[robchalmers]

I'm confused and stunned by Lutz, but i agrees with the statement above 'students/beer' in someways I'm glad Opel/Vauxhall are being seperated from GM it will give them chance to succeed. The issue I see is one repeated throughout this thread.
1. everyone wants as much for as little as poss -size, power, gadgets etc but everyone including us euros do
2.there is no selling the benefits of a a more economic car it doesn't have to be a tiny,slow crampt rattle box. there are family station wagons/sedans (fusion size) out there (most with links back to US Manufacturers) that do 45-50MPGus. I as much time and effort went into selling those instead of atruck bursting through an exploding building or out of a airplane -you never know they might sell better.
3. Saftey Big isn't always safest - trust me seen the data and the real life accidents I've seen a 2/3 head on between a renault modus (tiny french super mini) v's a Toyota tundra - guess which came out worse?
4.Quality, I know above this there are threads knocking VW, but as a VW employee- in quality they are leaps ahead of the GM EUROPE ideals, which when I was there were considered by some as excessive by GM US. At work I don't think (would have to check)we've bench marked a US car for years in terms of quality (granted different perceived market) but from the cars I've driven in the US its just surreal, I mean the trailblazer I had in Houston had about 97 miles on the clock - the dash was loose, arm rest was creaking the carpets didn't fit..... there was a whole list of things that wouldn't be release out of a GM europe factory -then again I'm a proffessional picky B*stard!!!
5. Fuel+CO2 seriously $3/ gallon!!!!!!!!! at we're on a $6 gallon here!!! if that was the case in the States, firstly there would be a coup, but secondly there would be a long cold hard look at the EPA figures. Next, Tax we have a system that every year we buy our road tax (pays for maintaince etc of roads so we're told) and thats based on the CO2 kick out , more CO2 more cash, anything sub100g/km is free!!!!!!!

I've decided to I think I'll stop pondering the US market it just seems to be completely polaric compared to the rest of the world!