http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/ Autoblog Comments for GM sells Subaru stake to Toyota http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
Of all of their partnerships, they get rid of the best and most attractive partnership to their biggest competitor? I think I'm almost ready to sway over to the "GM is hopeless" category. They seem to always do a few things right, then turn around a do something *really* stupid. Somehow I detect more super-short-term thinking.

At least they've still got Suzuki! (pure sarcasm)]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
next in the chap 11 line for us industry is tire and rubber and aviation.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
The Trailblazer-7x should have been the final insult. At least Ford is smart enough to give it's Swede some freedom.

Give Saab engineering back to the folks that made it such a cult favorite. There are a bunch of folks still driving their 900 Turbos hoping that they'll hold together until Saab returns to their roots.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
1. improve the reliability of subaru cars
2. improve the interiors
3. don't touch their boxer engine and don't mess with their proven awd system.

imagine a wrx branded as a lexus with a nice interior and reliability to boot. I would sooo hit that.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
I think this is a good move, it provides a quick infusion of cash that can be used on R&D for new products, allows GM to keep focus on core brands and also shifts the Asian pfroduct soiurcing to lower cost markets such as Daewoo in Korea and even China.

As for the crossovers, the Lambda platform is near the end of development, with the new AWD Satrun Outlook headed to dealer by the end of next summer, with a Buick and GMC to follow.

Not to mention a 2008 AWD crossover built on the Epsilon II/Cobalt platform for Chevy.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/" Meanwhile, Toyota will benefit from access to Fuji Heavy’s underutilized manufacturing facilities, especially in the U.S., as well as key technologies such as advanced lithium-ion batteries and all-wheel-drive powertrains. "

Why the hell didn't GM do anything with technology it now used to own???

]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
I think this is a good move, it provides a quick infusion of cash that can be used on R&D for new products, allows GM to keep focus on core brands and also shifts the Asian pfroduct soiurcing to lower cost markets such as Daewoo in Korea and even China.

As for the crossovers, the Lambda platform is near the end of development, with the new AWD Satrun Outlook headed to dealer by the end of next summer, with a Buick and GMC to follow.

Not to mention a 2008 AWD crossover built on the Epsilon II/Cobalt platform for Chevy.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
I can't believe Subaru is happy about the Toyota deal though.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
I'd like to see Subaru and Toyota collaberate to make a car that makes the 2007 Nissan GTR wince :)
]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
On the one hand, I'm happy that GM will have less bearing on Subaru's future, on the other hand, I have mixed feelings about Toyota getting into the picture.

Toyota is definitely a better company than GM, but they are more of a marketing company than an engineering company. They make some decent cars, but try as I might, I can't ever quite picture myself in one.

When I needed to replace my dying Integra last April, I thought about checking out Toyota, but they don't make anything that I want. The closest thing that I would be interested in is the Prius, but those are impossible to test drive and I've heard enough bad things about the way that they handle that I'd rather not go there sign unseen. (My must-haves in a car is good handling and a hatch.)

I think the problem with Toyota is that while they do make decent cars for getting from A to B, they generally don't really understand the soul of a driver's car. They are for people who want an appliance with four wheels and that gets them where they want to go, not for people who enjoy *getting there*.

I guess my biggest concern is that Toyota might be tempted to fiddle with the Subaru formula and make it into an over priced and dumbed down product. I don't see anything wrong with cars like the Camry or Corola for those that want an appliance with wheels and no feel, they're just not for me.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
The Trailblazer-7x should have been the final insult. At least Ford is smart enough to give it's Swede some freedom.

Give Saab engineering back to the folks that made it such a cult favorite. There are a bunch of folks still driving their 900 Turbos hoping that they'll hold together until Saab returns to their roots.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/Dec 18th 2005 10:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/10/05/gm-sells-subaru-stake-to-toyota/
$700 million is chump change for God-awful Motors. They already have a war chest $19.8 billion ready to squander on useless projects.

Are they hurting that much from their first quarter loss of $1.1 billion brought on by a $2 billion payout to Fix-It-Again-Tony? Yeah, they paid $2 billion for the rights to nothing (wish I could've got a piece of that action).

Also sounds similar to their questionable purchase of Daewoo. They left droppings big enough there you could drive a Mac truck through. Toyota almost scooped them up, or did they? Nothing like padding the competition's coffers when you're looking for an easy exit strategy.

Huh? Who said that Ricky's looking to saddle up with a different dance partner? The writing's on the wall...and Suburu is a nice gift gesture for the soon-to-be newlyweds. Yikes!]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:49PM