Easter Time

Off for the weekend doing Easter stuff. Couple of new articles planned for next week. Unless one of the other contributors does something up, nothing new till next week!

The 10 Best GM Vehicles Of The Past 25 Years

The bottom 10 was an easy task. The top 10 not so much. In no particular order, the 10 vehicles that GM should use as templates for future success.


First on the list, and probably a controversial choice for many. Even myself now that I think about it. Yes, the new generation GTO isn't the best looking sports car on the market. But it's also not ugly. Actually, it has a lot of Euro influence that one wouldn't expect from a Pontiac. The real point of the GTO lies in 2 letters and 1 number- LS2. And yet another number- 400. As in pound feet of torque and horsepower. Add in a very un-Pontiac interior and you've got a hell of a deal.


In 5 years, when Saturn goes and makes a larger vehicle than the Aura, and everyone starts going off on how great it is that an American company can make a vehicle to compete with the larger offerings from the Europeans, someone should just point at the Aurora and say, 'you wasted 15 years when you had this already'. So revolutionary that Oldsmobile was scared to stick an Oldsmobile logo anywhere that someone would see it. Sadly was left to rot on the vine as Olds sunk into oblivion.


The C5 Corvette was pretty good. The C6 Corvette is pretty good. The C4 Vette was a fiberglass nightmare. One could make the argument that the ZR-1 belongs on this list (it doesn't because it was essentially a regular Corvette with a bigger motor in it). There is NO argument about the Z06 however. The performance bargain of all time, with power and handling that can put vehicles costing 4 times as much to shame. The only things missing are an interior befitting such greatness, and an exterior with a bit more spark. Perhaps the SS/Blue Devil will do that job.


Someone will no doubt say that the Fiero belongs on the '10 Worst' list. For the first few years of its existence, they'd probably be right. Towards the end of its run however, the Fiero was a fantastic little sports car with fantastic looks to back it up. Ahead of its time in many ways, and unfortunately axed far too soon. Imagine if Pontiac had kept up with the idea and the design- I'm not saying it could have changed the future of the brand, but it could have changed the future of the brand.


Equal in almost every way to the Japanese competition it was created to beat, and better than it in many ways, the first Saturn SL was a great little car that actually had something that very few economy cars had and will ever have- cachet. Bolstered by its 'newness' , plastic dent resistant panels, and a dealership experience that bordered on being too cheery, the SL was also a spry performer with great handling and a willing although buzzy motor. It helped that the styling was not your usual jelly bean import mishmash.


Godzilla in luxury sedan disguise. Replace the mesh grille and the huge wheels and brakes with stock components, and no one would know what was about to hit them. The CTS-V is such an impressive performer that it will make you forget just how chintzy the interior is or how much the rear axle hops on abrupt takeoffs. Just relax and enjoy the LS purr. Not exactly your traditional Cadillac... or your traditional luxury car reallly.


I can remember how mythical the Grand National was when I was growing up. A house down the street had one parked outside all the time, and the owner would detail the thing every Sunday before taking off down the street to who knows where for his Sunday drive. We were too young to really know it then, but the guy had a collectible on his hands. Big, black and menacing- the Grand National was more or less the official vehicle of Darth Vader. And it had the performance to back it up. It didn't matter if it was just a really tarted up Regal- it hauled ass.


Along the same lines as the Grand National, the Impala SS of the 90's was another Frankenstein experiment from GM that went perfectly. Yes, it was basically a police spec Caprice with a big LT1 motor under the hood. No, it didn't handle especially well. Yes, it was still a hoot to drive. Get it in all black and you could argue it was the spiritual successor to the Grand National even. Today we have a FWD blandmobile Impala that excited no one. This Impala was the antithesis of that.


Bet you didn't see this one coming. Oftentimes people have accused me of hating the Aura. It's not that I HATE it, it's that I don't think it's as good as the leaders in the segment. That being said, it's the best affordable midsize sedan that GM has made in 25 years. World class engine and transmission, comfortable ride, and semi-lux styling. Not to mention an interior that is leaps and bounds ahead of its platform mates, the Malibu and the G6. A winning combination.


Last but not least, the unheralded champion of the Caddy lineup, the SRX. While the new Acadia/Outlook/Enclave get all the kudos and press, the SRX soldiers on as a perfect example of how a crossover doesn't have to have the stigma of 'minivan lite' attached to it. Motivate it with the 6 or the 8- either way it sings a great song, and the handling tilts heavily towards the car side of the 'car/truck' equation. With all the built in utility that the crossover body shape entails plus a gorgeous new interior, the SRX is a perfect example of GM getting it right on all counts.

Up next...

Toyota.

If I can find 10 bad examples that is.

4.0 HF Engine Coming To Cadillac?

An internal source is indicating that Cadillac and GM are couching a bit on the upcoming 2008 CTS. Everyone knows that the base engine will be the current 3.6 motor making 255 horsepower. Likewise, Cadillac and GM have announced that the uplevel motor will be the same engine with direct injection making about 300 HP. What hasn't been unveiled yet is that Cadillac will be receiving an exclusive High Feature variant with a 4.0 litre displacement for model year 2009, slotting above the 3.6 DI engine. It will make about 350 horsepower and will be a placeholder until the Ultra V8 can be slotted into the CTS as it moves upmarket to battle the BMW 5 Series.

What does this mean?

It means that someone has their head on straight at GM. The 2008 CTS is a porker and a half. This should help immensely.

**UPDATE**

The current 3.6 HF V6 is a sleeved 3.8 liter engine, and that would have been the obvious easy upgrade path for Cadillac in terms of getting this new motor out the door. However, an internal decision was made to move beyond the 3.8 liter size because of past associations that would come up with the soon to be extinct 3800 V6 which dates back to a time when many were still a twinkle in the eyes of their father. The same reasoning was used to preclude a 3.9 upgrade, which could possibly be confused with the 3.9 OHV found in the G6, Impala and Malibu.

Infiniti Has Seen The Future, And That Future Doesn't Include Big Trucks

With the first shots of the forthcoming Infiniti EX35 hitting the net today, there has been some discussion as to what exactly Infiniti is doing with their range of vehicles.

Once the EX is officially in the fold, they'll have 3 trucks/crossovers to choose from, and only 2 passenger cars.

Weird combination right?

Well the future plan looks like this for Infiniti-

• The EX35, which will be sporting the VQ 3.5, will be slotting underneath the FX series vehicles at a lower price point, but with almost the same amount of interior space. The VQ in this variation will be rated at 300 HP or more. There is talk of providing the 2.5 I4 engine from the Altima/Sentra SE-R as a possible EX25 entry level model. The range will compete against the BMW X3, the Acura RDX, and the smaller Lexus SUV due to come out in a few years.
  
