Has Mazda missed the chance to become the Japanese BMW?

For the better part of two decades, Mazda has timorously tried to reinvent itself as the Japanese BMW. Mazda’s caution has brought disappointing and even worrisome outcomes, though I admire the honesty of the effort. Let’s be very clear. Mazda is a pipsqueak automaker with a lineup of quite affordable cars and SUVs (sport-utility vehicles) …

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Honda owners remain loyal despite quality issues

I Googled “Honda infotainment issues” the other day. Up popped 866,000 results in 0.45 seconds. Wow. Honda has a problem. No, problems. I learned this first-hand. I have suffered Honda’s infotainment woes during recent tests of the Honda Ridgeline pickup and the Acura ILX compact sedan. For instance, every time I started up the ILX …

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The road to carbon-free mobility is littered with obstacles

MONTREAL, PQ – Here at Movin’On, the Michelin-sponsored “World Summit on Sustainable Mobility,” we are living a mix of nostalgia and the ultra-modern. The sentimental bits? As I sit waiting for the start of a seminar called Speeding up Decarbonization of the Americas, the sultry sounds from a jazz quartet are amusing some 200 of …

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BMW believes in EVs, but do you?

Rest in peace, Ultimate Driving Machine. BMW AG, which rode that tagline to automotive supremacy, is now busy shaping “tomorrow’s individual premium mobility.” Not very catchy, that. It actually downplays the pleasures of actually driving. But you’ll find it at the heart of an important BMW presentation, one that dwells on the future profits that …

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Jeep gets a leadership jolt, just when needed

Just days ago, in his quarterly grilling from auto analysts, Fiat Chrysler (FCA) CEO Mike Manley, a former Jeep brand boss with a crisp British accent, went all-in on the future of Jeep and its importance to struggling FCA. FCA, he said, is investing heavily in the launch of the next generation Grand Cherokee, one …

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