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Another clear demonstration of 50 years of General Motors mediocrity and desperation

Michael Samra,

It's wonderful to see a car company so desperate they have to dramatically demonstrate that their products 50 years later are better in at least one aspect. With GM, the improved aspect can't be engineering, innovation, styling, ergonometrics, economy or styling, but at least they understood how to comply with Federal safety mandates- the very mandates the Big 3 spent $100's of millions lobbying against. So, bravo Chevrolet, your cars are actually legal for sale in the U.S. You can bet their safety patent applications were done in crayon.

And, this cheap stunt is perfectly American to make the demonstration expressed in the most violent event a car is likely to encounter. They should have shot both cars with a .45, except the 50-year old Chevrolet would've won hands down.

Now, if The Big 3 could only design a modern car that anyone liked instead of having to revival cartoon editions of past successes like the Camaro and Mustangs. And the Corvette and Viper continue to be international embarassments- anyone who knows cars from the EU sees those two as Red Neck Expresses. Sure the Viper Engine makes 500HP but- it's a ridiculous 8.3 Litres, is from a truck, is a two-valve pushrod and weighs over 700lbs. If you take power to weight ratios to establish efficiency, An 8.3L BMW M-engine would be 950HP and weigh 500 lbs. Even though they're trucks and dead simple, Vipers are said to be the least reliable cars ever made. The Corvette, too, is still a crude, plastic car from 1985. They should've made the Corvette what the Audi R-8 is, but they know the customers don't care about handling. Anyway, innovative styling that makes a total break with the 1963 Sting Ray would've lost the rich trailer trash market, ie. 95% of the customers.

General Motors and Chrysler both should have been allowed to sink to the bottom of the sea. And, we may as well let Ford slip silently into the night and import our Fords from Europe- they have better designs and build quality. There is one glimmer of hope at Ford- they learned enough from the European Ford Mondeo to use in the new Taurus that they may save themselves.

Still, I never thought I'd see the day when American cars became so irrevelant, childishly, subpar, and obsolete.

Still, a Honda Accord has more American content than the Malibu, so perhaps the U.S. can eventually accept immigrants as citizens and take pride that at least some quite good cars are assembled here. If we're good, maybe the Chinese will give us jobs when their car industry takes over the world- which it will in about 15 years.

I commiserate with you, and thank you for bringing the video of violent misery to our attention, but it's still too sad to see this video cry of desperation from a once great industry.


Cheers,

Bambi B


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