[Macworld]

Post your comments for Alternate reality: What if Steve Jobs ran one of the Big Three? here

[doglesby]

I think Steve is smart enough to recognize that cars are not computers and there's a reason all the foreign-owned car companies have set up manufacturing in the US.
Otherwise, yes, some streamlining is in order. Think of the marketing efficiencies alone of having one model sold by one maker. None of this car A is the same as car B. No one except major piston-heads cares that car B has a different suspension. Maybe make some sense of GM vs. Saturn vs. Oldsmobile or get rid of the distinctions altogether.

[flybynight]

They would start out with one choice: "Bondi Blue." Then the consumer line would blossom into all sorts of flowery colors and patterns, while the professional models would be in grays and metallics. Then, the color choices would be slimmed down to blue, tangerine and gray, then to just white (with an optional, more expensive black) and gray, eventually the entire line would be brushed aluminum and glass with black accents.

[flybynight]

Forgot to add that a line of "PodCars" would change colors AND SIZES every year, just after the old models are cleared out with a back to school rebate special.

[distortedloop]

Gil Amelio, CEO of Apple in 1996 and 1997 (between Spindler and the second coming of Jobs) is thought by many to have been the true turn-around agent of Apple, despite the stock hitting a 12 year low during his tenure.
Amelio made massive layoffs at Apple to reduce costs, and several attempts to improve Mac OS. Interestingly, it was Amelio who bought NeXT (OS X's roots) and brought Jobs back to Apple as an advisor.
Fun to fantasize about what so-and-so would do if they ran a business, but Jobs' terror tactics and demanding style of long hours for no extra pay would not go very far in the UAW controlled auto industry. Steve might design cool cars if he were in the auto-industry, but I think the UAW would strike and run him out on a rail if he tried to manage GM/Ford/Chrysler the way he allegedly runs Apple, Inc.

[Alan]

They might sell me the first American vehicle I've ever had.

A brushed Stainless steel car got me excited years ago. Here is my car history;

(Honda 500 4 cyl. bike, Mercedes 180, VW Diesel Rabbit, Toyota Tercel, Van, Sienna, Mazda Miata and Toyota Rav 4)

I have never bought a US made or designed vehicle because of one thing.

A close relative of mine said to me before I bought one of my cars "The warranty is the key thing, as long as they have a good warranty, then if it breaks, they fix it". His logic was rock solid to him.

My policy is to buy something that won't break in the first place because no warranty lasts forever.

This is not meant as an insult to anyone in the NA car industry. Years ago a friend was a top exec in the GM livery and I was able to get a very good deal on a Camaro. I went for a test drive and what a disappointment. It was dealer prepped and barely made it out of the parking lot.

I rent lots of the big three cars and same thing. I got a drive with a cabbie once and he had a Camry. He could barely speak English but he managed to get it out that with his prior car he was into the garage probably a half dozen or more times between oil changes for something broken, but with the Camry it was the reverse, maybe once a year for repair.

Someone spelled it all out by saying that when the Nippers have a problem with their car they hire an engineer, but when the big three have a problem with their car they hire a lawyer. Obviously an exaggeration but get my drift.

BTW I am not even remotely related to any manufacturer

[Speed_Racer]

Steve says two pedals are too confusing for most people.

[Schneb]

Speed_Racer wrote:
Steve says two pedals are too confusing for most people.

"We don't know how to build a sub- $50,000 car that is not a piece of junk."

[Schneb]

Our luck, matte finish windshield.

[richcon]

You can get your Ford in any color you want, as long as it's white.

[DisabledTrucker]

You want a V-What?!? We don't have V-8's here, you'll have to settle for I-6 or V-12's.... Sub-compact what? We don't do anything with less than 6 cyl's!

[bigh]

It would come with non-removable tires. When the tires wear out, you could send it back to the factory to get new ones installed, but most people would end up handing the car down to the kids so that they could get the latest model.

[context]

Even Jobs couldn't save an industry slain by unions.

[rrj]

All of the cars would be made in China. You'd have to buy a special adaptor to add fuel. Like appletv: no on-off switch, you'd have to remove the battery to turn it off - oops: battery is sealed inside the vehicle - can't turn the thing off. It locks up in "standby" mode..