FORD TRYING TO SOLVE ITS QUALITY WOES

Ford Motor Co. is moving across a broad front to solve quality problems that have plagued the No. 2 automaker for years, leading to costly recalls, stalled product launches and poor results in customer surveys, a top official tells Ward's. James J. Padilla, who advanced to group vice president-Ford North America in the recent management shakeup that ousted President and Chief Executive Jacques Nasser,

Dec. 1, 2001

Nissan climbs on the modularity bandwagon

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. is leading the pack in embracing modularization, starting with its Smyrna, TN-built, new-for-'02 Altima midsize sedan, says Shigeo Ishida, president of Nissan Technical Center North America. Use of modules for the Altima's cockpit, front end and doors, has effected a 5% cost saving and reduced assembly time by 10% over the previous generation. Plus, Mr. Ishida says modularization

By Compiled by the staff of: WARD'S AUTOMOTIVE REPORTS • Dec. 1, 2001

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

Mini Avalanche to fall on Oklahoma City

General Motors Corp. will build a midsize version of the Avalanche sport/utility pickup for its GMC division at its Oklahoma City assembly plant, sources tell WAW. Codenamed GMT305, the crossover unlike Avalanche will feature an open-air retractable notchback over the cargo area, sources say. In his final public appearance, Ron Zarrella, former president of GM North America, gave a quick glimpse of

By Compiled by the staff of: WARD'S AUTOMOTIVE REPORTS • Dec. 1, 2001

Nissan shows new e-AWD system

TOKYO Lost in a sea of oddities at the Tokyo Motor Show is a proposal from Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. for a neat and efficient all-wheel-drive system. The company dubs it E4WD and unveiled it in the mm concept (see p.48), which in production will serve as the basis for Nissan's next-generation Micra. Display in the subcompact mm showcases E4WD's greatest benefit: small size and weight, resulting in easy

By Compiled by the staff of: WARD'S ENGINE AND VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY UPDATE • Dec. 1, 2001

GM and Isuzu: partners for pickups

General Motors Corp. and Isuzu Motors Ltd. have joined forces to develop the next-generation S-10 family of small pickups, a program expected to yield 500,000 units annually the largest project undertaken by the two in their 30-year partnership. The Isuzu-badged concept truck, recently unveiled in Tokyo, will give way to production versions for both Isuzu and GM with distinct exteriors. The joint

By Compiled by the staff of: WARD'S AUTOMOTIVE REPORTS • Dec. 1, 2001

2001 Tokyo Motor Show: The Quirky and the Quick

Early talk was that this year's Tokyo Motor Show would be more occurring as it did barely a month after the September U.S. terrorist attacks. Subdued, perhaps somewhat, but the auto show here has earned a reputation as the industry's biannual weird-fest and the 2001 edition didn't disappoint. In fact, there may have been more offbeat and bizarre concepts than usual. Honda Motor Co. Ltd. unveiled perhaps

By Alisa Priddle, Katherine Zachary and Bill Visnic • Dec. 1, 2001

Resurrected Ford Thunderbird grabs Motor Trend’s Car of the Year honors

The Ford Thunderbird -- a resurrected version of the famous roadster from the 1950s -- is Motor Trend's 2002 Car of the Year. Motor Trend's editorial staff selected this year's winner after conducting 10 rigorous tests on the largest group of contenders ever to compete - 27 cars. Judging included design, engineering, quality, interior, special features, fun, everyday livability, safety, performance

Nov. 21, 2001

Volvo under pressure to boost Ford group

The pressure's on Volvo Car. As the volume leader among the luxury marques that make up Ford's Premier Automotive Group (PAG), much of the onus is on Volvo to carry the ball if the automaker's ultimate annual worldwide sales target of 1 million Lincolns, Volvos, Jaguars, Aston Martins and Land Rovers is to be met. "Since we are the biggest brand within PAG, the success of PAG is very much dependent

By Dave Zoia • Nov. 19, 2001

Toyota Camry about to lose best-selling car title to Honda Accord

The Toyota Camry – America’s best-selling car for three years in a row – looks like it will lose that title to the Honda Accord this year. Toyota executives say that has more to do with their limiting Camry production supplies than with anything else -- such as more car-buyers liking the Accord better than the Camry. Toyota fell behind in the big race after the automaker limited production of 2001

By Steve Finlay • Nov. 16, 2001

UPDATE 2-Ford extends interest-free financing

Ford Motor Co. , following the lead of rival General Motors Corp. , said on Wednesday that it was extending interest-free loans on the purchase of some new vehicles until Jan. 14. It was the second extension of the financing program that Ford introduced in September, soon after GM launched zero interest loans to help give the economy and U.S. auto sales a lift after the Sept. 11 plane attacks in New

By Reuters • Nov. 15, 2001

Ron Zarrella leaves GM; Bob Lutz moves up the corporate ladder

Ron Zarrella, executive vice president and president, GM North America, has resigned to become chairman and CEO of Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, N.Y. Mr. Zarrella joined GM seven years ago from Bausch & Lomb where he was president. His relationship with GM dealers has been controversial for much of his tenure, but showed signs of improving. Some of the initiatives under his watch – such as a plan for

By Cliff Banks • Nov. 13, 2001

Ford’s Premier Automotive Group opens new headquarters; announces management changes

The move to Irvine, CA is now official for Ford Motor Company’s five luxury brands as Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle, group vice president, Ford Motor Company and president, Premier Automotive Group led the dedication ceremonies for the new headquarters on Friday, November 9. The facility houses the North American headquarters for Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo, as well as the global headquarters

