Automakers: Page 392

Dealer Allan Gilmour Back as Ford Credit Overseer

Ford Credit's operations have returned to the oversight of Ford Motor Company vice chairman Allan D. Gilmour, a dealer on the side who came out of retirement in 2002 to help Ford Chairman and CEO William Clay Ford, Jr. straighten out finances. Gilmour, 69, assumes the oversight of Ford Credit from Carl E. Reichardt, 71, a longtime company director who, from 1983 to 1994, served as chairman and CEO

Aug. 1, 2003

Gung-ho on Golf

Where there's professional golf, there's often automotive sponsorships. It has more to do than just auto makers and dealers loving of the links. Golf is important to marketing vehicles, says Steve Lyons, Ford Div. president and chairman of the annual Ford Senior Players Championship. Why is it important to business? he says. More than 34% of golfers have a Ford in their garages. Twenty-three percent

Aug. 1, 2003

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

Ford Unveils New Duratec V-6 at Lima

Ford Motor Co. announces it will invest $335 million in its engine plant in Lima, OH, where it will build a 3.5L DOHC V-6. While Ford doesn't say which vehicle programs will benefit from the all-aluminum engine, the auto maker confirms it will have applications in the passenger car and cross/utility segments. A source tells Ward's it will be available in at least two vehicles when it begins production

Aug. 1, 2003

Freestar Minivan Goes 1st

Mercury Monterey production will lag behind that of its platform-mate, the Ford Freestar, the auto maker says. When Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. fires up its refurbished plant in Oakville, Ont., its capacity for the first few months will be devoted exclusively to Freestar assembly. The Freestar replaces the Ford Windstar, which went out of production July 3 after a 9-year run. A push to control complexity

Aug. 1, 2003

Setup Not So Bad After All

When Ford Motor Co. announced last year it was overhauling its aftermarket parts delivery system, certain dealers saw the new system as encroaching on their business. The cause for concern: 19 high-volume parts distribution centers that Ford is building throughout the country. The complainants were, for the most part, dealers with large wholesale parts businesses. They worried about potential loss

By Cliff Banks • Aug. 1, 2003

Potential Dealer Magic Johnson a Linc Merc Pitchman

DEARBORN, MI Lincoln Mercury is partnering with Earvin (Magic) Johnson, an alliance expected to draw younger, trendier buyers to Lincoln Mercury showrooms and lead to new business opportunities for the legendary basketball great. Lincoln Mercury President Darryl Hazel says Johnson's business success, coupled with his sports stardom, is just what the automotive brand needs to enhance its chic, hip

By Kate Tomkie • Aug. 1, 2003

GM-Daewoo Platform Asia Bound

General Motors Corp.'s GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. Ltd., which rose from the ashes of the former Daewoo Motor Co. Ltd., now is tailoring its J200 platform for markets around the world. It soon will appear in different forms, and under different brands, in India, Thailand and China. It will be marketed by American Suzuki Motor Corp. in North America as the Forenza compact sedan and sold in Western

Aug. 1, 2003

Hyundai’s U.S. Hopes Ride on Hope Hull

HOPE HULL, AL The McLane Garrett Cattle Co., Winn Dixie Retail Support Center and CocaCola Bottling plant near this tiny hamlet on Interstate 65 a few miles south of Montgomery soon will have a new and unlikely neighbor: Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. Buoyed by its relatively recent success in North America, the South Korean auto maker broke ground on April 16 last year for its first U.S. assembly plant on

By David C. Smith • Aug. 1, 2003

Recipe for Disaster?

SALT LAKE CITY, UT Here's a recipe for disaster in the auto industry: Introduce an all-new product in a segment you've never played in. Make sure it's got a name nobody can pronounce. Just don't tell Volkswagen of America that's a mistake. The company is giddy about its first-ever cross/utility vehicle, the Touareg (Tour-regg). First, let's clear up the name. It loosely means free folk and is derived

By Kevin Kelly • Aug. 1, 2003

Galpin Ford Raises F&I Yield

NORTH HILLS, CA Galpin Ford, using a staff 1-2 punch, has exceeded $1,300 in finance & insurance sales per vehicle sold. The top-volume Ford dealer in both total revenues and new vehicles sold achieves leadership in F&I incomeas well by letting vehicle salespeople complete the financing process before turning customers over to Brian Gelt's 20-person F&I team. This runs counter to the notion that F&I

By Mac Gordon • Aug. 1, 2003

Ford Wins Round in Fight to KO Dealership Sale

SACRAMENTO, CA Ford Motor Co. wins the first round of a ground-breaking dispute over whether a dealership's sale to a large publicly owned dealer group can be blocked because the group elsewhere allegedly runs stores of the same brand. California Judge Merilyn Wong upheld the auto maker's refusal to allow Asbury Automotive Group, of Stamford, CT, to purchase Bob Baker Ford in San Diego. Ford contends

By Mac Gordon • July 1, 2003

Earnhardt Opens New Store in Tempe

Earnhardt Lincoln Mercury opened at the Tempe Auto Plex at I-10 and Elliot in Tempe, AZ. The new Earnhardt store is located at the former Jack Ross Lincoln Mercury Tempe Auto Plex site. The store is Earnhardt's ninth automotive outlet. Earnhardt's combined stores sell 13 different automobile brands, plus 31 RV lines. Earnhardt Auto Centers is one of the largest private dealership groups in the United

