Automakers: Page 291
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Fred Anderson Flies High
As a 21-year-old college graduate, Fred Anderson had a choice in 1970. Go into the dealership business or fly airplanes as a professional pilot. General Motors took a chance on him, and his life has never been the same. Chuck Green, then a Chevrolet zone manager, knew the Anderson family well and offered the young graduate a spot at a Chevrolet-Oldsmobile store in Canton, NC, a tiny rural town. The
By Lillie Guyer • June 1, 2011 -
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Toyota Tunes in Entune
The Japanese auto maker’s new infotainment system uses a cellular data network to run automotive versions of popular smartphone apps.
By Christie Schweinsberg • June 1, 2011 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Kia Corporation
TrendlineArtificial Intelligence
Automakers and dealers alike are increasingly seeing the use case for AI within their operations. Explore some use cases in this trendline.
By WardsAuto staff -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Toyota Matrix on Bubble
The hatchback reached its pinnacle in 2002, selling 66,836 units, Ward’s data shows. Annual deliveries have declined since then, except for 2008, the second-generation model’s first full year.
By Christie Schweinsberg • May 31, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mercedes Polishes Reputation With Assault on U.S. Gas-Guzzler Tax
For model-year ’12, the tri-star brand will have at least two fewer models on the annual hit list published by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA.
By Eric Mayne • May 27, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Honda Redesigns Civic Seats for Safety, Comfort
The Japanese auto maker switches from movable front head restraints in the previous-generation Civic to fixed restraints and softer seatbacks.
By Christie Schweinsberg • May 25, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
VW Passat Finally Made for Masses
Critics call it boring, but the new Passat is everything a midsize car buyer could want: efficient, quiet, thrilling and $7,000 cheaper. This is not dumbing down German design. This is smartening up the bottom line.
By Tom Murphy • May 23, 2011 -
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Nissan NV Primo Rock Roller
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.[caption id="attachment_136" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Think of the exterior graphic possibilities for band logos."][/caption] ...
By Tom Murphy • May 21, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
The Mayne Objective: To Each Their Own, Indeed.
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts. The Honda Civic is, arguably, the compact segment's benchmark vehicle in the U.S. Smart and sensible, it's been among the nation's top f...
May 16, 2011 -
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Cadillac Sets Orderly Sell-Off of Big Cars Before XTS Debut
STS production ended three weeks ago, and DTS builds probably will be halted in about three or four weeks, James R. Vurpillat, Cadillac's global marketing director, tells Ward's.
By Herb Shuldiner • May 16, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Targeting BMW, Volvo I-6 Turbo World-Class on All Fronts
The single most impressive thing about this world-class 3.0L turbo 6-cyl. is the fact it fits transversely between the shock towers of the midsize S60.
By Gary Witzenburg • May 13, 2011 -
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Lincoln Restructuring on Track
The Ford family’s so-called “super shares” have been a hot-button issue at most shareholder meetings, but the stock structure is not that uncommon.
By Byron Pope • May 12, 2011 -
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Toyota Blue Springs on Track for Fall Start
Hiring, training and equipment installation is under way at Toyota’s eighth North American vehicle assembly plant, which will see a return of U.S. Corolla production.
By Christie Schweinsberg • May 12, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
New Chrysler-Owned Dealership Faces Challenge
A petition to a state board says Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers “are fierce competitors, but they cannot fairly compete against a Chrysler-owned dealership in their own backyard.”
By Erik Derr • May 11, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Manufacturing Strategy Taking Shape
Ford’s flexibility strategy revolves around reprogrammable body-shop tooling, standardized paint-shop equipment and a common final-assembly build sequence.
By Byron Pope • May 11, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM’s Orion Township Assembly to Join Elite Group of Flexible Plants
Plant Manager Alicia Boler-Davis points to the auto maker’s lean materials strategy as one important element of its approach to flexible manufacturing.
By James M. Amend • May 11, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Flexible Manufacturing Comes ‘Standard’ at Chrysler
Model changeovers and on-the-fly introductions of additional models will be measured in days, not weeks, “once we have the base process installed,” says Chrysler manufacturing chief Scott Garberding.
By Eric Mayne • May 11, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Renault to Export Russian-Made Cars to Ukraine
Ukraine is the third export market for Renault’s Moscow-plant. The auto maker already launched exports to Kazakhstan in January 2010, and to Belarus last October.
By Peter Homola • May 10, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
New Civic Ad Campaign: From A-Zombie
Honda uses live-action characters to represent five different ’12 Civic variants, as it launches a new-generation of one of the industry’s top-selling passenger cars.
By Christie Schweinsberg • May 10, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford to Expand Lincoln Portfolio, Increase Blue Oval Sales in Emerging Markets
The auto maker doesn’t plan to introduce Lincolns in China at this time, but does want to be fully competitive in the world’s biggest auto market with a portfolio of Blue Oval products, CFO Lewis Booth says.
By Herb Shuldiner • May 6, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Marchionne: ‘Let the Machine Run’
Bridging Chrysler’s current product wave with the next one are special-edition vehicles such as a Dodge Charger Superbee and a Gucci-styled Fiat 500 A-car.
By Eric Mayne • May 2, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
New GM Seatbelt Technology Saves 5-Star Safety Ratings
DLLP is not considered a low-cost solution to meeting an auto maker’s crash requirements, but the business case made sense for GM under the tight timetable and given the alternative of an expensive redesign.
By James M. Amend • May 2, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
All About the Appointment
FORT MYERS, FL Craig Miller is an ah-shucks Iowan who, true to his rural roots, likes tractors a lot. He also calls himself a numbers guy who loves people, good traits for a car dealer. In Iowa, Miller is president of the 7-brand Clinton Auto Group near Davenport and general manager of Lindquist Ford in Bettendorf, the only place where the Mississippi River runs east and west, he claims. He crunches
By Steve Finlay • May 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mazda Taps Davis to Head New U.S. Operations Group
The new organization was formed to “fully realize Mazda’s U.S. growth potential in the next few years,” the auto maker says.
By Ward's Staff • April 29, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
NFLer Turned Dealer Puts on the Blitz
Hyundai dealer Brad Benson’s radio ads are as hard-hitting as his blocks were when he played in the National Football League.
By Alan Richman • April 28, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM’s Reuss: Mix Shift Inevitable as Gas Prices Soar; Truck Market to Splinter
“Is it a massive change on a mix basis? We haven’t seen that yet,” the executive says. “But that’s not to say we won’t see it.”
By James M. Amend • April 27, 2011
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