New DC minivans designed to protect market share

A minivan speeds down a tree-lined rural road south of Seattle. A motorcycle police officer, armed with a radar gun and secluded in the woods, gives chase, stops the driver and gives him a ticket.So much for the notion that minivans are slow-moving boxes on wheels which draw little attention from police officers or anyone else.The "culprit" is a 2001 Chrysler Town & Country with a 3.8L engine that's

By Steve Finlay • Sept. 1, 2000

Insight Borrows From NSX Halo

The Acura NSX may have been low volume and high cost when it made its debut as the world's first aluminum production car in 1990, but it paved the way for the Honda Insight, which has generated both hype and demand.The Japanese automaker sold 1,900 Insight electric-gasoline hybrids in the first six months and was shooting for 4,000 by the markets such as Michigan, Florida, California and the Northeast.

By Alisa Priddle • Sept. 1, 2000

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 Cautious In e-Commerce

Although talk swirls constantly about the magic bullet of OE-supplier e-commerce and its potential for saving automakers vast sums, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. isn't buying it.Larry Jutte, vice president and general manager - Motorcycle and Powertrain, Parts and Procurement, Honda of America Mfg. Inc., says Honda simply doesn't do business with suppliers in the fashion implied by suggested models of OE-supplier

By Bill Visnic • Sept. 1, 2000

Chevy SSR Gets Green Light for 2003

Chevrolet will introduce a David production version of the high performance SSR sporty, retro pickup concept unveiled earlier this year in late 2002.General Motors Corp. President G. Richard Wagoner gave the program the green light during his appearance Aug. 9 at the U-M Management Briefing Seminars.The SSR concept debuted in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit to raves

By David C. Smith • Sept. 1, 2000

COMBATT Pits Ford vs. DC

U-M Conference participants had a chance to take a ride on what DaimlerChrysler Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are battling over: the Army's new Light Tactical Wheeled Vehicle (LTWV).Both COMBATT (Commercially BAsed Tactical Truck) vehicles roll off the same line as their civilian brothers, the Ford F-350 and Dodge Ram 2500, but each get military treatment upon enlistment.The payoff is less cost for taxpayers.

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Sept. 1, 2000

Ste. Therese Fate Undecided

General Motors Corp. continues to study the future of the assembly plant in Ste. Therese, Quebec, that has no new product slated beyond 2002 when it ceases production of the Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird.G. Richard Wagoner, president and CEO, says don't look for a decision in the next six months. He says he would like to keep the plant open to preserve a skilled workforce and take advantage of

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Sept. 1, 2000

CAN CHEVY REGAIN GLORY?

Maybe, but getting back to 3 million sales is an uphill climb It was a snowy, blustery December morning in 1972. Reporters had been summoned to the General Motors Corp. Building in midtown Detroit for a continental breakfast to celebrate a remarkable occasion. Chevrolet was closing in on a phenomenal feat: 3 million sales and an awesome 25.5% of U.S. total car and truck deliveries that year.The final

By David C. Smith • Sept. 1, 2000

HOW MY SON CHANGED THE DEALERSHIP

I SOLD MY CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO MY SON SCOTT IN 1992 setting up a 15-year buy-out which has been beneficial for both of us. During my career as a dealer there were 38 Chevy stores in Greater Boston and new car prospects could shop our price using less than a pint of gasoline. Currently there are less than 15 in the same geographical area.True, in the 70's Chevrolet had twice the market share it enjoys

By Nat Shulman • Sept. 1, 2000

Rick Wagoner Sounds Like Bob Lutz

Sounding more like former Chrysler Corp. product wizard Robert Lutz than a typically reserved General Motors Corp. CEO, G. Richard Wagoner Jr. made it official: The Chevy SSR retro pickup truck is going into production. It will be available in dealerships in "late 2002," he promises.Stunned insiders say they've never heard of a new GM product being announced without an iron-clad business plan. Mr.

By DrewWinter • Sept. 1, 2000

Ford India could become export hub

Ford Motor India plans to export complete-knocked down (CKD) units of its midsize Ikon passenger car beginning in the fourth quarter, ManagingDirector Phil Spender explains at a function in New Delhi to showcase two Ikon c oncept models. The automaker initially will export Ikon CKDs to South America and South Africa but also is exploring other global markets. Ford will make several changes to the

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

Chevy Traverse gets nod for 2004

General Motors Corp. has green-lighted the Chevrolet Traverse, a truck-based crossover sport/utility first shown at last February's Chicago Auto Show, GM North America President Ronald L. Zarrella says in an interview. The 4-door Traverse, which is based on GM's midsize truck platform (body-on-frame) but features more car-like styling, will mark a new direction for GM in the midsize car category when

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

More on tap from Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz USA Inc. is studying ways to broaden its lineup, including the possibility of selling the next-generation A-Class and a new baby M-Class sport/utility vehicle (SUV) in the U.S. "I believe there's room for the A-Class in the U.S., but not in its present version," says Mercedes-Benz USA President Paul Halata, who adds that DaimlerChrysler passenger car chief Juergen Hubbert is eager to

