Q. A reader suggested General Motors and Ford consider moving their headquarters to a more "edgy" city like Los Angeles. He also said Detroit's performance cars contributed to the decline of the Big Three.
Never mind that performance cars are what used to get people into showrooms or Detroit's contribution during World War II. America became the arsenal of democracy with a big hand from the Big Three, which quickly switched from producing cars and trucks to a variety of war materiel. The automakers reacted to a national emergency by setting aside their primary business interests for four years. Some of our current leaders might want to recall the massive efforts made by the Big Three now that they need help.
_ J.M., Chicago
A. It does seem a bit odd that the domestic automakers are being forced to jump through hoops by Congress to get the money needed to keep afloat. When Japanese and German automakers wanted to build plants in their states, many of the same politicos ponied up money and tax breaks for them.
Q. Regarding your review of the Ford Fusion, it showed a price of $21,090 in large print and below in very small print an additional charge of $725 for freight. It's understandable that dealers will do anything permissible to make the price appear as low as possible, but your role is to make the price clearer.
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_ S.H., ChicagoLet's cut GM a little slack
A. And the reader's role is to read everything in the specifications table that comes with the review. It notes the base price is $21,090, and the $725 is the freight charge. Options also were listed, as well as good and bad points. The review also noted pricing; nothing was missing except tax, title, plates and doc fee, if one is charged.
Q. I've been enjoying my 2007 Ford Fusion SEL V-6 for two years, but there are some things I've never determined about it. What do the letters S, E and L signify? And where is the radio antenna?
_ J.U., Riverside, Ill.
A. Ford spokesman Alan Hall said: "The SEL doesn't stand for a specific acronym. We use S, SE, SEL and Limited to designate trim levels."
And the dealer salesman could have pointed out the antenna on the roof toward the rear of the vehicle.
Q. I don't see any more info on the Pontiac G8 sport truck on the Internet. With GM's problems, are they no longer going to import it from Australia? Let's cut GM a little slack
R.H., St. Charles, Ill.
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A. The G8 sport truck was one of the first victims of the General Motors viability plan submitted to the government in January. The Pontiac division itself became the latest victim of the plan last week.
Q. I like the Pontiac G8, but with the GM brand soon to be extinct, was the car necessary in the first place?
_ R.D., Chicago
A. The G8 was unveiled as a concept at the Chicago Auto Show in 2007, so it was under development since 2006. It came out in March 2008, to replace the Grand Prix and Bonneville. No one knew in 2006 - or 2007 - that the market was going to collapse like it did - taking Pontiac and the G8 with it.
(Write to Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60611, or send e-mail to rides@tribune.com . Due to the volume of letters, only those in which the reader includes full name and hometown can be read.)
