What is it with Detroit?

Warning, this is a Rant.

I am tired of reading about the need to bail out the US auto industry.  Let those that need to restructure through bankruptcy.

This is an industry whose roots go way back.  With a few exceptions, they really haven't changed the way they operate since the beginning.  We are now in the 21st Century and they cling to industrial age paradigms that are clearly outdated.

I want to know why we can't buy an automobile like we buy a Dell computer?  Does there really need to be such variability "under the hood"?  Is a Ford engine really that much of a competitive advantage over a GM?  What is the value proposition of buying a Ford over a GM over a Chrysler over a Honda?  Other than styling and customer service the parts that make up a car are commodities.  What value does a dealer serve other than a place to test drive a car and provide warranty service?

It is the 21st Century, can't they move on and embrace the value of intangibles?  I find the Blogo story coming out of Illinois much more interesting than the rescue of Detroit.