COURT SHOOTOUT BREWING OVER FORD BLUE OVAL PROGRAM

A courtroom battle that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court is shaping up over Ford's Blue Oval certification program.Ford President and CEO Jacques A. Nasser, responding to a suit filed by five dealers in U.S. District Court, Newark, NJ, called Blue Oval a dealership program the company "can't live without" because of its customer-satisfaction merits.He warns, "Anyone who is going to hide behind legal

By Maynard M. Gordon • Jan. 1, 2001

The Contrarian

My column in Nov. '99 was headlined Occupied Chrysler and it was darn good, ending with Change your ways. End the occupation. Make Chrysler a true partner, or free us. And that was written well before Jim Holden got the axe. You know what happened. The iron boot came down harder. Okay, no more Mr. Nice Guy. This column is a message to all Chrysler employees: Resist. Your company was conquered with

By Jerry Flint • Jan. 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

`Business as usual’ at Audi

VW's luxury arm continues to improve as market softens Audi of America Vice President Len Hunt sums up 2000 in one succinct phrase: "Back to business as usual."Volkswagen's luxury division continues to fare well in the U.S., despite what many have dubbed a "softening" auto industry. "We've seen a little bit of a slowdown in terms of showroom traffic, but sales are still extremely healthy," says Mr.

By Laurel Wright • Jan. 1, 2001

The power of one

Mazda eyes more exclusive stores and a Blue Oval-like dealer programMazda has seen moderate incremental sales growth - but what it really wants to do is increase the number of its exclusive dealerships.The importer also is looking at establishing a dealership certification program along the lines of Ford's Blue Oval program.Mazda currently has about 750 retail points, 20% of which are stand-alone

By Tim Keenan • Jan. 1, 2001

Materials

Nutrition experts say the best diets reduce weight very gradually, over a long period. Automakers in North America apparently have been listening. They're expected to reduce the total vehicle weight of cars and trucks by only 10% by 2009. So no matter how many super light-weight, all-aluminum and all-plastic concept vehicles you see on the auto show circuit this year, don't expect to see a lot on

By Drew Winter • Jan. 1, 2001

A C-Class act

Mercedes eyes bigger slice of entry-luxury segment Some people believe luxury car sales are the first to bear the brunt of an economic downturn.But Ken Enders of Mercedes-Benz USA says that, if predictions are correct that the economy may soften this year, luxury car companies such as his won't be the canaries in the mineshaft."I'd say it would go the other way; that the total market would get hit

By Steve Finlay • Jan. 1, 2001

DIGITAL IMAGES LURE IN NEW BUSINESS

Dealership uses computer photos to show vehicle body damage to insurersDennis Martin, body shop manager at Lou Fusz Pontiac-Buick-GMC in St. Louis, MO, isn't convinced that "digital imaging" saves his department money. He is, however, convinced that it saves time - and has helped the shop bring in more insurance-paid repair work."We bought it primarily because one insurance company wanted us to have

By John Yoswick • Jan. 1, 2001

FORD SELLS SAFETY OF 2002 EXPLORER

FORD WILL SELL THE SAFETY OF THE NEW 2002 Explorer due out this spring.With good reason. The new SUV follows the Firestone tire shredding problems linked to all those fatal Explorer rollover accidents.Ford fears the fallout from that mess could mar the new Explorer's launch.It's ironic that the new SUV comes with innovative and impressive safety features, which by the way, were in the works well before

By Steve Finlay • Jan. 1, 2001

GM sees no downturn for Vitec

It has been three years since General Motors Corp., like other Big Three automakers, committed to do 5% of its business with minority-owned automotive suppliers. The No.1 automaker is keeping that pledge by fostering growth at Vitec, a fuel tank producer that recently celebrated its third anniversary as a minority operation. The company has 250 employees producing 800,000 plastic fuel tanks annually

Jan. 1, 2001

OLDS DEALERS REACT TO BRAND’S DEATH SENTENCE

Years of speculation, rumors and guesswork finally ended last month when General Motors executives announced they would phase out the Oldsmobile brand after more than 100 years as an auto industry nameplate. The move effects 2,801 dealers, 63 of which are Olds exclusives. The phase out is expected to take about three years, which is when the cycle of the division's current product lineup ends. The

By Tim Keenan • Jan. 1, 2001

Isuzu’s Axiom Crossover Makes Speedy Entrance

When they take the wraps off the 2002 Isuzu Axiom vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit Jan. 14-21, it no longer will be the concept model unveiled at the New York Auto Show only nine months ago yet it'll be almost identical: Axiom heads for production this month at the Subaru Isuzu Automotive Inc. (SIA) plant in Lafayette, IN, and will reach Isuzu's 550 dealers on April

By DAVIDC. SMITH • Jan. 1, 2001

Aston-Martin back in the U.S. market

EAST HAMPTON, NY -- You pull up to the club in your brand new 12-cyl. BMW 850 coupe and ... drat, everyone seems to be driving one. What's a refined multimillionaire to do? Ferraris are so obvious, and $120,000 Mercedes SL600s are so, well, common.Here in the Hamptons, where you can spend $150,000 to $300,000 renting a home for the summer, this is a serious concern.British supercar manufacturer Aston

By Drew Winter • Dec. 21, 2000

Slip slidin’ away: Cadillac ICCS keeps you on straight and narrow

PHOENIX -- While Cadillac's big news for the '97 model year will be the German-built Catera, engineers from General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac/Luxury Car Div. have been busy refining the integrated chassis control system (ICCS) for up-level versions of its front-drive models: Seville STS, Eldorado ETC and DeVille Concours.Antilock brakes and traction control have reduced collision risks, but when you

