Holy cow, GM calls it quits!?
Lost in nostalgia: Et tu, GM?GM is writing its memoirs and the company wants you to help. Much like Chysler, GM is hoping to resurrect nostalgic feelings of the glorious past by asking GM fans to help them write their memoirs.
Memoirs? I thought that's what you write before you die?
Wow. GM has to have one of the smartest marketing departments the world has ever seen. Seriously. Instead of focusing on how GM is going to lead America out of the dangers of foreign oil dependency - an incredibly difficult task no doubt - GM is trying to drive buzz about the future by focusing on its gas-guzzling past? That's just brilliant marketing, and I bet it works marvelously.
I can't wait until GM puts that kind marketing genius into selling their customers on the importance of ending foreign oil dependency by buying slightly more expensive 'freedom-fighter' hybrid cars and electric vehicles. Won't that be the day?
Labels: GM, Hybrid Vehicles
posted by Dahcredyns at
10:31 AM
8 Comments:
Dahc....
Which brings me back to what I have said all along...companies such as GM, Ford and Chrysler just need to disappear.
These companies have produced nothing but trash...complete and utter garbage products that have, mostly, collectively pissed away a good portion of our most precious energy resource.
Let's think about it...all these issues around the world...ALL OF THEM...all these people who have died..tens of millions....all the pollution that has been created...so much so that we are in dire dire problems...and for what?
So some douchebag suburbanite can drive in their Escalade or Hummer or X5....is this what we consider to be the smartest animal on the planet?
It's truly truly pathetic.
GM needs to completely and utterly disappear.
Wow, Dahc... I'm surprised by your response. So you think we've "quit" all of our work on the Volt? You think that we're not doing anything else to bring fuel cell technology to the market? You think we've stopped working on hybrids altogether? Just because we're acknowledging that we're 100 years old and asking people who were part of our history to tell their stories?
Do you really think that all the technologies and efforts we're undertaking are just over? (You know about these efforts, because I've personally seen to it that you had access to our top execs, brought you in to see concepts, talk to engineers, etc.)
We're turning 100 this year. And while the vast majority of our celebration IS focused on the future of transportation and the role we can play in it -- do check out www.GMNext.com, because it is devoted to that future -- there's no reason to pretend that the last 100 years didn't happen, and that we're 1 this year. Are you really suggesting that we not acknowledge our history at all, not do anything whatsoever that acknowledges the hundreds of thousands of employees who worked for us, or the things we managed to achieve in terms of safety, for example? (Seat belts were our innovation, to name one.)
Rather than commission some coffee table book by some outside author to mark the century, we chose a wiki that would allow the people who were there to tell the stories themselves -- good, great, or even not so good.
I don't think that signifies any less focus on future innovations. I don't think that indicates -- at all any intent to not move forward with solutions that reduce dependence on and use of petroleum. And I guess I'm kind of surprised that you're taking it that way, since we've tried to show you what we're doing -- even at the developmental stage -- with hybrids, fuel cells, and range-extended electric drives... you've talked with our engineers, you've seen the developmental vehicles, you've had the chance to ask every question you wanted. I would have thought you'd have a better sense of where we're going.
I respect your passion towards where the future needs to go. I agree with where the future needs to go. I just disagree with your thought that one cannot simultaneously prepare for (and create) the future while acknowledging the past. (Have you ever celebrated New Year's Eve, perhaps?) And while I absolutely respect your right to have a different opinion, I kind of take issue with your headline about us "quitting," because it just ain't so, and is pretty misleading.
If you want to participate in conversations about the future of transportation, go to GMNext.com, where we're hosting many opinions -- among them, those of Chris Paine, director of "Who Killed The Electric Car?" -- on what the future needs to be.
If you want to talk further about our future efforts, you have my e-mail... and as always, we're happy to bring our execs and engineers and designers to you by phone or in person to talk about these projects.
christopher-
of course i don't think gm has quit one bit.
truthfully, i probably wouldn't have made any post on this memoir subject if not for my earlier post on the dodge challenger, but it is what it is.
and, yes, the title is probably unfair, but it was meant tongue-in-cheek.
still, for anybody that reads this, i'm very strongly considering the Saturn Vue dual mode hybrid - a GM hybrid - as my next vehicle, dependant upon price. I think the Vue hybrid is going to kick ass.
nonetheless, i didn't always believe in gm. many times in the past gm was the enemy. sometimes gm still is.
it wasn't until i actually got to meet people at gm that i realized how much i actually cared for gm. how much i could believe in gm.
it wasn't until i heard the
passion of NUMEROUS engineers working on the Volt and some of gm's dual mode hybrids that i realized how passionate many at gm ARE about solving the problems of the future.
i'm still advocating for gm and until gm claims failure on the volt - which i don't believe will happen - i'll keep advocating for the volt, but not without some occassional criticism.
gm reinspired my faith in fuel cell vehicles as well, another thing i'v defended on this blog.
likewise, i've defended the volt numerous times on this blog and been ridiculed numerous times for defending the volt and gm.
today, i stand by every defense of the Volt that i've made.
