Why General Motors Should Die

Let me count thy ways...

(We'll for the sake of expediency ignore The General's historic lack of control over its dealer network, allowing dealers to provide horrible customer service for decades, if not outright occasional fraud.) Let's just focus on product, and review why I think GM should die:

1971: Chevy Vega - what can I say?

1972: Chevy "LUV" Pickup - Isuzu Import, with frames beginning to rust out while still on the boat. One of many foreign cars rebadged and sold to customers who believed they were buying "American".

"Badge Engineering" - sharing the same car between low and high end product lines

1976: Cadillac Seville (redressed Chevy Nova) - worst example of badge engineering

1979: Chevy Citation - subject of government lawsuit

Orphans: Opel, Geo, other imports dumped and unsupported with parts and service

Late 70's "Slantback" Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs - styling disasters

Substituting Chevy engines in Oldsmobiles without telling customers = lawsuits

1981 Cadillac 4-6-8 engine - engineering disaster

1984 Pontiac Fiero with "Iron Duke" 4 cylinder engine - engineering disaster

1970's-80's GM passenger car diesels - engineering disaster

1982: Chevy Cavalier - cheaply designed, cheaply executed

1980's Geo Metro

1980's - First generation Saturns

1999: Cadillac Escalade

2000: Chevy Aveo

I could go on and on about how GM took a generation of children who grew up in '57 Chevys and destroyed their faith in American automobiles. No matter how good their cars may be now, or in the future, their negligence to the USA consumer will not be forgotten. GM can't turn the clock back, and there's no way forward.