NADA Highlights

摘要

NADA's GM Industry Relations Committee asked GM execs if the automaker's financial plan for future-product programs is strong enough to face current market conditions, and were told that GM isn't lessening its product-development commitments, only retiming next-generation pickups later and fuel-efficient cars sooner. Dealers also wanted to know how viable GM and its dealer network are now, considering the down economy's effect on profitability. GM execs said that for the first time in the company's history, they were looking at every expense and cutting anything that's not helping to sell cars. Changes outlined recently by GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, they added, should raise $10 billion to $15 billion by the end of next year. (Changes include cutting truck capacity, reducing salaried employee expense by 20 percent, and eliminating cash bonuses this year for GM's executive group.) GM is still considering the future of the Hummer division, execs said, adding that if the division isn't sold, the whole business model will be reviewed. Hummer dealers are being contacted to discuss future plans. When dealers asked about the then proposed sale of GM's medium-duty truck business to Navistar, they were told that GM intended to stay in the medium-duty business and that the full plan would be revealed to dealers soon.