Automakers: Page
-
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Honda Workers Eliminate Landfill Waste
THE SIGHT OF AUTO WORKERS CRAWLING through dumpsters suggests tough times in the auto industry, but Honda of America Mfg. employees have been doing it for years to ferret out waste. The auto maker says 10 of its 14 manufacturing plants in North America now send zero waste to landfills, and the remaining four dump only small amounts of paper and plastic trash from their cafeterias in landfills. Considering
By Drew Winter • Aug. 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dump the Assembly Line
The moving assembly line made mass production possible and changed the world. But what if it turned out it really wasn't that good of an idea after all? That's the premise of a book titled What Is Good For General Motors? by Thomas Crumm, who spent his career at GM. Crumm's thesis is that the decline in American manufacturing actually started when Henry Ford introduced the assembly line to automotive
By John McElroy • Aug. 1, 2011 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Toyota Motor North America
TrendlineTop 5 stories from WardsAuto
Automakers are evaluating their long-term strategies, revisiting their product mix, and approach to both retail and manufacturing approach along the way.
By WardsAuto staff -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Fiat in the Heart of Texas
CHELSEA, MI Laura Soave has made so many right calls for Chrysler, she likely could make a second living as a handicapper. When the Fiat 500 product program was being drafted, Soave, the brand's top executive in North America, dismissed doubters within the company and insisted on adding a high-performance Abarth version of the minicar that has been on sale for five months in the U.S. The change was
By Eric Mayne • Aug. 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler Looks to Go Mainstream With New SRT Technologies
Paddles allow direct control of the vehicles’ automatic transmission, allowing for “spirited shifting on the road and racetrack,” Chrysler says.
By Byron Pope • July 29, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Marchionne Risking Burnout With New Organization?
“We have now reached the right moment to step on the accelerator of the Fiat-Chrysler integration,” Sergio Marchionne says.
By Eric Mayne • July 28, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
UAW Seeks GM Board Seat, Sees Successful Talks as Bargaining Chip at Transplants
A direct seat would give the UAW a voice on everyday operations at GM, including the future product allocations so important to its membership.
By James M. Amend • July 27, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
U.S. Key Element of Nissan’s Global-Growth Plans
One of the most notable goals outlined in the auto maker’s Power 88 strategic plan, recently announced by CEO Carlos Ghosn, is the intention to launch a new model globally every six weeks, for the next six years.
By Christie Schweinsberg • July 25, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler Adds Cylinder Deactivation to SRT8 Lineup
The latest fuel-saver technology shuts down half the cylinders in the 470-hp 6.4L V-8 Hemi more often than earlier systems, but the new active-valve exhaust maintains the engine’s throaty exhaust note.
By Byron Pope • July 22, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM, UAW Negotiate for First Time Against Specter of Arbitration
If the two sides cannot reach an agreement by the Sept. 14 deadline, the fate of the auto maker’s massive post-bankruptcy restructuring and thousands of union jobs could be left in the hands of a third party.
By James M. Amend • July 21, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Nissan Launches New CVT in ’12 Versa
The new continuously variable transmission has an auxiliary gearbox with a sub-planetary gear for a broad ratio of 7.3:1. It also is smaller and lighter than the unit it replaces.
By Christie Schweinsberg • July 19, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler C-Car Candidate for SRT Treatment
New SRT chief Ralph Gilles fondly recalls being lured into the automotive world by small performance cars such as the VW GTI that offered performance at a reasonable price, opening the door to young enthusiasts.
By Byron Pope • July 19, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Fiat to Offer Optional PND for 500
Using bridge technology, PNDs for cars are common in Europe, but this is the first time TomTom has supplied a North American model with a device like the one for Fiat.
By Herb Shuldiner • July 18, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Nissan Confident in Sedan-Only Versa Launch
The redesigned ’12 Versa will arrive in U.S. showrooms in August only as a sedan. But the auto maker’s top North American product planner says the ’12 hatch will be carried over from prior model-year.
By Christie Schweinsberg • July 15, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
M-Class Signals Change in Blinker Placement
The all-new CUV is the first Mercedes with the turn signal placed above the cruise-control stalk on left side of steering wheel, intended to eliminate driver confusion.
By Tom Murphy • July 15, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dumpster-Diving Honda Workers Eliminate Landfill Waste
In the case of cafeteria waste, most Honda plants switched to washable dishware and disposing of solid waste through composting, recycling and energy recovery.
By Drew Winter • July 14, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Jeep Designers Can Bask in Glow of Headlamp Fix
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. New Jeep Compass Baseball Hall-of-Famer Lefty Gomez once said, "I'd rather be lucky than good." However, it's better to be both. Just a...
July 13, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Penske Automotive Buys Crevier BMW/Mini
The South California dealership is No.7 on this year’s Ward’s Dealer 500, with vehicle sales of 5,236 and total revenues of $257 million.
By Steve Finlay • July 12, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mercedes Dealers Top Sales-Effectiveness List
Mystery shoppers recorded how dealership sales personnel did on matters ranging from product knowledge to whether they gave compelling reasons to buy.
By Steve Finlay • July 11, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
BMW’s Newest I-6 Better, Not Bigger
New N55 engine features a single, more compact, faster-responding twin-scroll turbocharger that replaces the N54’s twin turbos.
By Gary Witzenburg • July 11, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
How to Wow ’Em on Social Media
“The strategy is to keep our fans paying attention to our (Facebook) site,” says Tom Gorham, Internet sales and marketing manager at Apple Chevrolet in Tinley Park, IL.
By Jim Leman • July 8, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Iveco Daily on Ram’s Radar
Chrysler is pondering a wide range of commercial vans that could span Class 1 through Class 3 to appease fleet buyers seeking a “one-stop shop.”
By Eric Mayne • July 8, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Hyundai Considers AWD for U.S. Luxury Sedans; Adds Tech Upgrades
Genesis competitors that have all-wheel drive include the Acura TL, BMW 3-Series and Lexus IS. In the Equus’ middle-luxury segment, the Acura RL, BMW 5-Series, Infiniti M and Mercedes E-Class offer the option.
By Christie Schweinsberg • July 7, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Holden Shows Off New-Product Portfolio at Oz International Auto Show
The Cruze hatchback is one of three new Holden models launched at the show as it revitalizes its lineup. The others are the Barina hatchback, Colorado pickup and LPG-powered Commodore.
By Alan Harman • July 7, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Hyundai Accent Bigger,Thriftier
Hyundai grew the Accent in size but controlled its weight and improved fuel economy through use of an aluminum block, plastic intake manifold and aerodynamic tricks.
By Christie Schweinsberg • July 5, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Grand Caravan Top-Selling U.S. Minivan; Town & Country Falls to No.4
The Town & Country’s poor showing flies in the face of an upbeat verdict from the influential publication, Consumer Reports, not to mention Chrysler’s total 24.8% June sales gain.
By Eric Mayne • July 1, 2011
Previous