By Gardner, Greg • Dec. 21, 2000

Ford, UTA settle: new VP-quality named

United Technologies Automotive says it's a coincidence, and maybe it is, as it appoints a new vice president of quality and enterprise productivity just as the dust settles from the 8.7 million-vehicle recall of Ford vehicles equipped with UTA ignition switches. More than 1,000 fires have been linked to the switch. Michael O'Day takes over the post as the automaker and the supplier agree to share

Dec. 21, 2000

Auto people on the move

Delphi President J.T. Battenberg is selected as general chairman of the SAE International Congress and Expo in Detroit Feb. 24-27. Other personnel moves: Yoshio Ishizaka becomes president and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., replacing Shinji Sakai, who returns to Japan as senior managing director. GM's Robert W. Hendry is named president and CEO of Saab Automobile AB, while GM taps Bell Atlantic

Dec. 21, 2000

GM to build homes for Delphi employees in Mexico.

General Motors Corp., fresh from the huge Renaissance Center real estate deal in Detroit, is building homes for several thousand Delphi Automotive Systems employees in Mexico. An agreement with Mexico's housing authority and Michigan-based homebuilder Pulte Corp. will result in some 6,000 starter homes for Delphi employees. "Without this partnership between government and private industry, such housing

Dec. 21, 2000

BMW leading on sleeves?

American Metal Market says BMW AG is ahead of Ford Motor Co. in developing powder metal-type metal matrix composite cylinder sleeves for aluminum engine blocks. The sleeves are lighter than conventional cast-iron liners. If development work is successful, they will be used in an upcoming BMW aluminum V-6 engine.

Dec. 21, 2000

THE EYES OF THE FORDS ARE UPON YOU

Henry Ford II once said he could do things other CEOs couldn't do because "my name is on the building."A visitor to Ford world headquarters in Dearborn, MI seldom forgets that this publicly owned company is in other ways still a family business.A statue of Henry Ford II greets visitors in the lobby. That's a start of the Ford family presence in art form.In the lobby of the executive suites is a statue

By WARD'S DEALER BUSINESS STAFF • Dec. 1, 2000

LINCOLN MERC AN EMBATTLED SPECIES?

Well, it's doing terrific in this Texas town SAN ANTONIO, TX- LincolnMercury an embattled species?Not in this home of the legendary Alamo, where North Park LincolnMercury has led the L M list on the Ward's Dealer 500 for the second year in a row, and the only consonants in "Alamo" are "L" and "M.""Lincoln Navigator and Mercury Mountaineer have been real attractions for the core LincolnMercury market

By Maynard M. Gordon • Dec. 1, 2000

Dodge keeps on trucking

"We'd like to sell more conventional cars but..."Even without a Dodge edition of the torrid Chrysler PT Cruiser... Despite the U.S. Chrysler Group's financial problems this year...In the teeth of rough competition in the truck/van/SUV arena...The venerable old Dodge brand has held fast to its third-place ranking in new-car and truck sales and for 2000 should equal or surpass its previous all-time

By Maynard M. Gordon • Dec. 1, 2000

Chevrolet cuts into Ford’s market-share lead, looks for future gains

Chevrolet and Ford have been fighting for the top domestic brand title for years. In recent history, Ford has been the king, but Chevrolet is back in the battle and gaining ground.General Motors' bow tie division will sell 2.7 million cars and trucks in 2000, up from 2.61 million in 1999.The division also narrowed the gap with arch-rival Ford from 5% to 4%, says Kurt Ritter, Chevrolet's marketing

By Tim Keenan • Dec. 1, 2000

Park Cities VW plans new store

Park Cities Volkswagen in Dallas, the largest VW store in Texas, broke ground at the former site of Friendly Chevrolet.Currently sharing facilities with Park Cities Chrysler-Jeep, the new building will be a 40,678-sq.-ft. dealership on 3,891 acres of land. It is expected to be the largest VW flagship store in the nation.Bob Beck and Leo Griggs are partners in the Beck Automotive Group, of which Park

By WARD'S DEALER BUSINESS STAFF • Dec. 1, 2000

GM’s dealer relations “a hell of a lot better”

Things settle down after last year's donnybrook General Motors dealers were furious with the company at this time last year. The reason? The automaker's plan to acquire up to 800 dealerships throughout the U.S.Dealers went ballistic, then mobilized for a fight. Law suits were threatened. The National Automobile Dealers Association loudly decried GM's proposal to join the dealer ranks. Feeling the

By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2000

Ford expects to continue winning ways in 2001

2000 should set record despite Firestone recall and uneasiness about Blue OvalLAS VEGAS - Sitting amid the new and hopped-up Ford vehicles in his company's SEMA exhibit, it's easy for Ford Div. President Jim O'Connor to be optimistic, even at the end of a year marred by one of the worst customer-satisfaction crises since the Pinto.Despite the Firestone tire recall on millions of Explorers, Mr. O'Connor

By Tim Keenan • Dec. 1, 2000

DOWN-HOME DEALERSHIPS

His family is big on small-town stores PINCONNING, MI - Thirty years ago, Dean Arbour, age 32 at the time, decided it was time for a change."I was selling cars for Jerry McCarthy Chevrolet in Detroit," he recalls, "and frankly wanted to find a small-town Chevy dealership to buy. Our kids were small and we were anxious to get out of the fast lane and settle down near the lakes and the forests."But

By Maynard M. Gordon • Dec. 1, 2000