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Patrick George

@patrickgeorge.bsky.social
5.4K followers 1.2K following 877 posts

@WSJ.com Detroit Bureau Chief. Cars, manufacturing, robots occasionally. Texan in the Motor City. Former: EIC @insideevs.com, Contributing Writer @theatlantic.com, bylines in lots of places.

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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
At Ford Motor, a plan is underway to fight fire with fire—or bird with bird, as it were www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Ford’s Latest Employee of the Month Is a Hawk Named ‘El Charro’
To protect 300,000 trucks a year from a persistent pigeon invasion, the automaker turned to an ancient practice: falconry.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Meanwhile, in China: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
China’s Geely Unveils EV Charging Under Five Minutes
The automaker rivals ultrafast charging from BYD as automakers aim to entice buyers in China’s slowing market.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Despite considerable auto industry anxiety, the Trump-Xi state dinner this week will not include a cadre of Chinese corporate executives. Earlier reports indicated execs from BYD or CATL might attend to discuss some deal for Chinese cars in the U.S.: www.wsj.com/world/china/...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Trump Summit With Xi Unlikely to Include Chinese CEOs
The likely absence of a Chinese corporate delegation highlights the low expectations for significant business results from the meeting.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Another big automaker moves to "minimum advertised pricing"—something they say will reduce bait-and-switch tactics. But others say it means less transparency for car buyers and will be yet another reason to feel fed up with traditional dealers: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Why the Best Price on Your Next Car Is Getting Harder to Find
Stellantis will join other automakers who police advertised discounts, making it tricky to locate the lowest price.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
General Motors has entered the missile business: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
GM to Produce Patriot Missile Parts as U.S. Faces Critical Arms Shortage
The Detroit automaker’s partnership with Lockheed Martin is a potential lift to America’s munitions supplies depleted by the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
“As Trump was signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario ‘Lake America,’ Canadian diplomats were in Berlin for a day of meetings on defense cooperation.” www.wsj.com/world/europe...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Mark Carney’s Audacious Bid to Make Canada an ‘Associate Member’ of the EU
As trade talks with the U.S. collapse, prime minister pursues a major—and risky—pivot to Europe; an Ottawa book club plays its part.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
"The letter also represented an extraordinary and unusual measure—a cabinet-level secretary calling out one American car company’s operations, underscoring the political animosity in Washington toward affiliations with Chinese automakers." www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Ford’s Use of Chinese Tech Called ‘Unacceptable’ by Transportation Secretary
A battery deal with CATL and a joint venture with Chinese automaker Geely were among the concerns raised in a public letter to Ford’s CEO.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
It all sounds great on paper for the range-anxious among us. But as one analyst put it: “There’s going to be a major level of education required.” www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Carmakers Have a New Idea to Boost EV Range: Add a Gas Engine
Hyundai, Ford and Stellantis are planning to introduce larger EVs with gas generators to solve range anxiety.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
We knew Ford had ambitious targets for its new, starting-at-$30,000 EV truck. Now we know how ambitious: sales figures that only Tesla has achieved so far. www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Ford’s $30,000 EV Truck Sets Ambitious Goal: 100,000 Sales in Year One
The Ford Fathom is the first in an expected line of new, more affordable EVs.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
"It’s a nuclear option, a move without precedent at Volkswagen." www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Volkswagen Fights Chinese Competition—and Its Own Board—in Battle to Survive
Chief Executive Oliver Blume’s plan to make the company smaller and less German has sparked union and political outcry.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The AI data center backlash is widespread and bipartisan. But if you ask the AI industry, America can't get them up fast enough: www.wsj.com/tech/ai/see-...