A couple of weeks ago I stated, "Vehicles like the Volt are more than hype, they are a call to action. Numerous GM fans - gas-guzzling SUV fans - are clamoring and demanding that GM build such vehicles as soon as possible - this pressure alone makes the Volt hype worthwhile.
Moreover, Toyota execs have welcomed the Volt because the competition and attention that it brings, such as new suppliers, new innovators.
Today's Volt hype is a small snowball rolling down a mountain, but it's only going to gain momentum and, as it does, it puts more and more pressure on automakers to build such vehicles while educating consumers about the need for such vehicles.
Ultimately, the psychology of the consumer needs to change and even Volt hype can be a vehicle for such therapy."
I made this post because of the psychology of the consumer.
Memoirs reinforce old beliefs and perceptions, in my opinion, not new visions of what the future could be, can be, should be.
Did I take too critical of a view on the memoirs? Did I dwell too much? Maybe. Right or wrong I probably went over the top.
Still, I fully acknowledge that gm is hamstrung by a goverment that has artificially surpressed the real cost of gasoline for far too many years - something i've been writing about almost every day - which has created consumer expectations that just don't fit the real world - in my opinion.
Is GM fully responsible for that reality? Not by a long shot.
nonetheless, unfortunately, i'm placing much of the burden for this reality on gm anyway.
yes, i am holding gm to a higher standard, almost an impossible standard - i admit it. but, it's because gm is the most important automaker in america - in the world right now.
i honestly, 100 percent, believe that america is at a crossroads, and how we move forward today is going to significantly impact the future.
because of that, i want gm to accomplish the impossible, to defy reality, to reach the moon when everybody says that reaching the moon is impossible.
as impressive as gm's history is, nothing would be more impressive than having gm lead the charge against foreign oil dependency, and nothing might be more important.
and, i honestly believe that if gm put its marketing genius into ending foreign oil dependency- and gm's marketing is genius - gm might be able to change the way america thinks about the automobile.
if we wait on the government, it isn't going to happen. if we wait on consumers, it isn't going to happen.
in my opinion, gm is possibly america's last, best hope.
and, to be quite honest, i'm not sure i'm confident about america's chances, not because gm is going to fail, but because we're all going to fail - consumers, government, industry.
so, yes, i've placed on unfair burden on gm's shoulders, because america's future might be completely dependant upon GM's ability to think FAR outside-of-the-box - almost an impossibility in today's world for ANY automaker.
and, while i believe that gm is serious about addressing the challenges of the future, those challenges cannot be addressed fast enough, are not being addressed fast enough.
and, yes, no other automaker is addressing these issues either, but you're gm, you're the General.
i'll keep defending gm, and i'll keep pulling for gm, but i'll also keep pushing gm as hard as possible - not just to push gm, but to hopefully make gm fans and critics realize how important is the task at hand - gm's task - of ending foreign oil dependency.
america desperately needs gm, even more than i think america, and even gm, realizes.
maybe i didn't do a good job of expressing that sentiment in this post, but that was the motivation behind this post.
Christopher,
Save the nostalgia for someone who really cares.
We don't need retro crap to celebrate anything. We need solutions to problems that are facing us TODAY.
We don't have time for bleeding hearts and times of yore. If GM can't produce...it needs to be canned...pure and simple.
noz-
as always, i share your angst.
yet, as much as the Big 3 are blameworthy, I still cannot let politicians and consumers off the hook. there is plenty of blame to go around.
also, if there is no hope for the future, then why even go on living?
thus, i have to have hope that industry, government and consumers will change. they MUST change.
therefore, i do truly believe that gm is a critical piece of achieving that change. but it will be almost impossible for GM to achieve much if politicians and consumers don't wake up.
if gm stopped making large suvs, for instance, toyota would simply fill the need. that reality cannot solely be placed upon gm.
then there are the politicians, well, let's not even go there.
in the end america desperately needs a new gm, and gm has shown me - as chris stated - that they are laying the groundwork towards accepting this future.
has gm done enough? no. might the volt, for example, just be for show? maybe, but from what GM has allowed me to witness - no way.
ultimately, i truly believe that gm understands our angst. i think they even agree with most of our angst.
can they really do something about resolving our angst?
i believe they can, but its not going to be easy. in fact, as i've stated before, if consumers and politicians don't get their collective heads out of their butts, gm might not have a chance.
Thanks, Dahc - and believe me, I do respect both your passion and your criticism of us; I'm the first to acknowledge that in some cases we've deserved it. And while I'm sure some will dismiss this as corporate spinning, I genuinely welcome the higher standard you are holding us to now, and the higher expectations you have of us. Please keep holding our feet to the fire... I know we're genuine in our efforts, but we need people like you -- and even people like Noz, in his own way -- to remind us of why what we're working on is so important.
Please don't think that I intended for you to retract your criticism of the history project; that wasn't my point. I just was concerned about the "quit" part of your headline and post -- which you've already acknowledged -- and that's why I wrote.
