So far the damage from the American Axle strike's been limited to the General's big slow-sellers. Although GM's idled 30 plants, for the most part they've been the trucks and SUV's. Well, except for the Detroit-Hamtramck plant which makes the Buick Lucerne and the Cadillac DTS. Oh, and also the Lordstown, Ohio plant that builds the Pontiac G5 and Chevy Cobalt. But none of those sell really fast off dealer lots anyway — so the strike's been sort of a non-event to this point. But wait, the Detroit News thinks there's trouble brewing down the road for a car that's selling like hotcakes. Well, if hotcakes were cars and spent 18 days under the warming lights of the IHOP before you bought them.
But we digress, it seems the Malibu may be the next threatened product in the General's stable. Although American Axle doesn't actually provide any parts for the better-than-average selling sedan, they apparently do supply parts to other suppliers supplying parts — specifically, as Automotive News is reporting, rear suspension knuckles. And apparently they'll not be having enough of those rear suspension knuckles — in who knows how long. But whenever, or if, that does happen, it could be a very bad thing and not only because this entire story is now making us think of that damn Buick-hating Eve 6 song. But wait, what's that you say? It's actually "rendezvous" they're singing? Yes, well, it's so easy to plug "Malibu" in for the Buick piece of shit the song's not actually about. Confused? Yeah, we are too — which is why we all now get to inhabit the private hell that is this song. (Hat tip to Kevin!) [Detroit News]