A famous southern general, Nathan Bedford Forrest, once said, "get there fustest with the mostest." The Japanese did that in the 1970's when the Oil embargo hit---they understood---they correctly predicted---that Americans would turn away from the gas-guzzling cars that the Big Three put out. Ever since then, they have done great job and figuring out what the American driver wants---not now, but three years from now.

The Big Three has yet to truly figure out on a consistent basis---not yet, anywy, and, if they don't soon,well, it may be too late. Customer satisfaction and service sell cars---over and over again. Did anybody every notice how many cars are designed by American companies to compete with the Accord or the Camry---again, the Japanese "got there fustest with the mostest." If Ford, GM, and Daimler Chrysler did it right, wouldn't Toyota, Honda, and Nissan all be trying to compete with us?

My friend's Accord---an '06---is really well designed and thought out. The interior is tremendously ergonomically efficient; compare that to my Taurus (and yes, it is only an '03) the Taurus is an ordinary car. Solid, yes, but ordinary.

We no longer live with an economy that is strictly continental; it is global. It may not be fair, but The Big Three should be able to figure out what makes us "tick"; isn't it ironic that somebody thousands of miles away understands us better than ourselves?