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

Better Late Than Never

SAN DIEGO - The Koreans are getting pretty good at this game - borrow a page from the competition's playbook in designing a new vehicle, and then load it up with attractive standard features that consumers might find as optional on competitive vehicles. Add a price that usually undercuts by thousands.The strategy must be working for Hyundai Motor America, which only two years ago was contemplating

By Tom Murphy • Aug. 1, 2000

Polyurethane Capacity Lags Demand

Unless someone puts shovels in the ground soon, automakers may need to find a replacement material for polyurethane in fascias, body panels, steering wheels, door panels, instrument panels, tailgates and numerous other vehicle components as early as next year.With a new factory needed every 12 months to keep pace with 5% annual growth and none planned for next year, Robert R. Kirk of Bayer Corp.,

By Brian Corbett • Aug. 1, 2000

GM backs U-M in suit

General Motors Corp. is going to bat for the University of Michigan, which is the target of two lawsuits over its use of affirmative action in determining admissions. In an unusual move, GM, which says it employs a large number of U-M business and engineering school grads, has filed a brief supporting the U-M's tactics. In the brief, which appears to have Vice Chairman Harry J. Pearce's personal stamp,

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

Toyota Shuffles Lexus Management

With Lexus sales disappointing, except for the RX300 sport/ute, Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury division has shuffled top management.Dennis Clements, who has been chief operating officer of Central Atlantic Toyota Distributors Inc. since 1991, becomes group vice president and general manager, replacing Bryan Bergsteinsson as Lexus' top executive.During Mr. Bergsteinsson's tenure, Lexus reported record

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

Rendezvous spin-off in Saab’s future

Saab Automobile will expand its lineup with a new car-based sport/utility vehicle (SUV) culled from the upcoming Buick Rendezvous/Pontiac Aztek platform, company sources say. The new crossover vehicle is part of a recently announced $3.38 billion product initiative parent General Motors Corp. has planned for Saab between now and 2004. Peter Augustsson, Saab's new president and chief executive, says

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

A First for Corvette: Right-Hand-Drive

General Motors Corp. has approved right-hand-drive production of the next-gen Chevrolet Corvette, due out in late 2003. The move heralds GM's decision to engineer right-hand-drive capability for a far wider range of its American models, as it attempts to broaden their appeal and increase sales in countries such as the U.K., Japan and Australia.Only half of GM's models are available in rhd. The automaker

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

Can GM Halt Its Shrinking Share?

Despite billions and billions of dollars invested in new products during the last five years, General Motors Corp. continues to lose market share in the U.S. Worse yet, several signs suggest the company is going to lose a lot more share before it finally bottoms out.Much has been written about why GM lost so much share over the last two decades, but what has got to worry the current management team

By John McElroy • Aug. 1, 2000

Mercedes to build C-Class variants in South Africa

With production of left-hand-drive C-Class sedans already under way in Sindelfingen and Bremen, Germany, DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes-Benz Div. soon will turn to South Africa for its right-hand-drive C-Class models. Annual production of 40,000 units will start in September at the East London plant for rhd markets in South Africa, the U.K., Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Malta, Singapore, Malaysia,

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • Aug. 1, 2000

GM’s Cherry Says He’s Staying, At Least Until 65

Despite rumors suggesting the contrary, General Motors Corp. North American design chief Wayne K. Cherry says he won't leave GM before hitting the company's mandatory retirement age of 65 in 2002."I'll be here until I retire, until I'm 65," says Mr. Cherry, who turns 63 in September. "I can remember the day I drove in the Mound gate entrance to (GM's) Technical Center (in Warren, MI) in my '55 Chevy.

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • July 1, 2000

UAW’s Don Ephlin Was a Winner

Donald F. Ephlin Parkway is the main drag running through the home plant of Saturn Corp., General Motors Corp.'s subsidiary, in Spring Hill, TN.It's named for a United Auto Workers union executive who retired in 1991 after 42 years as a UAW official, starting at GM's Framingham, MA, plant in his hometown. His final post was international vice president for the union's huge GM Dept.Don Ephlin never

By WARD'S AUTO WORLD STAFF • July 1, 2000

Get a ‘Car Guy,’ Rick

Rick Wagoner doesn't need my advice; he didn't make it to the top of General Motors Corp. by relying on his pals in the press for counsel. And besides, he has never paid much heed - at least publicly - to our rantings and ravings.Still, because I know he's a good listener, has a sense of humor and doesn't hold grudges, I'll offer some unsolicited advice as he takes charge at what is (still) the world's

By David C. Smith • July 1, 2000

Toyota Moves at WARP Speed

Remember when the fax machine was a techno-marvel, a strange new box that let you send a photocopy of your waving hand to a friend half-way around the world? Today, office administrators can't imagine life without one.But in the manufacturing world, the fax machine just doesn't cut it when compared to the instantaneous nature of communicating on the Internet.A fax machine is good at quickly moving

By Tom Murphy • July 1, 2000

Rising to the Top

Harold Kutner has Rick Wagoner's old office in Warren, MI, the one he occupied as president of North American Operations before his ascension to chief executive of General Motors Corp.Thomas Sidlik used to have an office in the Chrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills, MI, and now has an office with a view of the Chrysler pentastar on the prestigious 15th floor of the headquarters building.Co-Chairman

By Tom Murphy • July 1, 2000