The Auto Writer

The week just ending was one of the most active in some time as far as the auto industry was concerned. Credit the start of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (opens to the general public tomorrow) with being one of the biggest news generators as well as the automakers releasing additional year end statistics and forecasts for 2009 and beyond.

Beyond the show itself there were a number of newsworthy events of note, though I may or may not have covered them personally. The following is my personal list of “other stuff” of note:

• Ford is now the second best selling brand in Europe, having knocked Opel out that position. Sales were up in France, the UK and elsewhere thanks to the late year arrival of the all new and very popular Fiesta.

• GM has lowered its sales forecast for 2009, predicting that just 10.5 million units will be sold in the domestic market.

• Who would have thunk it? Toyota, who has always been loathe to discount its vehicles unless it was a Tundra or a Sequoia, may be abandoning its special leasing and auto loan incentives to do what everyone else has been doing: slashing prices. After a horrendous year end Toyota is realizing that their grip on the domestic market isn’t as strong as they would like it to be, hence some better discounts coming in the days and weeks ahead.

• Chrysler’s PT Cruiser has now officially been mothballed, a car that was introduced with critical acclaim way back in 2000. The “panel truck” vehicle was an instant hit, part of a retro trend that started with the Volkswagen New Beetle. Word has it that Chrysler may sell tooling to another manufacturer, perhaps signaling that the vehicle will live on in either China or Russia.

• Pricing for the all new Lincoln MKT crossover have been set, though the vehicle won’t be available until late summer. Ford says that the standard front wheel drive model will retail for $44,995 while fully equipped models will retail for about $55,000.

• Ricardo Montalban, the Mexican born actor who was the pitch man for the Chrysler Cordoba during the 1970s has died at the age of 88. His soothing voice assured people that they would love the model’s corinthian leather, a major selling point for Chrysler’s intermediate sized coupe.

• As when any president takes office, a new Cadillac limo is custom built for him and made available in time for his inauguration. Barack Obama and family will be riding in a shiny, new black Caddy on Tuesday, an armor plated behemoth that I daresay is the polar opposite of green driving.

• The biennial Tokyo Motor Show, scheduled to roll out next in October 2009, is in danger of being canceled. America’s three automakers — General Motors, Ford and Chrysler — will not make an appearance while several domestic Japanese makes may not show up either. The economy is taking its toll on the industry in ways previously not seen.

That’s all folks!