one other kind of important point is left out...
Every automaker pays the way of journalists to most auto shows.

Many stayed at much more expensive hotels, had much more expensive/lavish dinners etc than the GM folks. So he's actually just pointing to the company that asked for results of their outlay of cash.

The others just ride for free and write what they want and NEVER mention who paid for their $400 a night room.

This is where I'll note, we didn't do that and stayed at a $79/night comfort inn in Dearborn.

Also in the past two years when the economy sucked most companies cut way back on this. Not this year. The auto business is back baby.
This was excellent. Thanks for doing this.
We had that story monday. Hmmm...
The point isn't the type of loan, the point is the fact of it was hidden from the public while Ford publicly boasted about not needing a federal bailout.

While this loan isn't a bailout, I don't think car shoppers would see Ford as such a shining symbol of fiscal success if this had been public knowledge when it happened.

Ford has admitted that they benefited from not having a whiff of government intervention around them.
GM had a Kinetix or whatever the new XBox thing is for a Chevy volt game and Mercedes had a 3D movie. Suzuki had an ipad game.

They really have forgotten what the past two years were like it seems.
Volvo C70 fully loaded is $47,000. This is better equipped than that.
@Never_trust_a_Fiat: yes, that's what we've heard too.
@dal20402: that's exactly what they did yes.
V-8, plus body on Frame? That's a winner.
@goatrope: #5 har har

And Ray, are you really a III? Or does the Times just do that to dress up its writers' names from time to time?

Is he really passing a gasoline truck in the Escalade? Really? Come on. And is he supposed to be at the crossroads at the end? wtf?
as Wert will attest I'm sure the Sync is pretty neat with a single button to activate the voice command on the wheel. And when you say something it actually does what you tell it. It's actually executed quite well.
from all the cops and robbers shows/movies I've taken in I remember one of them saying a beige oldsmobile like this one is the perfect getaway car because it blends in so well. Not sure where I saw it but I'm guessing the guy who made the ad saw the same thing.
that's actually a good commercial. wow.
@SwatLax: Yes!!! Then the other He can explain this whole "plush" thing to me.
I really don't see this holding its own with even the value members of this segment like the new Elantra. While the Focus is better in the handling dept the Elantra comes with a lot more standard, looks better and is cheaper.

Don't get me started on the Honda Civic, Mitsu Lancer, Mazda3i you can get for similar prices. Civic Coupe starts at $14,810! And I still don't see how you call the leather seats plush!

This isn't new. It's been happening for years. It actually happened to my wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee in the West Loop. They sawed it right off.

When she called the police the woman on the other end literally laughed at her. Saying it happens all the time.

Luckily we found a shop that had one at a low cost.

@mwood10: I think these are press photos no?
you can use E to the munds embargo broken images instead now. AW gets 2 hours of increased traffic for 100s of hours of PR headaches!
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