• The FX series will move up in size with their redesign, scheduled within the next 2 years, in order to combat the newly enlarged BMW X5, the Mercedes ML series, the Audi Q7, the Cadillac SRX and the Lexus RX. Two engine options will be available again, however the lower end engine will be the 3.7 liter VQ currently scheduled for the Infiniti G37 Coupe. The V8 will be an all new engine which will be also featured in the refreshed M series, and the all new...
• Q50. The current 4.5 liter V8 is quickly being caught by the bored out VQ 3.7, so Infiniti/Nissan will be making a larger version for use in their premium models. Some thought had been given to using the powerplant in the GT-R, but it was quickly nixed as not being sporty enough.
• The horrid QX56 is scheduled to be discontinued once the new lineups are in place. It will go back to being a Nissan only model.
  

So the Infiniti lineup will look as follows-

EX25/EX35
FX37/FX50
G37 Sedan/G37 Coupe
M37/M50
Q50

Leaner and more focused for the Japanese BMW competitor.

The 10 Worst GM Vehicles Of The Past 25 Years.

The first of a series.

In no particular order, the vehicles that have brought out the worst in GM during the last 25 years, in no order:

The Chevy Cavalier that the Cadillac Cimarron was based on was a completely average car for its day. Ok, maybe a bit below average. And that works for a Chevy, especially when it tends to be cheaper than everyone else. The Cadillac Cimarron however, with its added 'Cadillac features', Caddy badge, and additional few thousand dollars in cost, was a complete joke. It would be like Lexus offering a Corolla based entry level sedan. This single product was enough to set back the 'entry level' Caddy market for years- some would say until the CTS debuted in the early 2000s.


Up first, the venerable Grand Am- specifically the most recent examples right before the name was axed from the lexicon of Pontiac. Sure, the generations preceding this one were probably worse cars, but in the end, they were dependable and ran pretty well compared to the competition. By the time this Grand Am rolled around, the world was filled with great midsize and compact sedans from Honda, Toyota, Nissan et al, and it was woefully overmatched. The first problem was that it took the Pontiac 'style' to embarassing extremes with body cladding everywhere (a problem rectified too late). The second problem was that the interior addressed the concerns about hard touch materials in GMs to a fault- it looked like the inside of a solitary confinement cell in a mental institution with it's puffy shapes and Fisher-Price design. The engine options were bleak, the quality even bleaker. Just a depressing effort in a key market.


Up next on the list is what should have been the highlight of the brand that was supposed to be the saviour of GM against the Japanese. When the Ion was released, it was to be indicative of a 'new' Saturn (haven't we heard that before?). It was bolted onto a new and better platform, and it was to be the perfect little runabout vehicle for Civic and Corolla owners. Instead, it got anemic powerplants, incoherent styling that looked like 3 different designers worked on it at once, and an interior that could arguably be the worst in the history of man. And I haven't even mentioned the center mounted gauges. Even the Redline couldn't save this baby.


In 2007, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is being touted as the saviour of the midsize segment for GM. Back in 1997, the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu was touted as the saviour of the midsize segment for GM. The parallels are chilling. After being thrashed about by the Camry, Accord and Taurus for years, GM decided to finally lift their snouts out of the SUV trough and fight back. Their solution was a vehicle that made the Toyota Camry seem like a Supra. The Malibu was atrocious in almost every way possible. The exterior was as dull as anything ever formed in metal in history. The interior was an ergonomic mess. The engines were dull and weak compared to the competition. GM basically tried to Xerox the Camry, and ended up with the equivalent of a 3rd grade tracing job.


One of the most amazing things about GM these past 25 years has been their utter inability to make a minivan that was competitive in the marketplace. Things have gotten so bad that they've more or less abandoned the segment. Everything started promisingly enough- the dustbuster minivans of the 90's were innovative in a lot of ways, and actually took the minivan paradigm in a lot of new and interesting directions. Sadly, somewhere along the way, someone at GM decided that copying was better than innovating, and we got the next generation, which were decent enough vans I suppose, but with horrific crash test scores. Predictably, vehicles meant for chauffering children around that had bad crash test scores did not play well with the soccer mom set, so a few years ago, GM refreshed their lineup and bestowed upon us the SV6/Terraza/Uplander/Relay combination of death. The elongated snouts made the crash tests scores reasonable again... but made them the most ungainly vehicles on the minivan market. It didn't help that GM called attention to the looks in their marketing, touting 'SUV looks, minivan utility'. Of course, even the latter portion of the advertising statement was a falsity, as the minivans had an interior seating arrangement from hell that made even removing the seats a chore. Add to that anemic powerplants and a chassis/platform that felt like it was from the 50s, and you had a recipe for disaster.


The next vehicle on the list is still out there. Amazingly enough the Lacrosse/Allure is still on lots. And it's being touted as 'improved' because GM is going to drop a V8 into it and call it a Super. Yeehaw. The Lacrosse doesn't make this list because it's an especially BAD car- it makes the list because it's an especially BAD car for the market it's supposed to cater to- which also explains why platform mates, the Grand Prix and the Intrigue, didn't make the list. Buick launched this thing as a Lexus ES competitor. They then proceeded to stick a 3800 V6 and a 4 speed automatic in the base models, and even offered a stripper model for the fleets. Inside had a pleasing dash shape surrounded by some of the cheapest feeling switchgear known to man and a floaty ride and handling that made you think of a mid 80s LeSabre. Even now, the notion of an OHV V8 equipped Lacrosse being a competitor to the Lexus ES350 is laughable.


The easiest vehicle to place on the list. In retrospect, the Aztek was a 'good idea too soon' vehicle- GM was on the right path with the crossover idea. It was the execution that stunk. The very first thing to note is how ugly the thing is/was. How it got past the focus groups of the time eludes me. Apart from the styling however, was just how unusable this vehicle was for its intended purpose- it was supposed to be a 'lifestyle' vehicle meant for people who liked nature, camping, etc... but the interior space wasn't utilized correctly, and in the end you were paying premium money for a funky looking minivan. And we know how well GM does minivans.


Before Art & Science, GM tried to take a different route to success with Cadillac. The idea was to use global design to save money for the company, and to import vehicles from other parts of the world for the North American market. Sound familiar? Anyways, when Opel sent over the Omega from Europe, there was a lot of hope for Cadillac as they tried to retake a market that had become dominated by the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, not to mention the market penetration achieved by upstart Lexus. The problem with all of this was that the Omega just wasn't a very good car. In addition, Cadillac saddled the first Cateras down the line with an underpowered and problem plagued V6 that turned off more customers than it turned on. In a market where Cadillac was trying to establish a foothold, they needed to come to market perfectly- with the Catera, they failed. It's interesting to note that the CTS, which came after the Catera, had a lot of the same problems, but because it didn't have anonymous styling, it succeeded in getting Cadillac back into this market as a player.



