When Detroit looked like Silicon Valley

Mike Smitka Autos are today a hi-tech industry; more on that in subsequent posts. The same was true circa 1900. A quick window on the contem...

Peak Oil is Here

I will write a follow-up post asking what I got wrong and what (if anything) I got right with my analysis below. When done, I'll put in ...

Rewriting the Rules

T here have been numerous recent quotes from industry experts that some might find contradictory. The issue: How many dealers are needed to ...

How Do You Measure Quality in the Auto Business?

A m I presumptuous enough to lecture J.D. Power on how to measure quality? Not really. My point is that there is more than one way to calc...

No More Clanging Clunkers, No More Sales

Mike Smitka W hat, now that the clunkers program has clanged to a close? In a couple days we'll see what total August sales were like – ...

Opel & GM

Mike Smitka F urther to my earlier post, Is there a GM without Opel? , the sticking points of GM's negotiations with the Magna-Gaz/Sberb...

Toyota and General Motors

Mike Smitka T he new General Motors was spun out of bankruptcy on Friday, July 10th. Its prospects are uncertain. The new cost structure and...

Follow the Money

T he news today is of efforts to cut the cost side of the OEMs, Chrysler of course but also General Motors. Is this good news? To frame that...

Downsizing

W hile interrupted from time to time by the business cycle – exceptionally so at the moment – automotive demand has expanded steadily since ...