Indie Auto

The Tesla Cybertruck could have been a contender

by Steve in Drive-By Musings 3

The announcement today that the Tesla Cybertruck was ending production next year has been met with much derision. For example, one wag cracked, “One of the lessons here is to never allow ketamine to do your product design” (ecephalopath, 2026). If artificial intelligence doesn’t soon destroy civilization, future business-management scholars may point to [...]

Auto media’s takes on mid-term elections vary in quality — if they cover it at all

November 4, 2026 7

How did the automotive media cover the 2026 mid-term election results? At least as I write this, the major car-buff websites have ignored the topic. Apparently they see their role as helping you to escape reality — particularly by [...]

The future of auto production capacity, affordable sedans and the Buzz 2.0

October 27, 2026 8

Audi recently announced that it would invest $4 billion in a new assembly plant in Georgia. Joe White (2026) of the High Speed Rodeo noted that this would be only one of 14 new U.S. assembly plants that automakers plan to build [...]

Did the 1960-64 big Ford sell so poorly because of cannibalization?

October 16, 2026 37

(EXPANDED FROM 7/30/2024) Aaron Severson (2009) has argued that when Ford added the Falcon and Fairlane in the early-60s, they did well initially but “total sales during that period remained almost flat.” In other words, the [...]

Was 1969 the beginning of the end for the Ford Thunderbird four-door Landau?

by Steve in Gallery 9

(EXPANDED FROM 5/6/2024) Some have argued that the 1967-71 Thunderbird four-door Landau was a strategic error. For example, James E. Duvall (2024) wrote that the new body style played a major role in “forever” changing “what a T-Bird was supposed to be. Image positions in the mind of consumers are very fragile.” In a Dean’s Garage comment, [...]