Obama car industry task force drives foriegn cars. Good or bad? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Cynthetiq · 02-25-2009, 05:57 AM

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View: Obama's car industry task force shuns domestic cars for personal use
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Obama's car industry task force shuns domestic cars for personal use

Obama's car industry task force shuns domestic cars for personal use
Posted Mon Feb 23 2009 11:47 PM by Nelson Ireson
The Toyota Highlander was among the imports chosen
The vast majority of the auto team voted import with their dollars

The resurgence in domestic car quality (it's real) hasn't quite caught up with the members President Obama's newly-formed Task Force on the Auto Industry, or at least so it would seem from their personal car choices: 18 of 20 members and senior aides drive imports.

It's not a surprise the majority of the group drives imports - the majority of new cars sold in the U.S. are imports. But the 90% import share is considerably higher than the national average, raising questions as to why or how that might be - and what impact it might have on their handling of the domestic car industry.

You might think the huge incomes of some of the members might lead them to the upper end of the market, where American cars are decidedly lacking. But there is a dearth of German or Italian hardware on the list of known Task Force vehicles as well.

In fact, many of the imports are affordable Japanese cars like the Toyota Highlander and Prius, Subaru Legacy Outback, Honda Odyssey or Mazda Protege. A few Lexus vehicles are also on the list, as are a Volvo C30 and a Saab 9-5.

So it's not wealth that's driving the non-American purchases. What is it then? Perhaps some insight can be gleaned from the American cars owned by the two oddballs in the group: a 2003 Lincoln LS and 1998 Chevy Cavalier. In short, this group of highly motivated people - even those that drive American - doesn't love cars. They see them as appliances to get them from point A to point B, and that is all. Only Dan Utech's Mini Cooper S is a sporty vehicle, though his position as senior adviser to the Energy Secretary hints that the decision may be as much about economy as enthusiasm.

Perhaps it's a good thing that such a practical group of people are at the helm of the Task Force on the Auto Industry. Already we've seen the reassignment of General Motors' high-performance vehicles arm and the shift in focus to more utilitarian, efficiency-oriented vehicles since the government began getting involved in the industry.

Whether that shift is enough to sway the market to buy American when even the committee hasn't is another question, however.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I'm not quite sure. I've heard pundits using it both ways.

I know that growing up near the Firebird GM plant in Van Nuys it was apparent that many of the factory workers didn't buy their own brand. Even David Ogilvy of Ogilvy and Mather would buy the products he advertised. This lead him to be best dressed exective when he had Sears Roebuck as a client.

Ultimately I think it is a good thing. I think the group didn't see that American cars fit their requirements and needs.

QuasiMondo · 02-25-2009, 02:40 PM

That can be a goal. Make a car that they'd want to buy. When 2/3rds of the task force is sitting behind the wheel of a Detroit product because they want to and not because they had to, then they've done their job.

THGL · 02-26-2009, 07:25 AM

I agree with Quasi. Also, it's not like they just went out and bought their imports yesterday. I would question one of the members if they bought an import today, but if they bought the car before they were on the task force, then there's no issue.

shakran · 02-26-2009, 08:04 AM

I want people in positions in government who know about the thing they're supposed to be working with. People who know about cars know to avoid Detroit products these days, because they're almost universally crap. I'm not at all surprised that they're driving foreign cars.

snowy · 02-26-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuasiMondo

That can be a goal. Make a car that they'd want to buy. When 2/3rds of the task force is sitting behind the wheel of a Detroit product because they want to and not because they had to, then they've done their job.

Yep.

I feel like their ownership of foreign cars gives them intimate knowledge of the competition's product, and a good idea of what Detroit should be trying to produce in order to sell cars.

fresnelly · 02-26-2009, 10:31 AM

Doesn't everybody know that the car's badge is just about the only thing that can be tied to domestic vs. foreign these days?

Thanks to global parts manufacturing, the domestic vs. foreign wedge issue doesn't deserve to get traction anymore.

02-25-2009, 02:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	That can be a goal. Make a car that they'd want to buy. When 2/3rds of the task force is sitting behind the wheel of a Detroit product because they want to and not because they had to, then they've done their job. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

02-26-2009, 07:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
THGL Psycho Location: Louisville, KY	I agree with Quasi. Also, it's not like they just went out and bought their imports yesterday. I would question one of the members if they bought an import today, but if they bought the car before they were on the task force, then there's no issue. __________________ "The truth is merely an excuse for lack of imagination." - Garak

02-26-2009, 10:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
fresnelly Functionally Appropriate Location: Toronto	Doesn't everybody know that the car's badge is just about the only thing that can be tied to domestic vs. foreign these days? Thanks to global parts manufacturing, the domestic vs. foreign wedge issue doesn't deserve to get traction anymore. __________________ Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

02-26-2009, 08:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	I want people in positions in government who know about the thing they're supposed to be working with. People who know about cars know to avoid Detroit products these days, because they're almost universally crap. I'm not at all surprised that they're driving foreign cars.