MaizeNBlue

February 2nd, 2010 at 5:51 PM ^

I got to drive a Fusion for a few days while it was in limbo, so to speak...though, of course, I could never afford one for myself, someday when I can I'd love to have one. What a smooth handling ride...

WolvinLA2

February 3rd, 2010 at 12:26 AM ^

I'm going to disagree with your assertion that GM has a long way to go. There are a number of new Chevy vehicles that I think are very sharp and compete with the Japanese very well, the Malibu, the Traverse, the Equinox, to name a few. Also, the Buick cars are way ahead of where they were 5-10 years ago. I would love to drive a LaCrosse. Cadillacs have been sweet for about the last 5 years (all of them) and GMC has always been good, for the most part. I agree that Ford is on the upswing, but the GM line is close behind, if not just as good. Plus they have Howie Long.

ShockFX

February 3rd, 2010 at 12:43 AM ^

GM should no longer exist today. Neither should Chrysler. They survive by the grace of the taxpayers (who didn't want to save them in the first place). GM still hasn't brought in anyone to fix the problems. I don't think the chairman that oversaw everything is going to now be able to solve the problems.

HartAttack20

February 2nd, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^

My dad's company car is a Ford 500. Plain and simple: It's not good. Not very comfortable, pretty cheap interior, you can see the hood denting as you drive on the highway, etc. They just weren't thinking when they made the car. I guess the only positive I have about it is that it is very roomy. The new Taurus, on the other hand, looks pretty solid. That's a car I'd actually consider buying, although I won't. I'll stick with my Civic for a while.

WichitanWolverine

February 2nd, 2010 at 5:11 PM ^

Two years ago I leased a 2009 Acura TSX (which is Honda's luxury division for those that don't know). With Honda's reputation, I was unpleasantly surprised as the car seems very cheaply made. Anyway, I'm glad I didn't buy it because I think the American companies are starting to turn things around and I will proudly buy an American car when my lease expires. Right now I'm leaning toward a Taurus or a 4-door Wrangler.

VectorVictor05

February 2nd, 2010 at 9:01 PM ^

The 500 was a disaster to put it lightly...however it was put out pre - Alan Mulally as CEO. It's not an exaggeration to say pretty much EVERYTHING about how that company operates globally has changed since then. Mark it....Mulally will end up in the CEO hall of fame (if there was one). What he's done with Ford since being brought in has been impressive.

Plegerize

February 2nd, 2010 at 5:26 PM ^

I love to hear this because I just got a 2002 Windstar from my grandma over last summer. Great van, purrs like a kitten, and it only has 80,000(!) miles on it. Problem is is that the geniuses who built it gave it a 26 gallon gas tank and an 18 MPG fuel efficiency. Beyond that though, even though my grandpa worked for Chrysler and my family has traditionally bought Chrysler, I will probably invest in a Ford next car I buy, just because I like what they're doing.

VectorVictor05

February 2nd, 2010 at 9:07 PM ^

I wouldn't call him shrewd.... Yeah he has cut costs across the board, but Ford (like most automotive companies) was bloated and inefficient. Just because he streamlined their global business and leveraged their massive scale doesn't necessarily make him shrewd. CEOs bounce from industry to industry all the time. Boeing and Ford are both manufacturing based...not a big jump.

ShockFX

February 2nd, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^

"Just because he streamlined their global business and leveraged their massive scale doesn't necessarily make him shrewd." What else, exactly, would you expect him to do? Or are you just going to nitpick the use of the word shrewd?

VectorVictor05

February 6th, 2010 at 2:27 PM ^

I suppose I took his use of "shrewd" to mean his goal was short-sighted cost-cutting as opposed to simply being a good businessman. So yes, I was nitpicking in a sense. I was hoping to point out that he not only cut costs globally but set Ford up to be successful and quite possibly the industry leader for many years to come (read vision for long term success).

Noahdb

February 2nd, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^

I've been a loyal Subaru driver for years, but I test drove a Ford Escape Hybrid last week and loved it. I'm 37 and this is the second time as a consumer that Ford has made a car that had me thinking, "Yeah, I'd like that." The last time was when the Explorer first came out. So...twice in 20 years. Not too bad.

number63

February 2nd, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^

I thought for sure Ford would file for bankruptcy last summer, so I stayed away from them and instead bought a shitload of Citigroup and AIG stock. Not a bad decision, but neither stock has increased as much as Ford's has.