Yesterday, I wrote about the Melbourne Grand Prix and its inability to solicit cars for its stars for the purpose of a celebrity race. Would you believe this made me an intellectual property infringer? No? Just wait.

This morning, I find an email from a tej@transportbrokergroup.co.uk who writes: (Read More…)

While America slept, the TTAC server, without consulting with the supreme powers of TTAC, said: “What the heck, it’s Sunday. Time for a nap.”

And it went to sleep as well. (Read More…)

The gang at TTAC wishes you, the Best & Brightest, a wonderful, happy and lucky 2012. May all your wishes come true (go easy on your New Year’s resolutions, this year, you may have to keep them …) May your rods remain unthrown and your payments be painless.

Our New Year’s resolution is to provide you with even better information, reviews and analysis.

I am starting off the well-wishing (unless the Aussies did beat me to it) on a balmy evening, overlooking Hong Kong Harbour.

As a longstanding TTAC tradition, let’s march the celebrations around the globe!

The gang at TTAC will take Sunday off to nurse any party aftereffects, and will be back on Monday.

Happy New Year!

From our family to yours, TTAC wishes all its readers the best of holiday wishes. We’ll be enjoying the company of our loved ones for the next few chilly winter nights, but we’ll return to regular service on Tuesday. And who knows, maybe Santa will leave something for your reading enjoyment over the weekend…

This time tomorrow I will be on an airplane, and for the first time in quite a while I will not be on my to some auto-related destination on behalf of TTAC. That’s right, I’m actually taking a vacation, which I will spend introducing my lovely life partner to the European continent and visiting family in my ancestral homeland of Austria. Of course, TTAC has become such a big part of my life that even my vacation will have a work-related angle: I’ll be spending each week with a different not-available-in-America car that I think should be of some considerable interest to you, our readers. But this is also just the first of two breaks that I’ll be taking from TTAC: in January, I’ll be stepping down as TTAC’s Editor-in-Chief for the calendar year 2012, to pursue a one-year opportunity outside of the field of automotive journalism. Even as I write those words, I can scarcely believe them… I’ve lived and breathed TTAC for so long now, it’s almost impossible to imagine life without it. But do not fear: not only do I leave TTAC in incredibly capable hands, I’m also not gone for good. You won’t be rid of me that easily.

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Having read most of the latest raft of auto industry books, with titles like “Car Crash,” “Overhaul,” and “Sixty To Zero,” I have to say, Bill Vlasic’s “Once Upon A Car” is my favorite of the bunch. Not only does it lack the parochial form and voice that define too many of theses tomes, it populates its narrative with rich dialogue and intriguing character studies. In short, it’s got all of the lessons about industry, culture, and competition that you’d expect from a modern study of the auto industry, but it presents them in such a way that they never feel like a lecture or a business school study. Instead you get a well-spun yarn, still-newsworthy anecdotes and an unvarnished look at industry dynamics on their highest level. If ever there were to be a modern movie based on the auto industry, Vlasic’s book should be its basis. Read my full review over at The Wall Street Journal.

We’ve got a lot to be thankful for here at TTAC. We’ve been having a great 2011, growing our traffic, earning awards and hosting some of the best conversations about cars to be found on the web. I am personally extremely grateful for our fantastic staff, who continue to surprise and delight with their sharp insights, brilliant writing, and tireless dedication. I’m also quite thankful for our owners at VerticalScope this Thanksgiving, for their unwavering commitment to TTAC’s independence and excellence. But most deserving of our thanks and recognition today are you, our readers. Not only do your visits and occasional ad-clicks pay the bills around here, but your comments and contributions are an irreplaceable element of TTAC’s special recipe. When I surf elsewhere, I’m continually reminded of how low discourse can fall on these tubes we call the internet, and it never ceases to fill my heart with appreciation for the (mostly) reasoned, civil, constructive conversations we’re able to have here. Communities are a fragile thing in this age of fragmenting societies, and words can not express how grateful I am that this community is as strong, vibrant, diverse, challenging, informative and resilient as it is. So, to everyone who helps make TTAC what it is, my humble, heartfelt thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

And here, a glimpse of the exhilarating Kennesaw (without h) nightlife. It’s hopping.

The staging area of the TTAC Goes South tour is picturesque Kenneshaw, GA. For whatever reason, the city sports one of the highest densities of low-priced motels. My Wifi scanner gives me a choice of 9 channels, all belonging to the giants of the roadside hospitality business.  Those who arrived from far-away places like Portland (Ed) and Beijing (BS) are already here, waiting for Steve Lang to close his last buy here, pay here of the day. (Read More…)

There are people who wish that TTAC would just go away. This coming week, their dearest wishes will be fulfilled. My special friend in Moscow won’t have to send hate mail anymore: TTAC is finally going South. (Read More…)

If the cadence of TTAC articles will march a little softer in the coming days, then it’s because the TTAC offices on both sides of the globe are deserted. We’ve literally gone fishing.

Ed Niedermeyer is going to Detroit (yes, Detroit) to write stories with the usual bias report on something which will make the hearts of any fans of Detroit iron beat faster than a redlining Corvette. Ed will be fishing for juicy tidbits from Detroit executives.

I’m going to Chengdu (ever heard of it?) in the center of China to attend the Global Automotive Forum, where I will be fishing for answers to questions such as “The role of Chinese auto industry in the world”, or “The auto industry investment needs: Where will the money come from? Where will it go?”

Ed & I will try to file as much as possible – which will be next to nothing. In the meantime, Jack, Murilee, Sajeev, John, Alex, and the whole TTAC cast of characters will hopefully hit the keyboards to keep you informed and entertained.

A day’s worth of fasting is not an easy thing to do. Not just the eating either . But cars, computers and all things electric (for the orthodox communities). For all of our Jewish readers and writers out there, we want wish all of you a well Yom Kippur and “Tsom Kal” (an easy fast) during the High Holy Days.

Remember the good old days, when TTAC and Curbside Classics could all be found in one place? Well, for one night only we’re back together, and inviting you to hang out with the Editors-in-Chief of both sites. We’re hosting a joint meet-up at Portland, OR’s Migration Brewing Company next Thursday (10/6), starting at 5:30 pm [Map here]. So come by after work, grab a pint or three, and we’ll talk about everything from the latest industry developments to the most obscure historical anecdotes in automobile-dom. Buy one beer, get two Niedermeyers free… what more could you ask for?

I’m not generally much for anniversaries. Heck, after more than six years together, my steady sweetie and I can’t remember our actual anniversary, so we had to make one up… and we (both) still forget it most years. But here on the internet, there’s a record of everything. And looking back, it seems that it was exactly two years ago today that Robert Farago called me to say that The Truth About Cars was going to be my problem from now on.

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TTAC’s own Steve Lang writes:

Thanks to the TTAC faithful, we will now begin airing regular shows every Thursday at 7:00 PM EST at this Internet site. Today’s guest will be none other than Jack Baruth. What we’ll talk about… who knows? That’s where you come in. Let us know what you would like for us to cover and we’ll be happy to bring it up.