Sonari Glinton

Ford Unit Apologizes For Demeaning Ads

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:33:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And out next business story fits in the category of what were they thinking? Ford Motor Company is apologizing for ads sketched up by an agency in India - ads that have been decried as demeaning to women. They are cartoon drawings showing off how spacious a Ford trunk can be. One spoofs Italy's former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. He's at the wheel, and in the trunk, three women, tied up.

NPR's Sonari Glinton reports.

SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: The ads were never used commercially.

Examining Dual Trends In The Economy

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:47:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm Renee Montagne.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene.

The U.S. economy has been so good at sending mixed signals. We'll hear a couple of reasons for optimism. The housing and stock markets appear to be having parallel rebounds. The stock market is up. And after years of being a drag on the economy, construction and home prices are beginning to see a turnaround.

GM's Archive Offers Glimpse Of Its Past And Future

Sonari Glinton — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:26:00 +0000

After more than 100 years of ups and downs, General Motors has a lot of history. Most of GM's history is in the form of cars — hundreds of actual individual cars. The company tries to keep at least two of each car in storage. NPR's Sonari Glinton went on a walk through GM's attic to find out about the company's past and future.

As Construction Picks Up, American Truck Makers Race

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:20:00 +0000

Economists look at many tea leaves as they try to determine the health of the economy. One of the most important surrounds vehicle sales, and more specifically pickup truck sales, which are tied to the construction industry. And as last month's sales rose 18 percent, the auto industry is betting big on a real estate rebound.

It's arguable that the Ford F-150 is the most important vehicle to come out of Detroit since the Model-T.

Why Buying A Car Never Changes

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:18:00 +0000

"Buying a car sucks," Scott Painter says. "It's something that most consumers fear."

Back in the '90s, Painter started a company to try to change this. "The name of the company was Cars Direct," he says. "The mission was to sell cars directly."

Painter wanted his company to build virtual dealerships that would let people go online and buy cars. But after talking with a few car execs, he realized nobody would even consider his idea.

Painter was stopped by a web of state laws that make it very, very difficult to change the way cars are sold.

Beyond Portlandia: Subaru Drives For America's Heartland

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:33:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaXMTtykHfE

From Chicago to D.C., Hometown Supporters Welcome Obama Back

Sonari Glinton — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 11:02:00 +0000

For President Obama's first inauguration, Rep. Danny Davis of Illinois organized a group of more than 700 people — on 10 buses — to make the journey from Chicago to Washington, D.C.

Last time, one of those buses broke down. This time, however, the group decided to take an 18-hour Amtrak ride to see the second presidential inauguration of their hometown hero.

Davis staffer Tumia Romero, who organized the trip, says she did not want to deal with the nightmare of a bus having issues again.

"Someone emailed me and said, 'Let's take a plane this time,'" Romero says.

Bump On The Road For Driverless Cars Isn't Technology, It's You

Sonari Glinton — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 22:38:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDA28Nb4h1k

With Redesigned Corvette, GM Ushers In New Era Of American Muscle Car

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:24:00 +0000

This week, the sleek, speedy Chevy Corvette turns 60 years old. In the increasingly competitive auto business, where few cars make it past their teens, that makes it nearly ancient.

General Motors, however, is not retiring one of America's oldest sports cars just yet, and is embarking on the perilous path of updating the beloved brand. The auto company unveiled the new 2014 Corvette at the Detroit Auto Show on Sunday, a model that also revives the long-dormant Stingray name.

The Corvette is iconic not just in the car industry but also in culture.

Detroit Three Look To Revive Their Luxury Brands

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 20:51:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1NCSrwa2Us