http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/02/f...e-ev-sedan-sa/

 

Interesting article. I wonder how much is not for the cameras?

On another note whos chest are we advertising in your avatar? Its beend distracting me for a couple of days now.

 

I got that picture from video from one Serbian song. Basically, you can see eagle with two heads (on the chain) which is a Serbian symbol.
And number 3 (three fingers) is also Serbian symbol. It started as a Serbian symbol during the wars, but now it just represents Serbia in general.

 

Oh, I didn't notice the chain or the hand sign before.

 

I noticed the eagle as a Serbian symbol Zoran, wasn't sure about the hand sign, but let me tell you, neither of those two things are what the majority of us are focusing on when we see your avatar

Arin approves

 

 

Didn't Mulally promise a return to profitability by '09 a couple of years ago...?

 

Ford was profitable at the start of this year, it crashed back into the Red when the loan market locked up as part of the financialpocalypse. Had the market not gone all 1929 on us they'd probably be even or ahead for the year,

 

Didn't know they'd seen ANY profitability this year. If so, then that bodes well and Mulally ought to make that clear to Congress on the 10th.

 

He was trying at the last hearing, but the people asking the questions were too interested in getting their "I hate Bailouts" or "I hate unions" talking points on TV to listen. Of course, when the financial market comes to town it's friggin a stampede to the nearest ATM.

 

GM claims it will be out of money by the end of this month, and right now, there's nowhere near enough support for an auto bailout in Congress (the votes aren't there). As if that weren't bad enough, in a recent survey, 6 out of 10 Americans oppose any bailout for Detroit.

Right now, this guy...



...is standing over the shoulders of the Big 3.

 

I just cannot believe how many "Americans" and I use that term VERY LOSELY don't support helping one of our VERY few manufacturing arenas get back on its feet. Why is auto manufacturing so different from F'ed up banks and loan institutions that BLATANTLY gave out billions in loans to people who could no more make good on them than the man on the moon?? The **** BANKS are what put all of us in this situation. The banks and the politicians for not WATCHING the banks more closely. Does everyone just magically think that things would be just fine now if credit hadn't dried up and people closed their wallets tighter than a ducks rear?? The US auto makers have been hit with several unpredictable situations this year. First, it was the fuel. Gas that went from $2.35 to $4 a gallon almost overnight. Yes, we know we were heavily dependant on the SUV and truck space. They get that now. Its a little late but they're fixing it. What they COULDN'T foresee is the huge credit crunch and people losing their jobs in droves. The other important piece is leasing. This really shows you how many people can actually afford to BUY a car these days. Without leasing, most people can't go near a dealership.

I strongly believe that ignoring the big 3 and letting them become the dead 3 will cause economic problems in this country that are unpredictable and could quite possibly destroy our economy. It will at very least cause it to stall. For how long who knows. America is at a crossroads. We need to relearn how to make stuff here. If we don't, we're going to be everyone's *itch real soon and that doesn't bode well for any of us.

 

BTW Zoran, thats a nice set of yabos no matter who's they are.

 

The answer to your above question is painful, but simple: the fact is that the loss of the American auto industry would seriously damage the US economy, however...

...the loss of major banks would devastate the financial system...and completely CRIPPLE the US economy.

The financial system always has to be shored up first, because without it, loans don't get made...the kinds of loans that big manufacturers use...like Detroit.

That said, I fully support a Big 3 bailout (though I'm not sure I care if Chrysler survives, frankly).

 

I also support it with all the big 3. including Chrylsler.