By Cliff Banks • Nov. 12, 2001

Nissan establishing new South Carolina parts center distribution center

Nissan North America today announced it will establish a new Parts Distribution Center (PDC) in Greenville, S.C., as part of the automaker's expansion in the United States aimed at creating lasting, profitable growth worldwide. Nissan will invest about $4 million in the center housed in a leased 186,290 square-foot building situated on 14.69 acres in upstate South Carolina. Nissan's decision to select

By Wire Reports • Nov. 5, 2001

20 Years of Zero PPM

THIONVILLE, France It's been 20 years since Renault SA opened a piston manufacturing plant here in the northeast, just across the border from Germany and Luxembourg. And in that time the plant has never shipped a bad piston. OK, it's surely produced a few bad pistons since 1981, but Daniel Preslier is proud to say that none of them has ever made it out of the plant door. Besides a bearing, can you

By Tom Murphy • Nov. 1, 2001

Ford sales fly in October

Finally, some good news for Ford Motor Company. U.S. customers purchased or leased 418,243 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, Volvo, and Land Rover dealers in October, soaring 34.4 percent higher than a year ago, and setting a new October sales record. The previous record (375,797) was set in 1977. Ford F-Series, America's best-selling truck since 1977, achieved an all-time truck

By Wire Reports • Nov. 1, 2001

DC and Mitsubishi Learn to Share; Crossfire Gets New Platform

DaimlerChrysler Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. appear to be a giant step closer to firming plans to co-develop small C- (Dodge Neon/Mitsubishi Mirage and Lancer) and D-segment (Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Stratus/Mitsubishi Galant and Eclipse) car platforms, but a DCC official promises two unique-looking vehicles from the outside. The two automakers already have formed a joint procurement and supply

Nov. 1, 2001

Accord Topples Camry as Best-Selling U.S. Car

In the battle for sedan supremacy, Honda Motor Co. Ltd.'s Accord knocks Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry out of the top spot as the best-selling car in America for the '01 model year. Accord posted sales of 412,074 vs. Camry's 388,512. Ford Motor Co.'s Taurus placed third with 349,742 units sold. The '01 Honda Civic is the best-selling small car in the U.S. for the fourth straight year with sales of 323,074,

Nov. 1, 2001

FORD DOESN’T WANT TO SEE NADA’S BLUE OVAL SURVEY OF DEALERS

The National Automobile Dealers Association in August finished a survey that earlier asked Ford dealers what they thought of the automaker's controversial Blue Oval Certification program. The NADA had hoped to present the survey results to Ford Motor Co. But NADA Chairman Robert Maguire says Ford executives show no interest in the survey. Ford Division President Jim O'Connor, in a letter to Mr. Maguire,

By Cliff Banks • Nov. 1, 2001

Brazil, Argentina Brace for Road Ahead

This was to be the year of Brazil's big comeback. Production was set to soar toward the lofty heights of 1997, when domestic automakers built 2.07 million cars, vans and trucks compared with last year's 1.67 million vehicles. The industry pinnacle was reached before the bottom fell out of Asia in 1997, the Russian economy crumpled in 1998 and the drastic free fall of Brazil's currency caused economic

By Barbara McClellan • Nov. 1, 2001

Smyrna: Another defeat for UAW

What appeared to be a legitimate chance to organize workers at Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp.'s Smyrna, TN, assembly plant crumbles into the fourth humiliating defeat at Smyrna for the United Auto Workers union after hourly workers reject unionization by more than a 2:1 margin. Some 3,103 of 4,589 eligible workers cast ballots Oct. 3 under the watchful eye of the National Labor Relations Board. UAW leaders

By Compiled by the staff of: WARD'S AUTOMOTIVE REPORTS • Nov. 1, 2001

****Nissan: We’ve got to take it to the next level

It's been an interesting 10 years as a Nissan dealer, says Vince Sheehy who observed that milestone in September. Sometimes it's been too interesting, he says referring to the tough times from which Nissan is attempting to rebound. I remember being told at the 1992 NADA convention that I came aboard Nissan at the right time because they were coming out with the Altima, says Mr. Sheehy. And the Altima

By Steve Finlay • Nov. 1, 2001

How they sell cars on the Internet in Europe

(Editor's Note: We know how cars are sold over the Internet in America. But as connected as Americans are, European car buyers are certainly using the 'Net, too. The following story gives a different perspective on how vehicle e-sales are done overseas.) When Volvo Cars, based in Stockholm, Sweden, decided to try selling cars on the Internet, it set up its test site in Belgium. If we succeed in Belgium,

Nov. 1, 2001

Rich Hartman opens new store in Tacoma, WA

Rich Hartman, president of Five Star Dealerships, opened a new store, Five Star Mitsubishi in Tacoma, WA. Other franchises in Mr. Hartman's group include Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet, Lincoln Mercury, Buick and Pontiac.

Nov. 1, 2001

**Kia’s products are the key to success

Things are looking very good for Kia Motors America. The Korean company recently named Peter Butterfield to the position of executive vice president of sales, marketing and fixed operations. He most recently was with Lincoln Mercury and comes to Kia as it is experiencing dramatic success in what is a down market. Kia Motors America has had the most success this year percentage-wise among the Korean

By Cliff Banks • Nov. 1, 2001

Still a Soft Roader

NEMACOLIN, PA There's a new Honda CR-V in this woodsy eastern Pennsylvania town. Normally, that would mean it's High Noon for the competition. It's just that town's a lot bigger place than it used to be. When Honda Motor Co. Ltd. launched the CR-V compact sport/utility vehicle (SUV) in '97, it immediately emerged as the dominant player in a fledgling segment, handily beating even Toyota's RAV4 and

By Bill Visnic • Nov. 1, 2001