By the Numbers: July Sizzles, Sales Fizzle
By Frank WilliamsAugust 6, 2008 - 3,557 views
July's temperatures may have been hotter than Hell, but U.S. new car sales were in Hell. Rising gas prices have thrown the entire American auto industry into turmoil, flooding the market with used SUVs and pickups, cratering residual values and trapping millions of consumers in light truck limbo. At the same time, automakers can't ramp-up production quickly enough on those fuel-sipping models that are leaving the lots. Incentives aren't moving the metal, but NOT increasing them would be worse. The downturn is widespread. And despite what the automakers say, it's going to get worse. Soon. For now, here's the damage report.
By the Numbers: July Sizzles, Sales Fizzle editorial continued »
Posted in By The Numbers | Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 45 comments 
EcoBoost: SVO Redo?
By Sajeev MehtaAugust 5, 2008 - 3,542 views
During the first energy crisis, pundits predicted the death of the American V8. In those dark days (as opposed to these dark days), Detroit was desperate to supply an alternative to the gas-gargling engines they'd planted under the hood anything that moved. They developed a few dogs promising V8 performance with the economy of a cylindrically-challenged motor, with much talk of mechanical miracles to follow. History repeats itself; Ford is once again trying their luck with EcoBoost turbo-four technology. Once again, they could be barking up the wrong tree.
EcoBoost: SVO Redo? editorial continued »
Posted in Editorials | Industry | Technology | 40 comments
TTAC’s Ten Best for 2008: Nominations are Now Open
By Frank WilliamsAugust 5, 2008 - 7,055 views
Ten Best Nominations Are Now Closed
The truth hurts. But not always. Sometimes the truth about cars is the key to genuine insight and automotive ecstasy. This is one of those times, when TTAC's Best and Brightest select their annual Ten Best automobiles. In other words, this is your chance to help the wider world discover genuine automotive excellence, and reward those who produce it with a much-deserved hat tip. The name of this collective endeavor changes, but the rules remain the same: you nominate the cars, our writers narrow your selection to 20, then you get the final say on the Ten Best [more details below]. But before we get stuck in, here's a recap of last year's winners...
TTAC’s Ten Best for 2008: Nominations are Now Open editorial continued »
Posted in Car Reviews | Editorials | Other | Ten Best | 172 comments
The Dangers of Sciontology
By Robert FaragoAugust 4, 2008 - 4,788 views
![\"This flabby, fat, flatulent looking Scion...\" Oh wait -- John Norton was talking about Queen Victoria, not a Toyota.](http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/xb.jpg "\\"This flabby, fat, flatulent looking Scion...\\" Oh wait -- John Norton was talking about Queen Victoria, not a Toyota.")
With great size comes great stupidity. General Motors' fall from grace-- from world's largest and most profitable company to bailout bait-- illustrates the point perfectly. And while it's about thirty years too early to suggest that GM's replacement will fall victim to the same size-related entropy, there are already hints that the profits powerhouse known as Toyota is capable of massive miscalculations. I speak here not of the full-size Tundra pickup, but of Scion, the brand that should have never made it out focus group.
The Dangers of Sciontology editorial continued »
Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 79 comments
ChryCo CEO Bob Nardelli’s Email to Employees V2: “Progress on all fronts”
By Robert FaragoAugust 2, 2008 - 3,098 views
If brevity be the sole of wit, Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli's latest email to his troops is a particularly humorless e-missive. Although ours is to question why (whether they do or die), it's the weekend. So I'll leave the parsing to TTAC's Best and Brightest. Suffice it to say Bob's commemoration of Cerberus' Chrysler purchase is a curious blend of woo-hoo, uh-oh and hey ho, let's go! We'll be sure to update our Chrysler Suicide Watch soon. Meanwhile, here's the text in full...
ChryCo CEO Bob Nardelli’s Email to Employees V2: “Progress on all fronts” editorial continued »
Posted in Editorials | Industry | 29 comments
General Motors Death Watch 191: On the Fritz
By Robert FaragoAugust 2, 2008 - 4,714 views
Journalism professors counsel aspiring scribes to avoid deploying numbers in the first paragraph. It’s a sensible prohibition. Although statistics (a.k.a. facts) give journos the imprimatur of authority, nothing’s more narcoleptic than naked numerology. Which is just as well. My math skills are only slightly better than my ability to pilot a Gulfstream IV. But I know a man who regularly rides in the back of one of these airborne ego-carriers, and he’s an accountant. And the CEO of GM. For the weekend, anyway. The question is, who’s next?
General Motors Death Watch 191: On the Fritz editorial continued »
Posted in Editorials | GM Death Watch | 49 comments
In Defense of: The Suburban
By Andrew DedererAugust 2, 2008 - 3,575 views
Oil shock version three-point-something is roiling the global economy. SUVs are doing a fair imitation of the dinosaurs in Fantasia. As the U.S. auto industry undergoes a rapid, convulsive, paradigm product shift, I feel a slight pang for T-Rex: the Chevrolet Suburban. I hope this example of the species pulls through. The SUV segment appears to be history, but the Suburban IS history.
In Defense of: The Suburban editorial continued »
Posted in Editorials | In Defense Of | 41 comments
Dealing with Dealers
By Steven LangJuly 31, 2008 - 4,383 views
Once a car salesman "data captures" you, the calls never stop. Some are rude. Some are sweet. All are pushy. The salesman's goal: get the sale. Meet the quota (placate the Alpha Dog). Pay the bills (placate the Ex). In America's cratered new car market, the chances of a car salesman making his nut are only slightly less than that of the squirrel in Ice Age. Has this stopped dealers from getting up to their old tricks? Hell no. If anything, they're abusing their customers MORE. Still, if you know how to handle the heat, this is The Mother of All Buyer's Markets. Here's how to work the system...
Dealing with Dealers editorial continued »
Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 68 comments
Buzz Hargrove: Still Full of Piss and Vinegar (Part 2)
By Samir SyedJuly 31, 2008 - 1,279 views
Buzz Hargrove doesn't mince his words. As demonstrated in Part 1 of this interview, the outgoing Canadian Auto Workers leader is fully aware of the Detroit domestics' dire financial peril. What's more, Buzz understands the balance between his members' welfare and the health of the automotive industry. Or lack thereof. "My first responsibility is to look after the interests of my members," Buzz admits. "But I tell my boys to look after the industry too. At every meeting." So, how's that going?
Buzz Hargrove: Still Full of Piss and Vinegar (Part 2) editorial continued »
Posted in Editorials | Industry | Unions | 49 comments
Buzz Hargrove: Still Full of Piss and Vinegar (Part 1)
By Samir SyedJuly 30, 2008 - 830 views
Buzz Hargrove describes himself as "full of piss and vinegar." Well exactly. The combative Canadian has been instrumental in his country's union movement since 1964, when he represented a couple of thousand employees in Chrysler's Windsor plant. Now, having announced his 2009 departure from the Canadian Auto Workers' (CAW) presidency, Hargrove's enthusiasm for the labour movement remains undimmed. "I still love it," he says. "If I were 55, not 65, I'd be doing this for another 10 years." That said, Hargrove doesn't think Ford, GM or Chrysler will last that long.
Buzz Hargrove: Still Full of Piss and Vinegar (Part 1) editorial continued »
Posted in Editorials | Industry | Unions | 28 comments
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