Next Mazda6 to Possess a Stronger Personality, Design Chief Says

The Japanese auto maker won’t rest on its laurels, as it prepares to make lightning strike twice for some of its best-selling models.

By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 11, 2006

Eberhardt’s Undoing Shows Growing Dealer Influence

Poor relationships with Chrysler’s dealers prove to be too much for Eberhardt to overcome.

By Cliff Banks • Dec. 8, 2006

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

GM Confronts Safety on Three Fronts

The auto maker’s effort to reduce fatalities in its vehicles focuses on protecting occupants before, during and after a crash.

By Mike Sutton • Dec. 6, 2006

Nissan Aims High With Redesigned VQ-Series V-6

Nissan engineers revise their vaunted VQ V-6 for more performance without compromising refinement and fuel efficiency.

By Roger Schreffler • Dec. 5, 2006

GM OneSource – What It Means for Its Dealers

As General Motors Corp. begins the national rollout of its much-discussed “OneSource” dealership Internet program, dealers are being confronted with an overwhelming amount of information about the many components that make up this process.

By Al Amersdorfer • Dec. 5, 2006

Ford On The Edge

Ford Motor Co. brass would like to think the new Edge cross/utility vehicle will give the auto maker, well, an edge over the competition.

By Byron Pope • Dec. 1, 2006

Doubling Down in the Hot Luxury Segment

Dealer Scott Ginsburg is betting a bundle on the growth of the luxury car segment. The odds appear in his favor. Ginsburg, who owns Boardwalk Auto Group, opened a new Boardwalk Porsche in the affluent Dallas suburb of Plano, TX, The 36,000-sq.-ft. facility is one of the largest Porsche dealerships in the U.S. When you look at penetration, Dallas has one of the strongest luxury car markets anywhere,

Dec. 1, 2006

Another Small Dealer Is Done

Another small dealership closes, this one Foley Chrysler Plymouth after more than 50 years of selling cars on an acre lot in North Quincy, MA. Owner Bill Foley, 69, says shuttering the place is tough. He bought it 34 years ago. At least many of his 35 employees found jobs at other dealerships, he says. I'm ready for retirement myself. I feel bad that we couldn't keep it going by putting someone else

Dec. 1, 2006

GM Daewoo Gets First Sports Car

General Motors Corp.'s next-generation compact rear-wheel drive roadster is bound for South Korea.GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. will field the next model off the Compact RWD Performance Architecture, which currently underpins Saturn's Sky and Pontiac Solstice.

Dec. 1, 2006

Ford, You Did it Before

I remember back in 1980, when the future of Ford looked very, very grim. The company was downsizing drastically: bleeding red ink, laying off thousands and padlocking plants.

By John McElroy • Dec. 1, 2006

Money, Lies and Videotape

Matt Phelan of Roseville Toyota, read the scathing letter from a customer accusing one of his F&I managers of improper practices after his daughter's credit application was refused. Before responding, Phelan pulled the customer file and watched a videotape of the deal at the Roseville, CA, dealership. What he saw surprised him and indicated a professional scam artist trying to rip off a vehicle. The

By Lillie Guyer • Dec. 1, 2006

Ford Learning From Mistakes

Some say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.Mark Fields, president-The Americas, Ford Motor Co., adheres to that adage. “We don't want to be accused of being insane,” he quips.

By Byron Pope • Dec. 1, 2006

Eyeing a 2007 Turnaround

Nissan North America Inc. has spent most of 2006 in what the Chinese would call “interesting times.”

By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 1, 2006

The Ford Taurus Is Dead, But What an Amazing Run

The Ford Taurus is dead. Long live the The iconic family sedan, which bowed in 1985 as a 86 model, drew its last breath in October, when Ford pulled the plug on production at its Atlanta assembly plant. Ford execs must have winced a bit, having sold a total 7.5 million Taurus sedans and wagons in North America, alone. It's unlikely a U.S. domestic auto maker ever again will see that kind of sales

By Barbara McClellan • Dec. 1, 2006

Toyota Keeps Going

It's tempting to compare Toyota Motor Corp.'s North American operations to the infamous Energizer bunny: No matter what challenge it faces, it just keeps going and going and going.

By Christie Schweinsberg • Dec. 1, 2006

Targeting African-Americans Could Boost Dodge Stock

The all-new '07 Dodge Nitro midsize SUV could play a critical role in raising awareness about Chrysler Group's volume brand, a California-based consumer research firm suggests. The auto maker is making a strong play for African-American buyers with TV ads. If those work as intended, the effect could ripple across all demographics, says Alexander Edwards, president of Strategic Visions, which tracks

By Eric Mayne • Dec. 1, 2006

Upscale California Dealership Changes Hands

A Los Angeles-based private real estate investment company, Griffin Capital, now owns Superior Nissan of Puente Hills in City of Industry, CA. Built in 1993, the 76,109-sq.-ft. dealership includes a three-story building that comprises the showroom, office space, parts storage and car maintenance services. Superior Nissan of Puente Hills has a strong performance in car sales and leasing and is the

Dec. 1, 2006

Volvo’s Upcoming City Safety System Avoids Urban Collisions

The radar-scanning system will be introduced in two years on an all-new Volvo.

By Herb Shuldiner • Dec. 1, 2006

Land Rover’s LR2 Takes Aim at BMW X3

The LR2 is the first Land Rover to share architecture with Ford and Volvo vehicles.

By Scott Anderson • Nov. 30, 2006

Volvo Embraces Ford’s Global Product Development System

One area where Volvo has benefited from GPDS is in improving the driving characteristics of its vehicles.

By Byron Pope • Nov. 30, 2006

Nissan to Offer Altima Coupe, Sentra Performance Models

The auto maker expects the first-ever Altima variant to add 25,000-35,000 sales annually.

By Christie Schweinsberg • Nov. 29, 2006

Wagoner: Buick Doesn’t Need Fleets for Profits

Buick’s strategy to grow retail sales is tied to dealer consolidation with Pontiac and GMC.

By Scott Anderson • Nov. 29, 2006

Ford Learns From Past Mistakes

Mark Fields maintains Ford will remain a full-line manufacturer, but the segments it plays in are bound to change.

By Byron Pope • Nov. 28, 2006

American Honda Growing in Sales, Assertiveness

American Honda Chief John Mendel is following through on a promise to make the auto maker less modest about its achievements.

By Drew Winter • Nov. 28, 2006

VW Restructuring Pain Spreads to Brussels

VW consolidating Western European Golf production in two German plants – Mosel and Wolfsburg.

By Eric Mayne • Nov. 21, 2006