2007 Detroit Auto Show : 2008 Chevrolet Malibu - Honda Slayer? 2007 Detroit Auto Show : 2008 Chevrolet Malibu - Honda Slayer?
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Visit Frozen Hippo 2007 Detroit Auto Show: Review of the Chevrolet VOLT Unveiling - 3 Videos 2007 Detroit Auto Show: Review of the Chevrolet VOLT Unveiling - 3 Videos
GM's Volt GM's Volt appears to be the main talking point coming out of the Detroit Motor Show. While concepts like the Volt can be skimpy on details, with plenty of spin in the presentation (and the lithium battery technology is not quite there yet) it does at least serve as an important statement of intent. GM is going to town on this new initiative which is also about changing the company's image. We've an article in the works that includes interviews with key personnel.
TVR mess What a sad and sorry tale at TVR - the low volume maker of sportcars based (well, was based...) at Blackpool in the north of England. The Russian who came in for it, offering real hope, appears to have been pretty clueless. Crates of fresh fruit and veg for the workers symbolised an owner perhaps a little out of his depth. In TVR we have an exotic make with product, a degree of engineering know-how, a brand with heritage and a substantial band of diehard customers/supporters. If the gameplan is taking production to Italy and minimising the costs of shutting the Blackpool site, that won't go down at all well with the existing customer base. And what would future TVRs be, exactly?
Seasonal thoughts It has turned cold here now and foggy so winter has duly arrived, if a little late. And it s that time of the year where we knock off, count our blessings and have a short break. It s a time for reflection and for looking forward to the year ahead. As far as 2006 is concerned, it s been a busy but fun year at just-auto and I d like to thank all of my colleagues for their unstinting hard work and dedication to the cause; that means all the Aroq (our publisher) staffers working in production, IT, editorial special mention for Groby the news editor -, research publishing, finance, sales and marketing, customer service, as well as our loyal network of freelance contributors and journalists. It s very much a team effort. On a personal note, the main bad news of the year was the loss of just-auto contributor Alex Graham to cancer at the age of 29. I didn t know Alex all that well, but he was unswervingly professional in my dealings with him; Alex characteristically carried on working, business-as-usual, for as long as he possibly could. Our thoughts are with his wife Sarah (known to many in the industry as the SupplierBusiness marketing manager), especially at this time of the year. Looking ahead to next year, I am sure there will be plenty going on and it all gets kick-started with Detroit in January. But right now, better recharge those batteries while there s time. It just remains for me to wish all just-auto readers and subscribers a Happy Christmas and very best wishes for 2007.
Where next for Bernhard? Here's a thought. Wolfgang Bernhard has stopped playing that old Clash number, 'Should I stay or should I go?' and finally opted to bail from Volkswagen. Where to next? One possibility might be Ford as head of Ford Europe. It would be a coup for Ford, but Ford has Lewis Booth in Europe, right? Well, let's looks at Ford. And here's a scenario that developed over a few beers last night. Let's start with Mulally and Fields. It is said that they don't get on, that Fields has had his wings clipped following Mulally's arrival as CEO and is not all that happy. Might be true, might not. But there is one piece of evidence that supporters of the theory that he is out of favour with the Ford family can grab. Automotive News published a comment piece just before Christmas ripping into Mark Fields for the use of the company Lear jet for weekend jaunts back to his Florida home. A Detroit TV station did some digging to uncover that earlier, apparently. Now, I make no judgement on Lear jet use (he must have his reasons and I am sure Fields' actions are not all that unusual in terms of his peers - Jeepers, if he turns Ford's NA ops around who cares?), but the mere fact that Automotive News ran a comment piece - albeit written by a guest contributor - criticising him on such a personal front may be interpreted by some as significant. There was even a follow-up selection of pretty critical letters published in AN while the Detroit Show was on. Some people say that AN is pretty darn close to the big companies in Motown (I couldn't possibly comment!) and that if such an article appears in AN, Fields must have therefore lost the support of Bill Ford. Days numbered and the tea leaves look bleak, the theory goes. Okay. Let's - for the sake of argument - say Fields is indeed looking at an exit sometime soon. Who replaces him in Detroit? Lewis Booth may well, in such circumstances, be seen as a safe pair of hands. So, he's back to Detroit and what about the vacant slot as head of Ford of Europe? Step forward Mr Wolfgang Bernhard (contractual clauses, payoffs, permitting) - a product guy who also knows a fair bit about cost management, can be tough with unions and has big jobs at DC and Volkswagen on his resume. It's just a beer-induced theoretical scenario.
