2020s
Could Iran war show that Detroit is too dependent on gas-guzzling vehicles?
As I write this, Automotive News has not yet posted a full news story on how a protracted war in Iran could impact U.S. car sales. The industry’s leading trade journal has only parenthetically made […]
Reader questions Chrysler’s future as it passes 100th anniversary
Indie Auto reader George Denzinger recently submitted the following letter to the editor. He addresses some important issues, so I appreciate that he took the time to share his thoughts. I know that Stellantis celebrated(?) […]
Four lingering questions about Aaron Severson’s take on the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk
Recently Aaron Severson (2026) raised questions about whether the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk weighed more due to its Packard drivetrain. As usual, he offered a thoughtful analysis, but I still come away with four lingering […]
A story about George Romney’s family that draws upon all of AMC’s nameplates
(UPDATED FROM 8/30/2022) A few years ago a commentator on a political blog joked that Mitt Romney’s parents “did a lot of rambling in those days, but oddly enough none ever served as an ambassador.” […]
What is the quintessential automotive history book?
Karl Ludvigsen (2026) stopped by to “humbly put forward” his book, Porsche: Excellence Was Expected, as the “quintessence of an auto history.” In a comment, he noted that the book first came out “in 1978 […]
Jay Leno hypes the Slate Truck and the Hubcap Club criticizes the 1958 Packard
Let’s take a back-to-back look at two videos: a Jay Leno’s Garage episode about the forthcoming Slate Truck and a Hubcap Club take on the controversial 1958 Packard. While Leno enthusiastically hyped the forthcoming electric […]
Is there a ‘Jeep curse’?
One of the more persistent narratives floating around the American auto history media is that there is a “Jeep curse.” Jack Stewart (2016) of Consumer Guide Automotive summed up what this means: “ownership of the […]
Scaringe presents Rivian as a Tesla without the controversy and chaos
With Tesla showing signs of stepping back from automotive production, Rivian has the potential to come out from under its shadow with a more affordable R2 model. Toward that end, the automaker’s founder R. J. […]
