Yeah, but I remember the SL1 quite well, as I was in the market for a car at the time, and I gave it a test drive: it was the most dull looking thing out there. Toyota and Honda were all over it, at least looks wise. I don't remember any spirited driving experience, either.
Is that the best metric to use for buying a car? Not really. But it is one that gets used.....
And I am not being super-defensive of the brand. Simply expressing the actual experience of one purchase. I also looked at the Neon & Toyota Corolla when I bought this car.
I met a family while on vacation in Michigan this past summer. The husband works for GM. He had moved from Spring Hill to Troy with a management reorganization the previous year. This may not be a "sudden" decision