1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Chevy Volt a Failure - GM to Layoff 1,300

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L), Mar 2, 2012.

Page 7 of 241
  1. Azrael

    Azrael Well-Known Member

    Which "critics" are "pointing?" Which "critics" are "charging?" Where are these "critics" getting that figure?
     
    Azrael, Mar 3, 2012
    #73
  2. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    Hey man, it's from your link. :)

    Take it up with USAT.
     
    YankeeFan, Mar 3, 2012
    #74
  3. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    The car didn't suffer from lack of marketing. The sales figures kind of answer your question, despite that.

    The guy from Audi North America who made fun of it when it came out, said, “No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a Corolla. So there are not enough idiots who will buy it.”

    He has his stake in diesel, so it's obvious where he was coming from. But his prediction that the car would fail wasn't really putting himself out on too much of a limb.
     
    The Big Ragu, Mar 3, 2012
    #75
  4. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    I love the fact the GOP hates the Volt, but back in 2000, the Arizona GOP was all over natural gas cars. The state legislature even passed a hefty subsidy to convert cars to natural gas (keeping the gasoline tank as well, with no requirement to actually fuel the vehicle with natural gas). The Speaker of House set up a company to take advantage of the subsidy.

    The GOP can shut up about the Volt.
     
    Stitch, Mar 3, 2012
    #76
  5. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    They've had a run of several weeks of moderately positive economic news (no, not 'wildly successful,' not 'triumphant,' not 'mission accomplished,' but moderately positive) and they are desperately searching for some kind of American economic failure they can celebrate and shout from the rooftops -- because that's all they have left.

    The sight and thought of Americans out of work is bringing veritable sparkle back to their eyes. It's like a little kid waking up on Christmas morning.

    That's what they're about.
     
    Starman, Mar 3, 2012
    #77
  6. Azrael

    Azrael Well-Known Member

    Near as I can tell, in its first year on sale in the US, Toyota sold about 6000 units* of the hybrid Prius. Last year, it sold 140,000 of them. And has sold over 950,000 in the US market.


    www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/data/vehicles.html#afv_hev


    *Chevrolet sold more than 6000 Volts in 2011.
     
    Azrael, Mar 3, 2012
    #78
  7. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    My main point is that among wasteful ways the government spends money, this is wayyyyyyyy down the list of things I'd get my panties in a bunch about.
     
    bigpern23, Mar 3, 2012
    #79
  8. amraeder

    amraeder Well-Known Member

    All of those Priuses (Priusi?) sold in Madison, WI, if my time on the roads there was any indication.
     
    amraeder, Mar 3, 2012
    #80
  9. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    I am typing mostly from memory, but I know this is a true characterization of the first few years of the Prius in the U.S. I just looked and they started selling the Prius in the U.S. in 2003. It immediately became a fashion statement, because several celebrities jumped on board (Leonardo DiCaprio buying one was a big deal). Production couldn't keep up with the demand, and people waited on lists for months to get one--right from the get go. That was the case for about 2 or 3 years. They couldn't produce the cars fast enough.

    Whatever shortfalls in sales the Prius may or may not have had (and I don't know the actual sales numbers), sales weren't hindered by a lack of demand -- as was the case with the Volt. It was that they weren't online early enough to produce enough of them.

    By the way, the MSRP for the Prius is almost half of what the Volt is. The first ones that sold in the U.S. in 2003 had an MSRP of less than $20K and now they start at about $24,000.
     
    The Big Ragu, Mar 3, 2012
    #81
  10. old_tony

    old_tony Well-Known Member

    I still don't get how cars running on coal are cleaner than cars running on gas. I thought the left absolutely HATED coal.
     
    old_tony, Mar 3, 2012
    #82
  11. Azrael

    Azrael Well-Known Member

    Less than half of American electricity is made with coal.
     
    Azrael, Mar 3, 2012
    #83
  12. farmerjerome

    farmerjerome Active Member

    Since Dr. J sells sells GM automobiles, so I'm a little bias (not really, I drive a Camry). I liked the Volt. I just couldn't get over how quiet it was. Could I afford it on a retail salary? Never, but it was a cute little car.

    The Cruze and Malibus are still great cars. I'm waiting for the used Cruzes to come in so I can get the pick of the litter.

    I would like to be in the position to support a greener earth with a Volt, but I'm not.
     
    farmerjerome, Mar 3, 2012
    #84
Page 7 of 241
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page