The vehicle that GM, Ford, and Chrysler could have built, but didn't. Why could Mazda see the trend toward smaller vehicles, but nobody else could? It's because the management of GM, Ford and Chrysler are fat, lazy, and stupid, that's why!





http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/cont...ampaign_id=yhoo

gm ford and chrysler have no one to blame for their demise but themselves

Yet another good article about the moron currently driving GM into the ground:



http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/15/news/compa...rce=yahoo_quote





I particularly enjoy this quote:



"Wagoner likes to say that nobody could have foreseen the spike in oil prices that made GM's old business model in North America obsolete. But he might have picked up a report titled "In the Tank: How Oil Prices Threaten Automakers' Profits and Jobs" that was produced by research operations just a few miles from GM's headquarters, in cooperation with the Natural Resources Defense Council.



It predicted that "sales, profits, and American jobs are at risk if Detroit automakers continue with their current business strategy in the face of higher oil prices."



That report was published in July 2005 - exactly three years ago."



And this one:



"Wagoner also likes to point out that GM decided not to market gas-saving hybrid vehicles until very recently because there wasn't a significant market for them.



That didn't stop Toyota (tm), which started work on what became the hybrid Prius in 1993 and now has a stranglehold on the hybrid market.



Great companies must anticipate events and trends, not react to them. That's particularly important in a long-lead-time industry where new models need four years or more to move from the drawing board to the showroom."

yeah the 5 is hot! that small car style will be pretty much the way to go for now

I love our 5. We just got back from North Carolina (~8 hours each way) with 4 adults and a kid, and still had room for all our luggage for a 5 day vacation. Handled great on the switch backs, and got 25 mpg.



We bought ours in February '06, just after they started offering them. Just recently I've started to notice a bunch more of them on the road. I used to wonder why more people didn't have them, you get a lot for $20k. I guess people finally started to take notice.



I'm jealous of the new armrest additions and the leather option, and I like the front end, but the new wheels and the taillights look nasty.

In europe they have 3 other similar style vehicles the Vauxhall VXR (5 door) the Ford something or other and the Mercedes Benz B class. **** like that gets eaten up over there but over here doesnt sell for ****...

i find 25 mpg on the highway offensive.

Yeah, that is kinda pathetic. Even my MPV, loaded, with it's huge 3.0 liter V6 gets 24 or 25 on the highway.

yeah basically. the only gm/ford/chrysler vehicles we see out here are trucks/vans.

my evo 9 is hella roomy and has avg'd 28mpg on the highway...did cost a tad more then 20k but id rather have it then a 5.



5's are like mazda's deformed stepchild...as far as working on them goes. but the only problems they seem to have are some frontend noises and EVAP leaks.



I dunno tho, I'd rather just buy a mazda3 hatch or the mazdaspeed3 hatch, both get better mileage then the 5, and imho, look better.



speaking of mazda's got to see and drive the '09 mazda 6 today. it's not too bad, frontend styling definitely will take getting used to and they borrowed a lot of mercedes' lines in the rear and rear 1/4 sections.



kevin.



kevin.