Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge
Post Number: 71 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 07, 2007 - 9:30 pm: | |
NY TIMES Detroit Puts on a Show, and It's Playing for Keeps by Lawrence Ulrich January 7, 2007
quote:In part to bolster the Detroit show’s status, local officials are hoping to add 270,000 square feet of exhibition space to Cobo Center (and demolish the adjoining Cobo Arena, where the Detroit Pistons played before moving 35 miles north to the Palace of Auburn Hills). But the future of Cobo Center is far from the biggest crisis for the city and its all-encompassing industry. Less than a year ago, as Detroit played host to the Super Bowl, news coverage tended to portray Detroit as a city on the rise, focusing on the monuments of urban renewal — a new football stadium here, a gambling casino there. Little attention was paid to the abandoned buildings downtown or the neglected neighborhoods that make up much of the city. As if Detroit wasn’t suffering enough, this is likely to be the year when Toyota does the equivalent of a touchdown dance on Detroit’s home field: in 2007, the company seems assured of passing G.M. in worldwide sales to become the world’s largest automaker. Today at the auto show, Toyota will show the Tundra CrewMax, an oversize-cab version of the Texas-built pickup that poses a threat to the last market segment that Detroit still dominates.
More disconcerting words about Detroit from the high-and-mighty NYT... thoughts?? Read the rest here. You may have to 'sign in': Detroit Puts on a Show P.S. Not sure how this got posted to "Non-Detroit Issues" the first time I tried. sorry for the confusion. |
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100
Post Number: 151 Registered: 12-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 07, 2007 - 9:35 pm: | |
Apparently they weren't here for the super bowl. Let us do the talking and not the buildings. Besides, half of those are now being renovated. And does anyone see Toyota rolling out an electrical vehicle? |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1296 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, January 07, 2007 - 10:15 pm: | |
Truck buyers are some of the most loyal in the auto industry. It going to have to take a lot for them to switch. A lot of truck owners have had a truck by the same brand for many years. The one thing the Big 3 do well are trucks. Toyota is going to have some trouble taking over the truck business. |
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner
Post Number: 700 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 07, 2007 - 10:28 pm: | |
This is not news. Toyota becoming is the least of our problems. It is true that the neighborhoods are neglected, I hope recent plans will show some improvements, but how long has it taken this adminstration to replace the transit center downtown? Detroit while the center of General Motors, is not the same as General Motors. Both GM and Toyota are worldwide companies. If it trends the other way, they will talk about the 12 year long recession in Japan and the growth of other powers along the pacific rim such as Korea and China. |
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100
Post Number: 156 Registered: 12-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 07, 2007 - 10:58 pm: | |
Good point. Should we watch Kia instead? |
Wazootyman Member Username: Wazootyman
Post Number: 179 Registered: 02-2006
| Posted on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 8:03 am: | |
Oh, piss off NYT. Did they notice who won car & truck of the year? Have they not noticed the progress in the last ten years, despite the economy? Can they write an article about Detroit that doesn't rely entirely on backhanded compliments? It's another tired article, probably written by someone who bases his facts entirely on another article, having never even visited the city. I suppose a city in which most of the economy is based on the service industry (NYC) is completely satisfied with Asian market dominating the production of goods. It's not that they just think Detroit is on the downfall - they're downright hoping it will happen. I can't understand how they don't realize the demise of Detroit Industry is bad for the entire nation. Anyhow, his name is Lawrence Ulrich. Sounds like a sissy. Yeah. |
56packman Member Username: 56packman
Post Number: 882 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 9:56 am: | |
Bob-if Toyota makes a F-150 clone, it's all over for Ford. Yes, they have loyalists, and they own the pick-up market NOW. Owners of smaller Toyota pickups have had fantastic experiences with those trucks. It might take a while, but Toyota has proven many times over that they are willing to plant seeds and watch trees grow. |
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge
Post Number: 135 Registered: 05-2006
| Posted on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 10:30 am: | |
"And does anyone see Toyota rolling out an electrical vehicle?" Unfortunately the Chevy Volt is not a full electric vehicle - it is a hybrid albeit with some nice features that are more advanced than the current batch of hybrids. Also, unfortunately, the Volt is ANOTHER prototype and MIGHT be produced in 2010 or 2012 (or maybe not). GM says that the battery technology isn't there yet even though there are full electric cars being produced by Tesla and Phoenix motors. |
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100
Post Number: 157 Registered: 12-2006
| Posted on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 4:43 pm: | |
It's close enough to count in my opinion. |
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa
Post Number: 682 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 5:38 pm: | |
If the VOLT is produced as comes as advertised for under $30,000, I will be lining up to purchase one the day it hits the market. |
French777 Member Username: French777
Post Number: 61 Registered: 10-2006
| Posted on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 6:16 pm: | |
The NYT i bet didn't even notice the Westin Book-Cadillac or the Riverfront being given a new life. And also how Gm took both awards |