GM Poised for Record Year in Used-Car Sales

GM’s U.S. retailers are not required to participate in the auto maker’s certified used-vehicle program, but more than half of the 7,000 U.S. dealers do.

By Herb Shuldiner • Oct. 5, 2007

Ford Oz to Showcase Falcon XR Sedans, Ute at Sydney

Ford says the limited-edition “XR by Craig Lowndes” Falcon Ute offers almost A$6,000 in additional equipment for A$1,000 above the recommended retail price of the standard XR Ute.

By Alan Harman • Oct. 5, 2007

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

Benz Gets Second Billing in Daimler Name Change

The Benz name will be used to designate divisions within Daimler AG.

By Eric Mayne • Oct. 5, 2007

GM Wentzville Plant’s Future ‘Business-Case Dependent’ Past 2012

GM says the next-generation large van will go to its Wentzville, MO, plant if there is enough demand and a strong enough business case.

By Byron Pope • Oct. 5, 2007

Ford ‘Whiz Kid’ Lundy Dies

Lundy retired in 1979, but stayed on as a member of the board of directors until 1985.

By Ward's Staff • Oct. 4, 2007

Citroen Opens Brand Showroom on Champs Elysees

Citroen’s 6-story tower resembles a geodesic dome made of glass, except the glass windows aren’t so regular and many of them look like the dual chevrons of the Citroen logo.

By William Diem • Oct. 4, 2007

Mazda CX-9 Attracting Luxury Buyers

The upgraded engine will be made in Hiroshima, Japan, rather than Ford’s Lima, OH, engine plant where the previous mill was produced.

By Byron Pope • Oct. 3, 2007

Mazda Taiki Set for Tokyo

Mazda’s fourth “flow”-oriented concept car is powered by a new version of the auto maker’s Renesis rotary engine.

By Christie Schweinsberg • Oct. 2, 2007

Conti, Microsoft Target Telematics

Continental AG, a partner with Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft Corp. for the collaborative development of an in-vehicle multimedia system dubbed Sync, says it plans to offer similar systems to other auto makers as industry interest in in-vehicle telematics heats up.

By Byron Pope • Oct. 1, 2007

New Chrysler Scores a Coup

Dealers, who sometimes complain auto executives don't listen to them, had something to do with Chrysler's huge coup of hiring industry titan Jim Press away from Toyota.

By Steve Finlay • Oct. 1, 2007

Malibu Heart of GM’s Lineup?

General Motors Corp. is gambling the Chevrolet Malibu, a car it has redesigned practically from the ground up to challenge perennial midsize segment leaders Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, will become the key vehicle in its 2008 lineup. GM dealers, however, have heard this story before. Four years ago, the auto maker promised a similar feat from the '04 Malibu and the disappointing Malibu Maxx 5-door,

By James M. Amend • Oct. 1, 2007

GM’s New N. American Design Chief

Chevrolet’s redesigned ’08 Malibu will get a big sendoff this fall as General Motors Corp. tries to convince buyers it is a worthy alternative to Toyota Motor Corp.’s Camry and Honda Motor Co. Ltd.’s Accord.

By David C. Smith • Oct. 1, 2007

Hired Guns

Fireworks are going off at Chrysler these days, and while it’s not July 4, it is about independence.

By Ward's Staff • Oct. 1, 2007

Small-Town Dealer Speaks Out

At age 80, Duane Schultz still goes to work every day at his Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep store across the street from a row of homes in this small southeastern Michigan town of Milan, population 4,500. The dealership with a 2-vehicle showroom has served the area for 60 years. Schultz' father, Leland Schultz, opened Schultz Motors of Milan right after World War II. Included today among its 13 employees are

By Mac Gordon • Oct. 1, 2007

North Carolina Is First State to Topple Chrysler Auction Ban

The North Carolina Automotive Dealers Assn. has added another controversial auto maker policy to the list of no-no's in the state's franchise law. Priding itself on being the association most protective of its members against factory restrictions, the Raleigh-based NCADA has won from the state legislature the nation's first ban on any policy preventing attendance at factory-only auctions by dealers

By Mac Gordon • Oct. 1, 2007

Barely Legal And Unapologetic

By taking the ’08 Dodge Viper SRT10 up to 600 hp, the folks at Chrysler LLC haven’t just swiped the power crown in American sports cars from the venerable Chevrolet Corvette, they’ve stomped on it, given it a swift kick to the curb and finished with a chin flick to their Detroit rivals.

By James M. Amend • Oct. 1, 2007

Suzuki Is Getting Emotional

TRAVERSE CITY, MI American Suzuki Motor Corp. planners looked upon the rolling landscape of the compact-sedan segment and detected a vacant spot in the middle. In the high-rent hills, they saw relatively pricey performance cars such as the Volkswagen Jetta and Mazda3. On low ground, they saw more affordable, but basic commuter cars such as the Kia Spectra and Toyota Corolla. What was missing was an

By Steve Finlay • Oct. 1, 2007

Goodbye Toyota, Hello Chrysler

The departure of Toyota Motor North America President Jim Press from the No.1 Japanese auto maker may come as a shock, but won't slow the company's growth, analysts tell Ward's. Toyota's No.1 American executive likely wanted to get back to his roots by being involved in the sales and marketing side of the business, dealers and analysts say. Press, who joined Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. in 1970,

By Christie Schweinsberg • Oct. 1, 2007

New Way to Turn In Leases

Chrysler Financial has redesigned its lease turn-in process.The firm says enhancements will simplify the vehicle turn-in inspection process, providing the customer a smooth transition into their next vehicle.

Oct. 1, 2007

GM Gets VEBA, Modified Jobs Bank

Production resumes at General Motors Corp.’s 80 strikebound U.S. plants after the United Auto Workers union “recessed” its 2-day walkout by some 73,000 workers following the close of contract talks. GM lost about 12,300 units of scheduled production per day during the shutdowns, Ward’s data shows.

By Eric Mayne and James M. Amend • Oct. 1, 2007

Megadealer Bill Heard and Georgia Feud Over Ad Mailer

Chevrolet megadealer Bill Heard Enterprises is sparring with the Georgia state government over charges of deceptive advertising that was allegedly intended to scare consumers into bringing in their vehicles for service work. The state's Office of Consumer Affairs has filed a civil suit seeking $50 million in damages against the four Bill Heard dealerships in Georgia, including its flagship store in

By Mac Gordon • Oct. 1, 2007

Nardelli Told to Avoid Fighting With Dealers

Chrysler LLC dealers are awaiting minor franchise changes in connection with the sale of the auto maker to the Cerberus Capital Management Group. So says Dan Feeny, owner of a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealership in the Chicago suburb of Elgin, IL. Most state franchise laws prohibit use of auto maker ownership changes as a pretext for altering terms in the franchise agreement that could be inimical to dealer

By Mac Gordon • Oct. 1, 2007

Nissan, Jatco Team Up On Automatic Transmission

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. and its subsidiary, Japanese transmission supplier Jatco Inc., are developing an advanced automatic transmission, a company source tells Ward’s.

By Christie Schweinsberg • Oct. 1, 2007

UAW Local Leaders Approve Landmark GM Contract

The deal includes a new health-care trust for retirees that GM will fund with an up-front contribution of $29.9 billion.

By James M. Amend • Sept. 28, 2007

Chrysler’s Press to Empower Employees, Dealers

Press says the foresight of Chrysler owner Cerberus Capital Management gives the auto maker a great advantage.

By Byron Pope • Sept. 28, 2007