Automakers: Page
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
Honda Insight Hybrid Sparking U.S. Demand
The Insight’s 62.2% sales rise last month outpaced the Prius’ 52.0%, which remains the hybrid heavy-hitter with 42,779 deliveries in the first quarter, compared with 6,058 for the Honda HEV.
By Christie Schweinsberg • April 14, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Focus ECOnetic Bad Fit for North America
Diesel technology offered by Ford of Europe is too expensive for the North American market, a top engineer says.
By Byron Pope • April 12, 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
Renault Board Cleans House Over Alleged Corporate-Espionage Debacle
Six high-ranking employees have been dismissed and COO Patrick Pelata has resigned, although he will continue to work for Renault-Nissan. CEO Carlos Ghosn keeps his job.
By William Diem • April 12, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford DWI Arrests Show Times Have Changed
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. When the police arrested Henry Ford II for drunken driving in the 1970s, he brushed off reporters seeking comment, saying, “Never complain,...
By Steve Finlay 2 • April 7, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Potential Sky-High for Toyota-Microsoft ‘Cloud’ Venture
Toyota Media Service, a $12 million partnership to develop advanced vehicle telematics from Microsoft’s Windows Azure computing platform, will debut in Japan and the U.S., but the eventual rollout will be far-reaching.
By Eric Mayne • April 7, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler 200 Sales Surging
The 200 accounted for 6,750 deliveries in March, 20% of Chrysler’s overall car sales, which soared 40.5% compared with like-2010.
By Eric Mayne • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Another Round With Rattner
In a way, I've been stalking Steve Rattner for months now. It is part of my effort to fully understand the federal bailout and subsequent restructuring of the auto industry. It has been an interesting pursuit. Some people have called Rattner the car czar because of his role in the government coming to the rescue of teetering General Motors and Chrysler. Rattner tries to respond graciously to that
By David Ruggles • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Florida’s JM Lexus Uses Internet to Reach Far for Customers
The world's No.1 Lexus dealership faces a quandary as its Internet-assisted vehicle sales keep growing. We welcome the Internet's growth from 12% of the business to 30% in 2010, says Robert Glasser, Internet director at JM Lexus in Margate, FL. But we are coping with whether we are a dealership with an Internet department or an Internet business (that sells cars). Many other dealerships face the same
By Mac Gordon • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dealer Appreciation
Bert Boeckmann, president and owner of Galpin Motors in North Hills, CA, didn't start out wanting to be the largest Ford dealer in the country, let alone the world. Yet, Galpin has been the world leader in Ford sales for 21 consecutive years. Nor did his blueprint for success include Galpin Ford being No.11 on the Ward's Dealer 500 list or the 10-store Galpin Motors being No.54 on the Ward's MegaDealer
By Lillie Guyer • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ward’s 2011 e-Dealer 100
Rank Dealership Dealer Owner/Principal City ST New Internet Unit Sales Used Internet Unit Sales Total Internet Unit Sales 1 Chapman Automotive (Internet Unit) Jerry B. Chapman Chandler AZ 4,851 4,095 8,946 2 Dave Smith Motors Ken Smith Kellogg ID 4,001 1,644 5,645 3 Jim Koons - Tyson's Toyota Jim Koons/Jim Koons Automotive Vienna VA 3,171 2,102 5,273 4 Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships Brad Tonkin,
April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Renault Apologizes for Executive Firings in Spy Case
RENAULT APOLOGIZES FOR WRONGFULLY firing three executives connected with the company's electric-car program and is promising to make reparations after one of the auto maker's two internal security officers was arrested and charged with organized fraud. The three executives reportedly were accused by the company for allegedly selling corporate secrets. Carlos Ghosn, chairman and chief executive officer,
By William Diem • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford’s Glass House Now on the Map
Automotive journalists don't often have immediate impact on the vehicles we drive. But even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then. During the course of my judging duties for the 2011 Ward's 10 Best Interiors competition, I piloted the stylish '12 Ford Focus through downtown Detroit. Contrary to some critics, I found the MyFord Touch infotainment system to be intuitive and engaging. The nav
