Automakers: Page

Stoic Swedish Brand Soldiers On

Plucky Saab continues to try to find its way in the world. Under parent General Motors, the Swedish auto maker no longer has sole control of its legacy. Many product and manufacturing decisions are being made for it, not all of them favorable. Saab has seen its lineup grow, but is not completely happy with the outcome. The Saab 9-2X sport wagon is a barely disguised Subaru WRX, and not selling well.

By Alisa Priddle • June 22, 2005

Having Fun in Warm California Sun

ORANGE COUNTY, CA Why would the second-ranked Toyota dealer in the country want to devote much of his time to the 2005 chairmanship of the California New Motor Vehicle Board? “It's payback to the industry for all the good things that have come my way after I began selling cars in Waterloo, IA,” David W. Wilson says of his board service. “I never dreamed back in 1968 that I would, or even could, become

By Mac Gordon • June 2, 2005

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from WardsAuto

Automakers are evaluating their long-term strategies, revisiting their product mix, and approach to both retail and manufacturing approach along the way.

By WardsAuto staff

We’re On a Roll

ORANGE COUNTY, CA Why would the second-ranked Toyota dealer in the country want to devote much of his time to the 2005 chairmanship of the California New Motor Vehicle Board? It's payback to the industry for all the good things that have come my way after I began selling cars in Waterloo, IA, David W. Wilson says of his board service. I never dreamed back in 1968 that I would, or even could, become

By Mac Gordon • June 1, 2005

Hispanic Woman Lauded as Successful Calif. Dealer

Nine years ago, Rose Winter took over her late husband's Chevrolet and Honda dealership in Contra Costa County, CA. This year, the California Motor Car Dealers Assn. (CMCDA) recognized her as a successful entrepreneur in conjunction with Women's History Month in March. Of Hispanic ancestry, Winter is among 45 women in California operating dealerships. I know I am one of few women dealers in a male-dominated

June 1, 2005

Stretch 300

Chrysler Group confirms it has given the green light to provide coachbuilders with de-contented versions of its Chrysler 300C to facilitate production of long-wheelbase (LWB) versions of the sedan. Chrysler has not set a volume target for the project, saying it will provide vehicles as it can fit them into the production mix at Brampton, Ont., Canada. We have approved the basic framework, but there

June 1, 2005

CLOSING IN ON NO.1

Is Toyota Motor Corp. invincible? As the auto maker continues to set new records in sales and earnings, many think so. The numbers are impressive. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2005, Toyota's global sales increased 10.5% to 7.4 million vehicles while profits rose 0.8% to 1.6 trillion ($11.1 billion), another record for a Japanese company and more than the combined earnings of General Motors

By Mack Chrysler • June 1, 2005

Alabama Starts Hyundai Mobis’ Expansion

The all-new Hyundai Mobis plant in Montgomery, AL, has completed its pilot runs and now stands ready to supply Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.'s nearby new plant with an array of parts and modules needed in producing 150,000 '06 Sonatas annually. The Hyundai Motor assembly plant celebrated its grand opening May 20. Mobis is supplying the car plant with front- and rear- chassis modules, cockpits, airbag systems,

By Vince Courtenay • June 1, 2005

Visteon Shakeup

Ford Motor Co. is taking control of 24 Visteon Corp. plants and facilities in a $1.1 billion bailout expected to lighten its largest supplier's load and better position the parts maker for future growth. The deal is dependent on approval by the 17,500 United Auto Workers employees of Visteon who would flow back or be leased to Ford under the agreement. Ford previously leased employees to Visteon,

June 1, 2005

Audi 5000 to Success

It is the scariest roller-coaster ride in recent automotive history. It began in the early 1980s with a steady rise in sales and euphoric predictions. Thanks to ultra sleek styling that pioneered the idea of having glass flush with the car's exterior surfaces, Audi appeared well on its way to becoming a worthy rival to BMW and Mercedes at the top of the luxury car food chain in the U.S. Then disaster

By Drew Winter • June 1, 2005

Freelander Exits U.S. Market

Land Rover no longer will ship Freelander SUVs to the U.S. and Canada, due to a shortage of engines. The OEM has purchased 2.5L gasoline V-6s from MG Rover through a contract forged when both companies co-existed under BMW AG. With the collapse of MG Rover's Powertrain company, Land Rover will see its supply of Freelander mills run dry, a spokesman says. As a result, Land Rover is pulling the vehicle

June 1, 2005

BMW Outsourcing

BMW AG says it expects in-house development of components and systems to drop to 45% by the end of this year, a sharp decline from the 70% level of less than a decade ago. The auto maker says most of the increase in outsourcing will focus on the areas of electronic systems and technology. Burkhard Goeschel, BMW management board member responsible for product development and purchasing, tells SAE World

May 1, 2005

BMW Promotes Active Safety

BMW AG wants to put the auto safety industry on a new diet. After years of pouring money into expensive crash testing focused on passive-safety measures such as airbags, structural components and restraints, the German auto maker says it is time for government regulators to get serious about furthering collision-avoidance technologies. The auto industry became serious about developing vehicle safety

