bankruptcy which would have allowed them a do-over on some union-related costs, supplier agreements and debt.

They would have continued to churn out popular vehicles, but at a lower cost - to the public and the taxpayer.

Honest question here. Why did they take the money if they could have done that? Did the government force it?

Free money, avoids making tough decisions, no union acrimony.

Business as usual, except on our backs.

reply to Lurch77
Weather related victory for GM. Toyota will take it back next year.

reply to Lurch77
Recently while driving I got to thinking how I haven't seen any new Vettes on the highways like I use to.....in the past seemed like with each new model year I would always see a couple while I am around and about...

This led me to eye ball the newer cars on the road...nothing scientific of course but just taking notice of new or quite new vehicles I see and what make they were.

In the passenger car segment I would say more new Fords then any other line....I would say it is at least 5-1 more new Ford cars on the road compared to GM. more Fords then GM, Chrysler and even Toyota....

For pickup trucks Ford again appears to be the winner in my eye ball test...with Chevy a close 2nd......Toyota Tacoma I also see on a regular basis but not the Tundra. Use to see quite a number of Frontier's but like the Vette, rarely see any new ones.

As for Chrysler seems their minivans are still popular but don't see much of their car line on the road except for an occasional Charger or Challenger.....see the Ram trucks but no where as many Rams as Ford or Chevy Pickups....but there are tons of new Jeeps I see.....probably more then any other brand of vehicles....the Grand Cherokee and am noticing more and more brand new Wrangler's on the road..seems the new engine and automatic transmission they dropped in the new Wranglers is a huge hit....but Jeeps always sold well before.

Yet ford isnt near number one. Just means you have a good ford dealer near you. take it to the bank. Next year will be toyota followed by GM. I think VW is down for the count.

reply to Lurch77
Say what you want, but GM has turned the corner on both vehicle design and quality. We own a GMC Acadia, and I'd put it up against any other crossover in the category - including Acura, Lexus et al.

It's a great vehicle - well built, well equipped, good quality materials, and it hasn't given us a lick of trouble.

I had the opportunity to drive a Chevy Cruze recently, and I was duly impressed. I'd put it right up there with the Civic, Corolla, and Focus.

They're no longer laggards; modern GM vehicles are quite competitive and can stand on their own merits.