Why General Motors Left Europe

But mainly, GM's failure in Europe shows Mary Barra's ineptitude in leading a massive American company. She's HR; not innovation and market growth. GM is in no way, currently, forward thinking; it is simply always catching-up with competitors.

Interesting pre-pandemic video. Certainly, all the stats here quoted have dramatically changed since this vid's posting in May of 2019.

GM failed in EU because they couldn't find enough shops to repair their junky autos...

Cuzz Europe sucks

No proper product offering and cannot commit to emission challenge in EU.

Unless you work construction and even then alot of worker just drive vans, nobody drives pickups in europe. Its just seen as being embarrassing. You would be thought of as an American hillbilly

American Companies cannot compete on the World Market.

Poor management by not moving with the market, and not producing vehicles that people actually want. Europe was not the market they pulled out of. Australia, India were others. Where I live we got vehicles from the Daewoo factory, which were poorly assembled and showed their age when compared to other brands. GM management incompetence ultimately lead to the pulling out of these markets.

Europeans like go kart style cars, Americans like larger vehicles its no wonder they failed. Japan has a much more similar market to Europe

PSA who owns Opel merged with Fiat Chrysler, making the group have a Jeep brand in the US.

Should go back to Europe

Apparently they are coming back for either 2024 or 2025. If so, I very much hope they bring over some SUVs and Trucks to the UK.

That's a stupid question. Out of all the German ltalian and French automakers building superior cars to GM why was it in Europe to begin with?? European cars are so much better in every way other then the price. Then again cheap things are not good and good things are not cheap.

Republican Capitalism and Management - selling trash that Kills - isn't very competitive. But being Republicans, they Love Bankruptcy and Government handouts.

GM left Europa in the mid 1970s, with the oil crisis and the stagflation and generally high USD to comparatively lower local European currency exchange rates; it was hard for GM to compete with other economical offerings from Ford, and our European brands (especially the French and Germans) as well as the Japanese.

I see more Fords, Toyotas and Hondas in Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland (where I live) than I see BMW, Renault, Škoda.

GM did import some North American cars via the Opel/Vauxhall brands but they did not sell as much volume relative to market. Most American cars are too big for our narrow city streets.

American cars are trash.

And what Will European do now? Buy a Japanese car?hahaha....yes

New anoncmant GM comming back to Europe to Serbia ! We are proude to bekomme European GM center!

Warning to American cars do not install Viber phones on your cell phones Joy Biden Control with Nvidia American cars are severely affected

because there are no jews or communists left in germany

Cadillac come back to Europe please!!

Made a bold move. I guess you could say that. Journalists are cowards by nature, it's the nature of the job. You can say whatever you want about a politician. You are still allowed to participate at a press conference, he will still respond questions. You cannot say anything about a car manufacturer cos they can just slam the door in your face. No more invitations at the events, car launches, no more free hotels, free flights, buffets ... so ... let's keep it polite and not mention that other manufacturers sell.

American cars look like a puffer fish on 4 wheels

American Car failed in Europe and South Korea

American Car never sold in China

Does anyone know which Plant(s) in Antwerp Belgium assembled Firebirds during the 1970s please? I don't know if it's possible to establish such a detail. I own a 1977 Firebird, it's final assembly was in Antwerp.

They left Australia with no great loss as the product is average

Funny to say that european cars can`t be sold elsewhere, while showing serveral times the Opel Insignia. The insignia was developed in Opel / Germany in 2008 at and later got the Buick badge.
The Buick Regal, a 1:1 copy of the Insignia, was one of the most sold cars in the early 2010 worldwide.

And at least in small parts there are synergy effects, merceds benz still used crash-sensors with the daimler-chrysler logo in the late 2010s, almost a decade after it has dissolved its connection to chrysler.

great video, where can I source this data? I would truly appreciate references, please. I hope you can help, thank you

Europeans are too weak for GM

OK, but how comes GM did so much worse in Europe than Ford ? When I walk around in the streets of Antwerp, I mainly see German cars, including quite a lot of Opels, lots of small FIAT 500/600, a limited number of Tesla's.... But quite a respectable number of Ford cars and vans. So, why the difference between these two US car makers ?

