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Regulation
Current Events
Could U.S. regulatory rollback lead auto industry to repeat of late-50s backlash?
In key respects President Trump’s budget legislation represents a huge Christmas gift to legacy automakers. Although it may take time to better understand the many ramifications of a bill that stretches more than 900 pages, […]
Links
Dean’s Garage series on 1992 Cadillacs illustrates Detroit’s lack of self awareness
I have been so busy lately that I have tended to only scan the stories at Dean’s Garage. However, this morning I got out of the canoe long enough to read the articles and comment […]
Quotes
Popular Science questions Chrysler Corporation’s blame game
“Chrysler says its financial troubles are caused, in part, by safety and emissions laws that penalize it more than GM or Ford. It costs Chrysler ‘almost twice as much as it will cost GM’ to […]
Satire
Declassified 1970s documents spark debate among auto historians
(UPDATED FROM 3/30/2023) Newly declassified intelligence documents show how a crash program by American automakers to switch to eggcrate grilles for their 1972-73 models thwarted a space alien invasion. The strategy worked so well that […]
Current Events
Automotive News tiptoes around a potentially huge conflict of interest
The American automotive media has paid relatively little attention to the 2024 presidential race despite some observers suggesting that it could be unusually consequential. Andrew J. Hawkins (2024) concluded that this “election will decide what […]
Media Analysis
Automotive News’ sense of urgency on climate change amounts to empty words
Automotive News (2024) recently posted the editorial, “Believe the storms: Climate change is real.” The piece has a decidedly retro quality because it makes an argument that major media outside the auto industry acknowledged long […]
History
1974 AMC Ambassador: Was its styling ruined by bumper regs?
(EXPANDED FROM 9/11/2020) Readers of Indie Auto can offer feedback either by commenting or by sending a direct message here. A few years ago a reader used the latter route to vigorously defend the looks […]
Editor's Note
Was the Environmental Protection Agency run by ‘zealots’ in the early-70s?
MB stopped by to respond to our article, “Oldsmobile’s John Beltz sounded like a rather cautious GM executive.” He wrote, “The EPA zealots ruined American cars in 1970 thanks to their requirements based on a […]
Current Events
Political battles loom on climate policies that increase gasoline prices
When I took a road trip through three West Coast states two weeks ago I found that gas prices fluctuated by as much as $1.53 per gallon. Prices were highest in northern California, where I […]