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Home1990s

1990s

Six Men Who Built the Modern Auto Industry
Readings

Richard Johnson showed what can happen when a journalist does auto history

May 18, 2023 Steve 2

(UPDATED FROM 2/19/2021) Histories written by practicing automotive journalists are usually engaging reads with lots of behind-the-scenes anecdotes. However, they can also be analytically superficial and grounded more in access than accountability journalism. In other […]

1962 Volkswagen Beetle
Current Events

What should a simple modern car look like?

April 14, 2023 Steve 22

(EXPANDED FROM 3/1/2020) Once upon a time a Truth About Cars commentator lauded the simplicity of the then-new Jeep Renegade. “Well, I for one am yearning for a simpler time, and this vehicle suggests that,” […]

1991 Chevrolet Caprice - Motor Trend's Car of Year
Quotes

Maryann Keller: General Motors once again punished its media critics

April 13, 2023 Steve 5

“GM’s old critics were sharpening their knives. In January [1992] David E. Davis, editor and publication director of Automobile magazine, gave a biting speech to the Washington Auto Press Association in which he blasted past […]

Editor's Note

Should a nonprofit auto history group create a credible data bank?

April 12, 2023 Steve 6

(EXPANDED FROM 4/16/2021) One of the challenges of working with automotive sales and production data is that the most easily-available sources don’t always appear to be accurate. Thus, it felt validating to come across a […]

Quotes

The Economist points to origins of ‘the biggest industrial collapse ever’

February 28, 2023 Steve 15

“The problem in the 1970s was not really the arrival of better, smaller, lighter Japanese cars; it was GM’s failure to respond in kind. Rather than hitting back with superior products, the company hid behind […]

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 […]

Parody ads about the auto industry and media
Our Sponsors

Read the amazing untold story of Volkswagen’s greatest car

August 4, 2022 Steve 0
Maryann Keller in 2013
Current Events

Auto industry analyst Maryann Keller was a key critic of ‘Detroit Mind’

June 24, 2022 Steve 3

I think it is important to acknowledge the death of automotive analyst Maryann Keller for two reasons. First, because she offered one of the most prescient perspectives on the U.S. auto industry’s decline. Second, because […]

2004 Mitsubishi Galant GTS
Letters to the Editor

Mitsubishi tanked in U.S. due to ‘epic’ mismanagement and lack of vision

January 31, 2022 Steve 4

George Denzinger recently wrote a lengthy — and quite nuanced — comment that I would like to highlight on the front page as a letter to the editor. His missive was in response to the […]

1965 Ford Mustang rear quarter
History

What is the right size for a Ford Mustang?

January 14, 2022 Steve 4

(UPDATED FROM 10/9/2020) Did Ford deviate too much from the original Ford Mustang’s size before finally getting it right once again in 2005? That year was pivotal because it was the first time in a quarter […]

Posts pagination

« 1 … 5 6 7 … 11 »
  • 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
Society of Automotive Historian award to Indie Auto

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