Obama: Detroit automakers got it wrong again

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama didn't mince words when he described his first driving experience.

"The car I learned to drive on was my grandfather's Ford Granada. … It may be the worst car that Detroit ever built," the Illinois senator said in an interview with Indianapolis radio station WFBQ. "This thing was a tin can. It was during the '70s when oil had just gone up, so they were trying to compete with the Japanese," Obama said. "They wanted to keep the cars big, so they made them out of tin foil. It would rattle and shake. You basically couldn't go over 80 (miles per hour) without the thing getting out of control."

Ford built the Granada from 1975-82, along with its Mercury cousin, the Monarch.

Obama said he regretted no longer being able to drive because the Secret Service drives him around. "It's a drag because I actually enjoy driving," he said.

Obama has repeatedly blasted domestic automakers for not making more efficient automobiles, including at a speech at the Detroit Economic Club last year.

"Detroit ended up making investments in SUVs and large trucks because that's where they perceived a competitive advantage and that's where they felt they could make the most profit," Obama told "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert. "I think it was a mistake for them not to plan earlier, and now we're seeing a huge growth in fuel-efficient cars that is benefiting the Japanese automakers and Detroit is getting pounded some more."