Reply #5: GM reorganized internally in the 80s to prevent just such an action. [View All]

[TahitiNut]

Historically, GM operated as a collection of competing car lines, each with a degree of autonomy and their own facilities. Over the last 70 years, certain combined operations and combined overhead functions were established where it both made economic sense and didn't materially erode divisional agility. Then, starting about 30 years ago and accelerating in the 80s, similar operations were combined in a new functional 'divisionalization' - combining all car lines into a horizontally integrated corporation. Thus, GM adopted 'standardization' of components in a way that served anti-breakup strategies instead of mere economic efficiencies. This is, in large part, what causes the projected "retooling" costs to be so high.