Chrysler Starts Online Dealership Job Program for Veterans

A federally-approved online military training program for dealership and corporate jobs has been launched by Chrysler LLC with better than expected results. The program, open to all veterans of the armed forces and their spouses, has already placed 387 Iraq veterans at dealerships and 67 in Chrysler corporate departments, says Kurt Crisman, marketing director of the program's creator, Latitude Consulting

By Mac Gordon • Dec. 1, 2008

Owner Feedback at 12,000 Ft.

Telluride, CO Kevin Metz talks of not goofing up, as he drives a Jeep up a narrow and jagged 4X4 mountain trail, one side ending in a sheer drop. He's not referring to erring and plunging the $40,000 Commander into the white aspens far below. Rather, Metz is talking about his job, about doing right as the brand manager for Chrysler LCC's Jeep Div. I see myself as the protector of the brand, he says.

By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2008

Explore the Trendline➔

Artificial 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

Camaro Concepts Stoke Creativity

Christmas Came a Month Early to Las Vegas as slack-jawed lovers of American muscle cars crowded by the hundreds into the General Motors Corp. pavilion to behold the Chevrolet Camaro of their dreams. Not just one Camaro, but a workshop full of custom-painted, Hurst-shifting, chrome-wheeled, attitude-drenched macho coupes powerful enough to pull Santa's sleigh clear around the world in the time it takes

By Tom Murphy • Dec. 1, 2008

When Customers Walk Out

When a customer leaves his dealership without buying a vehicle, Darin Wade wants to know why. To find out systematically and then do something about it, Wade, vice president of Rich Ford, has set up a sophisticated customer-relationship center at his Albuquerque, NM, dealership. The center, using software that took more than two years to develop, tracks and follows up Internet and phone leads and

By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2008

GM/Chrysler Merger a Bad Idea

GM Announced in Early November it has suspended its effort to merge with Chrysler. Let's hope that's the end of it. I don't think I've ever heard a worse idea. Unless GM and Cerberus Capital Management, which controls Chrysler, come up with a better rationale, I could see angry mobs taking to the streets before they ever let this kind of deal go through. First off, if we're to believe what Chrysler's

By John McElroy • Dec. 1, 2008

GM Delays Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid

General Motors Corp. Delays Launch of the '09 Saturn Vue 2-Mode hybrid until next year, further illustrating how the auto maker intends to pinch its pennies for the remainder of 2008. Saturn's new hybrid was slated to begin output Dec. 1 in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, but GM now is postponing Job One until first-quarter 2009. The delay, which a spokesman characterizes as four to six weeks, also could affect

By James M. Amend • Dec. 1, 2008

BMW Uses CRM To Aid Service Sales

BMW of North America LLC is trying to keep it simple as it uses customer-relationship management systems to supercharge dealership parts and service sales. We want to move auto parts, not come up with new programs that complicate the world, says Grant Paullo, the German auto importer's manager-aftersales marketing and communications. He cites three objectives for leveraging data to increase revenue

By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2008

Former Dealer Jailed and Ordered to Repay $500,000

Former Bronx, NY, Lincoln-Mercury dealer Robert Federico has received a four-month jail sentence and five years probation after pleading guilty to stealing $500,000 from 50 customers over a 16-month period that began in January, 2005. Federico, 48, was accused of failing to pay off liens on used cars; pocketing purchase funds for extended factory warranties; and keeping proceeds from a second bank

By Mac Gordon • Dec. 1, 2008

Minn. Megadealer Sues Chrysler Financial

In September, it was Bill Heard that fell victim to having its floorplan financing yanked by a captive finance firm. Now it's Minneapolis megadealer Denny Hecker's turn. Chrysler Financial pulled all of its financing in November from Hecker's 18 dealerships and affiliated companies, according to a story first reported by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. Hecker promptly filed a lawsuit against

By Cliff Banks • Dec. 1, 2008

Casual Speech No Problem

Toyota Motor Corp.'s New Lexus RX cross/utility vehicle debuting next year will be the first in the U.S. to offer casual-speech software with its voice-recognition navigation system, sources tell Ward's. The casual-speech system is different from other voice-recognition technologies on the market because it does not require users to memorize canned phrases to activate certain functions. The RX's system

