You’re a little dated on your info on CAFE. In fact, over a decade out of date. Under George W Bush, we transitioned into the footprint based formula. With that, there is not a single target mpg for a maker’s fleetwide average anymore. Each model gets its own target that it has to meet (credits can flow from one model…

The current MY standard for something the size of the short bed Ranger from the early/mid 90s would be 38.16 mpg - but that’s misleading as that’s under the CAFE test, not what would be on the sticker. That would actually translate out to a sticker mpg of about 27.5 mpg.

(incidentally, that would have meant about the…

I’d argue it isn’t the driving dynamics at all, but rather reliability - the first CVTs Nissan used were abysmal by modern standards for reliability.  That seems to have improved recently, but that certainly will still scare off buyers.

5th:

The projections of the Brexit party winning the upcoming elections are sure to throw all sorts of wrenches into the works of a JLR turnaround - in fact, it may just doom them for good.

Seems appropriate right about here:

Basically, mass matters.

If you look at their worst list, its overwhelmingly either subcompacts or cars people hotrod or leave coffee shops in.

As you go up in mass just a hair, fatality rates plummet.

It is interesting to see the Lincoln MKT come out as the third worst in the SUV category - but I wonder if that is…

Most still have backup manual controls, fwiw.

And while you’re pointing to issues with powertrains, you’re looking back on the 90s with some seriously rose colored glasses. Vehicles then had sludge issues, Honda had their horrid automatic transmission problems... Chrysler quality was, well, crap then and crap now...…

Well, when you look past the hype, modern cars are very, very reliable for engines and transmissions per consumer reports’ data - no real evidence that they’re somehow worse.

Electronic issues have spiked - but that’s simply because of the widespread use of infotainment systems - something no manufacturer seems to have…

Neutral:

VW (or any other maker) could easily overtake Tesla. Tesla has a few things going for it (supercharger network, brand equity), but a ton of negatives, as well.

It’s not that far off from the iPhone when you think about it. Apple basically invented the segment (ok, they didn’t really, but rather showed it to be…

I suppose you have some evidence to back up that claim?

:)

And I don’t mean to take anything away from AMP - I actually know a few of their engineers and they’re very sharp, talented people. The company, though, is a mess and in no position to take on a facility this size. They’d be much better off finding a more moderate sized facility. Lordstown would be capable of…

I firmly rejected the “the alternative was worse” defense.

Because Clinton would have failed as president. With the amount of vilification of her, fairly or unfairly, she would have been a lame duck president from day 1. The GOP obstructed Obama, but that would have paled in comparison to what they would have done with…

1st:

As in everything Trump does, all he is proving is that he is one of the worst negotiators we could possibly have.

It’s basic knowledge that you always want to negotiate from a position of strength. You want money for your wall? Ok, you need the strongest position you can have. Instead, he torpedos a deal made while…

The old AMP facility is now the Tesla dealership. Before AMP, it was the JLR dealership, but JLR built that new building behind their old one (that’s always been a JLR dealership, not an AMP building).

I guess I just wouldn’t call a 19 bay service department a large facility. :)

The patents theoretically could be worth a small fortune - in the right world.

For example, take Google’s purchase of Motorola. They bought them and then turned around and sold them less than 2 years later. They sold them for less than they paid, but after all was said and done, Google essentially had bought patents…

Not smart enough to figure out how to run a company from prison without being caught. :)

Well, who cares about profits?

I mean, Tesla has consistently been valued higher than Ford for awhile now - despite all financial results.  I mean, for a second or two it looked like it was actually a reasonable bet as valuations are based on some forward-looking value for the company... but as their results have…

I never argued against any of your claims. But realistically, there are lazier employees (in both union and non-union environments) that result in some people being overpaid and some underpaid...

Shows how little you know. I *HAVE* run a business before.

And in the real world, business owners always look to minimize cost.  And you even admit my exact point - you’ll pay them what you have to to keep them.  That’s only 1 cent more than the competition will pay them, and since the competition doesn’t know this guy…

The other thing that most people miss is that even if you can move your skills to another job easily, thus gaining the ability to use that as leverage in negotiating for better wages, the key is will the other employer actually know that?

CATO loves to use an example of two burger flippers to show how a union would…