[Minn]

as well as magnificently designed accelerator pedals

What an incredibly cheap shot. Before government took it over, I always bought GM. But you seriously are making the point that Toyota and Lexus are sub standard? Even the vast majority of them on U.S. roads that were built in U.S. factories?

And what do you bet that when the dust settles the whole thing will turn out to be a witch hunt? And didn't GM announce a recall today?

[grey_whiskers]

Not a cheap shot at all. Toyota offshored the pedal production (if not the design) to CTS of Indiana -- which then itself re-offshores the production of pedals for at least SOME vehicles to other places such as Zhongshan, China.

There is a mad dash by many automakers to distance themselves from CTS, much as many sponsors are running from Tiger Woods.

Of course it's a witch hunt: I even wrote about that here: Obama and the Auto Companies, or, The Toyota Controlla.

But that doesn't absolve manufacturers of having to watch suppliers CLOSELY -- particularly ones as corrupt as Communist China.

Cheers!