The Chevy Cavalier/Pontiac Sunfire twins are perfect examples of how GM has gotten to the point they are at in the market. Built off of old platforms that were outdated a few years prior to their introduction, they were bound to fail from the start. Oh, they sold well- very well. But almost all of those sales were the worst kind- heavily discounted, heavily rebated, and to customers looking for bare bones transportation who didn't care about their vehicles. By selling these pieces of junk on wheels, GM reinforced their image as a maker of thrift store vehicles, and that's probably the greatest damnation of these vehicles that I can conjure up.


Last but not least is the Hummer H2. Yes, it provided a lot of media exposure for GM. Yes, it was featured in every rap video of the last 5 years. Yes, it's distinct. Yes, it's a pretty good offroader. The reasons the H2 is on this list are two fold- first, it absolutely destroyed the idea of GM as a green company, and in effect allowed Toyota to take the position of a green company, and second, it truly is/was an awful machine. To the second point, it's an underpowered beast burdened by too much weight and far too high a center of gravity- not to mention the second worst interior in a vehicle ever (only behind the Ion). To the first point, the Hummer H2 brought in sales, yes, but it was also the final nail in the coffin for the image of GM as a company that cared about the environment or fuel economy. The juxtaposition of a Prius and an H2 should haunt GM execs forever, especially as they try to jumpstart the Volt project.

That's it for GM- up next, who knows. I'll take requests.

Eddie Griffin- Future Academy Award Winner?

Everyone and their mother has seen this right?

Well, this is what TMZ has to say-

http://www.tmz.com/2007/03/27/was-this-crash-a-hoax/

Roll the video and take a close look at the guy standing next to the concrete barrier. He doesn't even flinch as the car comes near. Also, it's pretty interesting that after the crash, Griffin joked it up, saying, "Undercover Brother's good at karate and all the rest of that, but the brother can't drive." This isn't the first time that one of Daniel Sadek's high-priced cars have been wrecked. During production of his movie, "Redline," two of the producer/real estate investor's expensive Porsche Carrera GTs were totaled during filming. One of the collisions was designed as a stunt. The other was an accident.

If it was a hoax, it's the greatest range Eddie Griffin has ever shown as an actor in his life.

The 2008 Cadillac STS, aka The 2008 Cadillac 'We Don't Care About This Market Segment'

Wow. Cadillac has really outdone themselves this time. After actually deciding that the luxury buyer deserves a luxury interior, and appointing the 2008 CTS and 2007 Escalade/SRX with interiors that at least look like they belong in the segments they are competing in (and in the case of the SRX, exceeding them), Cadillac has now gone and lifted their hind leg on the their flagship luxury sedan.

They've managed to make it look more boring and generic, while also making it look more geriatric via the DTS clone front end. Save me the platitudes about the familial resemblance to the CTS in the front end. It's a tenuous connection at best. Following the lead of younger brother CTS, Cadillac designers have done almost nothing rear of the A-pillar as well. But wait you say- the interior was what always needed work done in the past STS.Well there you have it. The piece de resistance. An MCE so thorough and so exciting that the entire earth is trembling beneath our feet. Surely, a new steering wheel, and a bit more brightwork was all that was needed, no? Oh wait, how could I forget the new dash shapes, that somehow make it look like Cadillac is trying to emulate the horrific new Lincoln interiors?

What's most sad about all of this is that Caddy has a perfectly good and modern new STS interior... but they're using it overseas in China right now.



Figures.

After all the brouhaha about a 'new' GM, the 'old' GM rears its head again. Add in the 'new' Buick lineup, which is essentially a bunch of V8s thrown into subpar vehicles along with huge and garish grilles, and NYIAS is not exactly turning out to be a game changing show for General Motors.

The 2008 BMW/ Mercedes/ Chrysler/ Acura/ Nissan/ Infinti/ Toyota/ Lexus/ Hyundai Genesis

Well, another embargo bites the dust. Apparently with the blessing of the manufacturer this time.

The real question is- when will Hyundai make a vehicle that has some sort of exterior styling that isn't blatantly cribbed from everyone else? Apparently they've hired a long lost brother of Chris Bangle to design the Genesis, who then proceeded to stare at pictures of every mid-range luxury vehicle on the market, and came up with this.

Things to like? A great feature set- all the luxury goodies, RWD, an available V8. No way you can scoff at that.

Things not to like? Styling that makes the term 'derivative styling' seem unique.

Not like they don't have a history of this, but with the Genesis, they're at a new low. The Sonata was a carbon copy Accord. The Amanti and XG were carbon copy Mercedes. The mini-SUVs have a lot of RAV-4 and shockingly enough Infiniti FX in them. The company simply has ZERO design credibility.

But it'll still probably sell.

Bob Lutz To The World- No Really, We're Serious, I Promise!

http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives/2007/03/gm_charging_ahe_1.html

I knew it wouldn’t be long before the naysayers came out.

We’re not unplugging anything. We revealed the Chevrolet Volt, our electrically driven concept vehicle, to much praise at the Detroit show in January. We said we knew we had a tough challenge to see it through, but that we’re committed to the program.

...

I’ve said before that this is not a publicity stunt, but it’s as if people don’t want to believe it if we give them anything short of a guarantee of Volt delivery… with an exact date, time and sticker price.

So speaketh Sir Bob The Magnificent, so proclaimeth the nattering masses that call themselves GM diehards.

When Lutz gets defensive like this, one has to laugh. For all of his business acumen and past creative genius, the man has a serious chip on his shoulder. What were the odds that he would portray the reporting of the words of HIS OWN PEOPLE as being some sort of biased mandate by the journalists of this world? Slam dunk guaranteed, and the man didn't disappoint. It's become the new mantra at GM- us against the world, even when we're the ones who've gotten ourselves into this mess.

Bob- no one would have demanded build dates and such from GM if YOU AND YOUR STAFF hadn't opened your traps about a 2010 target. No one would have reported about GM backing off of their Volt hype if you all hadn't told the press to temper their Volt expectations. See where this is going?

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you Bob. I suggest you look there first. There is not witch hunt against GM- make a decent product like the Lambdas, or a spectacular product like the Z06, and the witch hunt somehow ceases. Flap your gums in the wind like a flowing American flag, and you'll get called for it.

How GM May Have Muffed Up An Easy Win.

