Mar. 24, 2009 (Baystreet.ca) --
The auto industry is at a crossroads, what with uncertainty over fuel prices -- uncertainty that has found its way into the economic and equity market malaise -- among other factors. In some ways, it's a function of job uncertainty, which translates into more restricted family budgets, into increased reluctance to buy anything, into stretching the life of one's current set of wheels, and into more car companies checking into sick bay, hoping for government aid. Another factor is the availability -- and inevitability -- of vehicles running on alternative fuels, given the finite quality of fossil fuels.
Accordingly, because this site spotlights equities for investors keen on taking on measured risk, it's appropriate that the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Monte Carlo, Monaco next month, a world capital for sun, fun, films, and gaming tables. Top Marques Monaco, as the auto show dubs itself, is ''the haute couture of the automobile industry, displaying a panorama of the world's most prestigious luxury, sports cars and supercars, as well as products from the greatest luxury industries.'' It provides the Louvre of motorcars, where the art of the automobile muscles its way ahead of commerce, however slightly, where the state of the art is on display for four days, from April 16 to 19.
Such exhibitors as Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz, Bentley and BMW, Lexus, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce are showing their newest jewels to the world. Sleekness, speed and rarity constitute three traits their products possess in abundance, and the above manufacturers are not shy about saying so.
But the big, established automakers listed above should be on their best behavior, for the Scorpion is on the prowl. The Scorpion™ is the latest sportscar from Texas-based Ronn Motor Company (Pink Sheets: RNNM), an eco-friendly supercar running on hydrogen. After making waves in its home country, the Scorpion is staging a European invasion. More in a moment…
Critics of the auto industry, most notably filmmaker Michael Moore, have pointed out that the big three North American automakers should have seen their current financial predicament coming, by their failure to make the kind of cars and trucks people want to buy. The naysayers state that Asian manufacturers like Honda, Toyota and Nissan and Mazda (now having red ink problems of their own) consistently beat Ford, General Motors and Chrysler to the punch by cornering the market on hybrid vehicles which run on electric power and gasoline, as well as on vehicles that aren't so wasteful with the petroleum on which they do run.
Only now are the ‘Big Three' even appearing to catch up in the hybrid derby, with Ford's Escape, Mercury Mariner, Chevrolet Malibu and Silverado hybrids even making some industry top-10 lists for fuel efficiency.