wsj.com
See the New Building Techniques Turbocharging the Data-Center Boom
Hyperscalers’ need for speed is spawning timesaving products and building techniques.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
We ask much of our sunroofs. But what happens when they say “no more”? www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Car Sunroofs Keep ‘Spontaneously’ Exploding—and the Problem Is Getting Worse
Heat, debris and manufacturing defects can all lead to a vehicle owner experiencing a sudden glass shattering.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Trump says America doesn't need Canada. The auto industry, however, almost universally sees things differently: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Detroit Needs Canada More Than the Rest of the U.S. Does
President Trump is threatening to escalate tariffs on vehicles imported from Canada to 50%, adding more chaos to an industry challenged by trade wars.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
SCOOP: "We are currently focusing on getting the attention of (the Commerce Department) to obtain the requested information and to understand the underlying basis for the denial,” a Polestar exec said in a letter to dealers. www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Exclusive | EV-Maker Polestar Says Trump Administration Strung It Along Before U.S. Ban
The Chinese-owned automaker told dealers it is still trying to understand why it is being banned from the U.S. market.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
"Industry firms that count ships, oil output and imports aren’t able to verify the full volume of oil the U.S. claims is getting through Iran’s chokehold" www.wsj.com/business/ene...
wsj.com
U.S. Says Oil Is Pouring Through Hormuz. Trackers Can’t Find It.
Firms that count ships, oil output and imports aren’t able to verify U.S. claims about the volume of oil getting through Iran’s chokehold.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Two automotive giants, two very different strategies. But how much does being No. 1 matter anymore? www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
GM Ruled U.S. Auto Sales for 100 Years. Now Toyota Is Closing In.
The American automaker is increasing profits by selling fewer vehicles, while Toyota pursues growth
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
China’s auto factories are building so many cars for export that the global shipping industry can’t keep up: www.wsj.com/business/log...
wsj.com
There Aren’t Enough Ships to Handle China’s Booming Car Exports
As demand slumps at home, Chinese cars are flooding other markets—and testing the shipping industry.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The era of the cheap EV deal is over. Now, many owners are finding out that staying electric once their leases are up isn’t so easy: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
America’s Electric Honeymoon Is Over. EV Owners Must Work Out Where to Go Next.
Drivers got hooked on great lease deals. Now, they’re looking at hybrids and gas cars—or just paying higher prices.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
You heard it here first: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Ford Plans a New Four-Door Version of Mustang
The design would be a first for the automaker’s “pony car” and possibly broaden its consumer appeal
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Ford’s strategy of selling fewer vehicles at higher prices—with a focus (pardon the pun) on expensive trucks and SUVs—is great for its bottom line. For now. But where does it go long-term? www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Ford Made Boring Cars Popular. It Doesn’t Want Them Anymore.
The maker of the Mustang and Bronco wants a lineup of such ‘passionate’ vehicles. Gone are staid family sedans, cheap hatchbacks or frumpy minivans.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Scoop from us: Some Tesla executives have been told to prepare for a separation of the company’s China business ahead of a potential merger with SpaceX, now a prolific U.S. defense contractor. Musk has denied talks have taken place: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Tesla Weighs Sale of China Business to Pave Way for Potential SpaceX Merger
The U.S. automaker could sell or spin off the business in its second-largest market over geopolitical concerns.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
“If I get hot in my car and want some air conditioning, I just want to turn a knob and have cold air come out." Meet the drivers who are rebelling against the tech revolution in cars: www.wsj.com/lifestyle/ca...
wsj.com
These Drivers Are Taking Extreme Measures to Avoid New Car Technology
They scour dealerships for models with the fewest bells and whistles. Then they disable alarms and reconfigure dashboards in search of low-tech bliss.
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Reposted by Patrick George
mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
RIP Kavinsky. The DRIVE (2011) title sequence (and prologue) is just one of the most magnetic and successful sequences in movie history and it's impossible to imagine any track other than "Nightcall" in it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc_z...
youtube.com
Drive 4K HDR | Opening Credits Song - Nightcall
YouTube video by Apex Clips
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
We turned in our EV lease recently. It's already missed. We aim to replace it with another soon. But as many have noticed, cheap lease deals from 2023-2024 are nowhere to be found. No tax credits, either. What's your plan if you're in the same boat? Buy used? Go hybrid? Try and lease again?
