Archives: April 2008

The Pickup Downturn

Posted by: David Welch on April 29, Categories: Cars and Economics

Times have changed. Consumers keep shying away from trucks and it’s taking its toll on General Motors. The company said it’s going to slash pickup truck production by 138,000...

Kerkorian Buys Into Ford. For Love or Money?

Posted by: David Kiley on April 28, Categories: Car Guys

Mercurial and often nettlesome financier Kirk Kerkorian is accumulating shares in Ford Motor Co. To be sorted out in the coming days and weeks is what the 90-year old with...

WSJ Attack on Chevy Volt----Shocking

Posted by: David Kiley on April 23, Categories: Environmental alternatives

Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. writes a pretty tedious editorial in The Wall Street Journal today, suggesting that General Motors is wrong-headed for developing the plug-in Chevy Volt. Holman W. Jenkins...

New CAFE Rules Will Create Social Engineering--Good.

Posted by: David Kiley on April 22, Categories: Cars and Economics

A combination of permanently higher oil prices and the CAFE standards announced by the Department of Transportation today--automakers will have to reach higher levels by 2015 on their way to...

Europification of the Automobile

Posted by: David Welch on April 22, Categories: Cars and Economics

Welcome to the era of downsizing. And I’m not just talking about layoffs during the current economic malaise. I’m talking about smaller engines and cars. The Department of Transportation...

GM's Labor Woes

Posted by: David Welch on April 18, Categories: Management

There’s plenty of murmuring in Detroit that a local strike at a crucial General Motors factory in Lansing, Mich. and threats at two more assembly plants aren’t just about...

McCain's Gas Tax Cut Shows Lack of Leadership

Posted by: David Kiley on April 16, Categories: Cars and Economics

It probably looked good on paper when adviser Charlie Black came up with it. John McCain offered voters an additional "stimulus package" beyond what the Congress approved by suggesting...

Ford Focus Surprises

Posted by: David Kiley on April 16, Categories: New Models

What do the auto writers know? When Ford introduced the Ford Focus at the Detroit auto show last year, the redesigned body was greeted with yawns and catcalls. Journos...

A Hiring Binge in Detroit?

Posted by: David Kiley on April 16, Categories: Cars and Economics

Detroit has lost over 100,000 auto jobs in the last two-plus years, devastating the Michigan economy and tax rolls. But a new report by the Center for Automotive Research says...

Chrysler Linking With the Japanese and Italians In The Same Week?

Posted by: David Kiley on April 15, Categories: Deals

First we find out that Chrysler is going to build pickup trucks for Nissan in Mexico and that Nissan is going to build a small car for Chrysler. Then, we...

Nissan as Chrysler's Savior

Posted by: David Welch on April 15, Categories: Deals

When Nissan and Chrysler announced a deal yesterday that they will build more cars for each other, it naturally fueled speculation that some bigger merger or alliance isn't far...

Ford's Uphill Battle Selling Quality

Posted by: David Kiley on April 09, Categories: Brands Under Fire

Ford is about to kick off a new ad campaign, themed, “Ford. Drive One.” One of the cornerstone pieces of information back-stopping the campaign is a report from RDA...

The Auto Industry's Jinx

Posted by: David Welch on April 07, Categories: Rankings and Spankings

You’ve heard of the Sports Illustrated Cover jinx, right? It's an old fable that says that any athlete or team featured on the venerable sports mag’s cover will soon...

Chrysler's New Tune: If You Can Dream It. We Can Build It.

Posted by: David Kiley on April 04, Categories: Brands Under Fire

Chrysler LLC is embarking on a new advertising effort to try and drum up showroom traffic for a flock of cars that mostly have not been met with enthusiasm...

Saturn Astra Disappoints

Posted by: David Kiley on April 03, Categories: Car Reviews

I wanted to like the Saturn Astra. I like the brand. I liked driving the Opel version. It's a cool design. It has European roots. So, what happened? I...

Chrysler's Jim Press And Toyota Differ on Prius Narrative

Posted by: David Kiley on April 02, Categories: Cars and Politics

Did former Toyota executive James Press rat out his old company? Or was he just pointing out how smart the Japanese were to back gas-electric hybrid technology, which has...

Seven-year Auto Loans a Terrible Idea

Posted by: David Kiley on April 01, Categories: Cars and Economics

Leasetrader.com spotlights today what an awful idea it is for consumers to take out a seven year auto loan being offered by companies including Toyota’s captive finance company and others....