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Composite Box Rebirth

The composite pickup box experiment may have failed for General Motors Corp., but that doesn't mean the concept is dead. To the contrary, Asian auto makers eagerly are pursuing the technology and appear ready to replace conventional stamped-steel cargo beds with composites in small pickups in the near future, sources say. Toyota Motor Corp.'s next-generation Tacoma pickup, arriving in 2006, will have

By Tom Murphy • Feb. 1, 2004

Detroit’s Auto Show Glitzy, But Less Sexy

DETROIT Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche didn't break into a soft-shoe, but came close to it in the company of dancing girls singing any way you want it, you're going to get it in praise of new minivan seats. It was at a performance billed as a press conference. Zetsche, wearing a floppy fedora (at least it wasn't a straw hat), ended the act before a tightly packed audience by plopping down with

By Steve Finlay • Feb. 1, 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

Lost, He Found His Way

Almost until the end when Bob Crevier died at age 86 he suited up and went in to work. Although he got in a round of golf here and there, most days he was in coat and tie working from his promontory office at the spacious Crevier BMW in the Santa Ana, CA. Now the largest-volume BMW dealership in the nation, Crevier BMW had humble beginnings. So did Mr. Crevier. Those were recalled by family and friends

Feb. 1, 2004

Mustang at Age 40 Gets New Life, Look

The 05 Ford Mustang sheds its 1970s-era Fox platform for an all-new, purpose-built architecture to usher in the fifth generation of an American icon, unveiled here. Ford Motor Co. is confident it has spawned a pair of winners with the choice of the base Mustang with a 202-hp SOHC V-6 engine or the Mustang GT offering up 300 horses with a 24-valve MOD V-8. The latest version will build on 40 years

By Alisa Priddle • Feb. 1, 2004

Canada-Only Cars, Trucks On The Way

Small, budget-priced and vehicles seem poised for a dramatic comeback in the Great White North. In recent years, Canadian showrooms and highways have seen few such vehicles. But recently, a wave of them has been launched or previewed by Toyota Motor Corp., General Motors Corp. and Suzuki Motor Corp. Five additional Canada-only vehicles were launched at the recent Montreal auto show, including new

Feb. 1, 2004

Lexus Shows Hybrid RX, New GS Sedan

Lexus promises the hybrid-powered version of its RX 330 cross/utility vehicle and the '06 GS sports sedan, both unveiled at the Detroit auto show, will take the brand in a new direction. Whether it needs a new direction is open for debate: Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury division earned the title of top luxury brand in 2003 for the fourth-straight year with annual sales of 259,755 units an 11% increase

Feb. 1, 2004

Dysfunctional Darling

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. became the darling of the automotive world when it not only achieved an extraordinary financial turnaround but did so with some head-turning new vehicles, including the 350Z and Murano. But Carlos Ghosn, while not ignoring the accomplishments he orchestrated, doesn't believe the hype. Dysfunctions are everywhere, says the Nissan president and CEO during a roundtable interview

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • Feb. 1, 2004

Nissan Dealers Ask: Where Are Our Titans?

Problems that Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. had with the launch of its much-hyped '04 Titan fullsize pickup truck are being fixed, according to Jed Connelly, Nissan senior vice president-sales and marketing. He says the truck's rollout, by design, front-loaded dealers with seven to 10 vehicles on Dec. 3 in 17 key markets, including Phoenix, Atlanta and Miami leaving other markets with none. Nissan aimed for

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • Feb. 1, 2004

Audi of America Exec Auctions Used Cars

Add auctioneering to the job description of Len Hunt, head of Audi of America Inc. It reflects his growing interest in marketing used cars, especially the certified variety. He personally auctioned off seven Audis at important auto auctions lately. Sometimes the auctioneer gives me the courtesy of auctioning off a vehicle, Hunt explains. He usually flies in the night before an auction to entertain

By Herb Shuldiner • Feb. 1, 2004

Quick Response

Three months ago, suppliers panicked upon learning General Motors Corp. had a new get-tough policy allowing parts makers to easily be from long-term contracts. Suppliers heard through word-of-mouth and media reports, rather than from GM. Bo Andersson, GM vice president-worldwide purchasing, apologizes. We didn't do a good job communicating what the change was and what the impact was, Andersson tells

Feb. 1, 2004

Firing On Fewer Cylinders

Cylinder deactivation tried once by General Motors Corp. in the early 1980s with essentially disastrous results returns with much more convincing potential, thanks to the sophisticated electronic controls and actuators unavailable when GM experimented with the concept two decades ago. GM, the most vocal proponent of new-age cylinder-deactivation technology, which it dubs Displacement on Demand (DOD),

Feb. 1, 2004

Revolution Replaces Rock

General Motors' Chevrolet division is scaling back use of the long-running Like a Rock marketing campaign as the company introduces 10 new products in the next 20 months. Only the Silverado fullsize pickup will continue the Like a Rock tagline. The new marketing pitch An American Revolution will represent both Chevy cars and trucks in TV ads. The new ads are accompanied by Steppenwolf's Magic Carpet

By Barb McClellan • Feb. 1, 2004

Ready to Rumble

Two auto makers in Europe have started TV advertising of a virtual rumble-strip system that almost certainly will save lives even if it may be hard to sell. The system will be introduced in a U.S. passenger vehicle next year. The commercial by France's PSA Peugeot Citroen explains how infrared sensors mounted under the car can detect when the front tires drift over the white lines at the right or

