August 19, 2010

Second day of my new blog, and I'm starting something different.  I'm calling it "First Impressions."

First Impressions -- F-350

Instead of a full review, it's my "gut check" thoughts that come after just driving the vehicle for a day or so.   I generally have these vehicles a week, and do some research before writing anything about them...so there could be some differences between these first impressions, and the final piece that could air weeks or months after I drive the vehicle.

My first piece is on the Ford F-350...one of the company's new Super Duty trucks.

Don't expect anything slick.  It's meant to be something I can crank out very quickly with my cell phone camera. 

If I have time, you can expect several other "First Impressions" in the coming days, including the new Honda CRZ and Jaguar XJ.  Again, the operative words here are "If I have time" because breaking news has a way of bumping out the cool things that I want to do.

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GM IPO

As I read through GM's IPO filing, I was reminded of Groucho Marx line

"This is so simple a five year old could understand it.  Get me a five year old, because I can't make heads or tails out of it."

The quote may not be exact, but you get the meaning.

The document is so complex, that it's hard to get an accurate count of the pages.  AP says around 700, and I'll take their word for it.

It is interesting how they have to give every last bit of background, including GM's march to bankruptcy, and where the company may have gone wrong.

They also have to list all the risks.  I'm guessing that if I look hard, asteroid impact will be in there somewhere.

But I couldn't find out what people really want to know...when will the government be out of the business entirely.  I guess we'll have to wait.

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Full Disclosure

You can't put every last fact into a short radio report.  That's what makes the web so great.

In my piece on today's Free Press Report talking about issues with the Ford Flex, I have a soundbite of Mark Fields, saying how much his wife loves her Flex. 

I have to admit that my wife loves her Flex, too..and I was the one who convinced her to buy it.  She had an Explorer, her second, it saved her from injury in a crash, and she was about to get a third, when my son and I convinced her to at least drive the Flex.

One test drive, and she switched, and still loves it after eight months.  Thank God we haven't had to test out the five star safety rating.

Oh yea, and she got a special incentive.  She met Alan Mulally at the auto show this  year.  When she told him she bought a Flex, he gave her a kiss.  Mulally is one of the few people who could pull something like that off, and make it seem classy.

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WWJ Business Breakfast

Coming tomorrow, our Dream Cruise Business Breakfast with Bill Ford.

We do these every year, but this is one of the most important because it also falls on WWJ's 90th birthday.

I'll be co hosting with John McElroy, and our goal is to ask as few questions as possible, because it's all about getting your questions answered.

Hope to see you there.