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The
80s emerged as an era of big things; big hair, big shoulder
pads, and big excess, none of which survived the decade.
GM, like many other automakers, entered the era with big
cars and poor quality, a reputation that would ultimately
lead them down the road to perdition.
That
was then, this is now. Today’s GM -- under the leadership
of CEO Rick Wagoner and direction of consummate car guy
Bob Lutz -- have repaved the path of GM with products that
not only ooze quality but also have brought back that hot
pizzazz that makes cars more than a mode of transportation.
They make you sweat.
For
GM, the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer a train.
In fact, one might say GM is now on the road to redemption.
Owning up to their faults, and learning from their mistakes,
they’ve moved on, ready to show the world how it’s
done.
At
a recent full-line preview of GM products, I expected to
find the same-old, same-old. Instead, it was like being
retrofitted back to the future. There, glistening in the
sunlight were dozens of fine forms and designs that were
so emotionally compelling it was difficult to decide where
to begin. First instincts were to touch and smell.
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The
newest beauty - 2004 Cadillac XLR
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It’s
beginning to look like 2004 will become known as the year
of roadster rebirth. Cadillac, which has undergone an extreme
makeover this past year, is launching the XLR,
a two-seater roadster that rivals any sports car made. In
fact, it may be in a class of its own. Cadillac also has coming
its own crossover version, the SRX, hitting showroom floors
soon, which we predict will be huge hit with the upscale consumer
crowd seeking to shed a minivan or SUV, especially women.
In fact, since the debut of the CTS
last year, women and men alike are looking at Cadillac in
a whole new way -- it's younger, hipper, sexier. It’s
no longer your father’s car. (CONTINUE...) |
