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General Motors Embraces Open Source for New Community Site
An anonymous reader writes "GM has introduced a new website called GMnext. The site utilizes Wordpress and launching in spring a Wiki allowing General Motors to get better feedback on topics such as energy, design and technology from the community. The interesting part is the executives at GM are participating in the collaborative website. 'We're starting our second century at a time of fundamental change in the auto industry,' said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. 'We'll use GMnext to introduce some of our ideas for addressing critical issues concerning energy, the environment and globalization. In the process, we also hope to spark a broader, global discussion on these important topics.'"
"Help! We know we're dying. Please give us a clue how to not get eaten by the imports."
Look closely at what you're up against.
Learn how to do suspension from the UK, maybe Lotus or Aston Martin. The Chevrolet Corvette has got leaf springs and a live rear axle - you don't even find that sort of thing on trucks in Europe these days.
Learn how to do powerful, smooth and efficient diesel engines from the French. The Mercedes ones are good, the VW ones aren't too bad, but PSA group have them all beat. Ford is already buying PSA HDi engines as fitted to Peugeots, Renaults and Citroëns, and rebadging them TDCi. There's a reason why there are more Peugeot XUD engines out there than pretty much any other engine ever built...
Learn how to do styling from, well, everyone really. This goes for the inside as well as the outside - the interior trim in American cars are by far the worst I've ever seen. Even in "high-end" stuff, the dashboards and door fittings are made of the naffest plastic imaginable. Even my old FSO Polonez, dreadful Eastern Bloc shed that it was, didn't feel as crappy. Outside, well let's see... Hm, PT Cruiser. 'Nuff said.
Most importantly - reliability. Look at Toyota and Honda here. Actually, no. Phone for a minicab. What kind of car arrives? Phone for another. What came this time? I bet it's either some sort of Toyota (Avensis or newer equivalent), Lexus, Skoda Octavia, Peugeot 406, or Citroën Xantia or C5. Have a look in the taxi garages. What do you see? Lots of servicing, not many breakdowns? Ask yourselves why...