Golding's Take
By: Rob Golding
Financial analyst and former city slicker Rob Golding's regular sideways look at the automotive business.
GOLDING'S TAKE: Marchionne calm, but cutting and mending ahead
30 April 2013
Sergio Marchionne, the man still in the process of saving Fiat, is a man now with a plan. “Europe is less key to us. We are shifting to markets that are much more rewarding.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Volume or profit? Can Vauxhall and Opel magic up both?
6 March 2013
General Motors Europe has changed leadership and the leadership has changed strategy.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Ford reports are first; they might also be best…
29 January 2013
Overcrowded the global car market may be, but the number of car makers determined to snatch a greater share continues to grow.
GOLDING’S TAKE: How to afford being Ford
26 October 2012
There is an element of lobbying you might think in Ford announcing draconian action other than in the results season.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Jonas and the GM whale
6 September 2012
Adam Jonas, who is quite tickled that GM should launch a new small car called the Adam, is something of a legend among motor industry analysts for his ability to stimulate…and irritate…the great car makers of the world.
GOLDING’S TAKE: GM profits start to recover… but not for long
3 August 2012
General Motors executives must wonder whether they will ever be able to wear anything other than the hair shirt.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Three in Fiat's bed better than two?
27 April 2012
Did it slip out as a random thought? Or did Sergio Marchionne deliberately use Fiat’s first quarter conference call to fly a kite?
April 2012 management briefing: OEM financial summaries (Ford, GM and Fiat-Chrysler)
27 April 2012
In this month's management briefing, Rob Golding runs his financial rule over the financial position of the automotive industry's major OEMs. In this instalment: Ford, GM and Fiat-Chrysler.
GOLDING’S TAKE: No boasting, very little coasting, at VW
27 April 2012
There was a time when VW liked to strut around a bit and emphasise its success relative to the competition. But now that rivals have jobs, and even whole factories on the line at risk, it was sensible and sensitive to concentrate on reporting its own results rather than its results relative to others.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Chrysler shock…there is no bad news
27 April 2012
Remember the basket-case that was Chrysler? Then who do you think Sergio Marchionne can have been describing in yesterday’s webcast eulogy: “We are incredibly satisfied with the first quarter; absolutely outstanding; fired on all cylinders…600,000 cars for the quarter…the target for the year is 2.4m. The outlook is absolutely positive.”
April 2012 management briefing: OEM financial summaries (PSA, Renault, Tata)
24 April 2012
In this month's management briefing, Rob Golding runs his financial rule over the financial position of the automotive industry's major OEMs. In this instalment: PSA, Renault and Tata Motors (including Jaguar Land Rover).
April 2012 management briefing: OEM financial summaries (VW, BMW, Daimler)
17 April 2012
In this month's management briefing, Rob Golding runs his financial rule over the financial position of the automotive industry's major OEMs. In this instalment: Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Counting down to electric cars again...
29 March 2012
Back in the Vauxhall Ampera driving seat for a hurtle round the Hampshire countryside then dinner with Ian Allen who is in charge of finding customers for the silent saloon.
GOLDING’S TREK: Geneva show
7 March 2012
Up at something after four. London City Airport for a flight just after five. Sat down for an egg and bacon breakfast and a mug of tea. Up to the till. Sat down again to recover from the GBP17 bill. It’s a great airport but they do milk it.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Peugeot has a cunning plan, GM battles on with Opel
17 February 2012
Poor PSA reported horrid 2010 financial results this week. And the trends are poor. Chairman Philippe Varin had to find something to say that would encourage shareholders… and he did try.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Marchionne tells rival car makers to behave
2 February 2012
Sergio Marchionne was in ebullient form when he hosted the telephone conference call to explain the Fiat/Chrysler financial results announced yesterday (1 February).
GOLDING’S TAKE: GM’s value to the US Treasury is on the slide
10 November 2011
General Motors CEO Dan Akerson was quite straightforward in his assessment of General Motors when he reviewed the third quarter financial results. “They are solid. But we have more work to do to be sustainable,” he said.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Ford delivers cars not divi cheques
26 October 2011
Thank goodness for Alan Mulally and the hair shirt policy that he introduced at Ford when he cruised in (from Boeing) to take the helm at what was a very sick company.
GOLDING'S TAKE: Land Rover ready to stoke Evoque fires
7 October 2011
Body-in-white capacity at the Tata Motors-owned Halewood Land Rover factory has been increased in a hurry and a third shift has been arranged to allow round-the-clock production of the new Evoque if need be.
GOLDING’S TAKE: GM Europe is in profit and will not be sold
4 August 2011
GM chief Dan Akerson has dismissed the rumours of an Opel/Vauxhall sale. This is quite a departure in that his colleagues have now spent several weeks declining to do any such thing.