Concept cars are always an interesting gamble for a manufacturer. Sometimes they're legitimate sneak peaks at future vehicles. Sometimes they're pie in the sky exterior design exercises covering humdrum mechanicals. Sometimes they're purely engineering exercises. And sometimes they portend a revolution.

At NAIAS in Detroit this year, GM portended a revolution. Somehow evading the embargo breakers, they unveiled a concept that actually caught a lot of people by surprise- the Chevrolet Volt. Not only did it have concept styling, but it had one hell of a futuristic premise- the kind that portends a revolution: a purely electric vehicle charged every so often by an internal combustion engine. Such a simple premise, and yet one that hadn't been broached by the industry yet.

Theoretically, a vehicle like the Volt would erase gasoline needs for anyone travelling less than 60 miles in day. Drive it less than that, and all you'd have to do is plug it in when you got home. Easy, quick, painless. Heck, drive it 100 miles, and you'd only be using the small and economical gas generator for 40 miles. 40 miles for 100 miles is a great tradeoff no?

The problem with all of this was that, well, GM didn't preview a revolution. Yet.

Rather, they previewed a possible revolution. If things went perfectly the way they wanted them to. If battery technology got to a certain capacity point. If the battery technology got cheaper. If the battery technology increased the amount of recharge cycles it could endure. That's a lot of ifs. It's an especially large amount of ifs when you realize that in the last 100 years or so, battery capacity and flexibility has only increased 8-fold, which is rather piddling considering we've been trying to extract more power from batteries for some time now.

Of course, GM did nothing to dissuade the positive press. And why would they? The Volt did evreything they could have imagined, and more. In one fell swoop, GM became the darling of NAIAS and a feel good old fashioned example of American ingenuity once again leading the world. And read carefully- that is EXACTLY what they wanted. The press, enamored with their story, buried the news about how this was not feasible at all unless a lot of ifs were satisfied in the middle of their stories. Headlines sprung forth that inferred that the Volt would be ready quickly. Again, GM did NOTHING to dissuade this. Bob Lutz even gave interviews saying that the battery technology was 90% there and that GM should have the vehicle by 2010.

But things seem to have hit a snag.

Instead of being forgotten and relegated to the dustbins of auto shows past, the Volt idea has lived on. It's a testament to how good of an idea it is really.

And now, after all the thunder and lightning, GM is trying to cool down expectations.

From the Detroit News:

The enormity of GM's challenge was evident last week when it called journalists to a backgrounder to explain the technological hurdles facing the Volt project -- and reiterate that it can't guarantee the futuristic car will ever hit the road.

Isn't that a pile of BS? Two months ago, they had no problems letting imaginations run wild. Now, they're backing up quickly. So if Toyota/Honda/InsertBrandHere comes to market with a plug-in hybrid before GM, they will have basically advertised the idea for free at NAIAS this year. And with rumours of the next gen Prius being a plug-in, this may very well be the case. And don't even try to imagine the backlash against GM if they don't get this thing to market at or close to 2010- after the EV1 debacle, they'll be crucified. And they will have done it all to themselves.

At the very least, this whole situation continues to exhibit just how much trouble GM really is in- with no united message, and the same old 'wait till next year' approach to both their vehicles AND now their concepts, has GM changed?

The Ford Fusion 'Challenge'

When is a comparison a sham?

When is a comparison a joke?

When does advertising blur the line between honesty and dishonesty?

I present to you the latest of the 'Bold Moves'- the Fusion ad campaign which you may have seen on TV lately. The Ford Fusion Challenge. No longer content with just touting the features of their own vehicles, Ford has pulled a page out of 1985 and has decided to do the 'head to head to head' thing in a number of commercials.

The vehicles in question? A Ford Fusion SEL AWD. A Honda Accord EX-V6. A Toyota Camry V6. Hum the song to yourself- one of these things just doesn't belong here, one of these things just isn't the same...

Yes, the AWD Fusion is priced comparably to the Accord and Camry V6 models- but pitting an AWD model against FWD models is dishonest, sneaky, and suggests that the FWD model just isn't up to the task.

The most hilarious part of all the spots is the post-ad selling screen- $0 down, 0% financing, $0 due at signing... all for $249 a month. Great deal huh? Oh wait, what's that in the small print- it's for a Ford Fusion SE I4. So if someone WAS moved enough by this dungpiece of a commercial to actually visit a Ford dealership to check out this deal, they'll be quickly smacked upside their face when they realize that the Fusion that won the 'comparison' isn't even the one being advertised in the ads.

Par for the course when it comes to advertising? Probably. But still a Bold Deception.

OnStar- Thankfully, GM Is So Kindhearted.

Original Article

About 500,000 General Motors vehicles will lose their OnStar service at the end of this year as cell phone companies end analog service and switch to all digital.

About another 1 million GM vehicles are able to get a retrofit of hardware that will enable them to continue getting OnStar, while the other roughly 3 million OnStar vehicles are not impacted by the change.

...

Ultimately, GM was able to develop a fix for about 1 million OnStar customers starting with some 2002 models. Those customers will pay a dealership just $15 for the fix, if they agree to add a year of OnStar service, Ball said. GM is covering the remainder of dealerships' cost.

I can completely understand that GM didn't know what digital signal was going to be the standard when they first came out with OnStar. I really can. But designing the analog OnStar systems so that there is absolutely ZERO possibility of upgrading it as the digital standards become, well, standard, is ridiculously stupid in ways that I can't even begin to imagine. GM has done exactly one thing incredibly in the last 10 years- promote OnStar. And in one fell swoop, they're screwing over 500,000 customers, plus however many more customers don't want to pay the 15 bucks, 45 minutes, and 1 year of prepaid service to continue their service.

Just amazing.

Und Ze Coal Miners Rejoiced!

Lo and behold, yet another rental experience was upon me about two weeks ago. Due to some rookie type driving issues, I managed to mangle the passenger side rear quarter panel on my own vehicle and had to bring it in for a big of body work. The gods must have been smiling on me that day, as Enterprise was kind enough to send a not so traditional rental vehicle for me- a gleaming new VW Jetta, equipped with the base 2.5 I5 engine.

First things first- the new generation Jetta is the blandest looking vehicle on the entire planet. Spend a day or two looking at the Jetta, and a passing Corolla looks like a Testarossa. Spend a day in a Jetta, and you'll come away thinking that it would be a perfect vehicle for Greg Kinnear. It didn't help that this particular model was clad in standard issue cheapo VW plastic hubcaps, and its black exterior hid a lot of the subtle creasing that dominates the design mantra of this generation. VERY subtle creasing. About the only interesting thing on the outside of the new Jetta is the new corporate face- a genetically compromised version of what Audi brought to market a few years ago. Thankfully, VW has brought out a 'City Jetta' vehicle this year in Canada, which is more or less a previous generation Jetta with a tiny engine and a tiny price- now that's a good looking car.

