Remembering Auto Journalist, Humorist Al Fleming

Albert E. (Al) Fleming, who spent nearly 40 years on the automotive beat, died on July 19. He was 78.

A widely respected reporter, writer and editor for several publications, including Ward’s, Fleming was especially known for his humorous, witty columns and biting satire that zeroed in on the auto industry’s “brass hats,” or high-ranking executives, and on the auto makers’ foibles.

Fleming, a Detroit native and Wayne State University graduate, joined Ward’s Automotive Reports as a reporter in 1955 after a stint as a public relations specialist in the U.S. Army. He retired as executive editor of Automotive News in 1993 and capped his career as an executive at Eisbrenner Public Relations, a firm specializing in automotive supplier clients, before retiring in 2001.

In 1960, Fleming joined the Detroit office of Iron Age magazine, moving on five years later to become editor of Auto Products magazine, where his humorous columns won wide readership and attracted the attention of then Detroit Free Press Business Editor Dave Smith.

Smith recruited Fleming to write a weekly Sunday humor column, which he did with a flourish. On one Sunday, he wrote that Dollie Cole, wife of General Motors Corp. President Ed Cole, was complaining to friends she was getting only 20% of society page coverage while GM owned a 50% share of the U.S. car market.

Everyone laughed except Dollie Cole, friend of the Free Press publisher. Fleming’s column was banned for two weeks “with pay,” Smith recalls.

After 10 years at Auto Products, Fleming launched his own publication called Car Biz in 1975. In one memorable issue he took photos of GM’s top executives and painted mustaches on each one to match the bona fide mustache of newly named GM President Pete Estes, the only GM exec at the time to wear a ‘stache.

Car Biz proved to be a bit of a stretch and folded in 1977. By then Smith was editor-in-chief of Ward’s AutoWorld and enticed Fleming to join the magazine as executive editor. They teamed up to produce numerous “exclusives,” including the first in-depth story on GM’s “X-car” compacts, its first front-wheel-drive cars. The story won a prestigious American Business Press Award.

Fleming departed in 1980 to join Automotive News, where he specialized in automotive supplier coverage and developed special reports, such as a series entitled “Automotive All Stars.” From his earliest days, he had established close relationships with executives at major suppliers, many of whom became close friends

His career also included commentary on Detroit radio station WWJ.

Fleming is survived by his wife of 41 years, Alice, son Thomas, daughter Kathryn, and three grandchildren.

A funeral service is scheduled at 10 a.m. July 23 at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Birmingham, MI.