Welcome to Thought-o-Motive!

If you're reading this, you're probably wondering who I am to be writing about cars and the automotive industry. Ah, who am I kidding? If you're reading this, it's probably because you know me and I sent you the link!

Still, just in case there's anyone out there bored enough to land here randomly, I thought I'd let you know where I'm coming from.

I have some experience in the industry, working for one of the Big (or not-so-big) 3, and my time there helped color my thoughts on the industry. But most of my viewpoints are not those of an industry insider. They are instead those of someone who has loved cars since he was a boy.

I came of age in the bad old days of the Big 3, the '70s and '80s. Back then, GM, Chrysler and Ford didn't really have anything worthwhile to offer. GM had Fieros, whose name reflected an unfortunate tendency to burst into flames, Chrysler had "fine Corinthian leather", and Ford had 4-cylinder Mustangs (!). Yet even then, there were flashes of brilliance.

Of course, there were Porsches and Ferraris, but who could afford those? I learned to drive in a Subaru GL wagon with a 5-speed, and for a 16-year-old, it was actually pretty entertaining. Fiat, MG and Alfa hadn't left these shores yet, and if you looked hard enough, you could still find well-cared-for, low-mileage '60s Mustangs and Camaros.

The year I graduated from college, Mazda introduced the Miata. I bought one of the first ones to arrive in the US, and I was in love right away. I took it to the track, and I took it for long drives on twisty roads. Sure, it only had 116hp, but it was the MGB I remembered from my youth, without the oil leaks and random electrical failures.

Still, I always wished that the US manufacturers could get their acts together. They had been great once, right? Then they lost their way, wandering amongst the Explorers and Grand Cherokees, while their cars remained stuck in the past. But recently, there have been signs of life. Cars from the Big 3 (well, Ford and GM, at least) are higher-quality than ever before, and often beat the imports. And just as important, they're building cars with CHARACTER again. Despite the economic climate, there's never been a better time to be a gearhead.

So my goal with this blog is to throw out my opinions on the industry and the cars and trucks they're building. I don't claim to be an expert, and I'm not poring over sales numbers and profit margins. If you disagree with my comments, let me know about it. But mostly, I hope you find this an interesting source of good "car talk"!

David