Automakers: Page 384
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Nissan ‘Strike Zone’ Improves Ergonomic Practices
TRAVERSE CITY, MI Disgruntled players, managers and even the very umpires in charge of calling balls and strikes say Major League Baseball has a problem defining the strike zone. Not so for Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Because its global sales are surging by veritable leaps and bounds, Nissan is getting down to the nitty gritty of improving its already industry-leading efficiency, says Hidetoshi Imazu, Nissan’s
By Bill Visnic • Aug. 2, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Six Sigma Savings: $2 Billion Since 2000
TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Ford Motor Co. has documented $2 billion in cost savings from its Six Sigma quality initiative since it was launched in 2000, a Ford executive tells an afternoon session at Monday’s Management Briefing Seminars here. Debbe Yeager, director of Consumer Driven Six Sigma, says the $2 billion doesn’t include items such as cost avoidance but, rather, is directly related to results from
By David C. Smith • Aug. 2, 2004 -
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 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
No Road, No Problem
In the red rocks, canyons and serious terrain of Moab, UT, an off-roading mecca, the Hummer H2 SUT (sport/utility truck) is a very practical vehicle. A day of crawling up and down trails with names such as Hell's Revenge proved little match for this latest member of General Motors Corp.'s Hummer family. Like the H2 SUV with which the SUT shares its architecture, the short overhang is a must on a downslope
By Alisa Priddle • Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Proving Points in Desert
KINGMAN, AZ It's a hellishly hot summer day in the Arizona desert. It seems warm enough to solar roast a turkey. But to Ford Motor Co. staffers stationed here, it is a super day for putting beefed-up '05 Super Duty pickup trucks through their paces. For us, it's just another day in paradise, says Merle Ward, head of Ford's 3,400-acre Arizona Proving Ground where vehicles are tested under extreme conditions,
By Steve Finlay • Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
UAW Confirms New Product for Atlanta
Ford Motor Co. is planning at least one new vehicle for its Atlanta Assembly plant following the departure of the Taurus and Sable as early as next year, union officials confirm to Ward's. The plant's United Auto Workers Local 882 Chairman Mitch Smith has informed workers that Ford plans to replace the Taurus and Sable with a new vehicle to be built there sometime after the '05 model year and possibly
Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
ZF Meeting 300 Demand
It's never easy accommodating demand for a hot-selling car, as ZF Sachs Suspension Mexico S.A. de C.V. is learning. The unit of Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen AG is supplying the shocks for DaimlerChrysler AG's new Chrysler 300C and sister model, the Dodge Magnum, from its operations in Guadalajara, Mexico. ZF Sachs is responsible for 100% of the two models' shocks, which are shipped to DaimlerChrysler's
By Christie Schweinsberg • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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Jeepers, Creepers!
Jeep. It is one of the most-recognized brand names in the world, the kind that transcends the clutter and all but sells itself. When a pair of German newcomers took over the reins of Chrysler Group in November 2000, their eyes lit up when they spoke of the promise of Jeep. They had to quell rumors the Chrysler Group would be dismantled, with all but Jeep sold, it being the brand with the most value.
By Kevin Kelly • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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Saving at Line Speed
General Motors Corp. expects to reach its stretch target of a 30% cost reduction in future conveyor business by buying systems for its plants in bulk as part of its drive for manufacturing commonality and volume purchasing. The auto maker is changing how it buys, integrates and installs conveyors, Phillip Disch, GM executive director-controls, conveyor, robotics and welding, explains at the recent
By Alisa Priddle • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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Three Years and Counting
For the past three years in Detroit, the city of cars, there has been but one name explicitly synonymous with Car Guy. Bob Lutz. Bob Lutz, the cosmopolitan General Motors Corp. vice chairman of product development who cut his teeth at BMW AG, cemented his reputation at Chrysler Corp. and speaks four languages. Bob Lutz, ex-marine pilot, still-extreme civilian pilot and ultimate auto-executive-as-auto-enthusiast.
By David C. Smith and Brian Corbett • Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Stamping Strategy
If Chrysler Group has a winner with its latest product offerings, the company's modernized stamping operation should get at least some of the credit. In 1990, the average age of its presses was 25.2 years and, if time had run its course, Chrysler's presses today would be closing in on 40. Instead, Chrysler launched a capital-intensive revitalization plan in 1994 that has deeply cut stamping costs.
By John D. Stoll • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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Strong Speaker Lineup Set for Convergence 2004
Ford Motor Co. Chairman William Clay Ford Jr. and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm are expected to headline a strong roster of speakers for the upcoming Convergence 2004 automotive electronics conference October 18-20. The every-other-year conference, which in the past 30 years has grown to become one of the auto industry's most important technical events, will have special significance this year.
