this is a fair point! there are some engines that we all love as they were stock and their shortcomings when tuned don’t even register

Easy answer: GM should design and produce better looking, higher quality parts for a car that wants to eat at the big kids table. The margins exist. It’s a matter of desire and dedication to being better, or in this case, the lack thereof. 

It’s funny you mention that. I have a background in dealer ops management before taking up a career in building software and interface experiences... with a couple OEMs as past clients, and one of them was a certain Detroit-based make. So yes, I do have an idea.

Nah. Not one bit. I just have fun giving GM a hard time for not liking Jalopnik in general. You’d understand the snark if you knew the history.