My Favorites: The First Five #VOTY Winners
While some people would say: "We have too many automotive awards out there." I said: "Why can't I do one?"
Tag: Buick
Commentary: Good-Bye or Good Riddance?
These model cuts were not just targeted towards car models. Some SUVs were also dropped from their respective lineups.
My Favorite Drives Before The Victory & Reseda Era
When families are prompted to gather around, they're on the road involved in an epic drive to their destination. Or, they're sitting down for a story or two. Stories that need to be retold, even when loved ones are no longer around due to the pall of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
My Favorite Vehicles From 1977
The year 1977 was a watershed moment in the automotive industry. The OPEC Oil Crisis was already over. However, the lessons learned from the crisis began to trickle down into the products North American automakers rolled out.
Cars That Will "Sashay Away" This Year
One of them will be the year of "thinning the herd," which, sadly, can be taken many ways. However, this term is apt for something that have been a trend in the North American automotive market – the elimination of models from their respective lineups.
Historiography: A Personal History of General Motors
TweetIt sounds like a myth, but it is true: I was brought home from the hospital in my mother's 1955 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Starfire convertible. A fact that would otherwise be trivial is an indicator of what my future would hold. Let alone a point of historical reference that denotes a heritage of car ownership. Perhaps …
My Favorite Track Weapons
The subject of track days came about during a discussion on advanced driver education programs. There has been a push to create driver education programs for teenagers by teaching them advanced, but necessary skills. Car control is a huge piece of the puzzle, as teenagers need to understand how their vehicle can react when presented with a dangerous situation. It used to be called "defensive driving," but teaching these skills on controlled environments raises this concept to new levels.
My Favorite Concept Vehicles
There was a time when the future of the automobile was exhibited to the public as a "concept." A concept vehicle was truly a vision of the future for which a few components would be present in new models within a few years later. Others were just straight out of science fiction with none of the concept's ideas brought to market at all.
My Favorite Misbegotten Vehicles
Think about the idea of intention and purpose. A designer, an engineer, and an executive – oh, yes, let’s not forget the folks in accounting – are all involved in the process of creating a vehicle. Once everyone signs off on it, they have to campaign for its success. Even the marketing folks have to be on board with selling it to everyone – dealerships, the communications folks, and, ultimately, the consumer.
Historiography: Would You Really Rather Have A…
Once upon a time, General Motors dropped off a few Buicks across the Pacific in China. They loved them – a lot. Then, came the Japanese invading Manchuria, World War II, the push back of the Japanese invaders, and the rise of communism and Mao Zedong. Mao dies, China finds a way to have communism with capitalism, and Buick returns to become the biggest nameplate in the land.