ocean515
DP Veteran
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- Jan 26, 2013
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Uh...if you hadn't noticed, mileage is mostly a matter of power AND weight. Weight was always the issue, that is always a matter of design. But you just admitted, they were locked into a 0.50 cent/gallon mentality, big and heavy.....while EVERYONE went light and small. GM's answer was the Chevette or Vega. It was not the unions designing this.
The labor cost per vehicle caused by the UAW made it impossible for American auto manufacturers to make any profit on small cars. In order to generate profits needed for the development of new technologies, US auto makers had to sell big cars and trucks that carried high profits. The labor cost for a Chevette was not that much lower than the labor cost for a 1/2 ton pickup truck.
Union pay and benefits caused a drain on capital needed to meet the changing demand of the US car buyers. That truth continues to cause GM trouble today.
It's rather clear you are not familiar with the auto industry. Perhaps you should take some time to get familiar.