GM Blog Cop: "I'm Not Saying We Haven't Made Some Mistakes"
As readers of our General Motors Death Watch know, GM e-rotweiler and junket dispenser Christopher Barger thinks TTAC is WAY too negative. At least we're not double negative. Check out the Director of GM Global Communications Technology's response to a CNBC poll. Phil LeBeau asked readers to choose one of four culprits– management, unions, SUVaphilia or Toyondissan– for GM's sagging stock price and rapidly declining fortunes. Barger sent a "now hold on a god damn minute" email to LeBeau which tells us exactly how GM's spinning their [death] spiral: it's the economy, stupid. "In fact, these economic headwinds are taking their toll on virtually every American business and industry — and consumers from all walks of life too. Singling out one company for criticism when the entire economy is struggling seems a bit unfair, don't you think? It's kind of like blaming one person for being out of work when unemployment is on the rise." ( Tell that to Honda.) There's a lot of B.S. to wade through, from GM strengthening its brands, to the fact that the automaker sells eight (count 'em eight) hybrids, to "our products can go toe-to-toe with anything on the market today." Barger's central message: fuck the past. "I think it's more constructive to look forward and to try to continue improving things, don't you?" As the old saying goes, those who don't learn from history have a bright future in corporate PR.
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This comment is unrelated: I can't seem to locate the e-mail address that sends directly to Robert Farago's inbox. If anyone has it readily available to share, please let me know. I've seen it posted before, but can't seem to find it. I'm sure I've just missed it somehow. Thanks.
robert.farago@thetruthaboutcars.com
holydonut : You need to get your facts straight on several fronts. "From 1995 on the company (Mazda) just got hammered with one bad decision after another. It took Ford coming in to save them". Fact: Ford has had a controlling interest (33%) in Mazda since 1984. And Ford had a strong hand in Mazda's product and marketing miscues that occurred from that time until the development and launch of the Mazda 6. Since that launch, Mazda has flourished because Ford left them alone as a byproduct of their distractions with other ventures Jag/Land Rover/Aston Martin/Volvo. Their success is a testimony to the power of LESS Ford management. Your post concludes with the question: Who will save Ford? Given all of the Ford products in the mid-size segment that are built around that Mazda 6 platform (Fusion/Milan/MKZ) it seems Mazda is doing all that it can to save Ford.