Editorials
Tags +
Records: 22 | Sources: 1
Frank Williams to the U.S. Senate: What’s in YOUR Garage?
In an article this past June, I looked at the disconnect between what some politicians say about automobiles, fuel mileage and the environment; and what they drive. Exhibit A: presidential hopeful Barak Obama. Mr. Obama famously berated the Detroit Economic Club about Motown’s opposition to tighter fuel economy standards-- with a Chrysler 300C stashed in his garage. The instant the media exposed this hypocrisy, Obama traded his Hemi-powered luxobarge for the PC pol’s pal: a Ford Escape Hybrid. That got me wondering what our other national leaders might have parked in their garages.....
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-12 16:55:41 ·
Read more +
All records +
Frankfurt Auto Show: It Ain’t Easy Not Being Green
If you’re a gearhead monitoring the international media, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Frankfurt Auto Show was run by and for Friends of the Earth. Low-emission Mercedes! Low-consumption VWs! Hydrogen Kias! Ethanol Saabs! Non-existent plug-in hybrids! A casual visitor to this event might wonder if he’d gone to the wrong show. Why is it that all the interesting new cars premiering in Frankfurt are non-green? Why do people crowd around sexy new cars such as the 1-Series BMW, while nobody (save the press) gather ‘round the various not-quite-developed Mueslimobiles? ..
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-12 05:32:43 ·
Read more +
All records +
Between the Lines: Lexus’ F Ad
During my brief stint in British advertising, I had the distinct pleasure of working with one Paul Harvey Douglas. Paul was the world’s best headline writer. He could distil an entire advertising campaign down to a single sentence, a phrase, a word. I sometimes wonder what PHD would have made of Lexus ad for its new F-Series automobiles. “What is F?” the two-page Autoweek center spread asks. “F is everything you thought we weren’t,” it answers. I could almost hear Paul’s derisive snort. “F means their brand’s in ‘effing trouble,” he would have pronounced. Too right, mate...
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-11 23:59:13 ·
Read more +
All records +
By the Numbers: August Sales Not So August
Augusts U.S. sales results are in. Upon their release, GM crowed about their market-bucking triumph-- neglecting to mention the fact that 25 percent of those sales sailed with the fleets. Meanwhile, Chrysler blamed its sales decline on diminished fleet flogging. Ford was "encouraged by sales of their crossover vehicles" (i.e. stuck in the dog house). And Toyota pinned their sales drop on the subprime lending crisis and a supply-line interrupting Japanese earthquake. Whatever. Bottom line: August wasnt kind to many of the models were tracking on your behalf...
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-11 18:52:12 ·
Read more +
All records +
UAW’s Desperate Play for Denso
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the United Autoworkers Union (UAW) is desperate. Facing falling membership, the UAW is rapidly expanding into non-automotive industries like education and health care. Meanwhile, there are still a few unplowed fields in the automotive sector. The UAW has been trying a full-court press against Toyota and Honda. So far, the unions attempts to transplant unionism into the transplants plants have been an abject failure. But try they must. And theres a new object of their affections: parts maker Denso...
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-10 19:42:17 ·
Read more +
All records +
UAW: Do or Die at DENSO?
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Facing falling membership, the United Auto Workers (UAW) is rapidly expanding into non-automotive industries like education and health care. Meanwhile, the UAW continues its full-court press against Toyota and Hondas American factories. So far, the unions attempts to transplant unionism into the transplants plants have been an abject failure. But try they must. And now theres a new object of their affections: Japanese parts maker Denso...
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-10 19:42:17 ·
Read more +
All records +
Ford Death Watch 37: Is Mulally Making the Grade?
The House that Henry Built was close to ruin when Junior Bill fell on his sword to bounce Boeing’s best to The Blue Oval. One year later, BusinessWeek (BW) gives FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally an A-. And yet the reaper’s blade still hangs over Dearborn. And Mulally still toils to prove that his first year’s effort was worth $133.55 per minute (based on a 60 hour work week). Meanwhile, surveying the lay of the land post-Mulally, we reckon BW’s senior correspondent had more than sweetened tumbâk in his hookah when he penned this report card...
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-07 20:05:29 ·
Read more +
All records +
General Motors Death Watch 145: The Truth About GM’s August Sales Stats
Imagine GM CEO Rick Wagoner in his RenCen bunker in the middle of August. Reports from the front indicate his North American division faces a third straight month of lowered sales. As the architect of a turnaround plan with no publicly defined goals (including a return to profitability), Wagoner’s given himself plenty of wiggle room. But a bad August-- in the face of production cutbacks and a rapidly declining market-- would finally trigger Wall Street’s alarm clock. So he cheats. ..
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-06 22:40:09 ·
Read more +
All records +
General Motors Death Watch 145: The Truth About GM’s August Sales
Imagine GM CEO Rick Wagoner in his RenCen bunker in the middle of August. Reports from the front indicate his North American division faces a third straight month of lowered sales. As the architect of a turnaround plan with no publicly defined goals (including a return to profitability), Wagoner’s given himself plenty of wiggle room. But a bad August-- in the face of production cutbacks and a rapidly declining market-- would finally trigger Wall Street’s alarm clock. So he cheats. ..
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-06 22:40:09 ·
Read more +
All records +
Between The Lines: Motor Trend on the 2008 Subaru WRX
As Motor Trend (MT) and its buff book brethren hemorrhage readers and cash to the Internet, they’ve reacted in the only way they know how: by kow-towing to their advertisers with even greater ardor and even lower journalistic standards (yes, “special advertising section” readers, it is possible). But what really galls is their continued belief that they’re superior to both Internet websites and those who visit them. MT’s first test review of the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX is a perfect case in point...
The Truth About Cars
Publication date 2007-09-04 20:07:52 ·
Read more +
All records +
Pages