Archives: June 2008

More Toyota hybrids for China

Posted by: Ian Rowley on June 30, Categories: Environmental alternatives

For all Toyota's recent success in China, it's fair to say the Prius isn't one of them. While Americans can't get enough of the gas-electric hybrid, Chinese sales, stymied by...

Chinese Volvos Could Be Coming To A Showroom Near You

Posted by: David Kiley on June 25, Categories: Deals

Ford Motor, it has been reported by Swedish newspaper Dagens, is in negotiations to sell its Volvo car division to a Chinese automaker believed to be Shanghai Automotive Industries. Ford...

GM in the Barrel, Again

Posted by: David Welch on June 24, Categories: Companies Under Fire

Here we go again. With truck sales in an out-and-out freefall, we once again have talk that General Motors will lose another sales crown. This one would be trailing...

The Ugly Road Ahead

Posted by: David Welch on June 23, Categories: Cars and Economics

A week after Ford said it would slow down truck production, General Motors followed with a similar move. This time, GM is slowing down production at seven truck and...

Ford Prospects Worsen

Posted by: David Kiley on June 20, Categories: Brands Under Fire

Prospects are worsening for Ford. The automaker said today that 2008 results will be worse than previously forecasted, and that it will have trouble breaking even next year. It...

Kerkorian's Ford Interest Becomes Clearer

Posted by: David Kiley on June 19, Categories: Car Guys

Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian raised his stake in Ford Motor Co. to 6.5 percent and said he may be interested in investing additional capital in Ford. The 91-year old Kerkorian...

Ari Gold's Lament

Posted by: David Welch on June 18, Categories: Auto tech

Even if you’ve never been to Los Angeles, it’s not hard to picture an endless line of Californians queued up in their cars on Interstate 405 or California 101....

GM Oil Ad A Non-Controversy Run Amok

Posted by: David Kiley on June 18, Categories: Cars and Politics

Talk about a non story. Both Automotive News [see story below in the extended blog space] and some of the auto blogs have reported that General Motors was “breaking” with...

Mahindra Suddenly The Talk of The Town

Posted by: David Kiley on June 17, Categories:

Indian pickup and SUV maker Mahindra & Mahindra has been quietly gearing up to launch its brand in the U.S. in early 2010. But the company has been anything...

Fatuous Forecasts

Posted by: David Welch on June 16, Categories: Cars and Economics

Enough is enough. During the long run up we’ve seen in oil and gas prices, more than a few oil executives and investment firms have predicted a rise in...

Honda taps star power to boost fuel cell car

Posted by: Ian Rowley on June 16, Categories: Environmental alternatives

I wrote an article recently which alluded to Honda's irritation at the way Prius-powered Toyota established itself as a green leader even though Honda launched the Insight, its first hybrid,...

GM's Lutz Gives Trackside Volt Impressions

Posted by: David Kiley on June 13, Categories:

General Motors is in a battle of PR and bloviation for the next two to three years against Toyota over which company will bring the first viable plug-in hybrid car...

Kerkorian gets his Ford shares, and could get much, much more

Posted by: David Welch on June 13, Categories: Finance

If he wanted it, billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian could grab a huge stake in Ford Motor Co. Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corp. investment firm said on Tuesday that 826 million of...

Farewell Noz

Posted by: David Welch on June 12, Categories: Car Guys

Regular readers of the Auto Beat Blog may have noticed frequent comments from a man going by the name “Noz.” His real name was Bruce Parkinson. He passed away...

Toyota seeks the ultimate battery

Posted by: Ian Rowley on June 11, Categories: Auto tech

A big chunk of the current debate over the future of hybrids and electric vehicles surrounds the readiness of lithium ion batteries. The next generation batteries are more powerful and...

Kerkorian's Ford Tender A Puzzling Move

Posted by: David Kiley on June 10, Categories: Companies Under Fire

Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. says that more than one billion shares of Ford's common stock were offered as a result of the finacier's tender of $8.50 a share. That's about...

Ford Seems Resigned to Losing No. 1 Spot

Posted by: Jim Henry on June 04, Categories: Brands Under Fire

Ford Motor Co. seems surprisingly resigned, almost philosophical, about the idea that the Ford F-150 pickup is about to lose the No. 1 sales crown it’s worn for 26 years,...

Porsche, Honda, Malibu and Ford Star in JDP IQS

Posted by: David Kiley on June 04, Categories: Quality

Ford has been saying for weeks that it’s quality (as measured in first three months of ownership) is at a virtual tie with Toyota. That was based on the...

A bright spot for GM

Posted by: David Welch on June 04, Categories: Rankings and Spankings

Finally, some good news for General Motors. After a month that started off with a horrid sales report, another big restructuring, a slumping stock price and a retreat in...

One Smart Car Company

Posted by: David Welch on June 04, Categories: Ravings

I think Sun Tzu said, in his tome “The Art of War” that a leader is judged not on his victories, but the battles he chooses not to fight....

Chrysler Gas Card Not Helping Much

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

Chrysler reported a 25% sales decline for May despite having arguably the best known and best timed incentive in the market--gas guaranteed at $2.99 per gallon for the next...

Buyers Remorse on my Bimmer

Posted by: David Kiley on June 03, Categories: Cars and Economics

Last January, I bought a new car after months of dithering over the possibilities. I ended up buying a 2006 BMWXiT. Having written a book about BMW, I was...

Record year for Japan's auto exports

Posted by: Ian Rowley on June 03, Categories: Markets and Management

In this week's BusinessWeek, I've written an article looking at the contrast between slumping auto sales in Japan and increasing investment in new plants by local car makers. The investment...

A Bearish Look at Detroit's Bulls

Posted by: David Welch on June 02, Categories: Finance

You don’t have to go too far to find a pundit who will take a shot at Detroit’s carmakers. But today, two investment writers have gone bullish on General...

Ford Closes Deal With Tata on Jag and Land Rover

Posted by: David Kiley on June 02, Categories: Deals

Ford Motor Co. has finalized its deal to sell Jaguar and Land Rover to Indian automaker Tata. And so, the Ford Treasurer's Dept. can close most of the file on...