Once Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection of America’s Big Three Auto Makers–GM, Ford, and Chrysler
Once Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection of America’s Big Three Auto Makers–GM, Ford, and Chrysler
Once Upon a Car is the brilliantly reported inside-the-boardrooms-and-factories story of Detroit’s fight for survival, going beyond the headlines to chronicle how the country’s Big Three auto companies—General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler—teetered on the brink of collapse during the 2008 financial crisis. In a tale that reads like a corporate thriller, Bill Vlasic, who has covered the auto industry for more than fifteen years, first for the Detroit News and now for the New York Times, takes readers into the executive offices, assembly plants, and union halls to introduce a cast of memorable characters, many of whom are speaking out for the first time, including the executives who struggled to save their companies but in the end had to seek a controversial, last-gasp rescue from the U.S. government. Vlasic goes behind the scenes to portray the men at the top during Detroit’s last stand. Rick Wagoner, the CEO of General Motors, tried to turn around a dying company, only to be
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Once Upon a Car,
Like the previous reviewer,i was also employed for a car company.Over 30 yrs at GM. Mr. Vlasic’s book is one of the only ones I have read lately that really captured the essence of what took place in the domestic auto industry over the last several decades,and more specifically ,what happened since 2005.It is an unbiased telling of a very important chapter in American history.The book is so well written,it was very difficult for me to put it down.Knowing many of the characters mentioned in the book made it that much more relevant and interseting.
I’ve had the opportunity to have read pretty much every book that has been written about the Detroit car biz over the past decade,and I would put this one near the top for both storytelling,and an objective analysis of the ills and triumphs of the domestic auto industry.If you have even the slightest interest in the automotive business,and the people that run it,this book is a must read.
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|The Best Analysis Around,
Solid, well grounded analysis. This book shows what a skilled reporter can do, writing about a topic he is very familiar with.
Bill Vlasic has access to the top people in the auto industry and uses it well. He tells his story through people but doesn’t get bogged down in their personal issues. His writing makes the other authors who have written about the recent history of the American auto industry look like amateurs.
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|The Good, the Bad and the Taken Advantage of.,
What a compelling read. I was curious to see what really happened to bring the auto industry down and led them to Washington for a bail out. What I learned is the Bill Ford is the real deal; I have a great deal of respect for a manager who can put his ego aside and say I am not the guy to get this done and says he needs help. He hired a manager who I can only call Superman in Alan Mulally. I’m sure the mismanagement at GM will be a case study used in business schools for years to come. I was shocked by how poorly Rick Wagoner managed GM and by the Board of the Directors followed his lead and let this American industrial icon go down the drain, I found his lack of leadership and vision just shocking. I purchased this book because A poor Chrysler just a victim over and over again.
Vlasic tells a great story with first hand accounts of what happened. It is a classic tale of how good management(Ford) and poor management(GM) recognize and deal with their problems.
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