I completely agree with what Xan said. The UAW and others are out of control. But I think there's a problem with the product, too. The union issue is a great measurement of expense, but the cars aren't selling, period.
American cars are generally much better quality than ever before. Yet they continue to be plagued by the perception. It's a cliche, but perception is reality. Even though the new Chevy Malibu is supposedly a great car... Camry's and Accord's have been great cars for over 10 years. It's hard to chip into that kind of brand in a few years.
Also, frankly, American car design is absolutely the pits. There are some brights pots, but in general, the whole move back to retro with the charger, mustang, etc., was a huge mistake if you ask me. Their middle sedans look like a dogs ass. GM and Ford are a step behind the Asian and German imports.
They also don't have any signature cars like, say, the Prius. Love it or hate it, and you can debate total cost of ownership, but the Prius has the sticker with the incredible gas mileage. There is no American car with that kind of ownership of.. anything.
Having said all of that, even Toyota posted a loss for the first time ever, if I recall. It sucks to be at the bottom of the pile, though.
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