My old Kia EV6, with a wind turbine in the background.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Since Waymo's launch in Austin in 2024, the AV taxi service has racked up $9,325 in parking tickets alone. Why? Because these things aren't great (yet?) at finding places to park while they idle: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Waymo Is Racking Up Thousands of Dollars of Parking Fines in Austin
As robotaxis scale, cities and law enforcement agencies are cracking down on bad behavior.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Investors are growing impatient with Musk as the bills come due on his most ambitious promises for SpaceX and Tesla. Meanwhile, Tesla’s bad day on the market wiped out $215 billion—more than the market cap of any other global automaker: www.wsj.com/finance/stoc...
wsj.com
Reality Bites Elon Musk and His Tesla, SpaceX Believers
Shares of Tesla have tumbled around 15% on a disappointing quarter, and SpaceX has fallen 50% from its highs.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
It's no secret that Tesla's market cap still eclipses all other automakers. But when you lay out the major players' sales and revenue in chart form, the story is quite telling: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
See How Tesla’s Market Value Eclipses All the Other Automakers
The company ranks low in car sales among the top-10 automakers, but its valuation is greater than the next 37 combined.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Despite all the "save the manuals" carping from the enthusiast crowd, the data is clear: stick-shift cars made up 0.6% of the U.S. market in 2025, down from 35% in 1980: www.washingtonpost.com/transportati...
washingtonpost.com
The death of the stick shift is almost here
Driving a manual vehicle is a lost art. Hopes of a revival have fallen flat. With the rise of EVs and autonomous vehicles, only a few die-hards hold on.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
"This means that even if there’s another ceasefire that allows oil to again flow, gasoline and diesel prices are likely to stay higher for longer." www.wsj.com/business/ene...
wsj.com
Gas Prices Will Stay Higher for Longer, Even if Oil Falls
Refining capacity is strained, and fuel markets don’t have much of a buffer.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
What a time to be alive: "Beijing wants people to stop dating machines and start having babies." www.wsj.com/tech/ai/chin...
wsj.com
China Wants More Babies—So It’s Cracking Down on Chatbot Love Affairs
New rules forbid chatbots designed for companionship from encouraging emotional reliance.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
What's happening inside the UAW right now isn't the naked, rampant corruption that sent former executives to prison. But members and observers say it casts a cloud over one of the most prominent labor leaders America has seen in a while: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
How UAW’s Bold Leader Got Caught in New Wave of Union Infighting
Shawn Fain has ushered in a more militant union, but critics question how he has wielded his power.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
"The officer faced a uniquely modern policing paradox: When no one is driving, who gets the ticket?" www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
A Big Headache for Police: Getting Driverless Cars to Obey Traffic Laws
Police officers across the country are learning how to direct, corral, and when necessary, punish autonomous taxis.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
“The idea that size alone gives you scale is so 20th century.” www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Volkswagen’s Vast Jobs Factory Is Under Threat Like Never Before
The world’s second-largest automaker plans to halve its lineup of cars as part of its second major overhaul in two years.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
New from us: Ten people in the U.S. have died from defective airbags from China installed into used cars. Tracking the explosive parts, however, may prove nearly impossible: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Counterfeit Air-Bag Parts Are Killing U.S. Drivers—and the Government Can’t Stop It
After 10 deaths, regulators are warning the public about air bags in used cars with components marked as made by a Chinese company, but tracing them is difficult.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
We have seen the future of mobility, and it is ropes for doors and e-bike speeds: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Fiat’s Next Move in America: Tiny, Cute, Electric and $14,000
The two-seat Topolino is aimed at traveling in resorts and neighborhoods, and one version uses ropes instead of doors.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
One big goal I had in coming to the WSJ was to up our coverage of next-gen vehicle technology. Here, Ellie does a stellar job taking on a pervasive myth that may be keeping a lot of drivers from going electric: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
EV Batteries Are Defying Expectations After Hundreds of Thousands of Miles
Industry experts think newfound knowledge of battery durability is a game-changer for consumer confidence in EVs.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Tesla today posted its biggest sales quarter since EV tax credits went away in the U.S.: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Tesla Sales Jumped in Second Quarter
The electric automaker sells just three new-car models now, with CEO Elon Musk putting the focus on autonomous vehicles and robotics.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Ford's looking to repeat the Maverick's success with a new EV. Slate thinks there's a need in the market. Ram and Toyota are thinking about it, too. After decades of bigger, costlier pickups dominating the market, are compact trucks due for a comeback? www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Automakers Built Ever-Larger Trucks. Can Cheap, Small Pickups Make a Comeback?
