Automotive Journal

I was interested to see Mark Fields’ comments about small cars in the US. I wonder how the Mexican-made Fiesta will perform in the US market from 2010. Big segment shifts in the market tend to take a while to work through, assuming that the conditions creating the changed consumer behaviour - in particular, in this case, high oil …

I am still feeling a bit weird after yesterday’s news (see below posting). Life goes on, of course, but Jeff Daniels is on my mind today. I’m in London to do an interview at CNN. They have a Geneva preview thing going on on one of their business programmes. It means leaving the desk, but I don’t mind taking time out for CNN every now and then. It’s been a while …

Buying a new car? Need to finance your purchase with a car loan? Well, don’t agree to ANY car loan until you …

A rather dark cloud has descended on today with the news that Jeff Daniels, a longtime automotive industry journalist and technical report writer, has died. He was 68 and had not long ago written a report on future fuels for us (among others). He’d had health problems before, but he seemed to have weathered that storm and was apparently back to …

Attention is drawn this morning to a forum posting alleging that reliability is a serious issue with certain electric power steering (EPS) systems. That, and that they are expensive. Anyone else care to comment? Someone from TRW perhaps?

Insurance is the one of the most purchase that you have to make. It is the purchase that we hope we never uses it. Most of the people buying insurance because want to protect themselves and their family. Buying insurance is very important …

On one level there is a refreshing honesty about Bob Lutz’s ‘crock of shit’ comments about global warming. We don’t have the full text of what he said and the context but it sounds like he decided to give a robust opinion in the heat of the moment. Trouble is, it seems to reflect a minority view among scientists. Unless he has some additional scientific insight, he’s out of step with the current scientific consensus.
He has a point when he says that his personal opinions are separate from what GM is all about, but he …

With oil over trading over $100 a barrel many analysts are projecting gas prices to soar to record levels this summer with a peak in May or June. The Associated Press reports that predictions range from $3.5 to $4 a gallon for the peak national average gas price. That would be a good 25 to 75 cents above last year’s record of $3.227 a gallon.

Many analysts believe gas prices will rise this spring to new …

I interviewed Paul Williams, the new COO at Kia Europe earlier today (did it down the phone). The new ‘Soul’ concepts that will emerge in Geneva are clearly at the centre of a strategy to redefine Kia as something more than a value brand, something ‘fun’ for the ‘young at heart’.
Soul could well be to Kia what Scion is to Toyota in the US. And unlike Scion, Soul will definitely be coming to Europe. Look for the full write-up of the interview on just-auto early next week.
Incidentally, Paul is right …

Just been speaking to a journalist at Which? magazine (a UK consumer publication) who is compiling a list of the most influential people who have influenced the British car market in recent decades. We went all around the shop - industrialists, regulators, car designers, safety innovators. Interesting …