Current Events
Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road
The above photo was taken two days ago during a trip across Washington state. Gas prices had come down from the previous week, when I paid a low of $4.89 and a high of $6.09 […]
Current Events
Current Events
How much do Trump policies have to hurt auto industry before it supports Dems?
In early April the average new car price hit $50,729. This was an $820 jump in just 30 days. Meanwhile, first-quarter new car sales have slowed. A recent Automotive News (2026b) editorial claimed that “there […]
Current Events
Could the auto industry experience a wake-up call akin to the 1970s oil crises?
Oil experts have recently debated how big of a crisis the Iran war could cause. However, even if the impacts to the U.S. auto industry turn out to be relatively short lived, they still could […]
Current Events
Could Iran war show that Detroit is too dependent on gas-guzzling vehicles?
As I write this, Automotive News has not yet posted a full news story on how a protracted war in Iran could impact U.S. car sales. The industry’s leading trade journal has only parenthetically made […]
Current Events
Ford executives try to get close to Trump despite policy differences
Ford Motor Company executives stood by quietly as President Donald Trump recently argued that the U.S. doesn’t need cars from Canada and Mexico (Fox 29 Philadelphia; 2026). Later Ford CEO Jim Farley lauded the administration […]
Current Events
Will automakers address affordability crisis or hit gas pedal after deregulation?
Peter DeLorenzo’s (2025) year-end review of the auto industry emphasized the “ugly reality that new cars, trucks and SUVs are just too damn expensive.” In response to critics arguing that he has offered no solutions, […]
Current Events
Automotive News and Peter DeLorenzo haven’t a clue about how to stop tariffs
Automotive News (2025) recently insisted that a projected price tag of $188 billion over three years for tariffs “is too big to bear” — but hasn’t a clue about how to stop them. That estimate […]
Current Events
Automotive News tries to tap its ruby slippers to make tariffs go away
A recent Automotive News (2025) editorial looked suspiciously like it was trying to tap its ruby slippers together to make tariffs go away. That may be a comforting fantasy out of The Wizard of Oz. […]
Current Events
Richard Truett’s plan to ‘rescue’ the VW ID. Buzz thinks too big
Automotive News reporter Richard Truett (2025) recently recommended how Volkswagen could “rescue” the ID. Buzz, which is off to a slow start in sales. In a piece labeled a “Comment,” Truett argued that under current […]
Current Events
Debate over whether CAFE killed the small car in the U.S. may be moot
Indie Auto reader Troy linked to a provocative comment by bzcat (2025) at Blue Oval Forums about why small cars have disappeared from the U.S. market. Here’s what he has to say: “Americans like small […]