As for not believing us in the past, again I'll concede that there've been reasons not to. I understand that we have to earn people's trust even before we can earn people's business. Now, I genuinely believe that we can do that and are in the middle of doing the things that will get us there, but at the same time I think we need to recognize the skepticism and address it. We can't pretend it's not there, and we can't react with indignance. We have to just keep trying and keep working and keep researching and make sure everything we're working on comes to the market. And I hope that eventually, we earn both your business and -- more importantly -- your trust. Not because of words writtten in response to a blog post, and not because we try to keep you informed of our efforts... but because we've brought the products to market that you and other consumers demand, those that will truly affect the environmental impact of the automobile.
Despite how it might have come off, I do love that you are keeping the pressure on us. And I don't mind taking criticism or heat when folks think we have it coming. I just wanted to make sure that you and your readers knew that we're not quitting anything. We're as committed to these changes as you'd like us to be (Noz won't believe me, but that's okay, we're just going to have to work even harder to prove ourselves to him), and I honestly believe we're going to play the role you passionately are calling for us to play.
But don't let us off the hook. Keep demanding progress, keep expecting results. It's on us to live up to your expectations, so I appreciate you continuing to make sure we know what they are.
And thanks for your posts and responses. I appreciate the back and forth.
Chris--
America's relationship to the automobile and to energy consumption is dysfunctional.
And, like any dysfunctional family, dysfunction cannot be resolved without communication, especially communication with those you disagree with the most. So, I'm glad to be a part of that communication because I do truly believe that America is going to have to come together in a way - politicians, consumers, and industry - that hasn't happened in a long time, if ever, if America is to get a real grip on our energy problems.
More important, I look forward to holding GM to a higher standard and, hopefully, watching GM meet those expectations.
A successful, foreign-oil dependency fighting GM would be far better for America than a failed GM.
Hi Dahc,
I'm afraid I can't let Gm off the hook that easily.
I can't judge Chris personally as I don't know him so I'll simply take what he says as face value for the corporation itself OR someone who loves GM for some ungodly reason. So it's nothing personal per say.
However, what Chris says is complete utter corporate rubbish. It's textbook...it's demeaning and treats people who really see through the BS like children....it's "Calm down kids, let's wait and see what happens because we really care about you.
Absolute nonsense.
So how does GM respond by producing results NOW???
1) Redesign the H3 hummer.
2) Redesign a V8 Camaro.
3) Bring over a Holden V8
4) Keep building previous Hummers, Denalis, Suburbans and other V8 and V6 cars.
5) GM's HUGE PUSH for Flex Fuel Ethanol which is now fast becoming the same injectable "heroin" replacement for fossil fuels??
Five bullet points probably covers the bulk of GM's ludicrously narrow minded products.
What do they do in return that's green???
1) Promise to bring a reduced Chevy Aveo...we've yet to see this. I'll venture to say that if it were an SUV, we'd have already seen this car on the roads. Is it this hard to for GM to bring such a small car into the works, perhaps place a hybrid powerplant in it?
2) The Chevy Volt...I really laugh out loud about this one. When and if this "thing" comes to fruition, it'll be so out of date compared to the next gen Honda's and Toyota's that it would be better for the planet for GM to NOT waste further precious resources building any.
Chris says that GM is genuine in what it's doing...yet it needs people like us. Just reading this statement makes me think just how genuine he really is. If you really care about something and really want to make a change, why would you need people keep to cheer leading you on? That's utter nonsense.
You know why? Because someone would say something like this because they really don't want to change but they are forced to. "It's me not you" syndrome. In other words, if there was no public outcry and if GM's image wasn't so bad, they'd be happy as a whistle making those Hummer turds all day long.
While most consumers are like children in their mental capacity (just look at all the insecure, egocentric SUV drivers out there as one of many examples), some of us do think...some of us really are sick and tired of this nonsense and feelgood tactics that these oil and automotive firms are now pitching...such as GM's new commercials about their "environmental" line up of cars...of which none worthy mentioning exist. OR that absolutely ridiculous commercial by Chevron that tries to make everyone think somehow they are now working FOR us instead.
Honestly, we don't have time anymore for GM or other companies that have lied to us for years and years to recapture people's trust.
We need companies that lead..not play catchup. We need companies that look ahead, not look back and build retro garbage. We need companies that have the vision and take the risks to develop new technologies. Honda is bringing the FCX out...while it won't make a huge difference...they took a risk...it may pay off in the future. They have small engines available to us, they have small cars available to us. They've been doing it for years because they realize it's a good thing and they've made it profitable in ways GM could only dream of.
GM does not deserve to have another chance. It's had many many many missed opportunities that been INTENTIONALLY missed. Not by accident. By purposeful decisions and I'm sure some malice in mind...i.e. knowing full well what effect their products have on the environment. If GM denies that, then it's even worse shape than I thought because NOT being aware means they really have no clue.
You won't get sympathy from me. GM's track record speaks for itself...if it were person, it would be a criminal behind bars pleading to get out.
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