Automakers: Page 330
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler Financial Pulls Plug on Leasing
Chrysler dealers can continue to offer leasing through independent sources.
By Eric Mayne and James M. Amend • July 25, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
BMW Appoints New North American Executive Vice President
Miles most recently served as regional vice president of BMW’s central sales region in Chicago.
By Ward's Staff • July 25, 2008 -
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
Chrysler Looking to Cut 1,000 White-Collar Jobs
The move marks the fourth time in 18 months the auto maker has undertaken significant staff reductions.
By Ward's Staff From Wires • July 23, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Puts Stop to Third Shift at Flex Plant
Some 350 new hires expected to staff the third shift have been told their jobs now are on indefinite hold.
By Ward's Staff From Wires • July 23, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Dealership One of Nation’s First ‘Green’ Facilities
LaFontaine, which recently unveiled its $15 million Buick-Pontiac-GMC-Cadillac store in Highland Township, MI, will achieve a “Gold Leadership” designation for its earth friendly design.
By Derek Stark • July 23, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
New Ford Focus RS Debuts With 296 hp
The ‘09 Focus RS builds on the current ST model with aggressive styling, more turbo boost and a unique front suspension meant to reduce torque steer.
By Mike Sutton • July 23, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart a Welcome Middle Child
The ‘09 Lancer Ralliart confronts the Subaru Impreza WRX with Evolution X technology and sub-$30,000 pricing.
By Mike Sutton • July 22, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
BMW Turbocharges its Future
After steering clear of turbocharging gasoline engines for a quarter century, BMW is embracing forced induction with a vengeance.
By Gary Witzenburg • July 18, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Buick, Pontiac, GMC Channel Working
The 1,600 dealers currently aligned with the channel account for approximately 80% of sales from the trio of GM nameplates.
By Derek Stark • July 17, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford, GM, Nissan to Supply Hybrid Taxis in New York
New York already has 1,286 hybrid taxis, about 10% of the 13,227 cabs that cruise the city daily.
By Herb Shuldiner • July 16, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
’09 SL65 AMG Black Series Tops Mercedes Lineup
The new V-12 coupe gets a track-focused diet of carbon fiber and a boost in power to make it one of the most aggressive Mercedes vehicles to date.
By Mike Sutton • July 15, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Volkswagen Research Underscores Positive Impact of Electronic Stability Control
VW’s database includes information from more than 10,000 crashes.
By James M. Amend • July 14, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Toyota to Build Prius in Mississippi, Shifting All Tundra Output to Texas
The midsize car will become the second HEV to be built in the U.S., following the Camry Hybrid in Georgetown, KY.
By Ward's Staff • July 10, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Denies Reports Saturn Faces Elimination in New Restructuring Round
Saturn sales last month fell 1.9% and deliveries so far this year are off 18.6%, according to Ward’s data.
By James M. Amend • July 7, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Audi Unveils Supercharged 3.0L TFSI V-6
The belt-driven, roots-type compressor allows the premium V-6 to make 290 hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, while also improving throttle response and packaging.
By Mike Sutton • July 7, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler Realigns Human Resources Staff
Nancy Rae will lead the integration of the auto maker’s human resources, employee relations and communications functions.
By Ward's Staff • July 3, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Audi Sets September Launch for New A4
Audi predicts 80% of the A4s sold will be equipped with the 4-cyl. engine, which generates 211 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.
By Herb Shuldiner • July 3, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
VW Minivan Plans Unhindered by Chrysler Production Move
Chrysler dominated the U.S. minivan market in 2007 with 315,000 deliveries, falling just short of the combined totals of Toyota and Honda.
By James M. Amend • July 1, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Form Over Function
Introduced in 2003, the Infiniti FX was an industry first as a fast and sleek cross/utility vehicle that emphasized sport over utility. It was a breakthrough; there was nothing else like it at the time in that segment, says John Weiner, director-product planning for Nissan North America Inc.'s Infiniti luxury division. The FX was fast. And as a style statement featuring curvy lines, it looked more
By Steve Finlay • July 1, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Says More Trucks Could Go Unibody
General Motors Corp. Brings to market this fall a fourth midsize cross/utility vehicle to meet a shift in consumer demand away from body-on-frame SUVs, and company executives say the auto maker could migrate more trucks to unibody construction. Don Butler, marketing director for GM trucks, shies away from discussing future product plans but says market demand ultimately will decide. You can count
By James M. Amend • July 1, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dealership Concentrates on Selling 3 Key F&I Offerings
Reducing the number of product offerings, increasing managerial training and focusing on customer comfort zones are ingredients in Big Two Toyota-Scion's finance and insurance success, says Wally Henkel, general manager. The dealership, based in Chandler, AZ, ranks 146th on the inaugural Ward's F&I 150, a listing of the top 150 F&I revenue-generating stores based on the Ward's Dealer 500 list. Big
By Derek Stark • July 1, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Cadillac/Kia Dealer Adds a Hyundai Showplace in Ohio
A new 37,000-sq.-ft. Hyundai dealership is open for business in Ohio near owner Stephen Taylor's high-volume Kia store and adjacent Cadillac showroom. Taylor is the only Cadillac-only dealer with both Korean franchises. The Hyundai store is located in Perrysburg, and the Cadillac and Kia dealerships in Toledo, where Jeep Liberty SUVs are built. We added the Kia franchise seven years ago, says Taylor,
By Bt Mac Gordon • July 1, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Selling Luxury to Slacker Set
Washington Remember Generation X as an angst-ridden bunch, derided as the slacker set? Maybe they didn't turn out so bad after all. Why else would auto companies now be pitching luxury cars to them? Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln Mercury Div. is taking demographic aim at Gen Xers in marketing its all-new '09 Lincoln MKS flagship sedan, touted for elegant design and high technology. In going after the Gen
By Steve Finlay • July 1, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
One Ford Strategy Streamlines Purchasing Operations
Ford Motor Co.'s One Ford strategy, implemented by CEO Alan Mulally to better align the auto maker's global resources, has had profound impact on the company's purchasing operations and its suppliers, two top-level managers say. Key to the strategy is the formation of the system, which teams product-development personnel with those from purchasing. In the case of vehicle interiors, Mike Taylor, director-global
By Byron Pope • July 1, 2008 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Advances Global Purchasing Strategy
Ford Motor Co.'s Purchasing Operations are Being transformed under CEO Alan Mulally's One Ford strategy, which calls for all divisions of the auto maker to operate on a collaborative global basis. To align North American purchasing with the rest of the world, Ford last year called on Paul Stokes, former head of European purchasing. Stokes succeeds Andrew Hinkly, who has left the company, and reports
By Byron Pope • July 1, 2008
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