WELL, NOW WHO DO WE COMPARE THEM TO?

Just a short note. When bashers of the American auto companies bash GM, Ford, and Chrysler, they often point to Toyota as the kind of company the Americans should be emulating. That argument has just gotten a little weaker. Toyota is not only on the verge of reporting an operating loss, the company is also saying:

"The tough times are hitting us far faster, wider and deeper than expected," he told reporters at Toyota's Nagoya office. "This is an unprecedented crisis requiring urgent action."

Watanabe vowed Toyota would grow so lean it would realize profitability even if its worldwide sales slid to as low as 7 million vehicles — what he called the basic "bottom line" for Toyota.

"We must change to become more slim, muscular and flexible," he said.

So, it turns out that even companies selling Priui (?) and Camrys are not assured of actually making money in 2008-2009. Does this mean that GM and Chrysler cannot possibly draft a plan that makes them "sustainable?" We'll see.