Move on inside, and the black theme continues. Everything is black. Everything. The shapes are pleasing to the eye, and the materials feel top notch- but damn is it dark in here. Without a moonroof, the look is slightly oppressive actually. German design at its finest. The base model Jetta comes equipped with most of the obvious standard stuff, but throws in airbags for everyone, traction control, heated seats, side mirror turn signal indicators, and ABS. This particular rental also featured a 6 speed automatic transmission with a Tiptronic feature for when you're feeling frisky. The standard radio setup is to be avoided at all costs.

It is in its driving dynamics that the Jetta earns its keep. It exhibits a characteristic German suspension feel- much stiffer than anything else out there in the segment, with a beautifully weighted steering wheel that sends back the perfect amount of feedback from the road. I would imagine that buyers used to the floaty steering and suspension of the Corolla, Cobalt et al, will no doubt feel that the Jetta is a penalty box- and on that count they'll be wrong. The ride is never jarring, just very firm. Where the Jetta falls short is in its base 2.5 litre 5 cylinder engine and 6 speed automatic combination- it sounds great and it revs happily to the redline with a swoosh reminiscent of a turbo, but there is just too much heft and too little power to motivate the Jetta properly. Exacerbating the problem is the 6 speed auto, which apparently has a ridiculously short first and second gear that necessitates a lot of unnecessary gear shifting by the auto in stop and go traffic around the city.

Overall, the Jetta is a decent little car . In the past, one could say that and also add in 'unique', but the good people at VW have decided to erase that pro by anonymizing it to the point of English cuisine. Unfortunately, this decent little car comes with a not so decent little price- starting at 25k Canadian and quickly escalating in the mid-30's, the Jetta is simply overpriced in this segment, even with some industry exclusive features like the 6 speed auto and the 5 cylinder motor, which cannot overcome the austerity and paucity of features at the base levels. A comparable Mazda 3 or Honda Civic is more than up to the task of taking on this VW. Sure, you can get all the goodies at 33k, but at 33k, you can get a well equipped Altima, Accord, Camry, Aura, etc... all of which are bigger, more powerful, and just as well engineered in many respects. Chope 3-5k off the price and we're talking- until then, the Jetta will remain in the domain of perky college girls with a 2.5 GPA and rich parents, and people without enough money to buy an Audi A3.

Buick, Saab, and Cadillac- Why Can't GM Make A Real Luxury Car?

When you're a huge multinational corporation with multiple brands like GM, it enables you to really break things down into bite sized niches. Companies like BMW, which will live and die by its 'driver' mantra, or even Toyota, which has one brand name and depends on quality perceptions, either need to undertake huge marketing efforts to crash into a niche they weren't in before, or introduce/acquire new nameplates to achieve the same goal. Either way generally results in a lot of money spent, oftentimes with very little to show for it.

GM on the other hand, has a plethora of brands to choose from. Most with some sort of niche already attached. When you drive a Chevy, you're driving dependable American steel with a good value quotient. When you drive a Pontiac, you're driving dependable American steel with a good value quotient... and VERVE! When you drive a Hummer, you're driving a badass American icon with no respect for the sanctity of oil.

But when you drive a Buick, Saab or Cadillac, what are you driving?

Well, Buick is easy. You're driving a bad car. A bad car targeted at 75 year old blue haired individuals with a fondness for the past, but not enough wallet to shell out for a Cadillac DTS. And while Buick professes to be changing, 3800 Series engines mated to FWD 4 speed automatic flagships belies their true intentions. Quick, what's more laughable- Buick saying they're going to challenge Lexus, or a post by Admiral Viscen? Tough call. Even the appointed saviour of the brand, the effervescent and tangy Buick Enclave, is simply a rebadged Acadia/Outlook that looks like a Rendezvous if you squint hard enough.

The second on the list, Saab, is a bit harder to pin down. When you're driving a Saab, you're apparently driving-

a)a Pontiac G6/Saturn Aura/Cadillac BLS
b)a Subaru Impreza
c)a Chevrolet Trailblazer

or

d)a piece of dung

At least you get a turbo or two thrown into the mix. But somehow, Saab is even worse off than Buick. At least Buick has an image of some sort, even if it's laughable. Saab has settled nicely into the 'pretentious guy who can't afford a real European marque but still wants to look like he can because he lives in San Francisco' niche. Congrats on that Saab!

Last but not least, you've got the big grandpappy of the crew- Cadillac. What a revival huh? 6 years ago, left for dead, with a smoldering carcass of a Catera being presided over by the ghostly ashes of an Allante. And then Art & Science came around and everything was perfect again. Or was it? Your honour, I present to you Exhibit A, as portrayed in the picture leading off this column. Dear idiots- shut up, I know that interior has either a)been replaced or b)been phased out as of next year. But I'll go even one step further and colour myself unimpressed with the new CTS in almost every facet except for the new mug. Everything rear of the A-pillar is an uninspired mess. Everything inside is derivative of Infiniti/Lexus/Mercedes. Minus the nuance and subtlety one expects of those brands. Oh, I'm sure it will have soft touch materials and everything will click with a gentle softness. But hey Cadillac, why would I buy a fat pig CTS when I can get an Infiniti/Lexus/BMW/MB/Audi/et al that does everything it can do, but better? As if I'm supposed to be impressed by a 300 HP V6 engine. Or a lack of luxury features common in entry level Nissans. Don't even get me started on the abomination that is the STS (when not in V trim). Or the XLR with it's boy racer aspirations not befitting a luxury car. Or the hideous Escalade which somehow manages to mess up features that Hyundais were offering 5 years ago. The only Caddy of note is the SRX, and recent news indicates that's the one that's on the chopping block. Go figure. The problem with Caddy is, they're putting the cart in front of the horse- talk of the 'standard of the world' isn't just premature- it's a twinkle in the eye of a glory hole patron. When Cadillac figures out how NOT to follow everyone else, then perhaps they'll be the standard of the world again. Until then, they'll just be a 3rd rate Mercedes/BMW/Infiniti/Lexus/Audi knockoff.

No Virginia, GM can't make a luxury car... but the TOYOTA TUNDRA IS STILL TEH SUXXORS!

Safety Snobbery

There was a Buick Century commercial way back in the 1990s that said something along the lines of “safety shouldn’t be just for the rich.”

Looking at several popular models in the 2007 model year, it would seem that certain auto executives would disagree with that ad.