By STEVE FINLAY ERIC MAYNE BARBARA MCCLELLAN TOM MURPHY JOHN SOUSANIS DAVE ZOIA • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Buick Fills Pontiac Void at Dealership
Losing the Pontiac franchise has been overcome by the Sellers Buick-GMC dealership in Farmington Hills, MI, which enjoyed a 52% spike. Fortunately, Buick's line of sedans and SUVs appeals greatly to Pontiac owners and we managed to complete a new showroom just as the Pontiac brand was being wound down, says dealership owner-president Sam Slaughter. He adds that Buick's Enclave, LaCrosse and Regal
By Adam Armbruster • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Auto Guru Cole Shifting Gears
LEGENDARY GENERAL MOTORS EXECUTIVE Edward Cole wanted his son, Dave, to attend MIT after he graduated from Redford High School near Detroit in 1955, but Dave Cole had different ideas. He wanted to attend Michigan State University to study agriculture, after working on his grandparent's dairy farm in western Michigan since he was a tyke. The younger Cole ultimately chose the University of Michigan,
By David C. Smith • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chapman Automotive Group Breaks Internet Record
CHANDLER, AZ Forty-five years ago, a young Jerry Chapman left a dealership in Mississippi and took over a Chevrolet store in this Phoenix suburb. In 1972, he constructed a new building for the brand. That dealership is going strong as a flagship for the Chapman Automotive Group. In the early days, he never dreamed he would preside over an 18-store, 21-brand group using a once unheard-of marvel called
By Mac Gordon • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Whipping Boy No More
Chrysler expects dramatic improvements in launch quality and corresponding reductions in warranty claims, based on early results of a new production-vehicle testing protocol. Chrysler has partnered with Roush to conduct extensive, standardized on-road testing of first-run vehicles, reveals Doug Betts, senior vice-president quality. The testing, adapted from a methodology employed by alliance-partner
By Eric Mayne • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Showroom-Within-Showroom
NEW HUDSON, MI Hyundai Motor America's initially controversial plan to construct a showroom-within-a-showroom for its luxury-leaning Equus and Genesis sedans is progressing smoothly, officials say. Some 200 of the Korean auto maker's 400 U.S. stores opting for the scheme completed installations as of Feb. 23. Hyundai has about 800 dealers in the U.S. Ward's first revealed the showroom-within-a-showroom
By Christie Schweinsberg • April 1, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Why Alan Mulally Kissed Galpin Ford’s Bert Boeckmann
“Every person is unique,” says Bert Boeckmann, patriarch of Galpin Motors. “If you do it right, you create a bond of trust with customers.”
By Lillie Guyer • March 31, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler Product Blitz Continues
The next wave of new product represents the litmus test for Chrysler’s long-term direction. By 2014, Fiat platforms will account for some 56% of the auto maker’s worldwide car volume.
By Eric Mayne • March 28, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Florida’s JM Lexus Uses Internet to Reach Far for Customers
The dealership now has an Internet staff of 21 employees who recently moved to larger quarters in a former Dodge dealership.
By Mac Gordon • March 28, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Says Paint Shortage Poses No Problems
Ford sent a note to dealers saying some red and black paint colors will not be available on certain models due to a lack of xirallic, a paint additive the auto maker sources from Japan.
By Byron Pope • March 25, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Japanese Continue Plant Shutdowns
Toyota has warned workers it may have to cut output in North America as a result of parts shortages.
By Roger Schreffler • March 24, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
PSA Reverses Course, Will Make Low-Cost Cars
Three projects are planned, including a production version of the Citroen C-Cactus concept that bowed at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show.
By William Diem • March 21, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Adds Car-Hauler in Wake of Allied’s Exit
Allied withdrew its services from GM earlier this week after the auto maker chose not to renew a contract with the carrier.
By James M. Amend • March 18, 2011 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM to Halt Small Pickup Output Due to Japanese Parts Shortage
According to Ward’s data, stocks of the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon finished February with a 58 and 61 days’ supply, respectively.
By Ward's Staff • March 17, 2011
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