Center For Automotive Research's Bernard Swiecki: We Are Very Much Impressed By Ford's Results (F)

As analysts

on Ford's

and

, the Center For Automotive Research is providing a few comments of its own. “We are very much impressed,” Bernard Swiecki, Senior Project Manager at CAR, told Benzinga this afternoon. “They've come a long way very quickly.” Swiecki is particularly impressed with Ford's ability to persevere in a market where the price of gasoline continues to rise. But he has concerns about the availability of components following the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan. He is also concerned about the unrest in the Middle East and how it has impacted the price of gasoline. Swiecki did not comment on today's

(in which two electric vehicles, the Chevy Volt

and Nissan Leaf, earned top scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). He did, however, note that Ford has taken a much more conservative approach to its alternative energy products. “Ford is playing 'follow the leader,'” Swiecki said, adding that this has allowed the company to minimize its investments. Going forward, Swiecki believes that Chrysler is going to be the one to watch. “It's in the least advanced stage of the three American automakers,” Swiecki said, adding that the company should provide us with some big news in the coming year.