Cuba's old cars have been the attraction for many Americans who have come to the island nation to admire the well preserved cars that still go through cities in Cuba. Now the island  has legalized the sale and purchase of automobiles for ordinary citizens. New rules also say Cubans who leave the island can transfer ownership of their car to a relative or sell it outright.">Cuba's old cars have been the attraction for many Americans who have come to the island nation to admire the well preserved cars that still go through cities in Cuba. Now the island  has legalized the sale and purchase of automobiles for ordinary citizens. New rules also say Cubans who leave the island can transfer ownership of their car to a relative or sell it outright.">

Cuba Headlines

Cuba News, Breaking News, Articles and Daily Information

Cuba's vintage cars are a window to the past

Cuba's old cars have been the attraction for many Americans who have come to the island nation to admire the well preserved cars that still go through cities in Cuba. Now Cuba has legalized the sale and purchase of automobiles for ordinary citizens. New rules also say Cubans who leave the island can transfer ownership of their car to a relative or sell it outright.

Cuba has been holding out for years on the good stuff Detroit wants: the inventively well-preserved classic cars called "Yank Tanks" that still run through the streets of Havana nearly 50 years after the U.S. banned trade with the communist island.

Previously, the state could seize the automobiles of emigres.

The move is part of an economic reform that includes allowing Cubans to buy new cars in 2012, though the dealerships will be state-owned and it's unclear whether American manufacturers will be represented.

But what Detroiters wonder is this: Can it be long until Cuban citizens are allowed to stay but let their cars leave? When that happens, we're heading to Miami to pick up a '53 DeSoto Firedome 8 for the Dream Cruise.

Watching from retired seat

"As I leave Ford, I wouldn't have given Ford a plug nickel for our chances back in 2006," said a maudlin George Pipas, the automaker's U.S. sales analyst, in a final briefing Friday as he prepares to retire later this year.

Pipas has been the voice on hundreds of Ford's U.S. monthly sales calls with investors and media and remembers the dire financial straits the company was in when CEO Alan Mulally arrived and started a turnaround.

"This town has chewed up and spit out more outsiders than probably any other," Pipas said.

But Mulally has broken the pattern, and Pipas said he thinks the next five years will be exciting for Ford — which he will monitor from a state farther south.

Community college magic

When Magic Johnson was in town last week promoting an automotive jobs fair, the legendary Michigan State and pro basketball player was so impressed with the gym at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills that he said he would have chosen the school over Sparty.

"I was like blown away," Johnson said. "I guess if I hadn't gone to Michigan State, I would have gone here."

Contributors: Jaclyn Trop, Alisa Priddle, Christina Rogers and Brian O’Connor

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110929/BIZ/109290350/

Related News

Comments