Autos: Out with the Old Year, On with the New

Of the U.S.'s 1966-model autos, only the Mustang is still on the production line—and Ford would just love to keep that hot little item going forever. As for the rest, 1967s are now being phased in, and Detroit is breathing a huge, collective sigh of relief.

With all the Nadering about auto safety and the effects of tight money, overall sales and profits fell off during 1966 as compared with the same seven-month period last year. General Motors was the big loser, partly because it handled the safety squabble badly and partly because, with more models than anyone else, it had...