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Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious “Car of the Year” award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?
  • a)
    It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the “Car of the Year” award.
  • b)
    It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.
  • c)
    It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.
  • d)
    It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.
  • e)
    It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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Verified Answer
Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing it...
Argument Analysis
Pre-Thinking
Conclusion Clarification
This is a causal argument.
The conclusion states that General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. The conclusion is based on the fact that despite several similarities such as time of launch, functionality and price and the fact that Volt has won the prestigious ‘car of the year award’, the Prius has sold 4 times as many cars as Volt has. Clearly, the author thinks the difference in the sales of cars is due to spending on marketing.
Pre-Thinking Approach
To pre-think a flaw in the reasoning, let’s see how we can falsify this conclusion.  To do so, we will look at the logical structure, focusing on linkage 1 and the conclusion.  We will understand the condition under which the conclusion is falsified. Thus, the flaw would a logical gap in author’s reasoning while reaching the conclusion.
Linkage#1 –
  • Falsification Condition:  What if General Motors expenditure on the marketing of Volt is the same as Toyota’s spending on the marketing of Prius and some other factor has led to the difference in the number of card sold? For instance, it’s possible that the marketing techniques opted by Toyota are more impactful than the techniques opted by GM. In this case, even though the expenditure is the same, Prius can sell more cars due to the effective marketing plan and thus the conclusion will not hold.
  • Flaw:  The argument is vulnerable to the criticism that it fails to consider any other causes that might have led Prius to sell more than four times as many cars till now as Volt has.
With this pre-thinking in mind, let’s evaluate the answer choices.
Answer Choices
A
It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the “Car of the Year” award.
Incorrect - No flaw
The author mentions this award and says that Prius sold more units in spite of Volt’s receiving this award. Now if we say that the perceived value of the car was low, we cannot argue that this factor could have led to the difference in the sales as the argument doesn’t provide any link between a car’s winning an award and its sales.
B
It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.
Incorrect - No flaw
The author is only attributing a cause for the vast difference in sales. By no means, this attribution indicates that the author assumes that the cars should have sold equally. Also, the scope of the discussion is limited to just these two cars and not “all” cars.
C
It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.
Incorrect - Irrelevant
First of all, we don’t even know whether there was a difference in the expenditure. Secondly, the argument is not about what led to the less spending but instead what led to the difference in sales.
D
It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.
Correct
This choice is written along the lines of our pre-thinking per Linkage #1.  It states that there could be some other factors such as company’s strategy or marketing plan that might have led to the difference in sales of Volt and Prius cars. The argument ignores any such possibility.
E
It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.
Incorrect - Irrelevant
This option tells us that the argument fails to consider other cars launched by Toyota during the same time. As the argument is about Volt and Prius, not taking other cars into account is not a basis for criticism
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Most Upvoted Answer
Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing it...
Failure to Consider Alternative Causes for the Difference in Sales:
There are several criticisms that can be made of the argument presented, but the most significant one is the failure to consider other possible causes for the difference in sales between the Volt and Prius cars.

Possible Factors to Consider:
- Consumer Preferences: It is possible that consumers have different preferences when it comes to the design, features, or brand reputation of the Volt and Prius cars, which could explain the difference in sales.
- Marketing Strategy: While the argument mentions the difference in marketing spending between General Motors and Toyota, it does not delve into the specific marketing strategies employed by each company. It is crucial to consider whether Toyota's marketing efforts are more effective in reaching and persuading potential customers.
- Market Competition: The argument does not address the level of competition in the hybrid car market. It is essential to consider the presence of other competitors offering similar products that could be attracting customers away from the Volt.
- Economic Factors: External economic factors, such as changes in gas prices or consumer spending habits, could also be influencing the sales of hybrid cars.

Overall:
By failing to consider these alternative causes for the difference in sales between the Volt and Prius cars, the argument presented is weakened and lacks a comprehensive analysis of the situation. It is essential to explore all possible factors that could be influencing the sales performance of the two cars before drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of their marketing strategies.
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Community Answer
Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing it...
Argument Analysis
Pre-Thinking
Conclusion Clarification
This is a causal argument.
The conclusion states that General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. The conclusion is based on the fact that despite several similarities such as time of launch, functionality and price and the fact that Volt has won the prestigious ‘car of the year award’, the Prius has sold 4 times as many cars as Volt has. Clearly, the author thinks the difference in the sales of cars is due to spending on marketing.
Pre-Thinking Approach
To pre-think a flaw in the reasoning, let’s see how we can falsify this conclusion.  To do so, we will look at the logical structure, focusing on linkage 1 and the conclusion.  We will understand the condition under which the conclusion is falsified. Thus, the flaw would a logical gap in author’s reasoning while reaching the conclusion.
Linkage#1 –
  • Falsification Condition:  What if General Motors expenditure on the marketing of Volt is the same as Toyota’s spending on the marketing of Prius and some other factor has led to the difference in the number of card sold? For instance, it’s possible that the marketing techniques opted by Toyota are more impactful than the techniques opted by GM. In this case, even though the expenditure is the same, Prius can sell more cars due to the effective marketing plan and thus the conclusion will not hold.
  • Flaw:  The argument is vulnerable to the criticism that it fails to consider any other causes that might have led Prius to sell more than four times as many cars till now as Volt has.
With this pre-thinking in mind, let’s evaluate the answer choices.
Answer Choices
A
It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the “Car of the Year” award.
Incorrect - No flaw
The author mentions this award and says that Prius sold more units in spite of Volt’s receiving this award. Now if we say that the perceived value of the car was low, we cannot argue that this factor could have led to the difference in the sales as the argument doesn’t provide any link between a car’s winning an award and its sales.
B
It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.
Incorrect - No flaw
The author is only attributing a cause for the vast difference in sales. By no means, this attribution indicates that the author assumes that the cars should have sold equally. Also, the scope of the discussion is limited to just these two cars and not “all” cars.
C
It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.
Incorrect - Irrelevant
First of all, we don’t even know whether there was a difference in the expenditure. Secondly, the argument is not about what led to the less spending but instead what led to the difference in sales.
D
It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.
Correct
This choice is written along the lines of our pre-thinking per Linkage #1.  It states that there could be some other factors such as company’s strategy or marketing plan that might have led to the difference in sales of Volt and Prius cars. The argument ignores any such possibility.
E
It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.
Incorrect - Irrelevant
This option tells us that the argument fails to consider other cars launched by Toyota during the same time. As the argument is about Volt and Prius, not taking other cars into account is not a basis for criticism
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Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2024 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for GMAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for GMAT Exam by signing up for free.
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This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Clearly, General Motors is spending significantly less on marketing its convertible car Volt than Toyota is spending on marketing its car Toyota Prius. Even though both cars were launched roughly at the same time, offer the same functionality and come at the same price range, Prius has sold more than four times as many cars until now as Volt has. This is despite the fact that Volt recently won the prestigious Car of the Year award.The above argument is most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?a)It does not take into consideration the perceived value of the Car of the Year award.b)It assumes without any basis that all cars with the same functionality and price range should sell equally.c)It does not consider that it could be a conscious decision of the management at General Motors to spend less money on the marketing of Volt in the beginning and instead use the money to expand dealerships.d)It fails to consider that there could be other possible causes for the difference in the sales of Volt and Prius cars.e)It fails to take into account other cars launched by Toyota during the same time.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
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