All Entries in the "Auto News" Category
NUMMI Workers Picket Toyota at California Auto Show – Why?
According to local San Jose, California news station KCBS, NUMMI workers picketed Toyota at the San Jose Auto Show last week. The report says that the picketing NUMMI workers are also planning to deliver a petition to keep their factory open beyond it’s scheduled closure date. While no one can blame these workers for trying to save their jobs, why are they picketing Toyota?
5 Auto Industry Predictions for 2010
This time last year, we made 5 auto industry predictions for 2009…and we did OK. While we were right about Saab and Saturn closing, Ford’s sale of Volvo, and Ford’s stock price, we were completely and totally wrong about the sales volume. Our gas price prediction was wrong too, but we weren’t off by much. All in all, a decent set of predictions for 2009. Here’s what we’re predicting for 2010:
Nissan will kill the Titan in 2010.
1. Nissan kills the Titan. It’s a bold prediction that we’re not 100% comfortable with, but here goes: The Titan doesn’t make money, so Nissan isn’t going to keep it.
Venezuela’s Chavez Threatens Toyota – Ford, Chrysler, and GM At Risk Too
Venezuela’s “President” Hugo Chavez is a blustering fool – despite governing a nation with one of the world’s largest reserves of petroleum, Chavez has Venezuela’s economy struggling with the highest inflation in all of South America. Chavez’s “elections” are a farce – Chavez has banned anyone from running against him, and Chavez has shut down the press so no one can undermine his authority. Under his leadership, Venezuela’s crime rate has increased dramatically, and the capital city Caracas is the “murder capital of the world.” In a word, Chavez is a failure.
Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez threatens Toyota with nationalization.
Recently, Chavez has turned his attention to Toyota. While it’s possible Chavez’s comments are nothing more than an effort to deflect criticism of his failed policies, it’s also possible that Chavez could nationalize Toyota’s auto operations in Venezuela. What’s more, GM, Ford, and Chrysler/Fiat also operate facilities in Venezuela, and are also at risk of losing their investments to “nationalization.”
Is Toyota Hiding Safety Problems From Consumers?
Our favorite LA Times reporters V&B are at it again – using a string of poorly investigated “facts” and a complete lack of understanding, V&B are alleging that Toyota is purposefully keeping vehicle safety problems secret from their customers (link).
While the LA Times article cites a series of mistakes made by Toyota, it’s hard to prove these were mistakes were the result of a conscious effort. Unfortunately, the interesting and enlightening points made by the LA Times are overshadowed by sloppy journalism and half truths.
Why U.S. Automakers Don’t Sell Cars in Japan
Last week, we evaluated allegations of Japanese protectionism levied by U.S. automakers. While it’s clear that these allegations were nothing more than political posturing, what’s not clear is why U.S. automakers have so much trouble selling cars in Japan.
Looking at Japan’s 2008 auto sales by manufacturer, we find that imports (which include both U.S. vehicles and vehicles from Europe) account for less than 7% of all sales in Japan.
Japan's 2008 total auto sales by manufacturer. Click for a larger view.
Why do Japanese consumers shun imports at a ratio of almost 15 to 1?
