Toyota Motors has announced their plan to build 9 million cars in 2008. With that volume, barring an increase from GM, Toyota will become the #1 automaker next year.
You can't say you haven't seen this coming. Look at all the local car ads that air on TV today. Lexus... Honda... Toyota... Audi... the only time you see ads for the Big 3 are on local sportscasts. National Prime Time shows feature the foreign car ads.
I like the catchphrase of the redesigned Chevy Malibu: "We're tired of being a foreign car in our own country." If you went just by television ads alone, anything Ford, GM or Chrysler make is foreign. We know that's not the case. We do know the Big 3 have been struggling. But have they completely eliminated advertising dollars?
GM has the power to stop Toyota from becoming #1. The only question is if they are willing to do it, and show the world that America still has manufacturing bragging rights. We need to send some good news out there.
* Michigan and Rhode Island are the only two states who lost population last year. Michigan lost 30,500 people due to the depressed economy. Look for a repeat next year. People are tired of the same old song & dance.
* If I feel well enough, I may drive around the neighborhood tonight to snap photos of remaining Christmas displays. Some of them are very well thought out.
* Slept solidly last night for the first time in a week. I was hoping to get some stuff done around here, but the headache has recently returned. An omnious sign not to get too much done too soon!
