I agree. They need to cut back on *everything* but core business. That means no racing that doesn’t contribute to R&D, no sponsoring of ANY “community” or “lifestyle” organizations, and most of all, NO MORE “generic sporting event sponsored by Ford!”
True, those are clearly unnecessary expenses - but don’t come near the cost of their Union Contracts....and simply dumb ass management...and pension/health benefits, which once again get back to Union Contracts.
Every foreign car manufacturer who came to America, set up shop and built cars here in America with American labor has kicked Detroits ass... That alone should tell them SOMETHING!
No Unions or no ridiculous Union Contracts or Work rules.........and FOREIGN Management at the most senior levels....who are NOT taking down the salaries and benefits of the Beaten Three.
To continue to call them the big three is a travesty.
I understand where your coming from, and I'm not a Ford buyer....but I have a nephew in the South that's intimately connected with the car business..Ford and others, and the NASCAR scene.
The only place that Detroit, Ford included, is selling any cars is 1) in the South, and 2) in the Midwest....NASCAR country.
I'm not in favor of bailouts....I'm in favor of the marketplace. If they can't make it without loans, then Chapter 7 and restructuring is the way out. Look at Rover in the UK....they went bankrupt, BMW bougtht them, couldn't deal with the Unions at Rover - sold them but kept the license to build the Mini Cooper.
The Mini is, simply put, is the most successful new-model-auto introduction in a generation.
Lets let Detroit have a run at pure free-market capitalism to improve the breed.