by Gerry Frechette and Michael Pistol
Photography: Gerry Frechette
These are turbulent times in the auto industry and hedging one's bets is a tricky business, to say the least. You don't have to be a hardcore business watcher anymore to figure out what or who is going to hit the pavement in the next little while - or do you? As such, amid the confusion, ‘expert' opinions, Darwinian economics and industry perestroika, the automotive subtext reveals that under the thick layer of current challenges there is also a substratum of opportunities, just waiting for their day in the sun.
Remember Pollyanna's Glad Game - finding something to be glad about in every situation? Good luck doing this in automotive Canada today, but once in a while, an exception comes along to put things in their proper perspective.
A recent grand opening of a car dealership in British Colombia normally would be nothing more than a modest news item reserved for the local media. But when the initial investment in this complex dealership is over $12 million, it involves Chrysler and the new facility is part of Jim Pattison's empire, then you know there's more here than just another business footnote at the bottom of the news page.
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STRATEGIC/MACRO DAILY INFORMATION for Canadian automotive business
TJAAautoinfo FASTWEBLINK
Tuesday - Sept. 07, 2010
FOCUS: The rise and fall in China's auto production and sales growth since 2006: Shifting Gears - Caixin
FOCUS II: BMW Chief Plans ‘Big Push' to Fend Off Audi, Mercedes - BusinessWeek
FOCUS III: Gordon Murray and his T.25 city car - Telegraph
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: Four unexpected US economic bright spots - Fortune
ECONOMIC
FUNDAMENTALS II:
Unemployment in U.S. May Rise Toward 10% on ‘Feeble' Growth - Bloomberg
CANADA
Tough rate call ahead for Mark Carney - Reportonbusiness
Canada Firms Plan to Add Jobs in Fourth Quarter, Manpower Says - Bloomberg
Unions' Labour Day bogey: Government cuts - CBC
INTERNATIONAL
NADA not happy with proposed fuel economy letter grades - Autobloggreen
Analysts: US auto sales recovery under way, but may take longer - DetroitNews
GM Powertrain Hungary to double capacity - Reuters
Audi's $66,000 A7 to Challenge BMW, Daimler for Luxury Lead - Bloomberg
Fritz Henderson Makes The Weirdest Career Move Ever - 24/7WallSt.
MMC, Peugeot to make electric cars in Spain - Reuters
Long Weekend - Sept. 04, 2010
FOCUS: Taxpayers likely to face initial loss on GM IPO - Reuters
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: Japan Has More Than Just a Yen Crisis - BusinessWeek
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: U.S. Economy: Recession Concerns Ease on Private Jobs - Bloomberg
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS III: EU austerity policies risk civil war in Greece, warns top German economist Dr Sinn - Telegraph
CANADA
Kia Canada to recall 4,500 cars - TheStar
UBS lowers estimates for Canadian GDP growth - FinancialPost
Canada Credit: Yield Forecasts Fall as Carney Prepares Meeting - Bloomberg
INTERNATIONAL
Study: Modern li-ion batteries have little effect on life cycle impact of electric cars - Autobloggreen
Chrysler takes the wraps off of 2011 Dodge Durango - DetroitNews
Movie Star, Car Buff Tim Allen New Voice for Chevy - WardsAuto
Oil eases on growth concerns and weaker storm - Reuters
Ford Settles With Minor Leaguer's Family After Losing Verdict - Bloomberg
Friday - Sept. 03, 2010
FOCUS: Opel: The achilles heel in GM's IPO - Fortune/CNNMoney
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: White House: No second stimulus being considered - Reuters
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: China reserves 65% in dollars, 26% in euro - MarketWatch
CANADA
Canada's Dollar Drops as Risk ‘Orgy' Flags Before Jobs Report - Bloomberg
TSX on longest winning streak since February - FinancialPost
Canada's big five banks earn $4.8 billion in third quarter - TheStar
INTERNATIONAL
US Treasury mulls over foreign investors in GM IPO - Reuters
Toyota's US August Performance Worst in More Than Year - WardsAuto
US hybrid sales drop off for August; even Prius records a 37.5% decline - Autobloggreen
GM IPO tour timetable emerges - DetroitNews
Thursday - Sept. 02, 2010
FOCUS: Honda shares pass Toyota's on emerging market hope - Reuters
FOCUS II: How EPA's new fuel economy label would grade current cars - Autobloggreen
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: U.S. Avoids Recession as Data Can't Get Much Worse - Bloomberg
CANADA
Auto sales slow to a crawl - TheStar
Auto sales surge in Canada, slump in U.S. - Reportonbusiness
Electric car upswing would crash grid: Toronto Hydro chief - TheStar
INTERNATIONAL
German Aug. new-car registrations down 27% on year - MarketWatch
Continental picks banks for high-yield bond - Reuters
Toyota Leads U.S. Sales Drop on ‘Clunkers' Comparison - Bloomberg
Chevy's New Cruze Needs a Hard Sell - BusinessWeek
Ferrari 458 fires prompt global recall - Just-Auto
US Auto sales: Worst August since 1983 - CNNMoney
GM China Growth Slowest in 17 Months; Ford Sales Gain - Bloomberg
Wednesday - Sept. 01, 2010
FOCUS: Dan Akerson's first day at the top of GM - Fortune
FOCUS II: China's August Car Sales Increase 59%, Center Says - Bloomberg
FOCUS III: Feds investigate '11 Hyundai Sonata for steering issues - DetroitNews
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: The Knightian dog ate my recovery - Reuters
CANADA
Court clears Magna's $1B Stronach payout - FinancialPost
Auto Parts: Onex, CPPIB to delist Tomkins in London - Reportonbusiness
Ontario auto insurance reforms take effect Wednesday - TheStar
Canada's economic growth slows in Q2 - CBC
Canada's Dollar Falls to Eight-Week Low as Economic Pace Slows - Bloomberg
INTERNATIONAL
Visteon cleared to exit bankruptcy -DetroitNews
Tesla Roadster qualifies for Japan EV rebates - Reuters
Old GM, Motors Liquidation, files plan to revamp - MarketWatch
Japan Vehicle Sales Rise Most Since 1972 on Subsidy - Bloomberg
Hyundai Motor August sales dip due to holidays - Reuters
FASTWEBLINK DATABASE - Monthly Archive
