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Packard Plant in Ruins

WardsAuto

Dec. 11, 2012

Packard Plant in Ruins

Still blighted after all these years.
Packard Plant in Ruins

Desolate street to nowhere.
Packard Plant in Ruins

Wreckage spans street.
Packard Plant in Ruins

Next-door Packard Motel at least still operates.
Packard Plant in Ruins

In marked contrast, Parkard Proving Grounds is preserved historical site that draws visitors.

A giant industrial eyesore rots, but north of town stands a namesake historical site.

WardsAuto Blogs

May 21, 2013

blog

Dealers Object to Sales Leads Routed to Competitors

Some dealers think they are paying for exclusive leads when, in fact, they are getting ones that are passed around and re-sold....More

May 20, 2013

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Dynamics in Surging Large Pickup Segment Mostly Point to More Market Share

Supporting the production rise are large-pickup sales in the U.S., which could top 1.9 million in 2013 and shoot past 2 million next year....More

May 17, 2013

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Historic Piquette Avenue Plant Experiences Rebirth

The Piquette plant built 12,000 Model T’s by 1910, and by then the car’s runaway success gave birth to yet another big idea: Ford’s Highland Park plant 4 miles (6.4 km) to the north, a hulking complex 10 times larger than the humble wood and brick Piquette facility that later was used to produce Studebakers....More

May 15, 2013

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No Wonder They Call It Branding

If John Wayne were asked to mosey in to a design studio and help create a pickup truck, chances are he'd rustle up something like the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn....More

May 13, 2013

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Semi-Autonomous Cars Surest Bet in Five Years 1

If you wager on where the automotive market is going, look at what will be required by future government regulations, what will be affordable and what will not resemble an economic stimulus for trial lawyers....More

May 8, 2013

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Auto Makers Need to Fess Up on Fleet Sales 4

Are auto makers pulling back on fleet sales? It's difficult to know as so few are open about the practice....More

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Editor's PIcks

May 17, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Ford to Add C-Car Into Mix in Mexico as Fiesta Shifts to Thailand

Fiesta U.S. sales last year were down 17.2% to 56,775, but deliveries rose 7.0% to 22,108 through April, according to WardsAuto data....More

May 16, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Lamborghini Egoista Concept a Dream

The car has all the makings of a being a futuristic concept only, with its center driving position, compact size, exotic materials and race-car DNA. But enthusiasts are hoping for a small production run just the same....More

May 15, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

New HSV Range Includes Fastest-Ever Oz-Built Car

The flagship GTS is powered by what the auto maker calls the most potent engine ever fitted to a locally manufactured vehicle: a 6.2L LSA supercharged V-8 making 576 hp and 546 lb.-ft. of torque....More

May 15, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Brazil Auto Market More Diverse as Incomes Rise; Small Cars Still Rule

Given that car ownership indicates high social status, it is a priority to buy a vehicle even for Brazilians with modest annual incomes as low as $15,000, industry experts say, which is why 150 different models are offered in the country....More

May 14, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Customers Demanding City Express, Chevrolet Says

The need to move fast drove GM into its alliance with Nissan for its new City Express cargo van, which will offer the same powertrain as the Nissan NV200, but feature exclusive sheet metal up front....More

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on the global auto industry.

Data Analysis

May 20, 2013

blog

Dynamics in Surging Large Pickup Segment Mostly Point to More Market Share

Supporting the production rise are large-pickup sales in the U.S., which could top 1.9 million in 2013 and shoot past 2 million next year....More

May 17, 2013

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WardsAuto

North American Light-Vehicle Production Up 13.7% in April

Detroit Three output grew 11% in the month, compared with year-ago. Ford enjoyed the biggest gain, up 19.7%, with 263,553 cars and trucks....More

May 16, 2013

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WardsAuto

WardsAuto AutomotiveCompass Global Update: May 2013

Video brief highlights updates to future product and production plans from the Wards/AC global forecast....More

May 13, 2013

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WardsAuto

WardsAuto Outlook: Are We On Pace for a 15.5 Million Year?

March sales prompted some analysts to raise their 2013 forecast, but were the heightened projections too much too soon?...More

May 10, 2013

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WardsAuto

Mix Shifts, But April U.S. Fuel Economy Remains at Record Level

For the second consecutive month, U.S. light vehicles attained record fuel efficiency even as sales continued to shift toward traditionally less-efficient segments....More

May 7, 2013

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WardsAuto

Record First-Quarter North American Capacity Utilization; 12-Month Average to Climb

Ford and Nissan are the two biggest reasons industry capacity utilization is running at 100% or more, but they are getting a lot of help from manufacturers with only one or two facilities, nearly all of them on 3-shift/crew schedules....More

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WardsAuto/AutomotiveCompass Global Vehicle & Powertrain Forecasts.

Interest in autonomous vehicles continues to grow, but technical, legal, regulatory and cost hurdles remain. When will true driverless cars reach the U.S. market?

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Hot Topic

Autonomous Vehicles: Analysis and coverage of issues and technologies related to self-driving cars.

May 16, 2013

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Supplier Roundup

A roundup of this week’s news involving automotive suppliers....More

May 16, 2013

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U.S. Senate Committee Probes Implications of Semi-Autonomous Cars

“Until cars assume complete responsibility for driving, the critical challenge is to design vehicles so that drivers clearly understand how the car works. Even small design changes can violate drivers’ expectations and confuse them.”...More

May 14, 2013

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WardsAuto

OEM Cost Decisions to Determine Future of Connected Vehicles, USDOT’s LaHood Says

Most early connected-vehicle safety technologies making their way into volume vehicles, such as lane departure and forward collision alert, are bundled into expensive option packages....More

May 13, 2013

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Semi-Autonomous Cars Surest Bet in Five Years 1

May 10, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Oz Experts Tout New Pedestrian-Safety Technologies

Researchers are developing the capability to assess and rate the new technologies’ effectiveness and promote their adoption and uptake in new cars....More

May 2, 2013

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10-Year Horizon Suspect, But Autonomous Vehicles Still Hold Promise

Fully automated driving may come eventually, but in the meantime the technology’s building blocks could be the ultimate answer to distracted-driving concerns....More

Apr. 30, 2013

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Oh-Oh, Here Come the Jetsons

Self-driving cars preparing to hit the road, and I’m feeling nervous....More

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Packard Plant in Ruins