A full page of the June 8 Automotive News is devoted to an interview with Ernie Boch Jr., president of Boch Automotive of Norwood, Mass. He talked about the Chrysler and GM bankruptcies and his take on the future of the auto business.

Having interviewed Boch a couple of years back, I can attest that behind his advertising antics is a serious and prescient business mind. Not for nothing is Boch Honda the top Honda dealership and Boch Toyota the No.2 dealership in the nation.

Boch was first asked about the GM bankruptcy.

"It had to happen," he said. "I was against the bailout money, but I think GM will ultimately will be better for it."

"It wasn't about the cars. GM builds great vehicles. It's management that messed things up: their arrogance, the bloated structure. The company was not run correctly."

While candidly admitting his sales were down - whose aren't? - he said his market share was growing. And while he has cut back on his staff, he said he has not let any of his sales staff go.

Looking to the future of the three domestics, he said" "I think they will come back."
But he added that they will never be "where they were," instead "settling in at about 32 percent to 35 percent of the market."

"Ford will be king of the domestics," he added.

Overall, his five favorite brands?

"Toyota, Honda, Ford, Hyundai and Chevy."

And the future?

"This is just a tough time we're going through. It's not the end. It won't last forever. It will come back."

- Peter C. T. Elsworth