What would you do if you were GM's CEO?
 

I don't know why Mary Bara is running GM. Most of GM's cars are uninspired. Dealers suck. Advertising sucks. So...given all that, what would you do if today you were announced as GM's new CEO?

Party like it's 1999!

In just the 3rd quarter of this year GM's revenue was $35.8 billion (billion with a "b") and a Net Income of $2.5 billion. Mary is running GM because as a public company, they are in the business of making money, not designing cars that you think are "inspired" and she is doing a good job of it.

As a car enthusiast, I don't totally disagree with your feelings, although I think between the Corvette, Camaro, and V Series Caddys, GM is putting out some great cars that fit my bill.

GM isn't going to make money building 'inspired' cars. Really, they aren't going to make money building cars at all. They will do it building trucks, SUVs, and in the future being a leader in the electric/self driving/ rid sharing world.

If I was CEO and wanted to keep my job long term, I probably wouldn't do much different.

If I was CEO for a short-time for "fun", I might hop up a few SUVs like the Germans do. Wouldn't mind building $250K+ a super car, (probably has to be branded a Cadillac). And I might see if we can do a few limited runs retro based cars. Woudn't it be cool if you could get a modern Grand National, GTO, Chicken Firebird/Trans AM? I don't mean in name only (how did the last GTO work out), I mean a car that has the looks and character of the original. It would be a money loser for sure, but again, I'm reaching here as a short-term CEO.

What would I do? She's doing it.

I don't think I've seen too many business decisions that she has made that I disagree with from a business standpoint. Of course there are some things I'd like to see changed, but if I was CEO I would do what is best for the company and I think for the most part she has done a decent job in that respect. Keep in mind that she doesn't decide everything that goes on in the company. Some of the bad decisions that were made were likely decided by other people.

One thing GM (and Ford) needs to start doing is to start paying attention to what Lexus does (and has been doing). Look at the Lexus ES 350 (their 4-door sedan). You see gorgeous leather, (real) wood everywhere, amazing stereo sound quality, great gas mileage, super reliable, sleek and sexy exteriors and basically ZERO maintenance costs. Also, their dealerships treat me like a king. No BS about a loaner car, no BS about warranty, no BS about repairs getting done correctly...no headaches EVER.

Now you look at a Chevy Impala and you get the typical plastic interior, no wood, leather "inserts", cheap stereos, typical gas mileage, not even close as reliable, and you get a ton of BS from GM dealerships...

If GM (and Ford) want to stay in the game - they better start building cars like Lexus. Sad that a loaded Impala and the ES 350 are closely priced, yet the quality is night and day...

Which interior do you think offers better quality? Which car would you spend $35k on? This is what I would focus on, if I were the CEO. :thumbs:

Impala
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...bd9438cfc5.jpg

ES 350
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...36c22a0bd7.jpg

I honestly don't know what I would do different if I was CEO of GM! The problem is there is a lack of interest in the bread and butter cars that manufactures build today. Today's buyers are more for utility and need versus passion for the car itself. That is why SUV's and Trucks dominate the industry! I think today's vehicle sales/leases are more like buying an appliance! The cars don't change much and regardless of what make you buy, foreign or domestic... they all look the same and lack pizzazz! A far cry from the cars years ago when you could tell the year and make when it drove by!
I remember the old days when every year it was a big deal in the Fall to see what next years cars looked like. Back then, even if you were not a car enthusiast, there was excitement in purchasing the latest model new car whether you needed it or not! That has all changed since the mid '70's.Look at the Muscle cars of the mid 60's to early 70's, every manufacturer had many models to choose from and could fit in almost anyone's budget! Today you have the Cadillac V series, Corvette, Camaro SS, Mustang GT, and Challenger on the domestic side...all which are not easily affordable to the masses!
If I was CEO I guess I would try to come out with some affordable models that could generate excitement again! However, given the current trend and future in electrics, it may be a futile attempt!

