By Nick Aziz
Wednesday, Aug 23rd, 2006 @ 12:45 pm

Controversial columnist Peter M. DeLorenzo has written a lengthy piece on the state of the auto industry. Some highlights:

  • Nissan: “Things are not only worse than you’re hearing about – the future is shaping up to be grim.” Morale is “in the toilet.”
  • Chrysler Group: “Call me Mr. Skeptic. When a car company has the propensity to self-destruct as part of their fundamental raison d’etre as the Chrysler Group does – it’s headed for trouble.”
  • General Motors: GM’s product plan “indeed extremely impressive.” But still “plenty of work to do.”
  • Ford: “I think Mark Fields gets it, and I think Bill Ford himself finally gets it.” But “it could get even uglier before they see a genuine up-tick.”
  • Hyundai and Kia: “An aversion to the concept of listening.”
  • Toyota: “They will stop at absolutely nothing to convince people that they’re not a Japanese company that ultimately sends profits back to Japan.”
  • Audi: “I believe they will emerge as a top-tier player in the next 24 months.”
  • Mercedes: “For every car they do right [...] they unleash a monument to tedium like the new GL-Class, or the overwrought and overpriced R-Class.”
  • BMW: “Is simply the best.”
  • Porsche: “The certifiable Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde of the auto business.”