Automakers: Page 398

State-of-the-part facility

What better facility to use as a combined parts warehouse than one that was designed and used as a parts warehouse? The Tonkin Dealerships, a group in Portland, OR, had been planning for years to merge its 10 lines of wholesale parts business into one centralized facility. The company had plans in place for a warehouse facility just south of the city. But when America Honda closed its regional warehouse

By John Yoswick • July 1, 2002

He’s lauded for saving a failing dealership

Lomberto L. Perez's creative use of computer technology and the Internet dramatically turned around a failing South Florida dealership. That's earned Perez and his Autocity Buick-Pontiac-GMC in Homestead a coveted Dealer Innovation Award from the National Automobile Dealers Association. The award goes to franchised car dealers who've improved their businesses through technology. Autocity had been

July 1, 2002

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

Honda Attacks Another Key Market Segment

Anatomy of auto makers heading in different directions: Honda Motor Co. Ltd. introduced the '03 Pilot, its first-ever Honda-badged midsize SUV on June 3. In the first full year of production, Honda plans to sell 80,000 units of the around-$30,000 competitor for the industry standard Ford Motor Co. Explorer and recently reinvigorated General Motors Corp. stalwart for the segment, the Chevrolet TrailBlazer.

By Bill Visnic • July 1, 2002

JM Lexus flexes as new-car powerhouse

JM Lexus in Margate, FL, has been the number one Lexus retailer in the world for the last 11 years. The dealership jumped to 5th on the new Ward's 500 ranking from 11th last year. With $243.6 million in new retail revenue, the store is one of the nation's new-car powerhouses. I guess you could say ego keeps us there, says General Manager David Mullen. He also credits dealer principal Pat Moran for

By Cliff Banks • June 1, 2002

BENCHMARK YOUR EXPENSE CONTROLS

Thanks to automakers' incentives programs, new vehicle sales continue at a rapid pace as we hit the mid-year point. We're on pace for a 17.5 million-unit sales year. Question? In your dealership operation, what is your year-to-date sales and profit trend? Is it consistent or better than your forecast? Is your pace consistent with the industry? The NCM Client database 2002 shows an increase in sales

By Tony Noland • June 1, 2002

The service bays are even air-conditioned

Location, location, location, are Robert Kirland's first words when asked how the service department in his Autohaus Pompano Mercedes-Benz store in Florida has become so successful. Ranked 45th overall on the Ward's 500 and fifth in service revenue, the store has become a model for other Mercedes stores in the country. Five years ago the dealership moved from Federal Highway to Interstate 95 and took

By Cliff Banks • June 1, 2002

FIRESTONE AND INDY 500 TEAM UP WITH A NEW TIRE

Bridgestone/Firestone, which lost a business relationship with Ford Motor Co., now has a fresh one with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A new product from that partnership is the Firehawk Indy 500 tire. It's the first time in Indy 500's 90-year history that a tire for street and highway use will sport the Indy name and logo. Bridgestone/Firestone is trying to recover from the controversy of allegedly

June 1, 2002

Strength in Numbers

Two heads are better than one. It's not a law of nature on par with any of Newton's discoveries. It's more in line with the incontrovertible laws of human nature, such as: What goes around, comes around. Now, multiply the aforementioned pair of brains by three and you have Ford Motor Co.'s formula for product development success full of promise and, critics say, unhindered by a guiding light like

By Eric Mayne • June 1, 2002

The Roof is on Fire!

When DaimlerChrysler AG hired Webasto Roof Systems Inc. to design and build the modular glass top for the new Mercedes C-Class sports coupe, the auto maker estimated that 30% of buyers would opt for this more expensive lid. The sports coupe was on U.S. roads for less than eight months when it became obvious that Stuttgart greatly underestimated demand for the innovative sliding sunroof. Even in the

By Tom Murphy • June 1, 2002

Passat W8: Identity Crisis for VW?

HALF MOON BAY, CA Is it a full-blown European luxury sedan or just another 4-door sedan with a V-8? That's a question even the folks at Volkswagen of America Inc. have trouble answering as they struggle to pinpoint just where the new '02 Passat W8 fits in the market. Although VW tries hard to maintain its cutesy, awe-shucks brand image, this new high-powered Passat gives off an upscale feel that's

By Kevin Kelly • June 1, 2002

Porsche Buyers Go Semi-Automatic

Either Porsche drivers are getting lazy or automatic transmissions have achieved parity with manual transmissions in the eyes of persnickety performance-car drivers. Porsche Cars North America says the installation rate of its Tiptronic S 5-speed automatic transmission for 911 models sold in North America is running at nearly 25%, which is a marked increase from the 18% rate when Tiptronic was introduced

June 1, 2002

F-Series to Follow SUV Hydroforming Lead

Add Ford Motor Co.'s next-generation F-Series pickup to the growing list of vehicles that employ hydroforming in their designs, says Chris Theodore, vice president-North America product development. The pickup America's best-selling truck for 25 years will follow the lead set by '03 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, Theodore tells Ward's. Prototype pickups were recently inspected. When F-Series

