ON THE TABLE

November 2, 2011

 The Japanese Auto Industry. Has the sun set on the once-glittering Japanese auto empire? If they don't figure out what to do about the high level of the yen we may be seeing the beginnings of a downward spiral that will lapse into a permanent decline.

Honda. The once can't miss Japanese automaker scrambles to re-do its lackluster Civic by 2013 instead of sometime in 2014, according to Mark Rechtin in Automotive News. Even the display of tarted-up Civics at the SEMA show fell flat. A refreshed Civic won't be enough, however. This is about mojo and image buzz, two things Honda has lost and which will be very, very difficult to regain.

Saab. We hope that the new Chinese buyers have fun owning the Swedish car company, but they're going to have to dump a boatload of ca$h into it just to keep it above water, let alone get the product cadence restarted. As for image, you go off of the radar screen in this market for that long together with the constant stories in the media about being "on the brink" and it's no wonder consumers are going to want nothing to do with the brand. Good luck with all that.

Dan Akerson. Asked by Automotive News about the NADA getting all agitated about the manufacturers forcing dealers to make big dollar investments to upgrade their facilities, GM's CEO said: "Would you rather go into a competitor store that looks bright and open and [has] easy access? Or something that looks kind of like a Dunkin' Donuts from the 1980s? I think if I were a businessman, I would be hard-pressed not to accept the assistance we're willing to provide." Wait, aren't you a businessman, Dan? And what's wrong with the look of Dunkin' Donuts? It works fine for them. Oh well, that's our AE Quote of the Week.

NASCAR. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Rumblings that Kim Brink, formerly of GM marketing, is about to become the CMO of NASCAR is all the buzz in this town. To say that Brink, who was one of the "old guard" at GM marketing who didn't make the cut, is less than an inspired choice is the latest understatement of the year and it conjures up all kinds of musings, as in: 1. If there's any more proof needed that NASCAR exists in its own little bubble - to its own detriment - this is it. It's called due diligence, folks, and you obviously didn't get that memo. 2. NASCAR needs bold vision and new ideas if it's going to arrest its continued slide into mediocrity. It's not enough to say, "we're down a little but we're still the biggest motorsports game in town," which is the consistent mantra emanating from Daytona Beach, because that attitude will result in a one-way ticket to NotVeryGoodLand. (Haven't heard of it? It's the latest tourist attraction in Florida, one that celebrates mediocrity, the mundane and what once was. Sounds sweet, no?) 3. It's official (as if it needed anymore illumination) that Brian France is an absentee CEO and needs to be told by the family to go away and pursue that NFL franchise in L.A. that he keeps dreaming about because he brings nothing to the table. And I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G. And for the record, Lesa France Kennedy is well-meaning but she's getting bad advice, or the wrong advice, or both, it really doesn't matter at this point. The words "vision" and "NASCAR" have been mutually exclusive terms for as long as I can remember, and that's not likely to change anytime soon. Four auto manufacturers (GM, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler and Toyota) currently pour an absolute ton of money into NASCAR because they've talked themselves into thinking that it's the only game in town - at least in this market - when it comes to spending money on motorsports. They're wrong, of course. But they're reluctant to extract meaningful change out of NASCAR so that it might suit their needs better. And why is that exactly? Because there are too many incestuous relationships that have grown up over the years between the automakers and NASCAR, to the point that the whole thing operates out of sheer inertia rather than common sense and actual marketing effectiveness. And thus it was ever so, unfortunately. - PMD

(Ford)
Matt Patrias and Ed Orzechowski (above) adjust the driver's door on the new Ford-licensed 1965 Mustang convertible body shell. The original Mustang can now be assembled complete with all-new Ford-approved restoration parts. New first-generation Mustang body shells can be made into ’64½, ’65 or ’66 models, depending on the trim and powertrain that is installed during the rebuild. The new body shell is made from high-quality, automotive-grade steel that is better than the original and features modern welding techniques. It makes its debut Nov. 1 at the SEMA show. For more info go to www.fordrestorationparts.com.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Tom Pease weighs-in on his quintessential Chevrolet experience in this week's "Letter from L.A." - PMD

Chevy Memories.

By Tom Pease

Beverly Hills. The only Chevy we had that I can remember was the Impala SS that my dad bought my mom when she was pregnant with me (it replaced a Chevy convertible that was deemed "impractical" for a family with two kids). Dad ordered it with every performance option available, perhaps thinking that my mother would find it too daunting to drive and leave it for him. Sometimes she did, being a good pre-feminist-movement wife. He would drive at about the speed of sound to the airport on the way to one of his many out-of-town business trips. She'd drive back, going even faster than he did, with the radio cranked and us kids belted in the back.

After 10 years and with only about 50k miles on it, the salted New England winter roads had taken their toll: there were rust holes you could see the road through and the car couldn't pass the Commonwealth's safety inspection. The Impala had to go to the scrapyard. My 10-year-old self cried like my dog had been shot.