[URL]http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080916.007/ford-wishes-gm-a-happy-100th-anniversary[/URL]
Na, Ford have a nice little 8 valve Kents they robbed from the Anglia's they could not sell in the USA in the '59 powering each of their offices . Apparantly the little motors produce a whopping 10kw each I think in these modern times Ford and GM need to unite against the massive amount of far east imports stealing their sales. However as impressive some of the new Kia's are Ford and GM always seem to be one step ahead in Europe at least.
Or they could just buy their way in... Ford had a major interest in Kia, but when Kia went bankrupt they were outbid by Hyundai. Meanwhile, GM bought Daewoo (hence now marketed as Chevrolet).
or, Ford and GM could just do a 5 year warranty across their range, unlimited mileage. That would scooby Hyundai and Kia in a flat second.
And stop fobbing people off with $hite cars. I had a Vauxhall Zafira as a hire car last week, drove it 400 miles. What a truly dreadful car! The real shame is that the car bits are pretty good... chassis is reasonable, with little roll in corners and decent grip, well judged against ride comfort. I think it could do with slightly softer compression damping and slower rebound, but then again there was only me in the car - laden it would probably be fine. But it's the cabin where it all goes disasterously wrong. Leave aside the horrible quality of some of the bits of trim... Why have they changed the way indicator and wiper stalks work?! It wasn't broke before, but now it is! The handbrake is stupid (aircraft throttle style) - you get used to that, but putting the cupholder in the middle of it so you can't use the handbrake when there's something in the cupholder?! Then the armrest that either covers up the handbrake (and cupholder) or you bash your elbow against when using the handbrake... And the noise. My head has just about stopped ringing (to be fair, wind and road noise weren't too bad... it was just the god-awful diseasel engine that never sounded anything less than John Deere). The seats are flat and unsupportive, shiny bits of trim reflect streetlamps in the windscreen (fireflies!), etc, etc, etc. Most of this stuff that's wrong is designed in - it cost them money to come up with the idioticator stalks, silly handbrake, etc when it's all so unecessary. The scandalous part is that a more comfortable, more economical, quieter, smoother, higher-specced, more reliable, more spacious honda accord tourer diesel was less than £1000 more to buy new. I'm not sure that it's Hyundai and Kia that GM have to fear... it's themselves.
The Vectra MK1 was a classic example of bad design, the electric window switches under the hand brake :shock.
It's nothing new AT. When a company allows a rear anti roll bar from a rear engined car with swing axle suspension to be left out during production after working out that in x years they will save x millions (even after law suits resulting from accidents) you do indeed have to wonder how much loyalty they deserve from us. I don't understand your beef with Far Eastern imports into US. The customers must like something about them.
I don't have any beef about far east imports, other than Ford et al have to work hard to compete with them. I assume you're talking about the early Corvairs?
my leccy windows are on the drivers door ....just nicely in totally the wrong position for ease of use. funny as my old escorts were ideal yes I drive a ford, thanks for that Isaac!
Your wording ie "Ford and GM need to unite against the massive amount of far east imports stealing their sales" that gave me another impression. IMO Ford and GM should be as competitive towards each other as against foreign manufacturers. Yes.