First on the shaming block is the Dodge Charger. Dodge is happy to sell you one for $21,875 (MSRP for base SE). What’s that? You want side-impact protection? Slap an extra FIVE-THOUSAND SEVEN-HUNDRED dollars on your friendly salesman’s dented, grey metal desk. The cheapest Dodge Charger with side-impact airbags—and just for head, not torso, protection—will run $27,620. Good luck finding one so equipped on a dealer’s lot.

Next up is the 2007 North American Car of the Year (or the mellifluous “NACOTY”): the Saturn Aura. This is General Motors’ de facto star sedan. What crime against “safety for the masses” has this sharply dressed car committed? It thinks only those willing to pay for the $25,000 XR model deserve the “it” safety gizmo of the moment: Electronic Stability Control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2004 study estimated that ESC reduced fatalities in single-vehicle crashes by 30 percent for passenger cars. Somehow, GM thinks buyers opting for the $21,000 XE model are not worthy of having such a dramatically lower chance of dying in such a collision. Saturn does not even offer it as an option for those that might just feel like self and family-preservation is as important as a universal garage door opener (which is on the XE’s option list).

Finally, we have the plucky and pudgy Nissan Versa. For $13,165, a buyer is rewarded with a 6-speed manual transmission, CD player, air-conditioning, and power mirrors. What they don’t get is anti-lock brakes. Fine, at least it seems like a cheap option: $250. Except that Nissan thinks people shouldn’t have ABS without also getting such hugely important features as a glove-compartment light bulb, door armrest pad, and rear door pockets. What does that mean? It means one must check off the “Power Package” before he or she is allowed to check off the much more important “ABS” box. So that $250 option balloons to nearly $1,000. For. no. good. reason. By what completely incompetent focus group did they run that brilliance?

Safety should not be an option. If the automakers reasonably have the ability to make a car less deadly, how can they justify not doing so? Why must they continue the concept that safety is for those that can pay for it? It seems the Buick copy-writers where well ahead of their employer with that concept.

On Second Thought- The Pontiac G8

On paper, the G8 looks like a winner. Powerful V6 and V8 engines. Six speed automatics across the board, row your own options for those who want them, even in top trim. An interior that looks upscale and purpose driven. Even the exterior looks okay, minus the ridiculous hood scoops.

But on second thought, I think this car is a missed opportunity.

Quick, name the Pontiac that has singlehandedly kept Pontiac on the map.

The G6? (snicker)
The Torrent? (guffaw)
The G5? (outright laughter)

No.

The Solstice.

A competent vehicle in almost every respect, the Solstice has nevertheless succeeded almost entirely because it looks so damned cool. Modern, futuristic, sporty and distinct. It even keeps a lot of ties to the recent past with its design cues, and yet still moves the Pontiac 'look' forward.

So this brings me back to the G8.

The G8 isn't a home run because it doesn't build on the goodwill of the Solstice. At best it can be called Euro-sleek. At worst it can be called bland and derivative. In the middle, most will look at it and think it has the front end of a BMW and the ass of a Nissan but with none of the flair of either of them... but with some of the gaudy excess of recent Pontiac past (the hood scoops again). To be even more harsh, the design is almost entirely lacking any sort of originality- if any other maker released such an obvious BMW knockoff, they'd be lambasted for being unoriginaI- instead some people are HAPPY that it looks like a previous gen 3 Series. What gives? Where's the GM design we hear about all the time?

There are two trains of thought when it comes to resurrecting a division like Pontiac- the first involves incremental improvement and steady growth. A brand like Toyota has famously taken this approach with incredible sales results- their vehicles don't tend to be homeruns, but they are improved incrementally, and are always better than the generation before them. This builds customer faith, and makes people want to come back for more. The second involves making a splash and impressing your customer base, both current and target- see DCX and their approach with the 300C, Magnum, and Charger.

Curiously, if recent history is any indication, GM is schizophrenic with their approach towards Pontiac- on one hand you've got an in y our face design like the Solstice that has galvanized some support for Pontiac. On the other you've got the subdued styling of the G8, and to a lesser extent, stuff like the Torrent, which seems bland and derivative.

Why not just go for it? Is there a worry that Pontiac will lose sales? Because that shipped set sail a long time ago. Those G6 sales are at almost 50% fleet last I checked.

They've got a design that is a certified hit. This is not a case like the Aztek where they'd be jumping blind. Why not make the G8 and all future Pontiacs incorporate styling elements from the Solstice? I'm not saying that they should make a 4 door large sedan that is a Solstice- I'm saying there should be a visible tie-in with the halo car of the brand. No, not the way that Ford slathers on their Mach 3 inspired grille on everything- but a more mature approach that builds on a styling theme.

With the current design success of the Solstice, I think Pontiac is wasting a great opportunity to redefine themselves in the eyes of the American consumer, and this will only speed up their death spiral.

Failed Platform: DEW 98

When the Ford Motor Company introduced its new global midsize RWD platform in 1999 underneath the 2000 Lincoln LS, it was met with great fanfare by the automotive press. The LS garnered Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award and was nominated for North American Car of the Year. With such jazzy features as rear-wheel drive, a manual transmission (V6 only) and an available V8, the LS seemed like a great mix of attainable luxury and unpretentious sportiness.

How did the marketplace react? In 1999, it sold 26,368 copies. Its first full calendar year, 2000, saw sales hit 51,039. Ford had a mini-hit. How did mother-Ford nurture its nascent sedan? They starved it. It was treated to one update (in 2003) before becoming a V8-only $45,000 has-been. Anyone remember seeing an LS ad anytime between 2004 and 2006? I don’t. Sales collapsed to 19,000 by 2005 and less than 9,000 found [ostensibly] willing buyers in 2006 before the axe fell.

Soon after the LS hit the streets, Jaguar twisted the DEW architecture into the base for the retro-fabulous S-type. Its 2000 CY sales were 24,507—by far the most popular Jaguar that year. Of course, being the cheapest one in the lineup probably helped the S-type attain the sales crown. Over the years Jag tried to keep buyers engaged with a refresh or two and a supercharger, but that wasn’t enough to stave off the grim reaper: just 5,875 customers gave this cat a home in 2006. The S-type is to be taken under in 2007.


Where did Ford take this globe-trotting platform next? Well, back to the ‘50s of course. The 2002 Ford Thunderbird took the DEW98, added some ‘50s styling clichés and removed all of that era’s intrinsic automotive design charm and served it up with a weak power plant and a high base price. The car sold well for about five months. Then Ford decided that it needed to upgrade it for the ’03 MY. This decision, however, came a little late in the planning process. As such, Ford had to extend the ’02 MY well into what should have been the ’03 MY. Compounding the problem was the fact that dealers were now fully stocked up on left-over, convertible, RWD cars with winter sneezing on their doorsteps. Consumers wisely stayed away. The Thunderbird never regained its momentum. Sales fell from 19,000 in 2002 to just 9,500 in 2005 when Ford once again stopped producing the ‘Bird. It was destined to be the last vehicle Ford would develop on the once promising DEW98.

