- Hardcover: 336 pages
- Publisher: Doubleday Business; 1 edition (Sep 23 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0385507690
- ISBN-13: 978-0385507691
- Product Dimensions: 24.3 x 16.4 x 2.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 612 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #559,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Not too long ago, Detroit-made vehicles manufactured in the U.S. were the most popular and bestselling cars. That is no longer the case, and Maynard, a reporter for the New York Times, explains how the automobile industry is now led by such companies as Toyota and Honda. She explains the various reasons for the diminished power of domestic car makers including the introduction of new, more appealing models and light trucks. Maynard writes, "With the exception of Toyota and its expansive lineup, none of the import companies has designs on meeting Detroit head-on in every segment where it competes.... They can be successful by fixing their targets and taking away markets, one by one." She cites BMW and Hyundai as two companies who know their markets very well and have solid brand images. Based on Maynard's interviews with executives and employees of many car companies, foreign and domestic, she shows how the foreign companies were repeatedly more innovative and strategic in their efforts to win over American consumers. Toyota, for example, built car plants in the U.S. and trained local employees, including Spanish-speaking workers, who would later be able to work in Toyota plants in Mexico, South America and elsewhere. The reporting is solid, but the writing is occasionally dull. Still, this is an intriguing if somewhat gloomy view of the American car business.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Acclaim for The End of Detroit
“[A] well-researched and passionate examination of contemporary culture, automotive and otherwise.”
—Boston Globe
“Comprehensive . . . Maynard builds a persuasive case with layers of detail.”
—BusinessWeek
“Maynard’s crisply written book coolly analyzes the causes of the latest fall of Detroit.”
—The Economist
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
It's ok, but bear with her if you can,
By A Customer
This review is from: The End of Detroit: How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market (Hardcover)
I must say, I'm not as good a writer as Ms. Maynard, but I think I actually may know more about the car business than she. In fact, if you're an enthusiast, you may very well know more than she does as well. The book is just fair. It gives some neat historical recounts on how the Japanese set up their operations in the US, and how their corporate cultures and history are in Japan. I must say, though, there were times when I just wanted to give up on this book. Why? Errors...this thing is full of factual errors. For example, she says that Nissan owns a large piece of Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Isuzu. This is not correct. Nissan does own a large piece of FHI (they were the largest shareholder before GM bought 50% of the company), but FHI makes Subaru, not Isuzu. They have ties to Isuzu, but the reason why Nissan owning FHI was an issue is because of the Subaru competition (Imprezza and Legacy go head to head with the Sentra and Altima). This specific point is discussed in the fabulous book "Turn Around" about Carlos Ghosn. There are other errors as well. Her recounting of timing is also often off in talking about when a certain vehicle was the top seller (Camry, Accord and Taurus discussion), and when each luxury marque was the top in the US.Another knitpicky thing is that she uses the word "dwarfs" a lot. However, she flips it's meaning. Dwarfs means that something that dwarfs something else looks much smaller next to it (i.e. A dwarfs B, and A is smaller than B). Sometimes she uses it in this correct way, and other times she uses it to mean the thing that dwarfs the other thing is bigger (i.e. A dwarfs B, and A is bigger than B). As a writer, she should know what she's saying, but should certainly at the very least be consistent. I would let the dwarfs thing go, but the automotive errors are not forgivable, and they smack you in every chapter. If she is wrong about so much in the auto industry, it's hard to accept her take in the book. I don't disagree with her notion, but, really, get some fact checkers, or get educated about your topic.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sometimes, the truth hurts,
By A Customer
This review is from: The End of Detroit: How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market (Hardcover)
I found this book to be very readable and very interesting. In my opinion, the author offers an unbiased review of the Big Three and the UAW. I sympathize with the unions (I'm in one) but a different approach will be necessary to make the Big Three competitive with Detroit South. I can relate to her statements concerning the Big Three cars to the imports. I've found my European and Asian car far more ergonomically sound and reliable than my Ford Explorer. Sometime the truth hurts....
3.0 out of 5 stars
Domestic? Foreign? Who Wins?,
By Ed Naczek (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The End of Detroit: How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market (Hardcover)
The End of Detroit is a outstanding and well-researched book about the automotive industry in Detroit. From the explanations about the fall of the domestic market to the rapid gain of the foreign market, the book always has an answer to the many problems the industry faced over the years. The book is a quick read, but can be bias in spots in favor of the foreign market and the takeovers they have made over the years. The first half of the book is like a history lesson and at times spends too much time focusing on one topic and forgetting the rest of the automotive world. The middle and near end of the book, talks more about companies like Honda, Toyota, and BMW and their stronger gains in the industry. These companies in the end caused the squeeze out of the big three and forced many changes to occurre. The final portion of the book gives a brief depiction of what the author thinks will happen in the end. She touches very little on the issues at hand today like, gas, car size, and environments issues and spends more time on the foreign markets future. Witch car is better? After reading this book, you also will have a confused and more difficult time making that decision.
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