Automakers: Page 340
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Chrysler to Idle Jefferson North, Windsor
The No.3 U.S. auto maker tells workers the Jefferson North plant will lose its second shift in February.
By Ward's Staff From Wires • Dec. 12, 2007 -
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Nissan ‘Murano-ness’ Safe and Sound
Receiving its first major revision since its debut nearly six years ago, one of the original car-based utility vehicles softens the sport but ups the luxury factor.
By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 12, 2007 -
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 -
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Toyota Matrix Ho-Hum Hatch
Eye-catching new sheetmetal but a ho-hum powertrain borrowed from the Camry family sedan make the new compact 5-door a mixed offering.
By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 11, 2007 -
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Ford Readies for Production of Duratec 37
The 3.7L will first land in the upcoming ’09 Lincoln MKS, and going forward it will serve as the basis for Ford’s direct-injection, turbo-charged engine family.
By Byron Pope • Dec. 7, 2007 -
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Brisk Demand Spurs Malibu Production at Orion
The new Malibu drove a 15.0% increase in Chevrolet passenger-car sales in November – its first full sales month.
By James M. Amend • Dec. 6, 2007 -
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Toyota Takes Another Shot at Drawing Younger Buyers With Matrix
Toyota is hoping the new Matrix will lower the Corolla lineup’s average median age in line with the Mazda3, currently the segment leader with younger buyers.
By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 6, 2007 -
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BMW Welt Expands Delivery Experience
BMW expects 45,000 customers annually to take advantage of the new delivery program.
By Byron Pope • Dec. 4, 2007 -
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The Light Bulb Went On
General Motors Corp. decided six years ago to overhaul its accessories strategy. At the time, accessory sales in North America totaled $26 billion, but it was growing. In 2006, according to data from the Specialty Equipment Market Assn., accessory sales reached $36 billion. The light bulb went on at GM in 2001, says Nancy Philippart, executive director-GM accessories business channel. The auto maker
By Cliff Banks • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Captive Firms Buying Deeper
David Jones used to warn customers that if they failed to make their car payments, they'd no longer get credit. That's not true today, says Jones, vice president-consumer credit, operations support and plans for General Motors Acceptance Corp. Consumers with blemished credit histories that once precluded them from further financing can get credit somewhere today, he says. They're a growing breed.
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Smart Motors Is Building a 100,000-sq.-ft Toyota Dealership
Smart Motors is building a 100,000-sq.-ft. facility in Madison, WI. It will be the largest Toyota dealership in the Chicago region, a sprawling market that includes portions of four states. Impressive vehicle sales led to the decision to build the new facility and demolish the old one, says Smart Motors President and CEO J.R. Smart. Our sales began to increase to the point were we could no longer
Dec. 1, 2007 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Nissan Expects Sales to Exceed 1 Million Units Again
Nissan north america inc. is entering an era of promise, says its newly appointed sales chief. Multiple product launches in 2007, piggybacked on the momentum of late-year debuts in 2006, point toward success in 2008, says Mark McNabb. We'll continue to see the growth that we're at today, McNabb says of Nissan's 5.5% January-October U.S. sales increase to 898,194 units. Nissan expects to surpass 1
By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Audi Quells Understeer With Differential
In a bid to alleviate the understeering inherent in most of its nose-heavy all-wheel-drive cars, Audi AG introduces a new active sport differential to its trademark quattro AWD system. Known as torque-vectoring and popularized by Honda Motor Co. Ltd.'s recent introduction of its Super Handling-All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system, the new Audi technology incorporates an active rear differential, which
By Mike Sutton • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Toyota Hopes Dynamic Suspension Boosts Land Cruiser
Debuting on the new '08 Land Cruiser SUV is a suspension system that Toyota Motor Corp. hopes will give the new off-roader an edge over the competition. Designing the vehicle to be both manageable and predictable in on-road conditions and a good performer off paved roads was a challenge, says Dave Lee, senior product education and development administrator for the University of Toyota. Stabilizer
