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Defending the UAW, Felix Salmon Abandons Logic

When has Felix ever operated from a standpoint of "logic"? He is often on various sides of an issue but, by and large, operates from behind rose colored glasses while remaining a loyal subject of the Crown.

Auto Industry: Fiat as the Engine for Change

Edward,
I must confess that you had me worried for a moment or so at the beginning of this article - but, I believe that your conclusions are spot on (as if anyone can truly discern where this will end up).
Where the actual "rubber meets the road" properties of these various companies will be in a couple of years is a major concern as well - Opel has over the years, enjoyed a strong reputation for quality; whereas, Fiat has not. I can't speak to the other "marques" noted above on these points but, as a supposed major player in this exercise Fiat may be sorely wanting in this specific area and one wonders how the Obama "Auto Task Force" evaluated this particular issue, if at all.

Chrysler: Five Reasons Why It Still Might Not Survive

Still not worth a pitcher of warm spit! Fiat has committed suicide once before in the U.S. market - it still does not have a "saleable" product in the USA & likely will not support one with a decent "supply chain" of parts & components anyway. The UAW, the U.S. & Canadian governments, & Fiat? Not what anyone with a third of a brain would call a "winning combination".

Chrysler: Looking for a Miracle to Survive

When Sergio Marchionne says there is a 50% chance of the "deal" going thru... he is being utterly facetious. It is his little "italian" joke. Because there is no "deal", and there never has been... no one has seen a single "lira" come out of Fiat's purse.

Electric Vehicles Gain Traction in the Bay Area

I'm surprised that none here mentioned the Aptera. A CA company currently developing a 3 wheeled vehicle reportedly that will be offered in both a straight EV version & a hybrid version. The battery utilized is closely held information but, initial reports indicate a range of 100 miles. Whatever the outcome on this particular car, remember; any method can & will be improved! Perhaps, one day, not too far off - a hybrid Atera will be equipped with a "solar skin" &/or a "solar parasol" ( to put up when the vehicle is in "park" mode) so that the vehicle may be heated, cooled and, have it's battery charged during all peak daylight hours. After that iteration, the next step would be to link the car to the electric "grid" so that any excess generation can go to other uses. Yeah, picture about 40,000 to 60,000 Aptera's dwelling in parking lots ..... which is what most of our autos do most of the time.... PARK! PARK! PARK!

Who Wants to Buy an Ailing Car Company?

captmike is correct in many, many ways. A number of years ago, the Ford Escort was among the first cars designated as a "World Class "car. Yeah, that's right, Ford, and even the U.S. Gov't. was promoting the fact that the car was comprised of many different (but, top quality) components from several countries. At that time, Canada, England, Germany, France, Italy, & Brazil, were all producing parts and components (including engine blocks) that were assembled in the U.S.!
For at least the last 30 years, we have had the "global" circumstance as it relates to auto production. The players & countries may have changed a bit as far as certain of the components go - but, go and take a very close look at your own Ford, Chevy or, Chrysler. Open the hood or the driver door & then look closely at the manufacturing "nameplate" or, country of origin "stamps" . You will, very likely, find that your auto was assembled in Windsor, Ontario or, that the master cylinder may have been made in Taiwan or, that an engine block or header may be stamped "Germany" or, a fuel systems component may be from Brasil or, China or, England. Yes, we still make & assemble many, many good parts, components, & assembled automobiles in the United States of America but, please, do not "pee on your shoes and imagine that it is raining".

Auto Sales Declines Around the World

The most attractive option in personal transport (apart from the bicycle) is a car like the Aptera! GM, Ford & Chrysler will not likely be the entities that will produce such a car - far too committed to the overweight leviathans that they "think" they must produce.
The Aptera, with it's solar roof panel is just a start - picture a few thousand Aptera's with their entire outer surface covered with a Nanosolar photovoltaic "skin" or, when parked, with a "parasol" of PV panels, that can also re-charge the battery & also "hook-up" to a grid. What do our cars occupy most of their time doing anyway? PARKING... PARKING... PARKING.....!!!!!

How the Government Should Manage GM and Chrysler

Rick:
It would make far more sense to this reader to have Senator Dodd's resignation in hand, rather than Mr. Wagoner's.

Automakers: A Pitiful Trio

"All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely actors within..." comes to mind as well. Just as Jaque in "As you like it" (what would that translate to today? - "Like you like it - fer sure!") defines the seven stages of man, Barney Frank & Chris Dodd, respectively, seem to be defining the elemental stages of the U.S. Auto industry - perhaps, at the end of it's life in Detroit!
Vienna does not seem to identify the difference between; a private company, a public company, GSE's , & state owned companies - the variety of structures bring all sorts of responses, strategies, and results to the "bottom line".
Katy is correct, I believe, in her conclusion that the governments mishandling of money supply is within the root causes of our current predicament. "Atlas Shrugged" is replete with all manner of great analogies to the present day circumstance & our "cast of characters" loose in D.C & the greater U.S.A.!
I'm betting on two things at present:
1) Someone will do a great book on the role played by the CRA, Fannie & Freddie, Congress, & the "sub - prime" mortgage market in precipitating the financial debacle now at hand.
2) Detrioit or, "The Big 3" automakers will not deliver the vehicles that we need or, in fact, will want in 2 or 5 or 10 years hence! They will come, I believe, from other sources outside of our current frame of reference.
Somewhat jokingly, I referred (in another recent comment) to the fact that Dean Kamen brought us the "segway" & that the french revolution gave us the "tumbril" - take your pick! More likely, however, is a car like the "Aptera" now being developed in California! "Like you like it - fer sure!"

Michael Moore's Curious Economics: Nationalize the Car Companies

Michael Moore? When will we also hear from Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Madonna, etc. & ad nauseam, on this subject? And what, pray tell, is a "transportation genius"? Is the definition something like - "Any person who finds themselves more than 50 miles from home & is also in possesion of a briefcase"?
Dean Kamen gave us the "segway" & the french revolution offered the "tumbril", both are marvelous means of transportation - take your pick! But forget about Detroit finding a solution, the Japanese have been eating their lunch for many years - & will likely continue to do so!