After disappearing from the U.S. market, compact trucks are showing signs of life again.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Volkswagen is likely staring down the deepest and most intense cuts in its history: www.wsj.com/business/vol...
wsj.com
Volkswagen Deepens Cost-Cutting Overhaul
The company has been working on a radical plan that will likely result in thousands of additional job losses.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Always thought slow sales, or a swap with another Geely brand someday, might doom Polestar in the U.S. But the Commerce Department had other plans: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
U.S. Bans Polestar, Chinese-Owned EV Maker, From Selling Cars in the U.S.
A government rule prohibiting Chinese software in cars resulted in Polestar bowing out of the U.S. market.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
No power windows, no radio, no problem? “If we can execute and launch on time and prove this, I think we have a chance to build an enthusiastic customer base,” says Slate Auto's CEO of its bare-bones electric truck. Is he right? www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Will Anyone Buy This Cheap EV Truck With Hand-Crank Windows and No Radio?
Slate Auto’s all-electric truck, priced in the mid-$20,000s, aims to prove that affordable cars can be both profitable and adored.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Lucid Motors cuts nearly 20% of its workforce, including its COO (the former CEO), whose position has been eliminated. In February, it cut 12% of its employees as well: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Lucid to Cut 18% of U.S. Workforce as Restructuring Continues
The EV manufacturer said the cuts, which include the elimination of its chief operating officer, would reduce costs by about $158 million annually.
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Reposted by Patrick George
The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 18/06/2026
Candy maker Mars will debut a version of M&M’s made without artificial dyes in August, but the bags of chocolate will be missing two hallmarks: The colors brown and blue. 🔗 on.wsj.com/4aaMwvk
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
My most controversial (and yet bravest) opinion of the moment: I actually really dig the new Honda Prelude. The price is bananas, nobody buys two-door coupes anymore, a manual sure would've been nice, and I'm amazed it's even sold in this country. But for what it is, it drives great.
The 2026 Honda Prelude in blue
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
The future of no-haggle new-vehicle shopping might just be 10-foot-tall cubes and "car playgrounds" as Carvana seeks to move beyond used cars: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
Carvana's 10-foot cube. A phone can be used to operate the video board called the cube that displays vehicle details. Photo: Carvana
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
New from us: While early reviews are extremely positive, more than a few Rivian R2 owners are put off by the unexpectedly high lease price in an already challenging market: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Rivian’s Make-or-Break SUV Is Here. Fans Are Already Balking at the Lease Price.
The automaker’s fans love the startup’s new R2, but high lease costs show the challenges in the changing electric-vehicle market.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Scoop from Detroit: GM is in talks with Lockheed Martin to manufacture weapons parts for the contractor, as it seeks to grow its burgeoning defense business: www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Exclusive | GM in Talks to Supply Weapons Parts to Lockheed Martin
The automaker seeks to grow its defense subsidiary as the U.S. aims to replenish munitions supplies.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Were you eyeing a Rivian R2? Did that initial lease price put you off, or will you still pull the trigger anyway? We're looking to talk to you! Drop me a note in the replies or email me at patrick.george@wsj.com.
A Rivian R2 model in blue.Rivian R2's estimated lease pricing.
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
The weirdest, non-trillionaire-related news you'll read all week—and why a culture-war tinged campaign against Harley-Davidson didn't exactly pan out: www.wsj.com/business/a-s...
wsj.com
A Struggling Motorcycle Brand Wants to Start a Culture War With Harley-Davidson
Indian Motorcycle says its anti-DEI marketing isn’t political, but some of its own riders reject the campaign
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Patrick George @patrickgeorge.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Down 22% year-over-year in May, the Chinese domestic auto market is finally showing signs of slowdown and contracting—but certainly not its export game. www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Everyone Loves Chinese Cars, Except the Chinese
The world is applauding the latest Chinese vehicles and sales are surging almost everywhere the cars are available. The one exception: China itself.
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