By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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I Blame the Middle Managers
Chrysler's new owners are trying to deal straight up with the reality of market forces, rather than give in to historical excuses about what went wrong. From all appearances the people at Cerberus stand ready to shed themselves of products, dealers, plants, unions and middle staff, if it might mean a quicker or better profit. From a dealer's perspective, the two most important things that might correct
By Peter Brandow • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Benz Store Uses Radio Frequency ID to Track Its Inventory
A new Mercedes-Benz dealership, RBM of Atlanta North in Alpharetta, GA, is using radio frequency identification (RFID) to track inventory. It is among the first dealerships to do so. Microchips put on dealership vehicles beam signals so staffers can quickly determine where any vehicle is located. The tracking technology is seeing a growing number of uses. It has been exciting to see the reaction of
Dec. 1, 2007 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Former All-American Heads Toyota Region
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc., has named Clyde Dyson as general manager of its Cincinnati region. He is responsible for vehicle sales and service, business management, market representation, marketing and parts sales for the auto maker's dealer network in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan. He joined Toyota in 1988. He has held company positions of district manager, business management manager,
Dec. 1, 2007 -
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And a Fiesty Auto Website Lists Its Worst Cars for 2007
The Truth About Cars website has named its 10 Worst Cars for 2007 and they are all General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC products. Detroit makes some great cars, trucks and SUVs, Publisher Robert Farago says. Long live those. But here (accompanied by TTAC's barbed comments in the second-annual judging) are cars he claims deserve a dignified and immediate death: Saturn ION The lame-duck ION waddles
Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Amazing What You Can Do
As a rookie salesman at an auto dealership, Chad Hubler remembers hearing the sales manager talking about Internet vehicle sales and marketing. I thought, What's that? Today, Hubler is general manager of Courtesy Chevrolet, a San Diego store with an ambitious Internet department. The dealership is one of several Courtesy outlets owned by the Gruwell family that has embraced new technologies to sell
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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An Unusual Dealership Dualing
Dealer John M. Leese heads an unusual dualing a Cadillac store (one of the nation's oldest) and a Lexus dealership. That's a rare combination of luxury-brand rivals. But he's made it work in Grand Rapids, MI. Leese is the fourth owner of Harvey Cadillac, which got its franchise in 1901. Ward's interviewed him at Harvey Lexus next door. Ward's: How did you come to own Harvey Cadillac? Leese: I started
By Mac Gordon • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Haldex Lands Prototype Order From Hyundai
The deal marks the first interest in the supplier’s all-wheel-drive technology from an Asian car manufacturer.
By Herb Shuldiner • Nov. 30, 2007 -
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Ford to Settle Explorer Class-Action Lawsuit
Plaintiffs in the case allege that Ford falsely advertised the SUV as safe, although the auto maker knew they had a tendency to flip.
By Ward's Staff From Wires • Nov. 29, 2007 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Guangzhou Auto Rolls Out Concept Cars; Prepares to Launch Own Brand
The state-owned company, which is partnered in joint-venture plants with Honda and Toyota, says the show cars are the first step in introducing the auto maker’s own brand.
By Peter Homola • Nov. 29, 2007 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Volvo Won’t Vanish in Ford’s Shadow, Arp Promises
Volvo’s destiny under the Blue Oval was sealed when Ford CEO Alan Mulally confirmed the Swedish brand will not be sold along with its Premier Automotive Group stablemates, Jaguar and Land Rover.
By Byron Pope • Nov. 28, 2007 -
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GM Turnaround Barrels Ahead, Despite Speed Bumps
The U.S. could show more strength in the second half of the year, CEO Rick Wagoner says, but warns much depends on the direction of financial markets presently befuddled by the housing crisis.
By James M. Amend • Nov. 27, 2007 -
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Mazda Leveraging Relationship With Ford
Mazda is on pace for a record sales year and expects substantial growth next year.
By Byron Pope • Nov. 26, 2007
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