That infelicitous phrase in that headline was used by Senator Bill Nelson in an interview on MSNBC on Friday, November 21, 2008, the day after the Detroit Three executives left Washington, DC.  And Nelson was talking about what is being incorrectly described as a “bailout.”  Is the U.S. auto industry a “rat hole”?  Is that what they think in Washington?  Nelson is a Democrat.  On the home page of Nelson’s website there is a picture of President-elect Barack Obama with the senator.  Obama is a supporter of doing something for Detroit.  And Nelson’s talking about pouring money down a “rat hole”?  The Republicans have been even more vituperative about the domestic auto industry.

Many people—politicians, pundits, and even my colleagues—think that Rick Wagoner, Alan Mulally, and Robert Nardelli ought to be treated like turkeys are being handled on farms across the country this week.  Off with their heads! ...Read More

autofieldguide Sponsor: Makino

2009 Ford Flex

2009 Infiniti G37x Coupe

2009 Lincoln MKS AWD

2009 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport

2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

Driven Archives

autofieldguide Sponsor: Dupont

Too Many Mushrooms
Barneys New York and Volkswagen have teamed up for the former’s "Peace and Love: Have a Hippie Holiday" event; a tribute to the creativity and designs of the 1960s. As a focal point for the campaign, VW and Barneys commissioned New York artist John-Paul Philippe to custom paint a one-of-a-kind New Beetle inspired by the decade and its indelible iconography.
– Read More

Who Are You Calling Cheap?
The Ford Fiesta was named "Scottish Car of the Year 2008" by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers. Ford’s Kuga 4x4 also was named "Best 4x4 Crossover 2008" by the group. Congratulations to Ford, but the awards should have come as no surprise. The Fiesta and Kuga are the least expensive vehicles Ford offers in each segment. – Read More

Stolen? No, it's Fixed!
Thatcham, the U.K. insurance industry’s security assessor, has raised concerns about motorists relying solely on GPS-based vehicle tracking systems. The company suggests that enterprising thieves could use jamming devices to keep the GPS unit from relaying a stolen vehicle’s correct location, thus causing it to be unrecoverable. – Read More

You Must Be So Proud!
There’s just something special about a press release about an automotive awards ceremony that includes the word: "The ceremony was attended by inmates and their families." Then again, when the release in question is about graduates of the U.K.'s Aylesbury Young Offenders Institution’s technician training program, you start to understand. – Read More

Major Upset
Readers of a certain age will remember waiting each month for Road & Track magazine to hit the mailbox. Not for the stories or technical pieces, mind you, but to see what cartoonist Russell Brockbank’s favorite character, Major Upset, had gotten himself into this time. – Read More
 

Upcoming Industry Events:
Carbon Fiber 2008 - Dec. 8-10
North American International Auto Show - Jan. 11-25
COMPOSITESWORLD Investment Forum Feb. 26–27
Global Automotive Conference 2009
Apr. 7-9
PMTS 2009 Apr. 28-30

Detroit’s Three Stooges
I admit it. I watched the endless hours of gory testimony given by the Big Three bosses to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate committees. Anyone with an ounce of brain cells knows being summoned to testify before a congressional committee usually isn’t a good thing. Odds are you are going to receive a verbal beating by the members of the committees ...Read More