General Motors Chief: Value Pricing’s Early Signs Positive

Early indications are that buyers are responding to General Motors Corp.'s Total Value Promise pricing plan that emphasizes lower sticker prices and fewer incentives, CEO Rick Wagoner says. People are interested in more value pricing, he says, speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the Frankfurt, Germany auto show. We know it's going to work. But he cautions that it doesn't mean incentives will

Oct. 1, 2005

Hustling Civic Output

It is too soon to say high gasoline prices are causing a stampede toward fuel-efficient compact cars, but Honda of America Mfg. Inc. (HAM) officials nonetheless say some new tweaks to its already highly efficient New Manufacturing System allowed the company to crank out the all-new Civic sedan well in advance of the original start of production date. The official start of '06 Civic sales long was

By Bill Visnic • Oct. 1, 2005

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

A Safer Airbag

Studies have shown at least a third of all airbag-related injuries are facial in nature. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Admin. says airbags typically deploy at speeds of about 100 mph (160 km/h) and can cause scratches and scrapes, and, in rare cases, eye injuries. With these statistics in mind, Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus luxury division designed what it calls the world's first twin-chamber

By Christie Schweinsberg • Oct. 1, 2005

African-American Dealer Aids Infiniti Ethnic Diversity Effort

The new Infiniti of Chantilly (VA) dealership becomes one of two African-American-owned Infiniti stores in the Nissan North America Inc. luxury brand's Eastern region. Reginald Brown and partner Jay H. Nussbaum own the store. Brown's appointment as dealer-principal brings the number of African-American Nissan and Infiniti dealers to 25. The appointment of an African-American dealer supports Infiniti's

Oct. 1, 2005

Correction

A caption on p.27 of the September issue should have said ZF Lemforder produces front and rear axle systems for vehicles such as the BMW X3.

Oct. 1, 2005

Toyota Importing Camry Hybrid Parts

When Toyota Motor Mfg. North America Inc. begins producing Camry hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) in late 2006, the auto maker will import most drivetrain components from Japan, rather than sourcing them domestically. In May, Toyota said it would assemble Camry hybrids in Georgetown, KY, and President Gary Convis said the company hoped to localize sourcing. But the timetable for that migration remains

Oct. 1, 2005

Where Is He Now?

Jacques (Jac) Nasser was forced out as CEO of Ford Motor Co. four years ago this month. Since then, he has shunned the limelight he once so immensely enjoyed. Nasser still holds his cards close to his chest, but during a phone interview with Ward's he provides some details of his new life as a private equity banker. When I say private equity, I like the in particular, he laughs, referring to his past

By David C. Smith • Oct. 1, 2005

Mini Concept Is a Stretch

It appears every production vehicle from the Lincoln Town Car and Navigator to the Hummer is fair game for the limousine conversion business. So why not a Mini? A Mini concept car displayed at September's Frankfurt, Germany auto show is evidence that BMW designers may have been asking that very question. Mini is doing well, selling 700,000 units since its re-launch under Bavarian tutelage three years

By Tom Murphy • Oct. 1, 2005

Volvo Confident in Smooth JV With Pininfarina

FRANKFURT – It was pure serendipity when Volvo Cars President Hans-Olov Olsson was placed next to Andrea Pininfarina, president and CEO of Italian specialty car company Pininfarina SpA, at a dinner in Detroit several years ago. Olsson says Volvo was in the middle of its analysis on developing a new C70 at that time. “We needed a partner that had experience with coupes,” he says. After a preliminary

By Herb Shuldiner • Sept. 28, 2005

VW Phaeton Not Going Away

FRANKFURT There will be a second-generation Phaeton luxury sedan, and the Dresden, Germany, plant where it is assembled has an equally long-term future, says Bernd Pischetsrieder, CEO of Volkswagen AG. The sedan, VW's foray into the luxury segment, was first introduced in Europe with a short wheelbase and V-6 in 2002, and a larger version, with a V-8 engine, was engineered for its North American debut

By Alisa Priddle • Sept. 22, 2005

Renault May Boost Romanian Investment

FRANKFURT Renault SA plans to make a decision about possible new investment in Romania by the end of October, a top Automobile Dacia SA executive says at the auto show here. Demand for the Romanian-built Dacia Logan is better than expected, and Dacia is facing a shortage of the entry-level cars. "At the beginning of September, we had to reduce production of the Dacia Pickup truck in order to make

By Peter Homola • Sept. 14, 2005

Renault Egeus Hints at Future CUVs

FRANKFURT Renault SA worked on the all-wheel-drive Egeus concept cross/utility vehicle unveiled at the auto show here for nearly two years. That is three or four times longer than typical show cars, such as the Ford Iosis or Toyota Endo, which reflects the serious nature of its attempt to make upscale vehicles that sell, the company says. (See related story: Renault to Debut Concepts Big and Small

By William Diem • Sept. 13, 2005

Former Aston Martin Designer Returns to Center Stage

FRANKFURT – Fisker Coachbuild LLC, led by former Aston Martin design chief Henrik Fisker, makes its world debut here with a pair of luxury sports cars based on two icons of German engineering. The ’06 Fisker Tramonto is a 610-hp 2-seater built on the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG’s architecture, and the ’06 Fisker Latigo CS is a 550-hp coupe with the underpinnings of the BMW 650 CSi. Scheduled for worldwide

By Eric Mayne • Sept. 13, 2005

Second-Generation Volvo Convertible Takes Public Bow

FRANKFURT Volvo Cars has big plans for its all-new '06 C70 4-seat convertible, making a worldwide debut at the auto show here. “We expect to double sales compared with the first generation's best year,” says Volvo President Hans-Olov Olsson. That would put the new model at 16,000 units annually, compared with the first-generation C70's peak of 8,000 units worldwide in 2004. In total, Volvo sold about

By Herb Shuldiner • Sept. 13, 2005

Toyota Yaris Variants Bound for U.S.

Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday will unveil its all-new European-spec Yaris small car and RAV4 cross/utility models at the Frankfurt auto show. The Yaris variants include a 3- and 5-door liftback. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. says when the vehicle reaches U.S. shores next spring as an '07 model, it will be sold with a 3-door body style and a yet-to-be-named variant. (See related story: Toyota Debuting

By Christie Schweinsberg • Sept. 12, 2005

Bentley Fighting to Handle Demand

FRANKFURT Bentley Motors Ltd. will use parent Volkswagen AG's vehicle assembly plant in Dresden, Germany, to build the Continental GT Flying Spur during the fourth quarter to help launch the 4-door sedan. The production is temporary and should generate up to 400 additional units for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Holland, says Adrian Michael Hallmark, head of worldwide marketing and sales for Bentley.

By Alisa Priddle • Sept. 12, 2005

VW Eos Convertible Bigger, Badder Than Beetle

FRANKFURT Volkswagen AG uses a bed of sunflowers as the red carpet for the world debut of the VW Eos coupe/cabriolet at the auto show here. The German auto maker bills it as the first 4-seat convertible coupe with a 5-section roof. The car was shown as the Concept C at the Geneva auto show 18 months ago. In size, it slots between the Golf and Passat, larger than the Beetle convertible that has been

By Alisa Priddle • Sept. 12, 2005

S-Class Stop-and-Go Take Rate Pegged at 40%

FRANKFURT – The ’06 Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan will offer a next-generation adaptive cruise control (ACC) system that can bring the vehicle to a complete stop, then resume a safe speed based on the distance from the vehicle ahead. ACC has been appearing on a limited number of luxury cars in Europe and the U.S., although the feature has been more popular in Europe. It generally uses radar sensing

By Tom Murphy • Sept. 12, 2005

Iosis Signals Ford Europe Design Future

Ford Motor Co. hasn't announced any production plans for the dramatically styled Iosis concept it will debut on Tuesday at the Frankfurt auto show. But the “kinetic design” of the sporty 4-door signifies unequivocally the styling future for Ford of Europe, the auto maker says. Iosis has four doors but no B-pillar and no rear-view mirrors.Suicide doors flip upward. "It sends a bold message because

By Tom Murphy • Sept. 12, 2005

Chinese Auto Makers to Debut at Frankfurt

PARIS Bamboo wind chimes are ringing in Europe as the Frankfurt auto show, which begins next week, approaches. At least four of China's most-aggressive small auto makers will display vehicles at the show. They include Geely Holding Group, Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., Chang'an Automobile Group Corp. and Hafei Automobile Co. Ltd. Chery Automobile Co. Ltd., which earlier in the year announced

By William Diem • Sept. 9, 2005

Steel Group Opening Up?

The Auto/Steel Partnership that started 17 years ago as a Big Three attempt to improve their competitiveness probably would be open today to membership from Asian and European auto makers. If it were brought up today, there would be a discussion about it, says Roger Heimbuch, a former General Motors Corp. engineer who now is executive director of the group. Ten years ago, there would have been no

By William Diem • Sept. 1, 2005

Talkin’ Trucks

TRAVERSE CITY, MI In trying to grow its presence in the U.S. pickup truck market Toyota Motor Corp. will not chase Big Three-only families, targeting instead those with a Camry and a Ford F-150 in the driveway, says the auto maker's U.S. sales chief. We really want the Tundra to serve Toyota customers, Jim Press, president and chief operating officer-Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., tells Ward's of

By Christie Schweinsberg • Sept. 1, 2005

GM to Order Dealerships’ Parts

A new Web-based parts-inventory management system launched by General Motors Corp. for its North American dealers may have parts managers applauding. The Retail Inventory Management system (RIM) provides dealerships with a recommended parts list and will order the parts automatically at no risk or cost to the dealer. RIM has been around since 1990, when Saturn Corp. developed it for its dealers. In

By Cliff Banks • Sept. 1, 2005

Lexus Kicks Up Service

ASADENA, CA Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus luxury division has been renowned for premium customer service since its inception in 1989. But Lexus-style deluxe perks are beginning to show up at competitors' dealerships. Freebies such as cappuccino and car washes are offered to keep buyers happy and, more importantly, keep them coming back. But trying to keep the luxury brand's storied level of customer

By Christie Schweinsberg • Sept. 1, 2005

Employee Discount Scheme Praised, Panned

General Motors Corp.'s bold marketing move offering employee discounts to consumers is either a stroke of genius or act of desperation. Such wide mixed reactions surfaced at a J.D. Power and Associates International Automotive Roundtable attended by about 200 auto industry executives, dealers and suppliers in Dearborn, MI. GM's discount program triggered a sales boost, says Tom Libby, senior director

By Steve Finlay • Sept. 1, 2005