http://www.highlandrd.com Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:15:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Bloomberg is reporting that Toyota’s in-bound President Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company’s original founder Kiichiro Toyoda, plans to replace most of Toyota’s current management structure when he comes into office in June to take the place of outbound president Katsuake Watanabe, according to “people [...] who asked not to be identified because the changes haven’t yet been ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=38 Everybody button down and hold what you’ve got! In the midst of Toyota’s rather subdued rah-rah over becoming the new, undisputed global leader in automotive sales, executives at the Best Gosh Darned Car Company In The Known Universe are scrambling to reduce inventories and keep them commensurate with the current ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=37 Those of you who follow the auto industry like we do have become somewhat jaded to the sense of drama about these “…Of The Year” awards, in part because they happen every year (I know, right?), and also because many times they’re a bit of a snore. The casual observer can see plenty of conflicts of ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=36 With all the hubbub about Detroit automakers’ last desperate clutches at an increasingly slippery bailout package, it might be easy to forget about an industry that is well within the blast radius of any auto industry collapse: NASCAR.Within the folds of Auto Racing Daily’s NASCAR editorials, for instance, I’m starting ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=35 Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s retrospective time Confirmation arrived this morning from the current 800 pound gorilla in sportscar racing: due to the current economic clusterf%&* conditions, Audi will not bring its works cars to contest the 2009 American Le Mans Series or its European cousin, the Le Mans Endurance Series, instead ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=34 After absorbing all of the media over the last week or so, I’ve come to a conclusion. And I think it’s not safe for me to write about this industry. I’m pissed. What the heck is wrong with the denizens of this country, and the people we voted into office? Why are ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=33   This week, BMW revealed some key information about its new clean diesel products to be sold in North America, and held an online press conference to answer a few questions about how BMW plans to market its twin-turbo oil burner, BMW’s first diesel offering in the States in 22 years.* It ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=32 It says no worries, guys. Why do you look so worried? On Friday, GM spokesman John McDonald confirmed to Automotive News (sub req’d) that the automaker will indeed end a special financing deal for their certified used car program earlier than originally planned, specifying the lack of funding for credit ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=31 Hotter than a two dollar Hadron Collider I have a conundrum to share with you. In the automotive media, we’ve come to regard an automobile’s design or build flaws as “character”, or “personality”. There’s a certain romance about rough-hewn edges, to be sure, but when is a flaw just a flaw? ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=30 Would you be less offended if it said TURBO or IROC on the side? How come we’re not being held up at stop lights? Why is no one noticing? What’s wrong with these people? I’m clearly driving a capital-H-capital-Y-brid, because it says so in six-inch-tall letters right on the very doors ... http://www.highlandrd.com/?p=29