Originally Posted by yal

Toyota is making money from it Camry 4 banger. The same way Honda is makes money from its Accord 4 banger. These two cars lead to sales in their other units. They are right there in the sweet spot of consumer wants and needs. GM has nothing like these two cars.
Ford and GM are now turning to meet the challenge like oil tankers that get the signal to turn, it has taken them awhile. Too late. People are now set in their opinions. Its harder for a company to build a reputation than it is to lose it. GM spent the 90's losing it with their love affair with SUV's. What happens when oil prices go up, "Never happen!!" they said. . Meanwhile the japanese just kept churning out their boring cars and refining them (hmmm sounds very similar to the 70's doesn't it).
Honda and Toyota may be crap but they'll be selling like hot cakes for the foreseeable future. Same reason people still buy Mercedes despite almost a decade of being at the bottom of JDpowers.
Hyundai just released its Sonata which is a Camry killer but people still won't buy it because of the stupid Excel they made back in the 80's. GM should be worried but their not. They are still number one in their eyes. Corporate GM doesn't see it. But if I was a lowly GM employee or ex-employee I would be really worried and pissed. The sentiments in the above posts, real or imagined, are everywhere.