Reader Steve B. brought this article to our attention in his comment over at the “Toyota feels Hyundai breathing down its
neck” post.
A mixed reaction, writes Naumann, was felt by consumers over General Motors and Ford’s offerings at the San Jose Auto Show last week. Some interviewed said either they
felt “pride” buying American vehicles (“I believe in America. I think they make good cars.”) or
felt no brand loyalty. (“Brand for me is actually not important…Safety comes first, then price.”)
[More after the jump]
Then there were consumers who, states Adam Simms, owner of Toyota of Sunnyvale, felt “downtrodden” as they
enter his dealership to buy their import vehicle, finding it hard to believe their decision. (“I just bought my
last Chevrolet.”) Naumann points out that many people who think they’re buying an import (like the Volvo S40
pictured) are actually purchasing from a domestic manufacturer. (Volvo is owned by Ford Motor Co.)
Finally,
the article hypothesizes the impact GM declaring bankruptcy would have in such industries as electronics, a major
source of income for Silicon Valley.
With all the new vehicles unveiled at the North American International
Auto Show, are the San Jose Auto Show visitors’ opinions still on the money?