The Obama administration has insisted GM remake itself into a company of fuel efficiency, a friend of the environment, and a producer of quality products. Now in bankruptcy, they’ll eventually emerge with new financing and equity structures, new union contracts and government guarantees, less workers, less dealers, and less models. That could be the easy work.

Now, GM will have to convince the American consumer that they really are a new and different company. Not the company of trucks, SUVs, and large cars.

America has evolved and will continue to evolve.

The made in America label only goes so far. With new generations it carries less and less weight. Americans enjoy the right to buy what they want. Loyalty to a mismanaged colossus producing products misaligned with consumer demand will take a long time to develop.

Though they are in the midst of a predicament, GM’s senior management needs to get to work on the new brand. What will they promise to their marketplace? Will they be able to deliver it? This time there won’t be a second chance. Call it cultural or attitude, the new brand needs to be established and the employees have to buy into it with fervor. Then the consumer needs to come around and buy GM vehicles. Only then will GM have a chance of making it.