By William Diem • Feb. 1, 2004

Smart CUV

DaimlerChrysler AG's Smart brand will develop an all-new platform for its new cross/utility vehicle, the first model the brand will sell when it arrives in the U.S. market in 2006. The CUV has been dubbed Formore and will feature several carryover components from the Forfour platform, but the underpinnings will be unique to the CUV configuration. The 4-wheel-drive Formore, also to be launched in other

Feb. 1, 2004

Hot Button Won’t Push Out Other GM Spiffs

Incentives probably won't be rolled back at General Motors Corp., even though the auto maker began a Hot Button marketing gimmick that will give away 1,000 vehicles by the end of February, the company's top executive says at Detroit's auto show. GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner says GM's Hot Button campaign is to create excitement during the typically slow January-February shopping period. But the

By Brian Corbett • Feb. 1, 2004

Lincoln Finally Gets a Pickup Truck

Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln Div. finally gets a pickup truck, and the unnamed vehicle will be in showrooms in first-quarter 2005. The near-luxury brand showed a 44 concept pickup with bright chrome finish for the full length of the vehicle and an interior trimmed in aluminum. It rides on 20-in. wheels and will adopt Ford's 5.4L Triton V-8 engine. Why a pickup for Lincoln? We like to make money, quips

By Alisa Priddle • Feb. 1, 2004

Nissan Could Make Auto Industry Sales History in 2004

Nissan North America Inc. could make history in 2004: It may see its U.S. sales increase an astounding 200,000 units from 2003. So far the biggest year-to-year gain by a non-Big Three company is a 180,005-unit jump by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. in 1977. Nissan North America ended 2003 with 794,784 unit sales, its second best ever behind the 830,767 vehicles it sold in 1985. But back then, half

By Haig Stoddard • Feb. 1, 2004

Seeing Sea Biscuit to Top

If you've seen the movie Sea Biscuit you may have noticed a batch of mint-condition, vintage Buicks of the '20s, '30s and '40s. The movie didn't make a big deal about the Buick connection, but there's a story behind it. Charles S. Howard, who purchased Sea Biscuit for $8,000 in 1936 while he was in Saratoga Springs, NY, looking for a yearling for his friend, Bing Crosby, at one time was one of Buick's

By David C. Smith • Feb. 1, 2004

It Takes Two to Replace the Ford Taurus

Ford Motor Co. continues to insist the new flagship Ford Five Hundred sedan will not replace the storied Taurus. But that's only half the story. The rest revolves around the smaller Ford Futura, coming in 2005 as an '06 model. Collectively, the Five Hundred and Futura will replace the Taurus. We are no longer trying to fill the (midsize-car) segment with just one vehicle (Taurus) and end up selling

By Alisa Priddle • Feb. 1, 2004

Dealership Kin Honored for Service to Kids

Two sisters and a brother, who co-own one of Southern California's largest Mercedes-Benz dealerships, were honored for community service by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles. Besides Judy Rehwald Richards, Francie Rehwald and Bill Rehwald of W.I. Simonson Mercedes-Benz, other honorees included celebrities Andy Garcia, Serena Williams, Hillary Duff, Verna Harrah, Jose Navarro and Pam

Feb. 1, 2004

Toyota Model for Kia America, CEO Says; Pickup Tops Wish List

DETROIT – CEO Peter Butterfield says he wants Kia Motors America to “be like Toyota and Honda when it grows up.” And he says Kia will need a pickup truck if it is to become a big player in the U.S. Peter Butterfield Speaking to reporters at the introduction here of the all-new Spectra small car, Butterfield says Kia is modeling its business plan on Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. and American Honda

By David E. Zoia • Jan. 7, 2004

Nissan Titan Launch Now on Track, Quest Remains Off Target

Any problems Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. had with the launch of its much-hyped ’04 Titan fullsize pickup truck now are being fixed, says Jed Connelly, Nissan senior vice president-sales and marketing. Connelly says the truck’s rollout, by design, front-loaded dealers with seven to 10 vehicles on Dec. 3 in 17 key markets, including Phoenix, Atlanta and Miami leaving other, less-vital markets with none. Nissan,

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • Jan. 6, 2004

The Beat Goes On

DETROIT Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche didn’t break into a soft-shoe, but came close to it in the company of dancing girls singing “anyway you want it, you’re going to get it” in praise of new minivan seats. It was at a performance billed as a “press conference.” Zetsche, wearing a stylish fedora (at least it wasn’t a straw hat), ended the little act before a tightly packed audience by plopping

By Steve Finlay • Jan. 6, 2004

Audi A8L 6.0 is New Flagship Sedan

DETROIT – Audi AG uses the North American International Auto Show to stage the world premiere of its A8L 6.0 quattro. Audi introduces A8L 6.0 quattro. The sedan features a 6L 12-cyl. engine under the hood and a new front fascia that becomes a central styling cue for future Audis. The A8L 6.0 features corporate parent Volkswagen AG’s W12 engine, which produces 450 hp and 428 lb.-ft. (580 Nm) of torque,

By Kevin Kelly • Jan. 5, 2004

Mitsubishi Follows Hyundai Formula

DETROIT With Hyundai Motor America’s former top executive, Finbarr O’Neill, now at its helm, Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. borrows some tried-and-true survival strategies from its South Korean competitor. Mitsubishi’s new sales and marketing strategy includes the 10-year, 100,000-mile (160,000 km) powertrain warranty O’Neill employed to resuscitate a flagging Hyundai in the late 1990s. Mitsubishi

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • Jan. 5, 2004