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Tiny Chevrolet Sonic helps Detroit shake off rust

AP -- DETROIT (AP) -- When the word reached the Orion Assembly Plant, it spread along the serpentine assembly line like news of a death or natural disaster: General Motors, the biggest automaker in the world, had filed for bankruptcy protection.

On that grim day in 2009, Chevrolet and Pontiac sedans kept rolling down the line. And 1,700 worried workers stayed at their stations even as GM announced it would close the plant in a desperate bid to survive.

There was something else that the workers didn't know: They were witnessing the opening act of one of the greatest recovery stories in American business.

Nearly four years later, Chevrolets are still moving down the assembly line under the plant's 82-acre roof. Lang and his co-workers now build the Sonic, the best-selling subcompact car in the

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Submitted Jan 05, 2013 By: bar1035

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polarbear2 Champion Author Maine Posts:12,139 Points:2,756,060 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 7:59:40 AM Ignore polarbear2 Report Abuse Sorry GM didn't go under. Maybe that would have changed the culture at that place.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,643 Points:1,611,470 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 6:04:09 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse glad GM didn't go under.
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,973 Points:2,118,590 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 11:47:13 PM Ignore remay Report Abuse No thanks, not for me...
Catfish93001 Champion Author Ventura Posts:1,200 Points:247,955 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 1:05:20 PM Ignore Catfish93001 Report Abuse Must be a slow news day.
jethro5000 Champion Author Kentucky Posts:1,882 Points:392,210 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 10:15:38 AM Ignore jethro5000 Report Abuse I'm just glad America finally seems serious about gas economy...
DanMtz Champion Author Oakland Posts:3,360 Points:1,244,300 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 8:28:13 AM Ignore DanMtz Report Abuse Hopefully the Sonic is better than a Vega.
jkpsr Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,089 Points:1,103,855 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 2:07:53 AM Ignore jkpsr Report Abuse At last GM seems to be getting it right!
Mowerman08 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:4,765 Points:1,218,970 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:50:37 AM Ignore Mowerman08 Report Abuse It's still a Government Motors vehicle, NO THANK YOU!
unicornpmb Champion Author Buffalo Posts:8,496 Points:1,630,490 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:39:56 AM Ignore unicornpmb Report Abuse Made in the USA still has a good sound to it. To bad we can not get the clothing industry back. Glad to see GM is still around.
livewire300 Champion Author South Carolina Posts:3,380 Points:166,710 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:35:40 AM Ignore livewire300 Report Abuse Chevy Sucks...
Bud122CA Champion Author California Posts:7,476 Points:1,607,050 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:33:57 AM Ignore Bud122CA Report Abuse Oops 5golfer8
DustyHorse Champion Author Virginia Posts:6,093 Points:1,393,120 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:33:38 AM Ignore DustyHorse Report Abuse I still don't think GM or Chrysler will make it in the long run.
Bud122CA Champion Author California Posts:7,476 Points:1,607,050 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:32:48 AM Ignore Bud122CA Report Abuse Is Chevy part of Gov't motors??? Good luck S golfer is right
5Golfer8 Champion Author Tucson Posts:2,143 Points:301,625 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:30:26 AM Ignore 5Golfer8 Report Abuse No company is too big to fail and should not be bailed out with tax payer money.
CiVX Champion Author Oakland Posts:7,055 Points:1,359,610 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:22:36 AM Ignore CiVX Report Abuse Bring back Pontiac.
BobD2009 Champion Author Long Island Posts:6,999 Points:1,241,735 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:21:05 AM Ignore BobD2009 Report Abuse Buy a Ford.
Ray_10589 Champion Author New York Posts:4,956 Points:1,184,935 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:18:05 AM Ignore Ray_10589 Report Abuse buy American
crreed1 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:1,995 Points:2,528,285 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:16:11 AM Ignore crreed1 Report Abuse good for them
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,805 Points:415,065 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:15:59 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Don't worry, @ricebike. I don't write comments so that those people will read them. I'm sure they've hit the "Ignore" button on me long ago. It's much easier to live in a bubble when you don't see any evidence that contradicts one's preconceived beliefs. I write those comments so that other people will see a different point of view. That's all. The forum is there so people can share their opinions and maybe start a dialogue.
heartbroken2010 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:4,354 Points:898,885 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:15:59 AM Ignore heartbroken2010 Report Abuse reimds me of my old Chevette, the darn thing was cheap and wouldn't die , sadly, the rust killed it.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,478 Points:664,150 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:13:06 AM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Maybe they will build a substitute for the Volt and name it the Spark.
KrsnaDragon Champion Author Montreal Posts:2,417 Points:532,500 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:13:01 AM Ignore KrsnaDragon Report Abuse I wish General Motors the best of luck with this vehicle.
us4usa Champion Author Missouri Posts:5,998 Points:1,114,340 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:12:51 AM Ignore us4usa Report Abuse Take me once shame on me take me twice will not happen, Go Ford...
