It may be an uphill slog, but Vice Chairman Robert Lutz thinks GM can make money on the new Saturn Astra — "otherwise we wouldn't do it." The EU-manufactured hatchback will face a stiff headwind in the form of a strong euro, which makes European products pricier for U.S. buyers. The answer, Lutz told reporters at the Chicago Auto Show, is to offset the exchange rate by increasing vehicle exports from the U.S. to Europe: "As long as you've got a two-way flow of vehicles, the exchange rate doesn't bother you." Others at GM were less sanguine. If you want to make a buck, said GM North America head Troy Clarke, selling an EU-made vehicle stateside is "not the optimal circumstances."
[Source: The Wall Street Journal]
