Automakers: Page

Evoq unofficially becomes XLR

General Motors Corp.'s top executives were clearly encouraged to talk a lot about product in their various presentations at the Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City early last month, but Gary Cowger, group vice president for manufacturing and labor relations, manages to say a little too much. Giving a quick rundown on new plants and new products, Mr. Cowger offhandedly mentions we'll be building

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

GENERAL MOTORS’ EDGY CONCEPT VEHICLES POINT BOLDLY TO THE FUTURE

PEBBLE BEACH, CA Cadillac for some time now has been trying to make its cars more appealing to a younger audience. But the Cadillac Cien concept car not only looks youthful, it looks fast and furious. The sleek and low-slung Cien, with a brute V12 engine, looks like it could go head-to-head with Ferrari and Lamborghini. GM unveiled the Cien (Spanish for 100, acknowledging Cadillac's 100th anniversary

By Steve Finlay • Sept. 1, 2001

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

Keys to Planet Ford’s success are tracking and training

Billed as the world's first Autotainment Mall, Planet Ford is a fun place, what with a space-age theme throughout. What other dealership calls its showroom the mothership, its children's playroom Starbase One, and its delivery area a launch pad (complete with a light and sound show to send customers off in style)? But they take selling cars seriously at the 32-acre facility in Spring, TX, a northern

By Steve Finlay • Sept. 1, 2001

RECALLING THAT VISIT FROM PETE ESTES

We toured the entire dealership. Mr. Estes interviewed every employee! His questions were direct. He even wrote notes of employees' suggestions. ALTHOUGH CAR DEALERS OFTEN WONDER ABOUT some auto company executives, two such General Motors' executives gained my lasting respect. The leader by far was Elliot Pete Estes, followed by Bob Burger. I had personal contact with both. I admire them now as much

By Nat Shulman • Sept. 1, 2001

THEY’LL BUY IF IT’S FUN, FUN, FUN

Look at Disney World. Do people go there just for the rides? No, you can find rides at local amusement parks. People go to Disney World for the experience. It's the same way at Planet Ford. IT WASN'T INTENDED TO BE ONE OF MY FIRST questions to Randall Reed, but it just came out. How old are you? I said. he said. Forty-two? You look like you're in your mid-20s! Yeah, I know, he said with resignation.

By Steve Finlay • Sept. 1, 2001

On the cutting edge

Toyota of Puyallup (WS) principal Glen Sawyer (right) and his daughter and general manager Kerry Bivens are joined by Jeff Bracken, a Toyota regional manager in presenting a ceremonial Kitana sword. It marked the opening of the dealership's new 42,000-sq.-ft. sales, service and administrative center. Mr. Sawyer, a 31-year Toyota dealer, is one of nine among Toyota's 1,200 U.S. dealers to win the importer's

Sept. 1, 2001

Powder Metal Use Continues to Grow in ‘02

Applications on several key new engine and transmission programs will increase the use of powder metal parts by 4% in the '02 model year, representing a gain of 1.5 lbs. (0.7kg) per vehicle over last model year, according to industry estimates. For instance, the trade paper American Metal Market says automatic four-speed rear-wheel drive transmissions on the new Chrysler fullsize Dodge Ram pickups

By Drew Winter • Sept. 1, 2001

Chapin Brought Jeep into AMC Fold

Roy D. Chapin Jr., a true who grew up in the auto industry, died last month at the age of 85. Mr. Chapin's father was a founder of Hudson Motor Car Co. in the early 1900s and, after graduating from Yale University in 1938 he joined Hudson. In 1954 Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corp. to form American Motors Corp., and he stayed on as treasurer. Under first George Mason and then George Romney,

Sept. 1, 2001

Fiat seeks agreement with Brazil metal workers

Fiat Auto SpA is seeking an agreement with Brazil's metal workers union to reduce production and inventory, after sales fall 7.5% in June. The Italian automaker is proposing to split the 30-day workers' vacation into three 10-day vacations until Jan. 31. If the union fails to agree, Fiat would be obliged to dismiss workers, says Osmani Teixeira de Abreu, director of labor relations. Fiat sales fell

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

Space Invaders and Asteroids?

What do Space Invaders, Asteroids and a good old-fashioned game of checkers have to do with selling cars? Apparently a lot, if you ask Tom Vann. They're all part of a strategy that has enabled his Chrysler dealership, Team Hillsdale, to more than double its yearly sales total in five years. In that time the dealership in Hillsdale, MI, with a population under 10,000, went from being ranked 260th to

By Cliff Banks • Sept. 1, 2001

Teaching tomorrow’s dealership staff is a labor of love and frustration

For 19 years, Jay Knobbe, service director for Bernard Chevrolet, Libertyville, IL has taught automotive technology at a local community college. The extra income is nice and so is the opportunity to observe talent he might one day hire to work in his service department. Mr. Knobbe is a good instructor. He interacts well with his students. He's hands-on and offers an on-the-job perspective to help

By Jim Leman • Sept. 1, 2001

Ford axes white-collar employees

Describing announced cuts of 4,000-5,000 white-collar jobs in mid-August as an initial action, Ford Motor Co. CEO Jacques Nasser tells reporters the following day that there may be more. Speaking at the Concours d'Elegance auto show in Pebble Beach, CA, he points to what continues to be a sluggish economy as the culprit for the voluntary separation program, saying he sees no turnaround for another

