The General gets with the times

GM, the world’s largest car manufacturer, seems to be changing its product portfolio in a big way. ‘Out with the SUVs, in with the compacts’ seems to be the new mantra under CEO Rick Wagoner.

The rising oil prices are changing the preferences of the American car buyer, and compact cars and saloons are now being preferred over pickup trucks and SUVs, which have long formed the lion’s share of GM’s sales. In fact, it is quite possible that the iconic Hummer brand might be sold. The all-electric Volt will probably be in showrooms by 2011, and that seems increasingly likely with the news of GM trying to acquire Cobasys, which supplies batteries to some of its hybrid vehicles.

Small cars are the next big thing, and GM is adapting to the needs of consumers. Better late than never, we say - although we wonder if a Cobalt SS will ever rouse the same emotions in a bystander as a Corvette.