| It's amazing to note how many automakers are losing | | | | cargo. It is also very slow. You would not want to drive |
| money simply because they have failed to understand | | | | it in any distance unless you have nothing else to do |
| the very basic thing about their buyers-and that is the | | | | with your time. And oh if you are thinking of driving it to |
| very reason why people buy cars. | | | | say Paris to the Riviera or even on Europe's |
| There are two chief executives of General Motors | | | | superhighways you will only be frustrated. But in |
| that have wasted hundred of billions of dollars | | | | fairness to Smart it is very easy to park unfortunately |
| because they failed to understand what their | | | | parking is the least concern of buyers except in two |
| customers need. So why do people buy cars? | | | | cities, Paris and Rome. And in terms of its price, |
| It is a fact that purchasing and owning a vehicle is quite | | | | Europeans would probably choose to buy a small car |
| expensive. The average price for a new car range is | | | | such as Volkswagen Polo instead. This vehicle is |
| more or less $30,000 quite expensive for the average | | | | equipped with top-of-the-line auto parts such as |
| Joe with average salary. But why do people still insist | | | | Volkswagen axle and can accommodate four |
| on buying one? There are various reasons why | | | | passengers plus stuffs. Volkswagen Polo is also a |
| people opt to purchase a car but above all it's | | | | great car to travel anywhere you want to go. |
| because of the convenience factor derived from | | | | So why hasn't DaimlerChrysler stopped the production |
| owning one. | | | | of Smart as General Motors and Toyota has killed |
| With a car the usual one hour consumed in commuting | | | | their production of electric cars? Speculations have it |
| to work is cut say to 30 minutes. Plus, for parents with | | | | that it's all about politics. It is said that killing the |
| kids, taking them to school becomes a simply matter. | | | | production of Smart would embarrass the Daimler |
| Traveling say from New York to Los Angeles and | | | | board that approved the project and also the German |
| back is also made easy using a car. The long list of | | | | office too. That is because the Smart plant is in France |
| benefits in owning a car is endless. So what is the | | | | and stopping the production would mean Germans |
| point I'm trying to derive here: people buy cars | | | | firing Frenchmen in a high unemployment area. That is |
| because of the benefits that they get from the | | | | not good for keeping foreign relations. |
| vehicles. When automakers try to subtract the things | | | | Does this mean that General Motors latest electric car |
| that a vehicle can do they tend to lessen its value to | | | | concept the plug-in Volt is doomed? Officially not yet |
| them. | | | | because of the very obvious reason--- it is still a |
| The Toyota Prius for instance is a successful type of | | | | concept and therefore it doesn't exist yet. The Volt as |
| hybrid because it provides the customers with benefits | | | | explained by General Motors will run on lithium-ion |
| that are expected of it. Although not really fast but | | | | batteries and so far these are non-existent yet. When |
| who cares its not going to be used for racing anyway. | | | | they do come, General Motors says that the range |
| The important is its fast enough to get people to | | | | problem will be solved by a small gasoline motor that |
| places they want to go to. It has a reasonable range | | | | supposedly will recharge the batteries when they |
| and can carry a reasonable load for a small car. Its | | | | weaken. |
| actually priced high---$26,000 or so but its high fuel | | | | Since everything is a concept there is that possibility of |
| economy and unique shape make it a rolling billboard | | | | it working and well not working. But we'll just have to |
| for Toyota. | | | | wait for it. General Motors has not yet released any |
| Its not only American auto people who don't | | | | statement on how much the Volt will cost. At least the |
| understand even the leaders of Daimler in Germany | | | | buying public will have something to look forward to. |
| have missed the whole point with the Smart. This | | | | That is of course depends on whether the public finds |
| vehicle cost Daimler $5 billion or so losses. Although it is | | | | it worth their while. |
| true that Smart is cute but let us not forget the fact | | | | And lastly it is very important for our automakers to |
| that very few buyers consider cuteness as a criteria in | | | | think that if they want for customers to value their car |
| choosing a car unless of course your name is Paris | | | | they need to boost its functionality and not just present |
| Hilton. | | | | vehicles in a beautiful package to excite customers |
| The Smart which I believed is inappropriately named | | | | which later on will only be forgotten. |
| can seat only two people and doesn't offer space for | | | | |