By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 1, 2008

Some Dealers Miffed at Credit Unions

Some dealership managers are feeling burned by credit unions. Several credit unions have established working relationships with auto dealers looking for consumer auto loan sources. But Zain Haroon, general sales manager of Hamer Toyota in Mission Hills, CA, regrets hooking up with those lending institutions. Five or six years ago, we started sending a lot of deals to credit unions, but we're never

By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2008

Ford Cutting Deep Into Supply Base

Ford Motor Co. Will Shed More Than half of its current roster of 2,000-plus suppliers, trimming the number to 700-800 long-term, the auto maker's purchasing chief says. It will happen over a period of years, Tony Brown, senior vice president-global purchasing, tells reporters in New York of the supply-base downsizing. We have to get capacity out of the system to get the industry healthy, Brown says.

By Herb Shuldiner • Dec. 1, 2008

BMW Seals Up Plastics Award

Times May Be Tough, but it was Obvious at the annual Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Innovation Awards banquet Nov. 20 in suburban Detroit that there still is no shortage of innovation in the auto industry. Organizers say this year saw one of the most competitive fields of parts nominations in the nearly four decades of the program's history. The Grand Award, the SPE's highest honor, went

Dec. 1, 2008

Dangerous World

As dealers, you now are facing the greatest threat to your business that you have ever seen the increasing unavailability of floor plan financing. It is a world in which your finance firm might be your worst enemy. Forget about the state-franchise laws protecting you. It's a new world today. Some of you who have had decades-long partnerships with firms such as GMAC or Chrysler Financial are now finding

By Cliff Banks • Dec. 1, 2008

VW Prods Suppliers to Open Black Boxes

A VW researcher believes it’s possible to eliminate 50% of today’s processing units, even while increasing the complexity of vehicles.

By Herb Shuldiner • Dec. 1, 2008

Brand Elimination?

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 Big Three restructuring plans are due to Congress Tuesday December 2. So here's a question, will General Motors' plan include the cuttin...

Nov. 26, 2008

GM Swears Off Bankruptcy in Fight for Survival

The auto maker also sticks with its thinking that, despite record-low gasoline prices, consumers have made a long-term shift away from gas-guzzling trucks.

By James M. Amend • Nov. 26, 2008

Honda Maintains Focus on Safety

Penetration of the safety systems throughout the auto maker’s lineup will be gradual, as prices decline over the next five to 10 years, an executive says.

By Roger Schreffler • Nov. 26, 2008

VW May Extend Holiday Downtime at Wolfsburg Factory

VW reportedly is mulling plans to shut the Wolfsburg plant Dec. 18-Jan. 11, and may close part of the plant as early as Dec. 5.

By Ward's Staff From Wires • Nov. 25, 2008

Lexus U.S. Chief Says Luxury Sales Crown Not Priority

With BMW’s sales declining 8.5% in October, compared with Lexus’ 37.6% slump, it’s unclear whether the Japanese auto maker will be able to maintain its 8-year crown.

By Christie Schweinsberg • Nov. 25, 2008

Mercedes Takes V2V to Higher Level

The German auto maker shows off its traffic-signal detection system and Mindlab testing that evaluates driver stress with brainwave measurements at the ITS congress.

By Herb Shuldiner • Nov. 25, 2008

SPE Names 2008 Innovation Award Winners

Plastics advancements are plentiful as BMW wins top honors for its cleverly assembled fuel tank, a dozen features are recognized in the Ford Flex and several other awards are given as well.

By Ward's Staff • Nov. 21, 2008

Mazda Builds 2 Millionth Mazda3

The Mazda3 is the first Mazda vehicle to exceed its annual production volume for four consecutive years since output of the model began in 2003.

By Ward's Staff • Nov. 21, 2008

GM-Chrysler Merger Bad Idea

Let’s hope merger talks don’t resume. Almost no automotive OEM merger has worked in recent history.

By John McElroy • Nov. 21, 2008

Nissan Stages World Debut of Backup-Collision-Prevention System

Backup accident prevention is one of two new technologies in the auto maker’s All-Around Collision Free prototype displayed in the U.S. for the first time in conjunction with the ITS world congress.

By Herb Shuldiner • Nov. 21, 2008