Random Shots
2010s
Media Analysis
Automotive News muffles the alarm
Keith Crain is the closest thing the American auto industry has to a minister of groupthink, so it is worth noting when the editor-in-chief of Automotive News furrows his brow. In a late-December column he criticized […]
Readings
Jeep: The History of America’s Greatest Vehicle
In a vague sense this book is an update of The Story of Jeep (Foster, 1998). However, like Patrick R. Foster’s other recent books, Jeep: America’s Greatest Vehicle, is much more graphically oriented. While not quite as large […]
Drive-By Musings
A paler shade of green?
Did you hear the one about the Ram 1500 diesel beating Ford’s aluminum-bodied F-150 for the 2015 Green Truck of the Year Award? “The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel exemplifies what a ‘green’ truck should be,” said Ron Cogan, […]
Photo Essay
Moon over automotive non-place
Olympia is a small capital city located at the southern edge of the Puget Sound in Washington state. On the west side of downtown is a boardwalk and marina. This is a tranquil place, with a panoramic view of […]
Drive-By Musings
And now it’s time for alphanumeric ridicule
The Truth About Cars Managing Editor Derek Kreindler (2014) recently pointed out that new Cadillac boss Johan De Nysschen is repeating what he did at his previous gig with Infiniti — moving the brand’s headquarters and changing […]
Random Shots
Design Notes
Honda CR-V: Making it less simple
Honda’s CR-V started out as a wonderfully practical small crossover utility vehicle. However, with each successive generation it has gotten bigger and more “stylish.” Consider the difference between the third-generation (2007-11) and second-generation (2002-6) CR-Vs […]
Current Events
Should VW’s design chief fear civilization’s end?
(UPDATED 12/15/2022) Volkswagen Group’s global design chief Walter de Silva is worried that optimizing aerodynamics in order to meet tightening emissions standards could hurt aesthetics and branding. In an Automotive News question-and-answer piece, he complained […]
Media Analysis
TTAC helps Chrysler go pavlovian
The third-generation Dodge Challenger has always run a distant third in sales to the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, arguably because of it is the most extreme caricature of a pony car. The chunky, almost […]