June 1, 2002

SRX: Better Late Than Never

It may be late to the luxury cross/utility vehicle (CUV) market, but the Cadillac SRX remains an innovator, claims Cadillac Marketing General Manager Mark LaNeve. We are late to market, you're right, acknowledges LaNeve to media gathered in Rochester Hills, MI, at General Motors Corp.'s Vision Center for the unveiling of an SRX foam model. But no one has a product like this, with this kind of performance

June 1, 2002

Earnardt builds 1st dealership at new Arizona auto mall

Earnhardt Auto Centers, Nissan and DMB Associates are building a new Earnhardt Nissan store in Mesa, AZ, the first dealership to officially begin construction at DMB's Auto Center at Superstition Springs. The impending complex is a 30-acre, five-dealership ensemble in the heart of Phoenix's booming East Valley. Earnhardt's first Nissan franchise will be a 38,350-sq.-ft. sales and service facility

June 1, 2002

Toyota Warns of Chinese Threat

It's China's auto industry, not more established competitors, that is setting the bar for Toyota Motor Corp.'s next round of cost-cutting and efficiency improvements, says Kosuke Shiramizu, executive vice president-Manufacturing and Quality Management. In a wide-ranging interview at Toyota City, the 62-year-old executive charged with carrying on the legacy of Toyota Production System founder Taiichi

June 1, 2002

Need a part for a ‘38 Ford? Call Sanderson

David Kimmerle, owner of Sanderson Ford of Glendale, AZ got a phone call at home from a man looking for a part for a 1938 Ford vehicle. Kimmerle called his parts manager to check. To the man's surprise, they stocked the part. Stories like this illustrate how Sanderson Ford has built one of the nation's top parts operations. With revenue of over $40.9 million in 2001, the dealership is the top-ranked

By Cliff Banks • June 1, 2002

The best of the best tell how they do it

Longo, Ricart and GalpinLongo, Ricart and Galpin Hmmmm Okay folks, this is getting familiar. Going back to 1991 except for a couple of years when Longo Toyota chose not to participate these same three dealerships have reigned atop the annual Ward's 500 ranking. And it doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon. You can also add to the top mix Fletcher Jones Motor Cars, fourth or fifth the

By Cliff Banks • June 1, 2002

Screw This

Politics, religion and Ford vs. Chevy are universally recognized as taboo topics for folks who value lasting relationships. Now add a fourth forbidden forum of discussion Roots-type vs. the screw supercharger. The debate over which blower is best is itself supercharged. One enthusiast's Website begs this indulgence: You're free to disagree with me, so please don't send me any nasty letters And within

By Eric Mayne • May 1, 2002

Certified used cars can be a boon to dealers

The certified used-car business gives dealers an additional franchise to complement sales of new cars, says Bill Bates, BMW's certified pre-owned vehicle program manager. It also brings in customers who may not be able to afford a new car, especially a premium brand such as BMW. Auto manufacturers benefit because the certified programs strengthen dealers financially, increase parts purchases and build

By Herb Shuldiner • May 1, 2002

G-Whiz

SAN DIEGO Credibility, thy name is G35. Barely a decade into its crusade to stand toe-to-toe with German-made sport/luxury sedans, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s Infiniti upscale division launches its most convincing thrust yet, the athletic and accelerative G35. Oh, Infiniti and its arch-rival, Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus division haven't exactly shamed themselves with their prior efforts at chipping at

By Bill Visnic • May 1, 2002

VW’s Big Gamble

Like high rollers at a Las Vegas casino, Volkswagen AG's outgoing Chairman Ferdinand Piech and incoming CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder are gambling the auto maker's future on a strategy that has some onlookers worried. As the new leadership team begins to take the wheel at the world's No.5 auto maker, the plan is to continue on with Piech's controversial strategy to transform the VW and Audi brands into

By Kevin Kelly • May 1, 2002

Hyundai’s Sweet Home in Alabama

Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman must love to gloat. At the groundbreaking of Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.'s first U.S. plant in Montgomery, AL, in mid-April the governor couldn't contain his excitement. When we break ground today, that crunching sound will be heard from Atlanta to Detroit, says Siegelman. Hyundai's choice of Alabama for its $1 billion plant is another coup for the state which, though relatively

May 1, 2002

Fewer brand managers at GM; and a greater focus on divisions

Brand managers, once the darlings of General Motors Corp., are fewer in ranks there. Meanwhile, the automaker is realigning its dealership field team and refocusing its branding efforts back to individual car divisions. GM has reduced the number of brand managers overseeing product lines from 39 to 31. The remaining brand managers will line up more with vehicle line executives the managers who oversee

By Steve Finlay • May 1, 2002

MORE DEALERSHIPS KEEPING SATURDAY SERVICE HOURS

More and more dealership service departments keep Saturday hours as many manufacturers dealers to be open then. But few dealers, who are currently closed Saturdays, plan to extend their hours, and Chrysler dealerships are most likely to be dark that day for service and Ford dealer-ships are most likely to be open. That's according to a survey overseen by Carl Woodward of Woodward & Associates, a Bloomington,

May 1, 2002

Greg Jackson heads GM Minority Dealer Association

Gregory Jackson is the new president of the General Motors Minority Dealers Association. He says that during his two-year term he'll focus on finding new opportunities for dealers and exploring ways to assist GM in giving minority dealers a solid chance for success and increased sales and profits. Jackson is president of Prestige Automotive Group based in Flint, MI.

May 1, 2002