Her father is an independent automotive consultant in Philadelphia.

"Living rooms on wheels," said Susan G. Jacobs, an automotive consultant in New Jersey.

Nissan products are "obsolete, out of date," said Gregoire Van de Velde, an automotive consultant in Detroit.

"When big players are that aggressive, they can squeeze the small players out," said Susan Jacobs, an automotive consultant based in Little Falls, N.J.

"Mitsubishi never acted like a little guy," said Thomas F. O'Grady, an automotive consultant based in Wayne, Pa.

"There's no doubt this industry is under a lot of stress," said J Ferron, an automotive consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Detroit.

He has served as an automotive consultant and handled automotive accounts at several agencies.

"I don't think it's a part of the world where you should rush in," said Karl E. Ludvigsen, a London-based automotive consultant.

John Wolkonowicz, a senior automotive consultant for Arthur D. Little in Boston, also expressed skepticism that the new door could substantially increase sales.

Currently Winterbottom is an automotive consultant, and he also serves as membership director for the Coalition of Small Volume Automobile Manufacturers.