By Drew Winter • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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Where Sebring is King
LAHAINA, Hawaii Mitch Gordon has a thing about convertibles. He's owned ragtops for more than 40 years. He recently purchased an onyx green 2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible to replace his '98. The former Wall Street Journal news executive, who retired here on the island of Maui six years ago, still hasn't figured out how to use the CD, and he grumbles that the owner's manual needs an editor. He couldn't
By David C. Smith • Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Asbury & Audi in GA
The Asbury Automotive Group opened Nalley Audi, a new dealership in Roswell, GA. It's part of Asbury's Atlanta-based platform, the Nalley Automotive Group. The dealership is the newest stand-alone Audi franchise in the Southeast. In June, Nalley also opened the largest Lexus dealership in the region. Nalley Audi's showroom features an upscale lounge with a wireless business center and the Audi Quattro
Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Land of the Giants
In anticipation of U.S. sales beginning in 2006 and Canada sales this fall, executives and engineers for Smart GmbH, the microcar-making unit of DaimlerChrysler AG, demonstrate the structural integrity of their miniscule 2-seater, the Smart Fortwo, by crashing it head-on into a Mercedes E-Class sedan, a car twice its size and weight. The 40% offset frontal collision, with both vehicles traveling 31
By Bill Visnic • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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War Cry: Beat Chevy!
As he approaches his 80th birthday this October 15, Lee Iacocca can fondly recall many accomplishments. The most obvious one, of course, is leading a nearly bankrupt Chrysler Corp. back to health and prosperity in the 1980s. The flamboyant Iacocca starred in numerous Chrysler-brand ads, something no industry leader had done so effectively at that point in the game. The persona of Iacocca as a hard-charging
By Mac Gordon • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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Their Need for Speed
If your idea of the perfect vacation is lying on a beach, soaking up the sun and sipping on a cold one, you might wonder about dealers like Barry Lundgren and Jerry Baker. Instead of opting for laid-back vacations, they prefer the emotional rush that speed and risk provide. And what a rush, says Lundgren, a Honda dealer in Auburn, MA. He races his 1974 Porsche 3.0 RS (only 57 were built) in vintage
By Cliff Banks • Aug. 1, 2004 -
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Dealership Sings Blues
A 75-year old dealership on the outskirts of Detroit called upon the city's finest blues bands to help serenade sales during an annual car cruise. They drew 2,000 people to the used-car lot and helped raise money for the Rotary Club. Blues music doesn't have a color or a city line, says Dennis Valentine, general manager of Merollis Chevrolet in Eastpointe, MI. We welcomed people from all over Detroit
Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Meanwhile, Frank Ghneim Likes Real Thing
At the same time Joe Parent, used-car manager for Tom Ahl dealerships, is 130 miles away in Lima, OH, bidding for cars online at Manheim's auto auction in Detroit (see story above), Frank Ghneim is at the auction in person, amid the hustle and bustle. Ghneim, whose partner owns Grass Lake (MI) Chevrolet, is not averse to logging on and participating in auctions via the Internet. He does so regularly
By Steve Finlay • Aug. 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Toyota Advances With ‘Onsite’ Suppliers in Texas
Ward’s spoke in early June with two top Toyota Motor Corp. executives as part of its annual U.S. purchasing interviews. In the interviews, Andy Lund, program manager-development and planning operations at Toyota Technical Center, discusses supplier contributions on the new Sienna minivan, while Osamu “Simon” Nagata, vice president-purchasing, discusses sourcing plans for the upcoming Tundra pickup
By Tom Murphy and Katherine Zachary • July 6, 2004 -
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Toyota Financial Services Fills New Post, Promotes 5
Danny Ray, Bank One's former senior vice president and chief risk officer, fills a newly created position of the same name at Toyota Finance Services. He'll provide strategic guidance in the areas of commercial and dealer credit and collateral risk, as well as defining the TFS' overall risk governance process. Ray will report directly to TFS President and CEO George Borst. Meanwhile five TFS managers
July 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Kia Slowly Shedding Image of a Cheap Brand
The problem isn't that U.S. consumers haven't heard of Kia. Most Americans know it's a South Korean auto maker. But ask them to name all six Kia models. You might as well ask them to recite the Gettysburg address in Korean. Mention the name Amanti, and a lot of Americans might think you're talking about Armanti, an upscale Italian clothier, not an upscale Kia sedan with a sticker that nears $27,000
By Steve Finlay • July 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Scion Brand Mulls 4th Car Model
Development of a fourth model for Scion could begin as early as next year, says Brian Bolain, national sales manager for Toyota Motor Corp.'s start-up youth brand. But Toyota won't expand the lineup until after the launch of the second-generation Scion xB, due to appear in 2007. Bolain declares a Scion truck or SUV is not a possibility, but some other type of vehicle such as a station wagon could
July 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Accident Takes Dealer’s Life
Mike Fox was the paragon of the modern auto dealer: a smart and insightful gentleman who was active in community affairs and generous to various causes. Ward's Dealer Business often sought his comments and observations because he was accessible, understood the auto industry and always had something interesting to say. The owner of Mike Fox Toyota and VW dealerships in Rochester, MI, was candid and
July 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Credit on Carpet
Ford Motor Credit Co. is issuing $100 restitution checks as part of a settlement affecting as many as 150,000 people in 37 states who allegedly were overcharged for early termination on a Red Carpet lease between 1991 and 1994. Ford's leasing practices were called into question by State of Michigan investigators who found that dealers sometimes were overcharging lessees for lease termination beyond
July 1, 2004 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Bucking the Trend
Motorists passing by Muzi Ford in suburban Boston in recent months may have noticed bright new banners proclaiming the formerly best-kept secret in town: Muzi sells Chevrolets, too. If drivers were tempted to do a double take, they weren't alone. Dale Cammarano Sinesi, part of the trio that runs the third-generation family business, Muzi Motors Inc., says the pairing of the two traditionally competitive
By Alan R. Earls • July 1, 2004
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