I found this quote from GM Sales & Marketing chief to be astounding:



“’Six hundred twenty is not a subprime score,’ GM’s sales and marketing chief Mark LaNeve told Automotive News. ‘That’s a very creditworthy buyer. Hopefully, we’ll have access to more of the market that is out there.’” – Automotive News (12/30/08)

Bill Ryan of Portales Partners adds the following:

“We would like to sputter in shock and disbelief. General Motors Acceptance Corp. (GMAC) lost $5B in the 9 months ending September 2008 (on an operating basis). It has $100B in subprime and nonconforming mortgages through its ResCap subsidiary, and the government just lent them $5B at an 8% interest rate.

In addition, General Motors (GM) just announced a 0% financing option to car buyers.

So it turns out that we are now subsidizing a globally uncompetitive carmaker that does not understand what qualifies as a subprime FICO score and is offering 0% loans financed by a government (taxpayer) investment that costs 8%.

We guess they are hoping to make it up on volume.”