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02 July 2009

What Kind Of Cars Should GM Make Now? Good point. As US taxpayers now own GM, we should have a say in what type of cars they make. [More:]
I want a Fiat Cinquecento. I had to leave mine behind in Blighty when I came to the US. It was the best car I ever had: nippy at traffic lights, could park it on a dime, got 48-50 miles to the (UK) gallon (40 mpg US equiv.) and cost less than $10,000 with power windows and central locking. And it was so cute.
I want something like a SmartCar, but I wanted it to be priced accordingly. The actual SmartCars are the price of a real car, even though they're about 1/3 of a real car. I want a SmartCar at 1/3 the price of a real car.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 02 July | 23:43
Shareholders don't have a right to dictate operating decisions. They have a right to vote for board members, who can hire or fire management. And there will a significant minority ownership position in GM, so the government can't force GM to do anything that would harm those shareholders.
posted by mullacc 02 July | 23:47
Aw mullacc -- you burst my bubble ... :-(
There I was, thinking that for the first time since I came to the US I could buy the sort of gas-frugal, cheap car that we have had in the UK for 20 years. Every time I go back to the UK, I fantasize about smuggling a supermini back in my suitcase.
Oh - and TPS - I'm right with you on the SmartCar. Why oh why oh why are they so expensive?
posted by Susurration 02 July | 23:57
Wait, corporate governance isn't fun? :(

I want a car with a pod you tow for your mother-in-law to sit.
posted by mullacc 03 July | 00:20
≡ Click to see image ≡
posted by jonmc 03 July | 07:28
The should build something like the Honda Fit but I doubt that they can. I've had mine for a few weeks and it's almost the perfect car: fits four big adults, mileage over 30 MPG, really fun and sporty to drive, hatchback so you can load lots of crap into it. And it's a Honda so it's built like a safe.
posted by octothorpe 03 July | 07:44
They should bring back the Chevy Luv.

≡ Click to see image ≡
posted by box 03 July | 09:07
I vote for bringing back the Geo Metro. ≡ Click to see image ≡

You can tell it's the deluxe model by the black stripe glued to the side of it.

My dad had one of these for many years in this FLAMING NEON GREEN color that was one of the 4 options the basic model had. (Along with black, white, and some weird ass purple.) It was quite sporty, got something ridic like 40 mpg, and while it was tiny, it had enough room for all of my family to fit in it comfortably. I was even able to lay across the backseat and sleep on long trips.

I miss that car. (It was totalled when a drunk teenager ran a red light in her parents Grand Am. That was totalled too.)

But other than that, I'd like something like a Smart Car (because they're so cute and huggable [which is what I call them whenever I see one]), but I'd like it to be a little more sturdy than plastic. And a helluva lot cheaper.
posted by sperose 03 July | 09:27
If they're going to bring the Metro back, I want it to be the Metro convertible.

≡ Click to see image ≡
posted by box 03 July | 09:32
Jonmc, that is indeed a beautiful car, and based on a GM prototype if I'm not mistaken.
posted by doctor_negative 03 July | 10:22
I vote for "cars that don't suck". But then, people with actual money have been buying their sucky cars for years, so the incentives are all messed up.

(Seriously. I live in an (ex?) GM town, and people here used to believe that foreign-brand cars were being bought out of a shortage of patriotism. Not, say, higher gas mileage and lower maintenance costs.)
posted by stilicho 03 July | 11:04
Independence Day Readiness Committee || They're coming for you, essexjan.

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