Welcome to Road Reality, and thanks for stopping by. This is an automotive blog that caters to the average American driver. You’ll find a simple review structure, with easy-to-understand facts and figures. The reviews here are intended for people who have to commute regularly, but who also might also get out on the weekend for a spirited drive or a road trip, which contrasts with the existing automotive publications and blogs, which are mostly geared towards drivers who don’t drive on the same roads as you or I. You’ll see reviews here for cars which you can find at your local dealership, not just the latest Ferrari or limited production Lamborghini. Besides reviewing cars, this blog hopes to educate the average driver as to what’s going on in the American Automotive Industry. There will also be car previews, tips (buying, detailing, etc.) and automotive industry predictions, but first, some background on me, after the break.
I have an ingrained love for cars. Ever since I was young and my dad had a ’46 Cadillac, and the endless streams of Fords, Lincolns, and the occasional Cadillac – I cut my driving teeth on a 1991 Mercury Cougar, and then drove the entire family from our D.C. Metro area home to Big Pine Key, Florida in a 1980 Cadillac Eldorado Limousine. Since I got my license, I’ve owned far too many cars for the number of years I’ve been driving (13), and test driven literally hundreds more. I’ve helped friends and relatives shop for (and ultimately buy) cars, getting them a good deal, and removing a lot of the anxiety of car shopping. I keep up to date with the latest print publications, as well as several online sources, all of which have helped me predict what the automotive market might do, and to keep up to date on which cars are hot, and which are not. As anyone who knows me would say, I love cars, from the classics to the concepts. They’d also tell you I’m good at predicting what the automotive market will do.
In 2007, as soon as the automotive industry started showing signs of slowing down, I made several predictions. I predicted that Ford would come out on top of GM and Chrysler as the best domestic automotive manufacturer; that domestic automakers would start importing tooling and designs from foreign subsidiaries, and that Chrysler would really be having troubles. I also predicted that product lines would have to be greatly diminished for the domestic automakers to compete with their foreign rivals. These predictions are all coming true, as Ford didn’t take any TARP government money, whereas both GM and Chrysler did. Further, Ford and GM have both imported cars made by their European counterparts and subsidiaries – see the new Ford Fiesta, which is coming to our shores in 2010 or 2011, the Opel cars for GM, and Fiat’s automobiles, which will come to the US, probably branded as Chryslers. Ford has sold off Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin, while GM has killed off Saturn and Pontiac (Saturn was almost sold to Penske Racing, but that deal fell through), sold Saab to Koenigsegg, and is still trying to sell Hummer to the Chinese, amidst other streamlining deals. Since streamlining their product lines, GM is also bringing to market variations on its more popular products, such as the CTS Sport Wagon and CTS Coupe. The former should be hitting dealerships soon, the latter should be introduced sometime next year. Chrysler, meanwhile, is spinning off its Dodge Ram trucks as its own entity, the Ram brand, and is trying to stay afloat with what its got, while it fast-tracks new products from Fiat and refreshes to existing products. Chrysler is now running ads for its Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger sedans, two cars which haven’t seen a major refresh since their introductions several years ago.
The American automotive industry is in great turmoil right now, and is changing at a fast pace, so enjoy the ride! And as it says on the About page, feel free to email with questions, comments and any requests you might have, to john.roadreality@gmail.com.
John Suit
Editor, Road Reality
A lot of people predict a lot of things. Las Vegas is built on predicting what will happen in a particular sporting event. Wall Street is built on predicting the values of companies and commodities, among other things. Not a lot of time is spent predicting what cars will be hot, which car companies are going to succeed, and how the automakers are going to incorporate new technology into their cars. In 2007, as soon as the automotive industry started showing signs of slowing down, I made several predictions. I said that Ford would come out on top of GM and Chrysler as the best domestic automotive manufacturer; that domestic automakers would start importing tooling and designs from foreign subsidiaries, and that Chrysler would really be having troubles. I also predicted that product lines would have to be greatly diminished for the domestic automakers to compete with their foreign rivals. Currently, Ford has several hot products (2010 Fusion, 2010 Taurus, 2010 Mustang, and to a lesser extent, the new Flex and Escape Hybrid). GM has the refreshed Cadillac CTS, Buick LaCrosse. Chrysler, meanwhile, has next to nothing. Even the new Chrysler CEO, appointed by new owner Fiat, has said that he was surprised to find that Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep had nothing new coming out, short of the 2011 Jeep Cherokee. Chrysler is even running commercials for the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger, cars which haven’t had a major refresh since their inceptions, several years ago. The next prediction, about tooling and designs from overseas, GM and Ford are importing both, for the Ford Fiesta, which is slated to hit our shores in 2010 or early 2011, as well as the renewed push for its “World Car” the Focus. GM imported the Holden Monaro as the Pontiac GTO, and its Commodore as the Pontiac G8, both of which died with Pontiac earlier this year. Finally, the diminishing product lines prediction has come true as well. Pontiac and Saturn are both dead, and GM is working to sell off Hummer. Saab has been sold to Koenigsegg, a supercar manufacturer from Sweden. Ford sold Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. The former two were sold to Tata Motors, in India, and the latter to a group of British racing enthusiasts. Chrysler has been bought by Fiat (majority share, at least), and is spinning off its Ram brand of trucks. As far as their lack of upcoming products goes, Fiat/Chrysler should be importing Fiat automobiles, most likely branded as Chryslers when they enter the US.
So, enjoy the ride! And as it says on the About page, feel free to email with questions, comments and any requests you might have, to john.roadreality@gmail.com.