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Automotive Industry
GOLFEN: Automotive Enthusiasm Remains Alive and Thriving
Bob Golfen, the new Automotive Editor for SPEEDtv.com, introduces himself and his plans for creating a section for auto enthusiasts and consumers
Bob Golfen  |  Posted January 07, 2009   Phoenix, Arizona
The economic news may be dismal, but automotive enthusiasm remains alive and thriving. (Photo: SPEED)

The news out of Detroit is grim. General Motors and Chrysler look about ready to bite the dust, and Ford is just hanging on. Not good, not good at all.

Things seemed to go bad awfully fast in 2008. A cyclical slump in sales turned into a tsunami of red ink as gas prices spiked into the $4 per gallon range, followed by a monumental economic collapse that tanked auto sales. Detroit automakers were prepared for neither, with lots filled with unsold SUVs turning into lots filled with unsold everything.

None of the global automakers are all that pleased by current events, either, with some major brands in Europe and Asia also threatened by the financial abyss. Even Toyota’s taking its lumps these days.
Yet, our enthusiasm for automobiles carries on. New cars, old cars, collector cars, sports cars, muscle cars, hot rods, motorcycles, the whole wide array of motorized vehicles that we know and love; we still find ourselves dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of our favorite sets of wheels.

Besides, not all the news is bad. Despite the economic crunch, the continuing renaissance of superb cars and trucks from the world’s automakers continues to roll out better and better machines. Of course, bargains abound across the board, new and used, as automakers and dealers try to unload their many thousands of unsold vehicles.

Hell, gas prices are back down to normal and a new Camaro is due to arrive. Barrett-Jackson and the rest of January’s collector-car auctions are ready to roar into Scottsdale and Phoenix. Life is good.

This is my first regular column as Automotive Editor for SPEEDtv.com, although I’ve already filed some car reviews and news items that you can read now in the Cars section of our site.

I am a veteran journalist who has been fortunate enough for the past two decades to share my automotive passion with readers of The Arizona Republic in Phoenix, as well as producing dozens of free-lance articles for other publications. I even partnered with an

Italian-scooter mechanic to write a book about restoring Vespa motorscooters for Motorbooks International. Check it out.

In my new role, I intend to bring the whole colorful universe of automobiles to SPEEDtv.com. And by automobiles, I mean everything automotive, including such things as pickup trucks and motorcycles, both for consumers who want to know about the latest offerings and hard-core enthusiasts who are in it for the fun.

Besides my rants and reviews, SPEEDtv.com will host auto experts and enthusiasts to share their reporting and insights about today’s automotive trends and lifestyles. We will provide links and partnerships with the best automotive sites and publications. And we will
keep you abreast of the latest automotive news as today’s economic turmoil plays out.

Not an auspicious time in automotive history, but as I said, car enthusiasts are alive and well and undeterred.

I am still based in Arizona, where there is a rich variety of car-collectors, hot rodders and enthusiasts. The January collector-car auctions stoke the passion both here and around the world, as well as taking up a major chunk of my life. Naturally, SPEEDtv.com will bring you the whole enchilada of auction events, supplementing SPEED’s fine televised coverage of Barrett-Jackson’s live auction action.

There also will be invitations for you to take part in SPEEDtv.com’s automotive fun, ranging from blogs to opportunities to show off your own special vehicles. Watch for these new developments as we build our online community of automotive passion.


The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor of SPEEDtv.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, who has driven and evaluated essentially every new vehicle sold in the United States. A lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle, he annually attends and writes about Arizona's famous January collector-car auctions, focusing on Scottsdale’s monumental Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event. SPEEDtv.com fans email veteran Automotive Editor Bob Golfen at

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