50-Foot Queenie: Wagoner Forced To Apologize For GM Small-Car Exec

A friend of ours who, until recently, was in the car-review biz, gave the Chevy Cobalt SS a lukewarm review, pointing out the harsh motor, plasticky interior and doofy rear wing. GM's response? Anger, misery, yanking of advertising from the publication he worked for. When the HHR dropped, GM Executive for small cars, Lori Queen, dropped by personally with the test vehicle, pointing out all of the features, but, to quote our friend, "But, when we asked simple questions like, 'Why does this look just like a PT?' and 'How come the dash is harder than my Labrador's head?' she took it VERY personally, like we insulted her kid."

Our source goes on to note that he thinks Queen's a very nice lady, but the problem here is endemic to the head-in-the-sand groupthink over at GM. And now the Detroit News is reporting that Rick Wagoner hisself issued an apology after Queen targeted Consumer Reports in a letter to Automotive News, personally calling Consumer Reports' head of auto testing David Champion, to assure him that Queen wasn't speaking for everyone at GM. Apparently just for the hurt feelings of those on the Cobalt development team. We've never had any dealings with Queen one way or another, but then again, nobody at GM will talk to us.

GM exec's rant prompts apology [Detroit News]

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