GM began to counter the rumor and rabble with its Facts and Fiction site. Now they've gone a step further and introduced a video series called The Case for GM. The introduction video is by Christopher Barger, director of global communications technology, telling us that the series is meant to address your questions, and letting us know that the series will provide answers and insight from a large number of GM "team" members.
The second vid is from top guy Rick Wagoner, answering the question "What do you say to those with concerns about GM's future?" Let us be clear that we applaud the effort GM is making to speak to the public. Nevertheless, this video highlights the problem: Wagoner doesn't say anything. At least, nothing we didn't already know. He talks about growth in emerging markets, and hybrids are out, and GM is excited about the Volt and the "electrification of the vehicle," and how GM's design team is showing its reignited passion for cars and trucks. Yeah, so...
This also highlights the difficulty with the idea itself: how much can GM say? They can't talk about future product, they can't give away their technology R&D, they can't commit to revealing anything we don't already know. It would almost be better if they just took the day's latest bad news and said "This story isn't accurate, and this is why...," giving us any examples they could. What we would love to see is if they did a series of videos that took cars in GM's lineup and compared them side-by-side with competitor cars and showed us "This is why the GM product is as good or better."
But we realize that would be a bit unfair. Not even Toyota or Honda is going to do that. But GM says that they want this to be a dialogue, so Autoblog readers, why don't you let GM know what you really want to know -- keep it constructive, remember! -- and maybe you'll get some of your questions answered. We have little doubt that GM can win -- but we would rather see more concrete answers on the showroom floor.
[Source: GM Fast Lane Blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kaptain75329 @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:14PM
Like the Ford Bold Moves videos, these are essentially commercials. Nothing really new to be found here because the Legal department keeps a short leash on everyone being filmed.
I felt more pity when Elian Gonzales wagged his finger on national TV, telling his dad he was staying in America, while everyone watching saw how obvious it was that he was being coached and reading off a script. Pretty sad.
Still, I'm likely to watch these anyway - maybe they'll do what Ford did and finally acknowledge publicly what people have been saying about them for years. I won't mind if they hype up the Volt, but it's over the second they flash that Chevy G3/Pontiac Aveo/whatever.
RG @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:15PM
The second place finisher in searching for a title:
"For the love of God, Help Us!!!"
Was shelved due to unknown reasons.
Rob @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:16PM
I feel like this is for a large part, a waste of time. Please stop making silly decisions, and selling sub-standard vehicles. Put new tech (efficient tech) like direct injection in the majority of vehicles, and stop selling them for cut-rate prices. Even their most recent push has them a generation behind many other auto makers. The G3 is another demonstration to me that they are in it for the money, and little else. Please suprise us GM.
Christian de Saint Preux @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:03PM
Couldn't agree more.
I mean... the G3? Why haven't you guys updated the V8 with DI? With VVT/DI you could make the Escalade have 1) more power and 2) more fuel efficient. Top that to the hybrid system that is top notch and you have a VERY green vehicle...
What happened to the dual cam in block engine you guys had? Lots of technologies that don't see light of day.
Justin @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:38PM
Anyone see that special on MSNBC a month or so ago? It was all about GM. Pretty informative and balanced, I thought.
No Welfare for GM @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:08PM
Balanced? Under Wagoner GMs stock is down 75%, there no justification IN THE WORLD why he stills has this job.
Not only he has his job safely and securely, he makes almost 17 million dollars a year too.
TyWright @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:54PM
Wagoner should go. GM is beyond disappointing in every way. He's not the right guy.
Tool @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:04PM
Question for Rick Wagoner:
What will it take for GM to finally tackle the problem EVERYONE knows needs to be addressed, which is too many brands, too many dealers, too many models?
How do you propose to continue to be in business with this 1950's business structure, when GM could be much more effective with a more focused portfolio consisting of Chevrolet, Cadillac and perhaps one additional mid-market brand (i.e. Saturn)?
And a follow-up: If the US taxpayers are going to bail you out to the tune of $50 billion, as you propose, what are you going to do differently? What makes us think you aren't going to blow this capital, too?
BoxerFanatic @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:09AM
I agree completely with your follow up question. and I answer...
they aren't going to do a single thing differently. They haven't so far, and they have had all sorts of market impetus telling them to do so, for decades.
If they did something differently, they wouldn't need a bail out.
The government is the same, only worse, as is the banking industry. No turning point, just transference. Money to them, liability to us.
The government isn't going to lower spending, or fix what they have done to incentivize and cause these abhorrent practices, They are merely going to assume control, and pass the cost to the only source of government revenue, the taxpayer.
The bankers are going to continue to ask for more money to be printed, and more bailouts to shore up their instability.
Welcome to the new world. Where freedom is bought and sold without your consent, or true representation. Or just not allowed altogether.
GM doesn't deserve anything they don't earn, same as anybody else. The longer we ignore that, adds to their, and our own peril.
