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Home1950s

1950s

1959 Oldsmobile
Current Events

Will history repeat itself by punishing automakers for their big SUV binge?

February 1, 2023 Steve 15

It’s an old trick in the U.S. auto industry to blame consumers for bad corporate behavior. Automotive News (2022) recently lent a helping hand by playing the victim card to justify the lack of improvement […]

Stuart Blond's James Nance bio Vol. 1
Readings

James Nance bio, ‘Spellbinder,’ shows promise and pitfalls of self publishing

January 30, 2023 Steve 3

Stuart R. Blond’s biography of Packard head James Nance is among the most unusual books in my automotive library. For one thing, Spellbinder: The Life of James J. Nance, is a two-volume set that stretches […]

1955 Packard 400 taillight
Letters to the Editor

Reader offers his perspective on why Packard died

January 26, 2023 Steve 8

Indie Auto has received a pair of comments from a reader we will call D.B. His first comment was in response to our story, “The 1955 Packard’s styling was an evolutionary dead end.” D.B.’s second […]

2022 Rivian R1T truck with integrated tent
Current Events

Does Rivian lose more than $100,000 on every vehicle it sells?

November 22, 2022 Steve 0

Reuters recently reported that every time Rivian Automotive Inc. sells an electric vehicle, it loses “hundreds of thousands of dollars due to staggering raw material and production costs, their latest earnings statements showed” (Sriram, 2022). […]

Readings

Matt DeLorenzo’s book, ‘Dodge: 100 Years,’ is a highly polished something

November 11, 2022 Steve 3

(EXPANDED FROM 4/10/2020) If Dodge: 100 Years represents the future of automotive history, then we’re in real trouble. What we have here is a lavish display of mindless car porn and marketing babble. That’s an […]

1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz
Quotes

Halberstam: Big Three’s ‘shared monopoly’ held back innovation for years

November 4, 2022 Steve 1

“The Big Three in the auto industry stood virtually alone, possessors of what was in effect a shared monopoly, for the price of entry was too great for any start-up company. In an environment like […]

1966 Studebaker brochure cover
Editor's Note

Reader says design critique of 1966 Studebaker is ‘simplistic’ and ‘unkind’

October 17, 2022 Steve 3

Readers can communicate with Indie Auto either by submitting a comment or sending a message to the editor (go here). The other day I received a message from a displeased reader. What follows is his […]

1972 Oldsmobile Toronado front
Quotes

Bill Mitchell on how he wielded power like Harley Earl at GM

October 12, 2022 Steve 14

“Oh, he was powerful. God, I admired [him]. He just knocked the tar out of anybody. He’d get it fixed. If he couldn’t, he’d call New York and say, ‘Fix these…[.]’ Then, I inherited some […]

Ed's Auto Reviews 1959 GM car
Multimedia

Ed’s Auto Reviews offers a lite but fun take on automotive history

October 10, 2022 Steve 8

A kind reader recently informed me about Ed’s Auto Reviews. These are relatively short videos on YouTube that cover a broad range of auto history topics. For example, a recently posted episode called “Mistake of […]

1958 Buick
Letters to the Editor

Why the popularity of premium-priced U.S. car brands fell in the late-1950s

October 3, 2022 Steve 3

Peter’s letter to the editor last week about our 1958 Studebaker article has generated a robust discussion. Thank you to everyone who has participated. Part of Geeber’s comment in that thread addresses a broader topic: […]

Posts pagination

« 1 … 23 24 25 … 35 »
  • 1965 Studebaker Cruiser proposal
    Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant
    July 17, 2026 8
  • 1956 Lincoln
    The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder
    July 17, 2026 18
  • 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL
    1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor
    July 14, 2026 6
  • 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado
    Did GM go too far in downsizing the 1986 Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado?
    July 10, 2026 16
  • J. 'Kelly' Flory Jr.
    J. ‘Kelly’ Flory Jr.’s American Cars series is pricey but valuable
    July 10, 2026 4
  • 1968 Pontiac Firebird green convertible
    1967-72 Pontiac Firebird shows limits of ad illustrations
    July 7, 2026 10
  • Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road
    June 25, 2026 5
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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