[no subject]

[Mike Substelny <msubstel@xxxx>]

Mike D. wrote:

> Just my 2 cents regarding some prospective on the economic times of
> 1982.The corvette production (the car the DeLorean was supposed to
> compete with)Typically had been on the order of 50,000 cars per year
> for many years, in 1982 The production of corvettes was half at around
> 25,000 cars. I would think that much of this had to do with GM
> recognizing that the business was way off due to the economy.

[SNIP]

> One more observation, weren't most of the DeLorean dealer's GM dealers
> also? Wouldn't that mean that DeLorean dealers were also trying to
> sell Corvettes?
> Just looks like one more obstacle in the sale of the DeLorean at that
> time.

While we've mentioned it before, this is a great place to point out that GM
picked this particular point in history to *stop* production of Corvettes
completely. They phased out the old "Coke Bottle" 'vette after 1982, and did
not sell another production 'vette until the 1984 model year. That awful
slump in sports car sales sure was a convenient time for GM to do this. Was
this dumb luck for GM, or genius planning?

GM sold zero 1983 Corvettes. Then 1984 hit the second-highest sales volume
in Corvette history. One can only speculate that 1983 might have been a
propitious time for DeLorean to swoop in and fill the 25,000 - 50,000 car
void. Too bad officials of the Thatcher government had picked February,
1982 to put DMC into receivership. Few consumers will buy a durable good
from a company on the verge of bankruptcy, no matter how strong their hunger
for the product.

If I had a yardstick to measure wisdom, I would probably find the decisions
made in London at this time were even more stupid than the decisions made in
Detriot were brilliant.

- Mike Substelny