Half Something

Apparently there is an engineer’s corollary to the question of whether a glass is half full or half empty.  It’s that the glass is twice as large as it needs to be.  I started thinking about the full/empty dichotomy in regards to two surveys that were released during the first week of June.  They undoubtedly have a whole lot of engineers—especially in Detroit—thinking.  And designers.  And executives.  First there was the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Initial Quality Study (IQS).  Then The Harbour Report North America 2008.  Quality and productivity.  Not two sides of the same coin.  But certainly part of the automotive value proposition.

Which brings me to a related quote, the one attributed to Disraeli, about “lies, damn lies and statistics.”

Some companies are going to be...Read More...

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2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid

2008 Ford Focus Coupe SE 

2008 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro

2008 Saturn Astra XR 5-Door

2008 Nissan Pathfinder SE V8 All Wheel Drive

Driven Archives

Michigan Pothole Grounds?
Ford is renovating the five-mile-long high-speed test track on its 52-year-old Michigan Proving Grounds using environmentally friendly construction practices. Winning bidder Angelo Iafrate Construction Co. said it would reuse most of the materials, and recycle those that could not be reused in the new construction. Not surprisingly, Ford agreed to the plan and gave the contract to Iafrate.  – View More

Shooting Down High Gas Prices
Customers at Max Motors in Butler, MO, have a choice when they buy a new vehicle: a $250 coupon good for the purchase of a gun, or a similar denomination coupon for the purchase of gasoline. Dealer principal Doug Moore claims most have chosen the gun coupon, and he recommends they go for a semi-automatic because it holds more rounds. – View More

Automotive Schizophrenia
Nissan’s Canton, MS, plant is celebrating its fifth anniversary of production, having built more than 1.3 million vehicles in that time. Home to Nissan’s Titan pickup, Armada SUV, Altima sedan, Quest minivan, and Infiniti QX 56 SUV, the plant produces about 1,000 vehicles per day with 3,700 employees. However, the 3.5-million ft2 facility soon will see major changes. –
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100% Clear
The next time you’re driving through Britain’s rolling Surrey countryside, remember this: a recent check of driver’s eyesight found that the vision of 25% of all Surrey drivers tested falls below minimum legal vision requirements. – View More 

It's a Wash
Just when some celebrity is ready to drop to the "Whatever Happened to…" list, along comes a press release that thrusts them back into the spotlight. Being named the "Car Wash Belle" in a nationwide poll of U.K. men may not be the same as winning Wimbledon, but for Anna Kournikova it’s nevertheless a return to the public eye. – View More

Upcoming Industry Events:
Quality Expo – June 11-12
REACH Symposium – June 26
The Management Briefing Seminars – Aug. 11-15
COMPOSITESWORLD Expo – Sept. 3-5
IMTS 2008 - Sept. 8-13

Alan Mulally Gets Down To Basics
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ford CEO Alan Mulally and a few other journalists for dinner. Although this was a Ford event, and so the company was picking up the tab, the affable CEO looked at us straight in the eye and declared: ...Read More...