Automakers: Page 413

New ZF shifter allows flexible layouts

A cable-operated manual gearshift mechanism developed in Germany by ZF Lemforder Fahrwerktechnik AG & Co. KG permits greatly enhanced installation flexibility, says the company.With the new cable-linkage design, the shift lever can be integrated in the instrument console or steering column - as well as in any position on the floor. The twin stranded-wire Bowden-type cables are easily routed around

By David Scott • Feb. 1, 2001

Shooting Blanks

Shooting Blanks Aerospace company advances aluminum welding technology A Canadian engineering firm is adopting a unique strategy in the war to reduce vehicle weight.It's shooting blanks.Liburdi Engineering, a Toronto-area company with a high-flying reputation in aerospace, is on the radar screen of at least five automakers because of its welded aluminum blanks.Now a staple of the steel industry, so-called

By Eric Mayne • Feb. 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

Bill Lovejoy makes GM dealers happy

His reputation as a straight-shooter serves him well A year ago, the General Motors Corp. high command asked William J. Lovejoy to take a position tantamount to taking over Napoleon's troops at Waterloo. GM wanted the likeable New Yorker to replace Roy S. Roberts as vice president and group executive of the automaker's North American vehicle sales and service operations.GM dealers were up in arms.

By Tim Keenan • Feb. 1, 2001

Belly Up to the Bar Code

2D symbology, now required by GM, can prevent recalls Bar codes are not sexy, but the auto industry would stumble terribly without them. Cars could be built with the wrong colored seats - or no seats at all. There would be so many recalls that automakers would have to start paying dealers for franchises. The build-to-order thing? Forget it.The bar code is ubiquitous. You'd have to watch Little House

By Tom Murphy • Feb. 1, 2001

BMW Financial sets record selling off-lease vehicles

Sales of off-lease certified BMW vehicles helped set an income record in 2000 for BMW Financial Services, says its president, Robert Devine.In 2000, BMWFS surpassed the $5 billion mark in lease and retail financing income, while the pre-owned vehicle total exceeded the 40,000 mark, says Mr. Devine."This occurred despite BMW's spinoff of Land Rover last June to its new owner, Ford," says Mr. Devine.

By WARD'S DEALER BUSINESS STAFF • Feb. 1, 2001

CADILLAC UNVEILS ESCALADE PICKUP

Cadillac provided a surprise glimpse at its answer to the Lincoln Blackwood, showing off its '02 Escalade EXT at the Los Angeles Auto Show.The EXT is a cross between a luxury sport/utility vehicle and a pickup truck.The luxury sport/utility truck (SUT) is equipped with the same 345-hp 6.0L V-8 as the Escalade, "making it the most powerful SUT (sport utility/truck) in the world," says Gary White, General

By WARD'S DEALER BUSINESS STAFF • Feb. 1, 2001

CHRYSLER: THE NEW PREMIUM BRAND?

CHRYSLER IS FEELING HIGH CLASS DESPITE ITS current money problems.Consumers for years perceived Chryslers as large and conservative family sedans, according to Maureen Edson, a Chrysler marketing manager."But that's no longer applicable," she says. "More and more consumers see Chrysler as upscale and leading edge."Accordingly, Chrysler is trying to gild its image, move on up and re-position itself

By Steve Finlay • Feb. 1, 2001

Land Ho!

GM transforms rust belts to green belts The consumer's image of a press conference featuring an industrial company and the Environmental Protection Agency is not very good.And David Skiven, executive director of General Motors Corp.'s Worldwide Facilities Group, recognizes this as he kicks off a gathering of scribes featuring the automaker and the EPA at GM's Truck Product Center (TPC) in Pontiac,

By Brian Corbett • Feb. 1, 2001

Lean and Green

Honda will re-do all of its plants by 2003 SUZUKA, Japan - In refurbishing its Suzuka assembly plant, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has taken "best practices" from its production facilities in Japan and overseas.The company's goal: to put in place a "green" manufacturing system by 2003.The No. 1 and No. 3 Suzuka lines will be the "standard" for all Honda production facilities around the world, says Honda President

By Roger Schreffler • Feb. 1, 2001

WHAT NOT TO DO IN A TOUGH SITUATION

Deception and denial are of little help for employers caught in business crisis situations, according to former American Motors Chairman and CEO Gerald C. Meyers.Now a professor of crisis management at the University of Michigan Business School, Dr. Meyers specifically singles out DaimlerChrysler Chairman Juergen E. Schrempp and senior executives of Bridgestone/Firestone for engaging in "D-word" reactions

By Maynard M. Gordon • Feb. 1, 2001

SOME ‘NET VENTURES ARE LEMONS; THIS IS LEMONADE

Toyota site has better closing rate than for walk-ins "The Internet a lemon?" "FounderingSales.com?"That's what banner headlines in Fortune magazine and the Detroit Free Press proclaimed, citing direct-sales dot-coms' gloom and doom in sales results, dealer satisfaction and, perish the thought, common stock values.But the publications should check out the latest report from Gulf States Toyota. Its

By Maynard M. Gordon • Feb. 1, 2001

HOW SUCCESS CAME TO TOP OLDS DEALER

"A warm spot in our hearts for that great old name" ELLISVILLE, MO - Thirty years ago, what was to become the largest-volume Oldsmobile dealership got its start here in a trailer and with a $200,000 loan from GM's Motors Holding Division.The new dealer kid on the block back then was Frank Bommarito.He had started out as a kid car washer at McMahon Ford and then did the same thing at Vincel Pontiac,

By Maynard M. Gordon • Feb. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

`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 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

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

Honda tops million sales

And it does it without a pickup truck Reaching more than a million new-vehicle sales a year without a pickup truck line has been American Honda's singular achievement in 2000 - and there's no reason why the record can't be broken in 2001.That's what they're saying at Honda's U.S. headquarters in Torrance, CA, and unless the market really tanks, doubters are few and far between.In optimistic fashion,

By Maynard M. Gordon • Jan. 1, 2001

ALL HAD TO BE CHANGED - AND WAS

"Van Tuyl style" turns Nissan dealership around ERRITOS, CA - Like the weather, customer satisfaction is something dealers and just about everyone else talk about.Ask a dealer what his top priority is. The answer most often is "customer satisfaction" or "customer loyalty."At Cerritos Nissan, they've taken that principle and yielded real results in only a few years. The Cerritos Auto Mall store in

By Maynard M. Gordon • Jan. 1, 2001