Auto Industry Archive

Time for a brief flurry of reporting and analysis of the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, after which the results will sink from public view for another year, except for advertising blurbs, which many consumers discount anyway. It’s too bad there’s so much spin control, profiteering and drum-beating surrounding J.D. Power surveys, because the results really do...

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The two Jims have been friends for 20 years, but that doesn’t mean they agree on everything: Jim Motavalli thinks that environmental factors loom large and the EV revolution is right around the corner; Jim Henry thinks the inherent conservatism of American consumers will keep it a niche market for a long time to come. Here’s what happened when they traded off on the subject: Jim Motavalli:...

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Ford could be gaining ground with consumers who appreciate the fact that Ford has not resorted to a federal bailout to keep itself in business. That’s good news for Ford, although I keep saying Ford is wise not to crow too soon or too loud. Ford could some day find itself in the same boat as Chrysler and GM, unless sales improve. In May, not a single brand in the U.S. market posted higher...

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Hydrogen power for cars has taken some big hits lately, most notably in Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s unilateral decision to kill more than $100 million in annual funding for fuel-cell transportation. But that hasn’t stopped automakers, despite these recessionary times, from sticking to their commercialization timetables. Peter Hoffmann, who carries the torch with The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell...

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BMW won two out of three Effie Awards for advertising effectiveness in the automotive category earlier this month, proving yet again that there’s no substitute for the basics, namely a strong, consistent brand image backed up by strong, consistent products, and strong, consistent marketing. That sounds simple, but it never ceases to amaze me how car companies waste literally billions of...

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When Aaron Fessler goes to work, he walks into a garage that is wish fulfillment for the world’s dreamers and Car and Driver subscribers. An Audi R8, polished and gleaming, sits next to an all-business Ford GT-40, which is blocking the exit of a V-12 Aston-Martin DB9, Mercedes SLR McLaren and Lamborghini LP560-4. Did I mention the British Racing Green Tesla Roadster? Welcome to Vulcan Motor...

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Even in a post-bankruptcy haze, there are bright spots in Detroit if one looks hard enough. But first the inevitable bad news. Chrysler seems intent on the same old thing, with its backing of the new Jeep Cherokee, which last year endured a 39 percent dip in sales and this year is off almost 50 percent.  The vehicle has been plagued by the same quality issues that have dogged Jeep for years....

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A group of smaller General Motors bondholders is trying to make itself heard in GM’s bankruptcy case, arguing that the big, institutional bondholders that dominate an official committee of bondholders aren’t representing the interests of small investors. The group must be hoping it gets treated better than a group of dissident bondholders in the Chrysler bankruptcy case....

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A lot of players are getting a raw deal out of the General Motors bankruptcy — including lenders, suppliers, car dealers and potentially U.S. taxpayers — but GM’s white-collar retirees are near the top of the list. “The retiree benefits at issue here are absolutely critical,” said the GM Retirees Association, in a petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The group wants...

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Ford, the only one of the Big Three not to declare bankruptcy, is nonetheless still in a fairly big hole. For all of 2008, Ford’s sales were down 21 percent. There’s a slight hint of a turnaround in the reports from May: although sales were still way down (24.2 percent) compared to the previous year, the month’s 155,954 was up 20 percent from April. Good news is where you find it....

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