July 1, 2003

Vicarious Liability Dispute Gets Vicious

DaimlerChrysler Services joined GMAC and Ford Credit in taking severe action in four states that regard lessors as liable for damages and injuries involving leased vehicles. DC's financial arm says its fees would rise to $1,000 per lease, unless legislatures in Connecticut, Kentucky, New York and Rhode Island drop so-call unlimited vicarious liability laws. GMAC, Ford Credit and American Honda Finance

July 1, 2003

Toyota’s IN-YOUR-YARD

SAN ANTONIO, TX The JLC cattle ranch, established in 1794, will never be the same. Stretching over 2,000 acres on barren plain 15 miles south of downtown San Antonio, the old ranch by 2006 will begin production as Toyota Motor Corp.'s sixth North American assembly plant. It will produce Tundra fullsize pickups at a clip of 150,000 annually, deep in the heart of the Big Three's most treasured truck

By David C. Smith • July 1, 2003

Edsel Ford II Recalls Dad’s Family Rule

DETROIT Two of the late Henry Ford II's most famous sayings as head of Ford Motor Co. were: It's my name on the building, affirming who was in charge, and There are no crown princes at Ford, precluding automatic family claims to the top. His son, Edsel Ford II, cited the latter quote as the auto maker marked last month's centennial of the company founded by Edsel II's great-grandfather Henry. Henry

By Steve Finlay • July 1, 2003

Love Fest Over?

Volkswagen AG's plan to develop a cross/utility vehicle for its luxury Audi marque is causing consternation at development partner Porsche AG. Porsche contends that for VW to bring a Touareg/Porsche Cayenne-derived Audi CUV to market, it must pay a licensing fee to Porsche for the engineering. VW executives are denouncing Porsche's stance, saying the joint contract covering co-development of the Touareg/Cayenne

By Kevin Kelly • July 1, 2003

GM Objects

General Motors Corp. is unhappy with a provision in the Chinese government's first draft of its next vision for the automotive industry. Provision One stipulates at least 50% of cars sold in China be derived from Chinese intellectual property. While most major global OEMs now are manufacturing vehicles in China, the research and development work largely is performed in their home countries, as many

July 1, 2003

Big Blue Oval Logo Back Atop Ford HQ

DEARBORN, MI The Blue Oval logo is back atop Ford Motor Co. world headquarters here following a 3-year absence and after the current top management team deemed it better than what had replaced it. A big Blue Oval had adorned the Glass House since the 1960s, but was quietly removed in May of 2000. Replacing it was Ford Motor Company in script lettering. The switch sparked a debate that apparently is

By Steve Finlay • July 1, 2003

Drivers Wanted CUV Drivers

SALT LAKE CITY, UT Here's a recipe for disaster in the auto industry: Introduce an all-new product in a segment you've never played in. Make sure it's got a name nobody can pronounce. Just don't tell Volkswagen of America that's a mistake. The company is giddy about its first-ever cross/utility vehicle, the Touareg (Tour-regg). First, let's clear up the name. It loosely means free folk and is derived

By Kevin Kelly • July 1, 2003

GM Spends $30M on Metal Fab

General Motors Corp.'s Metal Fabricating Center in Flint, MI, will receive a $30 million investment to install two new high-tech presses. The presses are faster and more flexible than traditional equipment. Flint's fastest press runs at 24 strokes a minute; the new presses will run at more than 40 strokes per minute. Although GM refuses to provide an official timeline for the project, Ward's is told

July 1, 2003

Cadillac’s Big Chance

In the course of my career I've watched Cadillac try to climb back to where it used to be - time and time again. For a brand that was the standard of the world for nearly 70 years, the last quarter century has been pretty rough on Henry Leland's baby. Cadillac's current problems actually started at the peak of its success. In the 1970s, then-General Manager George Elges started Cadillac on a tear

By John McElroy • July 1, 2003

Luxury Brands Tread On Incentive Turf

European luxury makers are being pulled into the U.S. incentive battle to some degree, say industry analysts in London. Audi AG, DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz) and BMW AG increased their U.S. incentives in April by an average 13%, the same as the U.S. Big Three. Up until now, European luxury brands had managed to largely escape the U.S. incentive battles, but perhaps no longer, says J.P. Morgan

June 1, 2003

Koyo Ships EPS for GM

Koyo Steering Systems USA Inc. secures contracts for its electric power steering (EPS), already featured on General Motors Corp.'s '03 Saturn Vue and Ion. GM will use Koyo's EPS on the '05 Chevrolet Equinox cross/utility vehicle, going into production in February. Koyo spokesman Randy Rakes says the company has four additional contracts for EPS for two vehicles each from two OEMs, but he declines

June 1, 2003

Super Cars

FONTANA, CA The Subaru WRX STi is a car with multiple personalities. As an everyday driver, it has great road manners. Its horizontally opposed 2.5L turbocharged 4-cyl. produces a staggering 300 hp (helped by Subaru's first-ever use of variable valve timing for its signature engine layout). But that power is not at all unruly, thanks to continuously variable power distribution from Subaru's excellent

By Tom Murphy • June 1, 2003

Ford’s Greatest Vehicles

A list of the most important vehicles in Ford Motor Co.'s 100-year history is probably a good way to start a fight in most any bar on the globe. Following is my list, and the Model T doesn't appear because it's a no-brainer; its place in history is secure. Several of my other selections are not found on Ford's own centennial list. Ah, memories are so short! MODEL A After a 6-month shutdown of production

By Mike Davis • June 1, 2003