Dutch Mandel
A wise marketing guy once said that to get his team on the same page of a battle plan, instead of holding a "retreat," he conducts "advances." By his thinking, there's little room for success when you're running away.
Detroit's automakers must heed these words. They've been taking body blows from Wall Street to Capitol Hill to Main Street. In that short time, however, they have gotten religion, begun their metamorphosis, their transmogrification, their tectonic and paradigm shifts and are working toward salvation. If they are to succeed, it will be with the many pounds of flesh removed from their backsides.
But they're ready to fight. It's time for their advance.
Specifically, anyone who cares about cars must work to change the way America thinks about American cars and trucks. What Detroit needs--really, what it has earned--is consideration when buyer confidence returns from a battered economy.
Now, some reading these words might scoff. These are the same people who believe that Detroit failed to build cars America wants--micro-hybrid green cars--even though before the economic implosion, Detroit's market share accounted for nearly half of all vehicles sold. These are also the ones who pooh-pooh the fact that Detroit makes more hybrids than any other automaker. They also refuse to accept that Detroit holds more green patents than all other automakers combined.
Don't get me wrong, and don't confuse what I'm saying: I am not an apologist for an industry that has gotten itself into this situation. But I am willing to look at facts, drive and evaluate the products on merit, see the future technology unfolding and realize that Detroit is not getting the benefit of any doubt. The automakers are getting the shaft.
Those who continue to say Detroit is archaic--or, worse, dead--are shortsighted and ignorant of the truth.
This is not about handouts. It's not about patriotic flag waving. Detroit did suffer most by its own hand. To be fair, however, the automakers' failing was not entirely their fault; the global economic crisis was the third rail.
And yet Detroit automakers know they must work harder and better than everyone else to dilute a toxic ignorance that exists about the quality, ride, performance, safety and technology coming out of the Motor City. People don't believe that Detroit makes cars or trucks of equal or better quality than what comes from Europe or Asia.
And that would be wrong thinking.
Don't take it from me--take it from third-party market-research firms such as AutoPacific or J. D. Power, whose consumer surveys on customer satisfaction and the quality of ownership have shown that America, my friends, is there with the best of the world.
The time has come for Detroit to stop muttering its successes and start shouting them out loud. Sure, there's a time to be contrite and deferential when being raked over congressional coals by political alpha males. But that's over with; it's now OK to stand up and say, "We're not going to take it anymore."
Detroit--America--we are survivors. We have great stories to tell. And this is as true for Detroit--for you--as anything else: We must show pride again. How you can help: Educate those you speak with. Let them know that Detroit is in the game.
Ask Jesse James. That hard-living, full-charging motorcycle fabricator, TV star and all-around wild guy is proving that America is ready to fight. He's put big money where his pride is and built a Chevy-powered, hydrogen-fueled land-speed-record car. James's 572-cubic-inch bow-tie-wearing Chevrolet kicked high-technology a** by beating the existing 187-mph record held by BMW. His new record is nearly 200 mph. And Jesse did it without a penny from General Motors.
He's in it for pride.
James brings American ingenuity, perseverance and know-how. And sweat--lots and lots of sweat.
That's what it's going to take to get us all out of this mess.
Jesse's not afraid to put in the effort.
None of us should be if we want to advance.
Detroit's automakers must heed these words. They've been taking body blows from Wall Street to Capitol Hill to Main Street. In that short time, however, they have gotten religion, begun their metamorphosis, their transmogrification, their tectonic and paradigm shifts and are working toward salvation. If they are to succeed, it will be with the many pounds of flesh removed from their backsides.
But they're ready to fight. It's time for their advance.
Specifically, anyone who cares about cars must work to change the way America thinks about American cars and trucks. What Detroit needs--really, what it has earned--is consideration when buyer confidence returns from a battered economy.
Now, some reading these words might scoff. These are the same people who believe that Detroit failed to build cars America wants--micro-hybrid green cars--even though before the economic implosion, Detroit's market share accounted for nearly half of all vehicles sold. These are also the ones who pooh-pooh the fact that Detroit makes more hybrids than any other automaker. They also refuse to accept that Detroit holds more green patents than all other automakers combined.
Don't get me wrong, and don't confuse what I'm saying: I am not an apologist for an industry that has gotten itself into this situation. But I am willing to look at facts, drive and evaluate the products on merit, see the future technology unfolding and realize that Detroit is not getting the benefit of any doubt. The automakers are getting the shaft.
Those who continue to say Detroit is archaic--or, worse, dead--are shortsighted and ignorant of the truth.
This is not about handouts. It's not about patriotic flag waving. Detroit did suffer most by its own hand. To be fair, however, the automakers' failing was not entirely their fault; the global economic crisis was the third rail.
And yet Detroit automakers know they must work harder and better than everyone else to dilute a toxic ignorance that exists about the quality, ride, performance, safety and technology coming out of the Motor City. People don't believe that Detroit makes cars or trucks of equal or better quality than what comes from Europe or Asia.
And that would be wrong thinking.
Don't take it from me--take it from third-party market-research firms such as AutoPacific or J. D. Power, whose consumer surveys on customer satisfaction and the quality of ownership have shown that America, my friends, is there with the best of the world.
The time has come for Detroit to stop muttering its successes and start shouting them out loud. Sure, there's a time to be contrite and deferential when being raked over congressional coals by political alpha males. But that's over with; it's now OK to stand up and say, "We're not going to take it anymore."
Detroit--America--we are survivors. We have great stories to tell. And this is as true for Detroit--for you--as anything else: We must show pride again. How you can help: Educate those you speak with. Let them know that Detroit is in the game.
Ask Jesse James. That hard-living, full-charging motorcycle fabricator, TV star and all-around wild guy is proving that America is ready to fight. He's put big money where his pride is and built a Chevy-powered, hydrogen-fueled land-speed-record car. James's 572-cubic-inch bow-tie-wearing Chevrolet kicked high-technology a** by beating the existing 187-mph record held by BMW. His new record is nearly 200 mph. And Jesse did it without a penny from General Motors.
He's in it for pride.
James brings American ingenuity, perseverance and know-how. And sweat--lots and lots of sweat.
That's what it's going to take to get us all out of this mess.
Jesse's not afraid to put in the effort.
None of us should be if we want to advance.
So please, people, open your eyes and stop your ignorance. Stop giving our money to Asia and Europe, when we need it most here. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR YOU TO BUY AN IMPORT... unless you're just an ignorant, snotty, materialistic ********.
