Automakers: Page

Hummer H1 Adds Performance Model

ANAHEIM, CA Hummer joins General Motors Corp. Performance Div.’s efforts with the ’06 H1 Alpha, rolled out here at the California International Auto Show. Featuring GM’s Duramax 6.6L diesel engine, the H1 Alpha packs a 300-hp punch, a 46% increase vs. previous H1s equipped with the 6.5L turbodiesel powerplant. Arriving in dealerships in early 2005, the H1 Alpha is fitted with an Allison 1000 5-speed

By Brian Corbett • Oct. 27, 2004

Second GXP Model From Pontiac

ANAHEIM, CA The second GXP performance model from Pontiac will provide the ’05 Grand Prix sedan with its first V-8 engine since 1987, General Motors Corp. reveals here at the California International Auto Show. The Grand Prix GXP, which follows the V-8-powered Bonneville GXP in Pontiac’s lineup, offers a sport-tuned suspension, new all-aluminum 5.3L V-8 engine producing an estimated 290 hp and a 4-speed

By Brian Corbett • Oct. 27, 2004

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

CAMI Readies for Torrent Launch

ANAHEIM, CA The ’06 Pontiac Torrent cross/utility vehicle, which sources inside General Motors Corp. confirm here at the California International Auto Show, will begin production at CAMI Automotive Inc. in June, Ward’s learns. GM is not saying where the Torrent will be built but likely will provide more details when it unveils the CUV in January at the Los Angeles auto show. “The Torrent represents

By Brian Corbett • Oct. 27, 2004

GM to Join Autosar

DETROIT In a move that advances the global cause of standardized electrical architectures, General Motors Corp. announces it will adopt the Automotive Open System Architecture, otherwise known as Autosar. Formed in 2003, the partnership aims to establish a standard upon which future vehicle applications will be implemented. The platform is an attempt to standardize non-competitive software in vehicles.

By Tom Murphy • Oct. 19, 2004

GMAC Tries One More Time

General Motors Acceptance Corp., 85 years old this year, is aggressively returning to a vehicle insurance product sold by GM dealers in the early 1920s. Regarded by some dealers as a addition to the F&I menu, and to others as a low-profit nuisance, vehicle insurance is an initiative gathering momentum for a 47-state rollout within the next year. GMAC Insurance steps up the organizing pace and potential

By Mac Gordon • Oct. 1, 2004

GM Chief Urges Health Care Action

DETROIT It's time for Republicans and Democrats to begin laying a foundation that will address rising health-care costs in the U.S., says General Motors Corp.'s top executive. The real arguments in Washington tend to settle around the poles of a complete free-market system to national health care, GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner says at an industry trade conference here. I suspect we're not going

By Brian Corbett • Oct. 1, 2004

How a Dealership Should Hug Its Customers

Have you hugged your customer today? That's a question Stefan Schuett asks dealerships? But how does a business hug its customers? Should personnel get that up close and personal? Not literally. Rather, hugging is a customer-oriented mindset throughout the organization, says Schuett, who oversees Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategies at BMW of North America LLC. It means listening, understanding

By Steve Finlay • Oct. 1, 2004

Nissan Confirms New Small Car for N. America

Nissan North America Inc. confirms it will bring a new small car, positioned below the Sentra in size, to North America in calendar 2007. The auto maker won't say precisely whether it will fill the slot with an all-new model or import a car not currently sold in North America. But it says the current Cube and March/Micra small cars are examples of the type of vehicle it has in mind. Nissan executives

By Ward's Staff • Oct. 1, 2004

Growing Georgia County Gets 1st Dealership

Fairway Toyota is the first new-car dealership in Lee County, population 27,875, in southwest Georgia. The 23,000-square-foot facility in Leesburg combines the newest technology with innovative architectural and design details built to enhance customers' buying experience. Fairway Toyota has 55 associates. One of Toyota's primary goals is to emphasize the entire ownership experience, says dealer principal

Oct. 1, 2004

GM’s Great Car Giveaway

The first 1,500 all-new Pontiac G6s were shipped Sept. 10 from General Motors Corp.'s Orion, MI, assembly plant to dealerships just days before one of the most ambitious marketing stunts ever kicked off advertising for the sedan. GM gave away 276 G6s Sept. 13 to every audience member of The Oprah Winfrey Show daytime TV program. The gimmick cost about $7 million and delivered a huge media splash for

Oct. 1, 2004

He Never Stopped Calling on Dealers

James O'Connor, a former dealership general manager who became a top Ford Motor Co. executive, is retiring after 40 years with the auto maker. He most recently served the company as group vice president-North America marketing, sales and service. Earl Hesterberg, vice president-Ford of Europe marketing, sales and service, will replace him. A longtime sales and marketing executive, O'Connor considered

Oct. 1, 2004

On the Sunny Side of the Street

Capitol Honda in San Jose, CA now sits on the sunny side of the street at least in terms of environmental awareness and responsibility. The Capitol Expressway Auto Mall dealership recently covered its entire roof with more than 900 solar panels, taking advantage of a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. program for customers investing in solar power. Capitol Honda became the first car dealership in PG&E's service

Oct. 1, 2004

A Very Strange Campaign

Oh, for a return to the days of Bill Clinton's presidential administration. Nearly lamenting that is Robert G. Liberatore, DaimlerChrysler AG's group senior vice president for external affairs and public policy. The Clinton administration was surprisingly good to the auto industry, Washington-based Liberatore tells the Automotive Press Assn. in Detroit. You could argue that the eight years under Clinton

By Steve Finlay • Oct. 1, 2004

Jag to Shutter Plant

Ford Motor Co. reveals its Jaguar Cars restructuring plan as weak sales, a suspect product mix and an increasingly competitive luxury-vehicle segment have led the British brand into a sea of red ink. Jaguar lost $360 million in the second quarter, inspiring Ford's earlier announcement of intentions to restructure the British luxury unit, one of four brands operating in Ford's Premier Automotive Group.