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,805 Points:415,065 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:11:17 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse So, @AKmailman, tell us how much it still costs to fill up your vehicle in the frozen North when you guys are supposed to be swimming in oil. You could probably use a vehicle that gets a lot better mileage.
skybiker Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,303 Points:1,561,240 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:10:28 AM Ignore skybiker Report Abuse I'm glad they found work....
Ferdman17 Champion Author Albany Posts:1,298 Points:376,485 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:10:03 AM Ignore Ferdman17 Report Abuse Great to see this.
boatfloyd Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,728 Points:389,925 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:09:47 AM Ignore boatfloyd Report Abuse Buy a GM?
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,805 Points:415,065 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:08:44 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Don't worry, @beachmanglen. Your tax momey didn't go to GM; it went to the Pentagon who spent it in 1/10th of a second.
Rooster922 Champion Author Wilmington Posts:3,798 Points:658,020 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:08:32 AM Ignore Rooster922 Report Abuse Really
viperND Champion Author South Bend Posts:3,315 Points:736,915 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:07:42 AM Ignore viperND Report Abuse hmmm
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,805 Points:415,065 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:07:26 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse You forgot about the 800,000+ workers who didn't lose, @GordoM. Those 800,000 paid taxes because they had paychecks and those 800,000 workers supported even more workers in town when they spent their paychecks. Anyone who kept all of their stock and bond holdings in GM or Chrysler is a fool. Rule #1 of investing: Diversify.
judgemobile Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,575 Points:2,446,110 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:07:20 AM Ignore judgemobile Report Abuse the true marketplace will decide if this lasts
Beboper Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,732 Points:2,164,765 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:06:47 AM Ignore Beboper Report Abuse old news
rsox67 All-Star Author Connecticut Posts:707 Points:268,035 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:06:44 AM Ignore rsox67 Report Abuse As long as it works.
regout Champion Author Quebec Posts:2,960 Points:833,680 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:06:29 AM Ignore regout Report Abuse I don't want one.
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,547 Points:1,860,320 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:06:08 AM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse The Sonic, really?
fullauto Champion Author Reading Posts:5,325 Points:1,473,040 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:05:35 AM Ignore fullauto Report Abuse econo box
cheaper0ON All-Star Author Ontario Posts:988 Points:399,780 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:04:59 AM Ignore cheaper0ON Report Abuse Good.
mfeldstein Champion Author Ottawa Posts:8,181 Points:1,932,430 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:04:34 AM Ignore mfeldstein Report Abuse Maybe the U.S. will finally see that small is good.
PrinceLH Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,702 Points:539,995 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:03:32 AM Ignore PrinceLH Report Abuse Rust? Saturn had it right, with plastic panels.
jrschl Champion Author Louisville Posts:2,972 Points:682,040 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:02:43 AM Ignore jrschl Report Abuse Never plan to purchase a Chevy vehicle, or GM, for those who may be thinking one of the other lines.
PoohMcGoo Champion Author Alabama Posts:3,072 Points:801,660 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:58:41 PM Ignore PoohMcGoo Report Abuse Ok
GordoM Champion Author Detroit Posts:1,007 Points:995,700 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:55:43 PM Ignore GordoM Report Abuse Stockholders lost. Bond holders lost. Whitecollar workers lost. Taxpayers lost. American business lost because they now must pay higher interest rates to bondholders to compensate for risk government will cancel their bankruptcy rights like they did to GM bondholders. American bankruptcy justice lost. UAW came out whole. They were the only party who supported Obama campaign. That is not justice, that is payoff. The modern American way.
mfeldstein Champion Author Ottawa Posts:8,181 Points:1,932,430 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:55:01 PM Ignore mfeldstein Report Abuse Good news, eh?
beachmanglen All-Star Author Tampa Posts:679 Points:497,100 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:53:15 PM Ignore beachmanglen Report Abuse The GM workers are being paid with my tax money. This is not fair.
sleuth696 All-Star Author Ventura Posts:948 Points:203,890 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:52:06 PM Ignore sleuth696 Report Abuse Yeah...congrats...until you screw that up and need another taxpayer funded bailout.
30mpg80 Champion Author Lexington Posts:10,045 Points:1,488,830 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:52:01 PM Ignore 30mpg80 Report Abuse Go GM!!!!!
wcp3rd All-Star Author New Jersey Posts:739 Points:363,350 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:52:01 PM Ignore wcp3rd Report Abuse OK
WIWalt Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:1,736 Points:416,745 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:52:00 PM Ignore WIWalt Report Abuse To be sure, there were victims: shareholders, auto-parts makers and other suppliers who went out of business, as well as taxpayers who will never get all their money back. Correction taxpayers who will never get any of their money back.
vibdata Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:4,090 Points:849,300 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:50:28 PM Ignore vibdata Report Abuse Give a little. Take a TON. Nice going.