Honda's unfortunate recall; Porsche's terminal decline?; Brazil's car carnival; Hello, Tata

Honda's hiccup

Sometimes, the best laid plans ... wish I had thought of that.

But in that category: Honda’s massive recall of various 2001, 2002, and 2003 Accords, Civics, and Acura TL sedans.

What was the intent? Make Honda the safest car on the road.

The unfortunate outcome: a gargantuan recall at a time when auto manufacturers are scrambling to offer as standard fare safety equipment that could save your life.

I credit Honda, along with Hyundai and Kia, with dragging the rest of a reluctant world into offering free multiple airbags, ABS, and traction and stability control.

So it is with some regret that I have to point out the recall of well-intentioned safety equipment.

It seems that the airbags in some of these models from these years have an airbag inflator that is too powerful: so powerful that its air pressure can send metal fragments through a driver’s airbag and kill (in only one instance) or injure the occupant.

Check it out here.

Time for Porsche to call 911?

Full story to follow once I figure out who owns and runs the once prestigious company as Volkswagen (The People’s Car) prepares to step on the neck of Porsche (the Rich People’s Car). Did U.S. management screw the pooch, or did German arrogance and greed do the deed?

Film at 11.

Car carnival in Brazil

Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here.

A Wall Street Journal missive from Sao Paulo says that, "A rebound by the Brazilian auto industry this year has been so swift and so widespread that automakers are now planning new hires and expanded output.’’

This ain’t Detroit, baby.

But why?

Brazil has used tax breaks, loosened loan requirements and better payoff rates.

All well and good. But here is what caught my eye, and it could well be a global lesson: Brazil has virtually no home-grown auto industry. Its auto industry is an amalgam of multinational manufacturers who have put down roots here — Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen , Fiat, Renault.

That’s four languages for starters that you’d need to do business here.

 Tata does not always mean good-bye

Welcoming news from Tata Motors Ltd., which has just landed $289 million in private backing, eliminating the need for the India-based company to go before the ghosts of the British Empire asking for money.

An odd pas de deux since India is now building two fabulous autos from the wheeled history of its once dominant colonizer: Jaguar and Land Rover.

And if Tata wants to do no more than spice up the nomenclature of an already fabulous tactile lineup of autos, can the Jaguar XKR Bazil high performance coupe, the dexterous Land Rover Chakra Phool, or the Jaguar XJ Garam Masala luxury sedan be long in the waiting? 

http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/wheels/090811/unfortunate-recall-honda-porsches-terminal-decline-brazils-car-carnival-well