Opel in Belgium was regarded as a European car. But GM held their American thinking to long. They have proven it in Europe but in the US as well where they are pushed aside by the Japanese. Opel is sold and profitable now.. Why is it so difficult for Americans to change their thinking ? Opel was one of the better brands and Ford is doing well. So the GM top should not blame the Europeans for their own shortsightedness.

It is my impression that Europeans widely perceive Americans and, by extension, American cars as crude, clumsy, and unimaginative. Cadillacmoved its headquarters to New York toescape the midwestern influence and G< platfrom and badge engineering. Europeans like cars. GM builds units.

Europeans are smart and realize that American cars are junk. That's why they didn't sell well there.

M

We can talk about the irrelevant factors of why GM pulled out in Europe all day long, despite them offering small, fuel efficient city cars built for European streets, but at the end of the day, the main reason why GM has had an on and off relationship with Europe is because they never try hard.. as opposed to BMW, Mercedes, and Audi who found themselves over investing into the American market and their needs a couple decades ago. It’s important for Euro brands to have a presence in America, while America is just fine with offering a simple Ford and Tesla lineup with the occasional exclusivity of a Cadillac, Corvette, or a vintage car. Americans drive BMWs and Volkswagens because they are readily available in large quantities and appeal to the mass market. GM apparently never felt it was important to do the same in Europe.. Ford and Tesla are exceptions of this American brand mindset, where Ford is the third largest brand in Europe and Tesla dominates the premium EV market

I wish they would leave the United States to

RIP Saab and Daewoo.

Not only did GM try & sell their cars In Europe, but the Vauxhalls & Europe versions non German weren’t very desirable here “America” & Chinese vehicles are not seen as desirable here, everyone knows Kia/hyundai is a scam now but they actually had good models that last a long time when taken care of “just as anything else”

American cars are good for 60,000 miles and quality beyond expectations compared to Europeans and Asians cars!

GM ruined Opel badly, in 80s, Opel was trying to be competitor to BMW and Mercedes, and was way better than Audi. Everything changed after GM cut corners' policy Introduced 80s-90s-2000s . Opel was paying the price for GM's failure with other brands. GM was playing only business game in car market manufacture, VW Mercedes and Japanese cars were playing manufacturing engineering game beside business . GM was trading company more than Car manufacturer.

No one likes pathetic cars

I watched a recent interview with Mary Barra, and from what it sounds like to me, is she simply got tired of leadership not making plans to turn it around quick enough while the rest of the company was already strugging to introduce their next generation of vehicles. In that interview, she says something like, "If what you are doing isn't working, then why keep doing it?". GM is making record profits, and their ceo seems determined to prevent a total collapse, especially going into very turbulent times for the industry.
It'll be interesting to see where they are in 10 years.

GM should remain Daewoo brand in Europe. Very good and reliable cars for the price.

You know, I just wanted to add another story to one of my prior posts… I started looking into and thinking about a dealership one of which was in the state of Michigan… And looking back at a situation that was approximately 19 years old the odd situation between General Motors and Ford Motor Company a dealership going out of business was a very big link to the Jewish community in West Bloomfield, and the help or assistance from a Ford family from Kansas City Missouri is mind blowing how this possibly could have went down it wasn’t until recent when I started putting all the pieces together and taking a look at everything and trying to understand exactly how these things all come together.

OPEL is the best out of all the EX GM

If you develop a car, parts or a drive train and then actually build and sell it, GM charges a license fee. That makes sense if you don't want to pay taxes in Germany. Maybe GM forgot about it and wondered why there were no profits. And what doesn't make a profit is sold off. And in 2025 Trump will wonder why we don't buy US cars - there are none except the Corvette and the Mustang.

This is a must watch for trump

TO LINDSAY LOHAN, GENERAL MOTORS IS IN GOOD SALES WORLDWIDE 🌐

Why do you think GM failed in Europe?