What went wrong? This:

1) Lack of flexibility in design and manufacturing
2) Expensive to produce (and Ford cordially passed that expense onto its customers)
3) Starved for development funds
4) Terrible marketing for all model-lines

Had the platform been cheaper to produce and more flexible, then the Mustang could have been its savior. Alas, that wasn’t meant to be. Ford had to modify (i.e.: cheapen) the DEW98 to such an extent that it had to become a whole new platform (D2C) before the galloping horsie could have a new home in 2005.

Ford completely missed a lucrative opportunity. Rear-wheel drive is decidedly in fashion—so long that it’s affordable. Chrysler did everything right with its RWD LX platform that Ford did wrong with the DEW: It is flexible, cheap, isn’t being neglected, manufacturing is consolidated to one plant, and the vehicles built off of it were brilliantly marketed at launch and consistently advertised. GM has found success with its Sigma Cadillacs and is poised to follow suit in ’08 with its inexpensive Zeta sedans and coupes. All Ford has to offer rear-wheel-drive buyers is its 28-year-old Panther cars and a niche-market Mustang.

Imagine if the Five-Hundred came out on a DEW-derived platform with the Mustang 4.6L V8 under the bonnet and styling that wouldn’t get lost in the bread isle of your local A&P? It most certainly wouldn’t have been demoted to Taurus status.

What looked like the start of a good thing was merely a brilliant flash in the pan. How typically Ford.

Blast From The Past- Mags And The Camry

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Blast From The Past- Mags And The Altima

Another older review.

***



2.5S Altima with Convenience Package.

Black on black.

CVT.

The new ride.

Americans seem to get a convoluted mix of convenience packages for the Altima- in Canada there is but one, and it's offered on the 2.5S only. The convenience package adds a host of things to the base Altima, most notably 16 inch rims, heated seats, leather wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, 8 way power drivers seat, and one touch up and down passenger window control.

I'm coming from a G6 GT. Let's see how things stack up. Oh, and I'll post some pictures tomorrow or the day after, depending on if I remember to bring my camera out with me.

The Outside
Nissan, having finally made a splash styling wise with the Altima in 2002 with the 3rd generation, decided to play it safe this time around, but with a few neat touches. The greenhouse is very familiar, as is the upward character line running along the side of the car. Notable changes are a revised front end featuring the new corporate look and headlights (some rigamarole called a T-bar grille), a new back end featuring even larger Altezza style lights, dual chrome tipped exhausts out back (for all models) and a far smoother and more integrated ass end with distinct 'hips' in the character line that pays homage to the big brother Maxima. The base 2.5 comes with blocky plastic covers, so they're inherently shitty. The convenience package adds the same rims as found on the 2.5SL model- 7 spokers that are inoffensive.

These subtle changes make an overall positive difference to the vehicle, positioning it lookswise at least, in the mold of its big bucks Infiniti cousins the G35 and the M35/M45- the car definitely looks expensive and can be mistaken for an M if you're just glancing- pictures really don't do it justice because the rear especially has got some very nice curves. The only blandish aspect to the restyle is the front end- I have no issues with the new grille, but overall it's a little too plain, and will probably be the subject of a mid-cycle refresh, much like the 2005 was to the 2002.

Fit and finish is superb all around, but the paint shows some noticeable orange peel effect around the doors- whether this is because black paint really shows such things, or it's endemic to the model I'm not sure.

Does it look better than my previous ride, the G6? I really thing they're styled too differently to make a valid comparison- where the G6 goes for a sporty pseudocoupe look, the Altima makes a styling move upmarket. Different strokes for different folks.

The Inside
Nissan was slammed hard for the interior of the Altima in 2002, and it was fully deserved. I lived with one, and I can report that it was stuffed full of cheap and hard plastics, and the switchgear moved with the fluidity of a seized bolt. The interior refresh in 2005 addressed many of the interior quality concerns, but they had to play with the hand they were dealt and couldn't exorcise all of those demons.

For 2007, Nissan has quite obviously made the interior a priority, and it shows.

Here's the quote to sum it up- the 2007 Altima has the best interior quality and finish in the class, surpassing even the Accord, my personal favorite to this point.

Much like the recently released Aura, the entire dash is composed of soft plastic that has a lot of give. Furthermore, the grain will make you do a double take to ensure it's not leather. No joke. Nissan has also disposed of the sickly orange gauges of the past and replaced them with some BS marketing gimmick called Fine Vision. They look a lot like the gauges in the Infiniti line and are very bright and clear- a welcome change to the previous style. The center stack is laid out logically and is reminiscent of the Accord, and the stereo head unit is clear and legible even in direct sunlight, even including an AUX in port for the iPod heads and MP3 CD capability.

Storage is abundant in the car, especially when compared to my previous ride. A large cubby resides underneath the center stack along with a deep armrest bin and sunglass holder. The side map pockets include cupholders and have enough room to hold more than a few scraps of paper. And speaking of cupholders- the Altima features FIVE in the front seat area alone, including what appears to be an industry exclusive- bottle cap holders.

Although the Altima measures up almost identical to the G6, it has a lot more usable room in the front, mostly due to the style of the dash. Where the G6 is a tighter fit, the Altima lets you stretch out a bit. Seat comfort is top notch and there is a TON of headroom in this car without a sunroof. Trunkwise, the Altima features a SMALLER trunk on paper than my G6, but I emptied the contents of my G6 out into the Altima when I got it, and ended up with more space left over in the Altima- how does that happen? Well it's all about usable space, even with a full sized and rimmed spare- and the Altima features a low liftover, and a nice wide and tall opening.

Cool standard feature- Intelligent Key. No need to have a key in your hand. Simply walk up, push the door button and in you go. And once inside, press the brake, push the button, and watch things light up.

Issues are few.

A weird design decision was made to cover the door armrest in cloth. It's not bad, and in fact it's comfortable, but it looks very out of place. The tilt and telescope feature of the wheel is a pain in the ass to engage and set. And the trunk would have even MORE usable space if Nissan didn't decide to stupidly use gooseneck hinges AGAIN in the Altima. Even the new Sentra has hydraulic hinges. Go figure.