TPSA @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:29PM
GM is running out of the room its always had in the past to walk away from its mistakes. Continuing to shell out millions in warranty payments to dealers to fix cars with substandard build quality: a big mistake. Badge engineering a G3 from an Aveo badge engineered from a Daewoo, small mistake but compounded into a bigger one and for what gain? CAFÉ compliance is the only one I can think of.
Use the resources you have left to engineer and make attractive, high quality cars that match or exceed Toyota especially when it comes to environmental impact. The Volt is a great start but will it be the company saving home run the General thinks it is when Toyota brings its plug-in Prius to market before the Volt? Too much of what GM’s does (including the Volt) feels like playing for time until the crisis passes and you can go back to old bad habits.
If you’re really serious about saving GM, kill Hummer and sell/kill (probably kill) Saab and Saturn. It’s painful but saving a slimmed down GM of Chevy, Cadillac and P-B-G is more realistic than propping up dead brands that divert time, energy and talent.
This way, poor Rick Wagoner won’t feel compelled to make anymore hostage tapes.
JZeke @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:52PM
A dialogue with a Chimpanzee would probably be more productive than one with an executive at an aging corporate megalith. At least the Chimp would give you a hug after. The exec is going to leave you hanging, as always.
Chase @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:40PM
The introduction video gave me a pit in my stomach. That idiot deserves to be fired. In 20 seconds, he exemplified why GM has sucked.
1. He separates "friends of GM" and "other people." This makes the "other people" stop listening the moment it was uttered. What kind of sense does that make -- GM should be trying to get these "other
people" to listen.
2. The whole message of this new series, according to that guy, is
that "everybody is wrong about GM." -- The failures of GM came from
somewhere, so if it isn't GM's fault, who's is it? Let me guess: "the
other people"
3. The guy looks and acts like a sleazeball. Honestly, this isn't his
fault, but it is the fault of whomever decided to feature his opinion
(which is actually probably the same guy). The least he could do to
try to connect to the web-audience (its a blog for pete's sake) is
lose the suit.
---
Honestly, I'm excited by GM's newest cars, but these execs need to
just shut their traps and try to blend into the woodwork. They are
boring and their ideologies are selfish (and thus GM suffers in the
face of public opinion).
PJ @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:57PM
It pains me to think about how much money GM has spent on PR campaigns like this--which essentially boil down to "here's why the market is wrong for not favoring us"--over the past ten years. $100K? $500K? It's all money they could have put towards replacing the Cavalier sooner, getting the Astra here before the competition caught up, importing the Corsa instead of the Aveo, etc. etc...
When Nissan and Mazda were struggling with slipping sales and lack of brand identity in the 1990s, guess what they did? They *made better cars.* And they didn't only sweat the details on one or two models, either. I can only imagine how stubborn and out-of-touch these execs must be to think that their energy is better spent arguing with the customer.
Chance @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:40PM
If the Big Three aren't making vehicles that people want to buy, and making poor business decisions they should NOT be bailed out. It's not the taxpayers responsibility to pay for any business screw ups. And before someone says it's not taxpayer money, it is. When the government borrows money and prints more money to be given away, it weakens the value of the dollar...hence taking money from those who have it.
Cameron @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:00PM
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
This month's Motortrend has a handling test that features an American-branded, turbo 4-cyl, FWD sporty coupe.
Think about that.
When was the last time a totally stock American-branded FWD car was mentioned with the words "good handling" in the same sentence? Same paragraph!?
Sure, it placed last, but it was also the cheapest car in the test, based on an aging economy car platform. I think the SS team did a great job with what they were given.
AB posted recently that GM is upping production of the Cobalt SS to meet demand, and to me that is excellent news, the kind of news GM needs, and the kind of news Americans as consumers need to hear to keep rebuilding GM's image as a company capable of building good cars that people want and can afford.
Mobius1Fox2 @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:28PM
"This isn't designed to be one way, we do want to hear from you."
Leave a post...
"You're comment is awaiting moderation."
Awesome. (cough-sarcasm-cough)
Driver X @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:44PM
Rick...spend time in a showroom talking to your dealers and sales representatives. You might learn something. You have improved quality but your product direction needs some serious help. Most products are going to need a facelift before they hit showrooms because they have been paraded around for 3 to 5 years. Let's talk!
blogged to death @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:36AM
Rick earned $1M per minute of his only 14 minutes of real work a year. Thanks Ricky - for leading GM to a 35% market share slide since you took the reigns working with Lutz to pretty much make your small car range an afterthought while you tried the "cut your way to prosperity" and cared about only one thing GMT 900 derived profits. Who'd a thunk (well most other auto manufacturers) that gas would eventually go up again and people overextended on credit and upside down in their SUVs would want to get better than sub 20 mpg.
Wagoner - the smartest guy in the room.