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Who do you think will be bankcrupt first?

Chrysler will be bankrupt first.  GM have forced the issue - they have taken the last of their cheap funding and are first in line.  They are also international in scope, can make cheap, economical cars (they do in Europe) and have the ace in the hole of the Volt.  For ford to go under would be unthinkable.  They will be bailed out with cheap loans till the whole US economy goes under.  They also have experience of cheap, fuel efficient cars from their European concerns.  Chrysler have not a hope in hell.

Afraid I agree with you W124.

I do however think we will see a major restructuring of both Ford and GM in the next couple of years to help them survive.  Deletion or sales of certain brands and their US cars falling closer in line with European models.  For evidence all you have to do is look at Saturn's current line up.

Agreed, Chrysler will sink faster than something that sinks very fast. GM are still going to struggle as they have none (correct if wrong) of their european (more fuel efficient) models in the US and seem to have no inclination to do so. Ford, while still being useless at it, still have plans to use the Focus (or next focus chassis) as a global platform. If Ford could figure out a way to get the Mondeo and Focus out there unmolested (the US version of the focus was pump) they'd stand a good chance of success. Saying that, their diesel engines are a forte and the septics hate diesels. Chrysler benefited from the link with Daimler, but they're constantly using last generation chassis and drivetrain products in their cars.

This is from the guardian.  Who can say if they know what hey are talking about?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/oct/09/ford-generalmotors

GM and Ford are both genuinely global companies, and while they may be suffering in some areas (principally the USA), both are doing reasonably well in other territories, especially Europe. Indeed, I reckon that if the economic downturn really starts to bite, both will outperform the market in Europe - Mondeo/ Insignia make far more sense to those on a tight budget than a 3-Series or Audi A4.
But Chrysler is, with a couple of exceptions, crap the world over. The passenger cars are cheap, nasty, lowest-bidder (and increasingly assembled with cast-off bits from other major manufacturers), and Jeep's heritage isn't going to do it any favours in the world of the $100 barrel of oil. Yes, I'd love to have a blast in a Dodge Challenger - and I still quite fancy a bit of secondhand 300C action.
But rubbish like the Nitro/ Sebring/ Journey/ Caliber is never going to make it except as the cheapest possible option: Chrysler is the new Skoda, and that's not going to help pay back the massive loans that private equity bought the company with.

I think you will find that whilst ford and gm are doing well in europe the americans cannot take advantage of this because of the way their accounting is done.  As far as ford are concerned europe comes under a different cost centre to the us so they are run as two seperate companies.