In 1995, I was working for GM in Japan. We were, at that time, trying to flog 2.4 litre Quad-4 Cavaliers to the Japanese. That was a rather unsuccessful enterprise.
The supreme irony was that all the Canadians who were there (and there were plenty, due to the weak dollar) were given the chance to have any 1.8 litre car they wanted. GM didn't want to pick up the huge road tax bills that our own Cavalier qualified for in the Japanese system.
On the advice of a Japanese friend, I chose Primera, in blinding white. The car was a revelation. It was peppy, well built and had tons of room in it. I had never been in a small car that I liked so much. It was waaaaay better built than anything we sold at GM. It had the feeling it would last for years. My kids were small and we drove all over Japan in it.
After a few days driving that car, I knew that GM, as a company, was doomed. Nothing we built was anywhere nearly as good as that Primera. That is doubly so for the awful Caviler we were trying to foist on Japan. I don't think we ever sold one.