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

Kia Takes a Big Leap

SEDONA, AZ With the all-new Sedona, Kia Motors Corp. not only takes its first leap into the U.S. minivan segment but also taps into its largest engine ever. And the all-new 3.5L V-6 engine is going to get more play than just minivans. It is slated to power Kia's next entry in the U.S. market a midsize sport/utility vehicle (SUV), codenamed the due out in about a year in the U.S. and most likely to

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • Sept. 1, 2001

Audi Pumps Up New A4 with Larger V-6, CVT

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA Audi AG's A4 could, arguably, have been its most successfully car ever. After all, it almost singlehandedly put Audi back on the map in the U.S. And in Europe, the original A4 (introduced in 1995) proved Audi now is serious about competing with the holder of the German-performance crown, BMW AG. But the market moves swiftly now and it's high time the original car was updated. So for

By Barbara McClellan • Sept. 1, 2001

Four-wheel Steering Finds its Home

GMC's Sierra Denali performance truck, formerly Sierra C3, will head into production this fall offering an innovative standard feature: 4-wheel steering. Although the idea hardly is new for passenger cars (several automakers have tried, without success, to feature 4-wheel steering as a performance-handling enhancement), GMC's application is a world-first for the light-truck segment. Called Quadrasteer

By Brian Corbett • Sept. 1, 2001

Texas court rules in favor of dealers

Ford Motor Co.'s used vehicle web site, www.fordpreowned.com was found to be in violation of the Texas Motor Vehicle Commission Code earlier this week by the U.S. Court of Appeals. The web site allows consumers to shop for pre-owned Ford vehicles. Once the consumer finds a desirable vehicle, the vehicle is then shipped to a local dealer for the consumer to test drive. The web site operates in Houston,

By Cliff Banks • Aug. 30, 2001

Honda sales suggest “recession proof” Hispanic spending patterns

Current research and data from the last recession in the 90’s indicates that Latinos are not as affected by recessionary trends as the general market. Hispanics’ income continued to increase, as did their spending, during economic downturns, says Hector Orci, co-chairman of La Agencia de Orci, American Honda’s Hispanic ad agency of record for 12 years. He says that, while in the middle of a business

Aug. 28, 2001

Toyota Launches Media Blitz to Market 2002 Camry

Toyota Launches Media Blitz to Market 2002 Camry Haven't heard about Toyota's new 2002 Camry yet? Don't worry - you will. The Japanese automotive company is spending $160 million on what it says will be the most pervasive and expensive media blitz in its history. For the next 60 days, Toyota says that 90 percent of all Americans will hear about the new Camry at least eight times. The fully integrated

By Cliff Banks • Aug. 27, 2001

Premier Automotive Group combines North American Operations

Ford Motor Company’s luxury division, the Premier Automotive Group, is creating a single organization for the American operations of its three British lines – Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. Effective September 1, 2001, the organization will combine sales, marketing, communications, franchise development, distribution, parts and customer service of the three luxury lines. Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle,

By Cliff Banks • Aug. 13, 2001

GM Revamping Purchasing Strategy

General Motors Corp. hasn’t gone soft on its suppliers, but it is working hard to rebuild its damaged reputation with the supply community. Hoping its actions speak louder than words, Bo Andersson, Executive in Charge of GM Worldwide Purchasing, says the automaker now is giving suppliers simple performance targets and measurements and rewarding those who excel at meeting targets with significant new

By Drew Winter and Alisa Priddle • Aug. 13, 2001

Toyota Aims to Cut Lead Time With New Website

Toyota Motor Mfg. North America Inc. implements its plan to shave custom vehicle order lead time from 77 days down to just 12-16 days in the next two years. An important component to the effort, www.toyotasupplier.com, launches this Monday (August 13), says James T. Bolte, general manager of information systems at TMMNA at the Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI. The Web site will be

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • Aug. 10, 2001

Is Cadillac Really Cool Again?

Not that long ago someone once described the demographic of Cadillac buyers as “age 65 to dead.” But recently Cadillac has been suggesting it’s now becoming the “in” brand in the hippest circles, which includes Hollywood actors, professional atheletes and Hip-Hop performers. Gary L. Cowger, General Motors Corp.’s Group Vice President, manufacturing and Labor Relations, jumped on the bandwagon Thursday,

By Drew Winter • Aug. 9, 2001

SAE: Speed And Efficiency

The Society of Automotive Engineers will meet next week with executives from Ford Motor Co. to convince the No. 2 automaker that it – along with the rest of the Big Three – must urge its engineers to attend the annual World Congress in Detroit. SAE President Neil Schilke says after his remarks Thursday at the Traverse City conference that he is attempting to meet also with Chrysler Group management,

By Tom Murphy • Aug. 9, 2001

GM Manufacturing Starting to Fire on All Cylinders

On Wednesday General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman & Chief Financial Officer John M. Devine stated that the U.S. auto industry wasn’t firing on all cylinders, but in one of the most optimistic speeches of the week, GM’s manufacturing chief points out that the automaker’s formerly troubled factory operations are running smoother than they have in years. That promises not only better, more desirable products

By Drew Winter • Aug. 9, 2001

Toyota Strives to Retain its Benchmark Status

Sometimes it’s not easy being a benchmark. Toyota Motor Corp., which set the industry standard in terms of manufacturing practices, now is fighting to keep at the front of the pack in the face of growing competition from those who long have emulated the innovative lean systems of the No.1 Japanese automaker. “Maybe other companies have out-Toyota’d Toyota,” says Gary Convis, president of Toyota Motor

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • Aug. 8, 2001