1) Bring back Pontiac and the Firebird brand.
2) Revive Holden manufacturing in Australia.
3) Kill Buick.
4) Bring back the S10.
5) Redesign the Chevy pickup face.
6) Make Cadillac a testbed of new designs.
7) Fire Tadge.

Ya, the whole "excitement of new models" things hasn't changed. You just got old. :rofl:

You can tell the year and make of every car on the road built in 2018.

Yes, the Mustang, Challenger and Camaro have become more expensive, but the Turbo base models are good performers and do better than the GT (or SS)'s of 10 years ago (Oh wait, a Camaro didn't exist 10 years ago hahaha). A 2019 Mustang GT with their Level 2 track pack or a Camaro SS 1LE will easily beat a Ferrari 360 Modena around a track. Mustang GT's and Camaro SS of today perform better than Ferrari's of 15 years ago. It costs money to do that. That's what the target audience wants BTW and the are willing to pay for it.

Chime in on this thread periodically to shut down/up the bullshitters that have no clue about anything C8 and probably Corvette in general.

You really have nothing useful to say. Stop trolling.

I would develop electric SUVs and trucks in secret as fast as possible because the idea that people simply are no longer buying sedans is not true. Saying that while also claiming GM will devote itself to SUVs and trucks is a smokescreen to hide the truth, and that is that people have stopped buying sedans because they are waiting for EVs to suit them. A flood of EVs is right around the corner and people know it, including, I might add, the Lectric Vette (C9). If Barra and Co. let on that they were just as serious about SUV/truck EVs that market would also tank, which they cannot afford. If they can get their own EVs to market first, then they can lay in the SUV/trucks and stay alive.
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This idea is unpopular with the Vette crowd, who can hardy stand the idea of a non V-8 Vette, a DCT only, or even (gasp!) tail lights that are not round. The biggest objection seems to be the electric grid which, according to CF, "couldn't handle it." But it could. Charge your cars at night and problem solved. Build up the electric grid with solar. This is technically easy to solve. This whole thing is going to happen quickly, as in within six years. If Barra is smart, that's what she is planning for.

Observe: https://seekingalpha.com/article/422...ct-2023-beyond

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...de69649055.jpg
1967 GM Performance
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...52237c65da.jpg
1968 GM Performance
Yes! I am old! However, you must be young and never lived in the time when cars changed every year and that drew excitement! Could you distinguish a '14 Stingray from a '19 Stingray if one drove past you? Yet I could see the differences in a '63,'64 '65 '66 and '67 Stingray! Look at the above GM Performance car ads for 1967 and 1968. One year apart and completely new styled cars.

I would probably buy myself every color of the rainbow of Corvette. And then park them in my 12 car garage :)

exactly.

I don't disagree that the Lexus is a nicer experience, but they are not the same price. A base Impala starts at $28k and with discounts and incentives you might be able to squeeze under $25k. A base ES350 starts over $39k and usually discounts are not as great. It is true, if you are going to load up the Impala you can approach the $39K MSRP (although if you load up the Lexus, you'll approach $50k). The problem GM has a lot, is their base cars are pretty cheap, and loading them up with a bigger engines and options still leaves you with the same interior as a $28K car. The Corvette is the same way, someone can bitch about the interior in their $130k ZR1, but its roughly the same interior as in a $56k Stingray. Lexus is starting at a much higher transaction point for the cheapest model, so they have an extra $10k to play with, and make the interior nicer.

Chevrolet will never (or for many years) really compete with Lexus very often due to name alone, even if the car was better due to perception. They have to go down market and start cheaper, and to do that they probably can't offer the same materials. In theory Buick should be able to upscale the interior and compete with Lexus, but the Buick brand has lost its status. One of the reason GM is dumping a lot of its cars. Very few are buying a Chevy over a Honda or Toyota, even if it is a better car (not saying it is or isn't). Same with Buick vs Lexus. And those they do purchase the Chevy/Buick are doing it at a low profit level.

I don't see either of those things as being bad...

Roscoe