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HomeU.S. automakers

U.S. automakers

1975 Ford Elite
Multimedia

Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky

March 11, 2026 Steve 19

Top-10 lists are inherently subjective, but Adam Wade’s (2026) ugliest “classic” cars strikes me as being particularly quirky. On his YouTube channel called Rare Classic Cars & Automotive History, Wade focuses on American cars from […]

Current Events

Could Iran war show that Detroit is too dependent on gas-guzzling vehicles?

March 9, 2026 Steve 29

As I write this, Automotive News has not yet posted a full news story on how a protracted war in Iran could impact U.S. car sales. The industry’s leading trade journal has only parenthetically made […]

1974 Chevrolet Camaro
Links

What predictions Jim Dunne got wrong in the first half of 1972

November 19, 2025 Steve 9

(UPDATED FROM 10/30/2023) Popular Science had a mixed record in making predictions about the auto industry during the postwar period. We have already discussed the magazine’s misfires in 1967 and 1970. Now let’s take a […]

1967 Dodge Charger
Media Analysis

Popular Mechanics got many things wrong about 1968 cars but one thing right

October 1, 2025 Steve 2

(EXPANDED FROM 1/18/2023) The June 1967 issue of Popular Mechanics was published only a few months prior to the beginning of the 1968 model year for U.S.-built cars. Even so, an article by Bob Irwin […]

1972 Chevrolet Camaro front quarter
Satire

Declassified 1970s documents spark debate among auto historians

April 1, 2025 Steve 4

(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 […]

US Canada border Peace Arch Park
Links

Trade expert says Trump’s on-and-off tariffs create business uncertainty

March 8, 2025 Steve 14

A few days ago economist Paul Krugman (2025) asked tariff and trade expert Mary Lovely for her take on the Trump administration’s recent actions. Her responses in a question-and-answer interview were eye opening. One of […]

1978 Ford Fairmont 4-door seda
Design Notes

U.S. cars often suffered from weak styling continuity and boxy shapes in 1970-80s

February 28, 2025 Steve 17

(EXPANDED FROM 1/23/2023) This post’s comment thread has received a burst of new attention, so I thought it would be worth expanding upon my original argument. I wrote this article in response to debates about […]

1979 Pontiac Firebird TransAm
Drive-By Musings

What were the five most successful postwar facelifts among US cars?

February 25, 2025 Steve 9

In the “Story Ideas Bank” Stewdi offered a topic that got me thinking: What are the most successful facelifts of all time? The power was out at Indie Auto’s world headquarters for most of the […]

1968 Cadillac DeVille
Auto Paedia

Brock Yates called postwar U.S. auto leaders ‘Grosse Pointe myopians’

January 15, 2025 Steve 0

(EXPANDED FROM 11/1/2018) “Grosse Pointe myopians” is a pejorative term that automotive journalist Brock Yates (2018) gave to the management class of U.S. automakers in an essay published in the April 1968 issue of Car […]

1969 Mercury Cyclone
Links

Motorcade magazine’s ‘sneak peek’ of the 1969 models made up a whole lot of stuff

April 17, 2024 Steve 0

Motorcade is among the more obscure magazines included in the Automotive History Preservation Society’s digital archives. A supposed preview of the 1969 models may hint at why the magazine apparently did not survive the early-70s. […]

Posts pagination

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  • 2006-7 Dodge Charger
    2006-2010 Dodge Charger: A cartoonish attempt at rip-roaring nostalgia
    June 5, 2026 5
  • 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 15
  • 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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