The federal bailout of General Motors and Chrysler cost U.S. taxpayers roughly $80 billion back in 2009, but only two years later, it appears Uncle Sam will get most of its money back. The Associated Press reports that the Obama Administration now estimates that the bailout will "only" cost taxpayers $14 billion. That's down significantly from the projected 60 percent loss estimated by
According to The Wall Street Journal, Chrysler's post-bailout restructuring allowed it to effectively erase any responsibility for car accident victims. Two years after the $12.5-billion auto industry bailouts, families like the one Vicki Denton left behind are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The Congressional Oversight Panel charged with overseeing America's $700 billion federal bailout fund admits that it still isn't sure if the measure will save the auto industry in the long run, The Detroit News is reporting. As you'll recall, the $700 billion was divvied up between banks, insurers and General Motors and Chrysler, among others.
According to The Detroit News, the United States Treasury Department is planning on quickly eliminating its shares of General Motors stock rather than trying to maximize the government's return on its investment. The news comes from Austan Goolsbee, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, who said that the government is interested in quickly shedding its 33 pe
It looks like General Motors will be able to skip out on around $14 billion worth of taxes domestically and another $19 billion in taxes overseas thanks to a deal with the U.S. government. According to Edmunds, 2010 will mark the first year since 2004 that the company has operated in the black, and while most companies are made to pay taxes on their revenue, GM will be able to skip its tax tab due to years of massive losses. Companies are
We've all been there: uttering words you almost immediately regret. You feel like an absolute idiot. But the next time that kind of situation comes up – and come up it will – know that you're not alone. Because Sergio Marchionne has had a bit of backtracking to do himself.
The Center for Automotive Research has released a new study detailing the impact of the auto bailout of 2009. According to The Detroit Bureau, the group found that the government's involvement in the automotive industry saved 1.14 million jobs and $96.5 billion in personal income in 2009. The study also says that in 2010, around 314,400 jobs were saved by the bailout and that, in total, the loans to
General Motors takes one on the chin but gets back up, thanks to us – Click above to watch video after the jump
The federal government spent roughly $86 billion in taxpayer money to bail out the auto industry. That's a lot of Monopoly money, folks, and when the industry we know and love was at its weakest point, early projections suggested that that the U.S. government and American taxpayers would never see $30 billion of that money. But as the economy slowly crawls back to life and cars and tr
Even more terrifying tales of the automotive bailout are emerging from Steven Rattner's new book. CNN Money reports that, according to the text, Chrysler had an even rougher go of things than General Motors. Rattner, who served as the head of the automotive task force, writes that after congress failed to give Chrysler the $7 bill
You don't have to be a pollster to know that for the most part, the American public remains none too happy about the federal government handing over the people's hard-earned tax dollars to pull General Motors and Chrysler out of the fires of insolvency. Despite the fact that both companies have managed to keep their lights on, doors open and paychecks flowing due to their generous fed
We've decided to stop trying to guess what General Motors will do before its IPO – which might come next month or later this year or early next year. What we do know is that GM has wanted to secure a captive finance arm before an IPO,
The government of the United States may be actively avoiding any direct involvement in the day-to-day management of General Motors, but that doesn't mean it won't have a say when the time comes for the automaker to go public again. According to The Detroit News, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has hired investment bank Lazard Frères & Co. to provide it with advice on the initial public offering process.
General Motors is probably more glad than most companies that 2009 is in the past. After all, the Detroit, MI-based automaker saw sales drop by over 30 percent while suffering through the pain and humiliation of bailouts and bankruptcy. With billions in debt erased, retiree health care costs on their way out, fewer plants and dealers and thousands fewer employees, 2010 is looking a hell of a lot better than 2009. Those facts are hard to
When U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood opened the Detroit Auto Show last week and said that the Chevrolet Volt was, "obviously the kind of green car Americans are looking for," it was a slightly self-ser
Planning for the future is perhaps an alien concept to big business – even automakers, with their protracted product development cycles. Take a cue of what not to do from them, then, and start planning now for next Christmas. May we suggest that your 2010 wishlist starts with what's destined to be a hotly-anticipated tome: Steven Rattner's memoir of his spearheading the bailout of General Motors and Dan Roth
Before Fiat and prior to bankruptcy, the old Chrysler, LLC needed $4 billion just to keep the doors open. The Bush Administration came through with the company-saving cash at the 11th hour, keeping the Pentastar solvent long enough to make it to bankruptcy court. Chrysler was reportedly given $15 billion in total aid, and it appears much of that money will be repaid through future payments and through incentives for Chris Shunk
2009 isn't quite over yet, but we're pretty sure most automakers would rather forget that it ever happened. And while General Motors and Chrysler suffered the pain and humiliation of bankruptcy and workers lost thousands of jobs and many plants and dealerships closed, the good news is that the General and the Pentastar are now more fiscally healthy than they've been in ages. The bad n
