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HomeForeign automakers

Foreign automakers

2024 Mitsubishi Outlander
Data Dive

Why did Mitsubishi fail in the United States?

January 7, 2025 Steve 28

(EXPANDED FROM 2/9/2024) There was good news and bad news about Mitsubishi’s U.S. sales in 2024. The good news: Sales were up 25 percent, led by its Mirage economy cars. The bad news: This was […]

1965 Ford Mustang
History

Lee Iacocca got lucky with the 1964-66 Ford Mustang

December 27, 2024 Steve 13

(UPDATED FROM 11/18/2022) The original Ford Mustang was the automotive equivalent of The Beatles rock band. The U.S. auto industry had never seen anything like it — a small sporty car that proved so popular […]

Oldsmobile's ads were more innovative than the cars
Media Analysis

Did Oldsmobile revolutionize the car industry?

December 17, 2024 Steve 21

(EXPANDED FROM 10/31/2022) The automotive media tends to treat orphaned American brands with extra enthusiastic pom-pom waving. An example of the genre is Mark J. McCourt’s (2020) Hemmings article about Oldsmobile. He breathlessly insisted that […]

1967 Cadillac convertible
History

What if GM and Ford were broken up in the 1960s?

December 11, 2024 Steve 24

(EXPANDED FROM 8/19/2022) The topic that has elicited the greatest blowback from Indie Auto readers has been my argument that the U.S. auto industry was less able to respond to a rising tide of imports […]

History

When should U.S. automakers have begun producing a domestic subcompact?

August 1, 2024 Steve 41

We’ve had a robust discussion about when American automakers should have begun producing a domestic subcompact in the comment thread of “Aaron Severson’s Ford Cardinal story challenges auto history field.” I would like to bring […]

Media Analysis

Aaron Severson’s Ford Cardinal story challenges auto history field

July 26, 2024 Steve 9

A few days ago Aaron Severson (2024) posted an epic story about the aborted Ford Cardinal. His 22,000-word piece deepens the dialogue about this important car. In a moment we will debate some of his […]

1970 Toyota Corolla
Data Dive

Data on imports sheds light on their dramatic gains from 1964-80

July 10, 2024 Steve 4

A recent post on Ate Up With Motor’s Patreon page discusses the rise of the imports in the United States. Aaron Severson (2024) draws upon data he dug up from a report by the U.S. […]

1960 Auto Union 1000
Gallery

1960 Auto Union 1000: What happens when you cross a VW with Detroit iron

December 21, 2023 Steve 9

Road & Track complained that for 1960 the Auto Union’s two-door hardtop was given a “crude ‘American’ touch, a clumsy wrap-around” windshield (Bond, 1959). That made this body style look even more incongruous than previously. […]

1970 AMC Hornet
Links

Car Life called the redesigned 1970 AMC Hornet stylish but not fun to drive

November 7, 2023 Steve 13

Car Life magazine argued that the 1970 AMC Hornet met two out of three of the automaker’s stated goals for the car. Engineering Editor David Bean wrote that American Motors thought that the compact and […]

1981 Cadillac
Quotes

Maryann Keller: GM’s postwar dominance lulled it into a false sense of security

October 9, 2023 Steve 6

“During the 1960s and 1970s GM was lulled into a false sense of security by its dominance of the market. There was certainly a bottom-line mentality, but this mentality dictated that additional costs be passed […]

Posts pagination

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  • 2006-7 Dodge Charger
    2006-2010 Dodge Charger: A cartoonish attempt at rip-roaring nostalgia
    June 5, 2026 6
  • 1950 Nash Rambler hood ornament
    Speedreaders.info is a rare source of book reviews, but quality varies
    June 3, 2026 0
  • 1958 Lincoln
    1958-60 Lincoln: Failing to beat GM at its own game
    June 2, 2026 16
  • 1957 Nash Ambassador
    Three videos: The death of car culture, rich people’s cars and the 1957 Nash
    May 29, 2026 6
  • 1963 Mercury Marauder
    1963 Mercury Marauder: Ford tries to do a premium-priced car on the cheap
    May 27, 2026 11
  • Did 1964 Ramblers share more parts between size classes than competitors?
    May 26, 2026 1
  • Patrick Foster shows how International Harvester failed to adapt
    May 13, 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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