Oct. 1, 2004

Hold the Holding Costs

Last month, we discussed turn, as it relates to your used-vehicle inventory, and the flexibility a good turn affords you in terms of liquid capital. This month, let's expand on used- vehicle management by discussing holding cost. A reminder: holding cost (a.k.a. carrying cost) and turn are elements that apply to all inventories, not just used vehicles, although used will be our focus here. You will

By Tony Noland • Oct. 1, 2004

Family Affair

Pity the poor Nissan Pathfinder. It gets no respect. When the midsize Pathfinder debuted in the U.S. in the mid-1980s, the Big Three had a few SUV offerings, most notably the Jeep brand, but importers had yet to launch their invasion. Today, with myriad SUV and cross/utility vehicle offerings on the market, the Pathfinder has been lost in the crowd. To make matters worse, parent Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

By Christie Schweinsberg • Oct. 1, 2004

Mini Steps Up Performance

PARIS Already one of the industry’s hottest-selling cars, BMW AG’s Mini is getting a new tuning kit this fall for its Cooper S performance model. Developed by West Sussex, U.K.-based John Cooper Works, the tuning kit gives the engine an additional 40 hp and boosts torque by another 18 lbs.-ft. (25 Nm), the auto maker says here at the international motor show. Maximum output now is 210 hp. “Mini clearly

By Brian Corbett • Sept. 29, 2004

Nissan Considers Russian Plant

PARIS Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. says it could make a decision within the next 18 months on whether to build a vehicle manufacturing plant in Russia. The auto maker has seen its sales in the former communist country rise more than 200% within the past year, which is forcing it to look at new ventures to support growth there. “At the end of last year we sold 9,000 cars, and this year we (will sell) nearly

By Kevin Kelly • Sept. 28, 2004

GM Downplays Meeting With Fiat

PARIS Officials from General Motors Corp. are downplaying their meeting here this week with Fiat Auto SpA regarding the Italian auto maker’s money-losing operations. “We meet with them on a regular basis,” GM Chief Financial Officer John Devine tells Ward’s at the Paris auto show. “So typically, at an auto show we do get together (to) look at how (our joint venture is) going and what we want to do

By Brian Corbett • Sept. 24, 2004

BMW 1-Series, M5 Debut

PARIS – Continuing its move down market, BMW AG uses the auto show here for the official world debut of its 1-Series compact car. “This car is a major milestone in the expansion of the BMW Group,” says BMW Chairman Helmut Panke. “So it is fair to say that the BMW 1-Series marks the re-entry of the BMW brand into the compact class. We are back.” Panke says BMW is making the move into the segment because

By Brian Corbett • Sept. 24, 2004

GM Debuts Korean-Built Chevys in Paris

PARIS General Motors Corp. is moving forward with plans to make Chevrolet its biggest worldwide brand, unveiling several new models here at the Mondial de l’Automobile 2004. They include two concepts and two products derived from South Korea-based GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. architectures. GM announced earlier this month it will phase out use of the Daewoo nameplate in Europe and replace it with

By Brian Corbett • Sept. 24, 2004

Mitsubishi Could Hurt Platform Profitability

PARIS Incremental profitability targets and cost savings for the jointly developed D-segment platform between Chrysler Group and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. could be missed if the Japanese auto maker changes volume projections and usage, a Chrysler executive tells Ward’s. Eric Ridenour, Chrysler head of product development, tells Ward’s it remains open whether Mitsubishi will use the D-segment platform

By Kevin Kelly • Sept. 23, 2004

Citroen Accents Safety, Environmental Features in Paris

PARIS – Automobiles Citroen filled out another position in its letter-number lineup, presenting the C4 at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris. The car, which will compete with models such as the Renault Megane, Peugeot 307 and Volkswagen Golf, offers a technology that’s a first for any segment – a lane-departure warning system. The device puts a virtual rumble strip under the driver’s flank when

By William Diem • Sept. 23, 2004

Fiat’s Stilo Range Expands

PARIS – Fiat Auto SpA hopes to jump-start interest in its ailing Fiat Stilo product range by adding two new variants to the lineup, both of which go on sale in 2005. The Italian auto maker expands Stilo’s reach via the Multi Wagon Uproad, which features a more rugged appearance than other Stilo Wagon models thanks to its revised front and rear fascias, new alloy wheels and revamped interior. Stilo

By Kevin Kelly • Sept. 23, 2004

Rolling Chassis Contract Sets Record

South Korean supplier Hyundai Mobis says its long-term contract with Chrysler Group in the U.S. to provide rolling chassis for Jeep models beginning in 2006 is the largest volume parts order ever signed by a Korean automotive company. The contract is worth 180 billion won ($154 million) annually. Chrysler announced its supplier selection for the new Toledo, OH, plant in August. Construction is set

By Vince Courtenay, Tom Murphy • Sept. 1, 2004