The Drive
With 175 HP and 180 lbs/feet of torque on tap compared to my G6 which had a V6 rated at 200/220, I was expecting the engine of the Altima to be the weak point. What I didn't realize is that the Altima has a 300 pound weight advantage over the G6. And this evens things up almost even according tomy scientific assometer analysis. The modified QR25 engine revs willingly up to its redline and has a nice growl to it. It's a welcome change from the thrashiness of my previous ride.

A point of contention among many in the media has been the CVT. Nissan has decided to move their bread and butter car completely to 6 speed manuals and CVT transmissions. I'd driven a Caliber a couple of months back and was underwhelmed by the DCX tranny. Same with a Ford Five Hundred CVT 2 years ago. So this was my biggest worry with this car. Luckily, it would appear that not all CVT transmissions are created equally. Nissan has 'stepped' this transmission with 6 speeds, and it makes for a seamless drive. The only time you know you're driving a CVT equipped vehicle is when you mash the pedal- the car immediately goes up to about 5500 RPM and just stays there, right in the heart of the peak horsepower. At first it's disconcerting, but the push you get in the peak of the power is great...and even better, it's sustained. The CVT also comes with a manumatic function as well, which is pretty much a pain to drive with. It shifts jerkily and constantly 'corrects' you if it thinks you're in the wrong gear. The G6 was much simpler and much more fun to drive. in manumatic.

The ride of the Altima errs on the side of cushiness in 2.5S trim. It is definitely geared towards comfort, and the suspension does a commendable job of soaking up road imperfections and noise. It's interesting to note that this does not come at the expense of body control however, as it felt far more stable at speed and over wavy high speed turns than my previous car, and better even than the Accord, which incurs more of a ride penalty. All of this occurs in spite of the fact that the Altima rides piece on shit Continental tires as original equipment.

Braking has no issues and pedal feel is great.

Steering is variable power assist and is governed by speed. In a parking lot situation it is WAY too light. Finger light. Like a feather. This I don't like. At highway speeds it's too touchy. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground here. It's easy to place the nose and to toss around, but in general it feels a little too much like a video game.

And So
The only other issue I can come up with for the Altima is price. In normal trims, it is right in line with everything else out there. A decently equipped 3.5SE will set you back about 33-35k CDN, and a 2.5S with the convenience package and the CVT will run you about 28k. There's even the value proposition in the 3.5S, which is more or less a 2.5S trim level with the big engine and CVT, for 29k CDN. That's a HELL of a deal. The issue though is when you start adding the goodies- granted they are more or less exclusive type goodies in this segment, but Nissan will make you add a host of other things before you can add the tech package for example... and this can drive the prices way up, very quickly. Tick off every box on a 3.5 model and we're talking 39k CDN folks. That's G35 territory.

One last thing- I took a 3.5 out for a drive in SE trim. With the sport suspension, the ride tightens up considerably, and the vehicle feels akin to an Accord. With the 3.5, it screams.

In 2.5 guise, the Altima is an almost perfect midsize family hauler. It has handsome and upscale looks, a fantastic and spacious interior, and a powertrain that has given me 35 mpg in my first tank of fuel. With a heap of standard features, the availability of Bluetooth, navigation, dual zone climate control and a host of other goodies, it has something for everyone, and at the present moment sits atop the midsize sedan heap.

The Ranking

1)Altima
2)Accord
3)Aura
4)Camry
5)Fusion/6
6)Sonata
7)G6
8)Malibu

So there you have it.

The Double Edged Fleet Sword.

As GM and Ford gradually phase out a lot of their fleet sales, there have been many who have wondered just where rental companies/taxis/etc. would find suitable vehicles to run their business. And while the domestic makers will probably never completely abandon the fleet market, the question is a valid one- for example, how will the fleet industry replace 100,000 Tauruses a year? How will they replace the wackload of Malibus and Impalas that will be disappearing from their fleet selector lists soon?

The most willing company to fill the void in this regard thus far has been Hyundai. Hyundai has disguised milquetoast sales by stuffing Sonatas and Accents into every nook and cranny they can possibly find, with little regard for market saturation. However, I think this business practice is fraught with danger for a company like Hyundai for one simple reason- their image is actually on a lower plane than GM/Ford to many consumers.

The next company in line would logically be Toyota. In their quest for #1 in sales, fleet vehicles could prove to be the straw that broke the camels back. And fans of domestics will no doubt have an easy scapegoat to point at if fleet sales are what put Toyota over the hump.

The question is though- would fleet sales hurt Toyota as a brand?

The easy answer is yes. The easy answer says that GM has rendered many of their nameplates irrelevant by offering them as bluelight specials on a year over year basis, thus destroying the value of their vehicles in the marketplace.

A more complex answer would be no. And it might just be the right answer. Follow me for a second. On their own, the fleet sale is not a bad thing. The problem with a fleet sale is when the fleet sale is of an inferior vehicle. In essence, GM and Ford hit the magic jackpot with their fleet strategies of the 90's to present day- the Japanese competition was making better quality vehicles, the Japanese competition was making better performing vehicles, the domestic makers were making crap boxes, and they were stuffing these crap boxes into fleets. So the consumer was seeing the worst side of the domestic makers on a regular basis, while migrating to the import nameplates.

Present day is a different story- the Camry has traditionally never been a fleet special. Same with the Accord. Same with the Altima. Same with most of the Japanese competition. But as they slowly DO become fleet fodder as demands begin to be imposed on them, the stigma of a 'rental car' does not seem to be sticking to them. Instead, people are OPTING for these vehicles if given a choice- they're seen a 'premium' choices. Heck, offer me a Malibu and a Camry, and I'm taking the Toyota 10 times out of 10, and I'd wager that most average people would too. The stigma isn't sticking because these brands invested heavily in their perceptions, quality and performance over the years BEFORE having to dip their toes into the fleet pool.

Conversely, many of the domestic makers have done the exact opposite. Improved models are offered immediately to the rental fleets (Impala, Sebring) further cementing their status as crappy fleet vehicles before the consumer will even give them a chance. All new models are offered immediately to the rental fleets (G6, Fusion) basically killing the value quotient they offer to the consumer on entry.

What would be the correct way for the domestics to pull out?

Easy.

Make a 'fleet brand'. Do it like the 'Chevy Classic' but make it a good car. Make it a car that is reliable. Make it a car that oozes quality. Do not sell it in your retail outlets. Immediately pull back all your retail models from fleet sales. Develop your brands. Build that relationship back again. If you so choose 10 years from now, kill your fleet brand and re-enter the fleet market with nameplates that mean something to the consumer again. In essence, reset your model lineup. It probably won't be easy. But it's the only way. Because the way things are going, unless Toyota really messes up (anything is possible), they'll end up taking the retail market AND the fleet market from under the noses of the domestic makers, without losing anything.