By John D. Stoll • May 1, 2005

Doing It Without Hype and Spin

One of the most respected and successful dealers in the huge Los Angeles market is Bert Boeckmann, 74, owner of the top-selling Galpin Ford and several other stores in the San Fernando Valley city of North Hills. Ward's interviewed him in his office in connection with the Galpin Group's repeat appearance on the Ward's Megadealer 100. Ward's: How has Galpin Ford continued to thrive while sales of your

By Mac Gordon • May 1, 2005

An Upside Down Under

It is a 20-hour plane ride from Detroit, yet the coastal city of Melbourne seems strangely familiar. Maybe it's because this is Australia's own Motor City, albeit with a warmer climate, smoother roads and decidedly European feel. Melbourne, Victoria, is home to Holden Ltd., General Motors Corp.'s Australian unit; plus Ford Motor Co. of Australia Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corp. Australia Ltd. And just

By Christie Schweinsberg • May 1, 2005

Black Dealer Makes History

Nissan North America Inc.'s (NNA) Southwest region opens its first African-American-owned dealership in Fontana, CA. Marcellus Wims, a 12-year veteran of the automotive industry, will operate Fontana Nissan. With his appointment of Wims as dealer-principal, Nissan will have at least one African-American dealer in all of its Nissan and Infiniti regions, making for a total of 23 African-American-owned

May 1, 2005

Big Business

It's a European institution as foreign to American culture as the siesta in Spain and Boxing Day in the U.K. Meet the minicar, which super-size me Americans would associate more closely with a go-kart than an adult car. But the segment is huge in Europe and nearly everywhere else. Minicar sales totaled about 1.2 million units in Europe in 2004, General Motors Corp. reports during a test drive in Torgiano,

By Brian Corbett • May 1, 2005

Larger Than Life

John Zachary DeLorean, who died in March of a stroke at age 80, left General Motors Corp. under a cloud in 1973 just as it seemed he was on his way to becoming president. There were rumblings for two years he might bolt. He'd quietly told associates he wanted to devote his life to social causes or possibly produce his own sports car. But it was a strange parting. For nine months after leaving GM he

By David C. Smith • May 1, 2005

Venerable VW Dealer Dies

Ralph Sharrett, 94, founder of the second-oldest continuously operating Volkswagen dealership in the U.S., died April 10. He established Sharrett VW in 1953 in Hagerstown, Md. Ralph played a significant role in Volkswagen's history, says Len Hunt, Volkswagen of America's executive vice president. Mr. Sharrett was a dealer his entire adult life. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived

May 1, 2005

Ford Exec Tries Hand at Running Dealerships

Earl Hesterberg, after a short stint as group vice president-North America marketing, sales and service for Ford Motor Co., becomes president and CEO of Group 1 Automotive Inc., a big dealership chain based in Houston, TX. Hesterberg, 51, had been at his Ford position since Jan. 1. He succeeded the retired Jim O'Connor. Steve Lyons, 56, Ford division president for the last three years, assumes Hesterberg's

May 1, 2005

GM: Asian Supply Base Not Mandatory

DETROIT – General Motors Corp.’s head of purchasing uses the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress here to set the record straight on GM’s position with regard to automotive suppliers locating in the rapidly growing market of China. Earlier this month, Bo Andersson, vice president-worldwide purchasing, and his top lieutenants spoke at a meeting hosted by the Original Equipment Suppliers Assn.

By Tom Murphy • April 19, 2005

Ford Won’t Prosper Without Stable Suppliers, Martens Says

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co.'s success is tied directly to the performance of its supply base, the auto maker's product czar says. Ford last week adjusted its earnings guidance through 2006, saying it would miss its $7 billion profit target for next year and fall short of its initial expectations for 2005. (See related story: Ford Backs Off $7 Billion Target, Cuts 2005 Outlook) Speaking at the annual

By John D. Stoll • April 14, 2005

BMW Targets More R&D Outsourcing

DETROIT – BMW AG says it expects in-house development of components and systems to drop to 45% by the end of this year, a sharp decline from the 70% level of less than a decade ago. The German luxury auto maker says most of the increase in outsourcing will focus on the areas of electronic systems and technology. Burkhard Goeschel, BMW management board member responsible for product development and

By Kevin Kelly • April 13, 2005

GM Mulling Development Base for Next-Generation Delta

DETROIT – General Motors Corp. likely will decide by year’s end where to center development of its next small-car platform, a top program manager says. GM, which earlier this month re-jiggered its executive ranks, shifting Bob Lutz’s responsibilities to global product development, is in the process of redefining its vehicle-engineering game plan and assigning new-vehicle development programs to its

By David E. Zoia • April 13, 2005

Hydro Magnesium Energized by New Alloys, Applications

DETROIT - BMW AG isn't the first high-volume auto maker to spec lightweight magnesium for a new engine block, but it is the first in a number of decades. The new magnesium block debuted on some versions of the 6-Series sold in Europe last year and will be used for BMW's all-new, high-volume 3-Series launching this year. This high-profile application, along with several others including the new Mercedes-Benz

By Drew Winter • April 12, 2005

Full Cooperation

Delphi Corp. CEO J.T. Battenberg III says his decision on Feb. 23 to retire after 44 years with the $28.7 billion automotive supplier and its former parent, General Motors Corp., has nothing to do with an accounting scandal that cost chief financial officer Alan Dawes his job and sent the company's stock price plummeting. Delphi will restate its earnings for 2001 and subsequent years because of improper

April 1, 2005