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Selling to the ethnic customer

Tapan Shah walks along the many rows of new cars on the lot at Bill Page Toyota in Falls Church, VA. His eyes wander over the shiny Avalons and Camrys, but he eventually settles his attention on three, nearly identical Corollas.He huddles with friend Arunabha Majumdar, and discusses in the hushed tones of his native Indian language the relative merits of the various options which drive the sticker

By Michael J. Volpe • May 1, 2000

“NO PICNIC GETTING VISTA FORD GOING”

WOODLAND HILLS, CA - When Steve Shuken opened the new Vista Ford dealership here in 1974, the outlook was dicey at best."The auto industry was trying to emerge from the first Middle East oil embargo and the Pinto Ford had introduced as an economy car was literally catching fire all over the place," recalls Mr. Shuken."I had been struck by the success of (Lee) Iacocca's Mustang in the 1960s while working

By Maynard M. Gordon • May 1, 2000

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

Oklahoma City is A-OK for GM

General Motors Corp. plans to spend $1.7 billion on manufacturing operations in Oklahoma City and Lansing, MI. In Oklahoma City, the automaker confirms plans to convert the plant from car to truck output. It will invest $700 million in the facility and in 2002 begin building GMT370s - a stretched version of the forthcoming GMT360 midsize sport/utility vehicles featuring a Dodge Durango-like third

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

Bayer Cures Materials Headaches

PITTSBURGH - It's not just consumers who are getting rid of headaches by using Bayer Corp. products.Bayer, the epitome of a diversified company with business operations ranging from photo film to aspirin to bowling balls, also is offering technologies for vehicles that should help automakers ease their concerns about meeting ever-increasing demands for materials performance.The German-based company

By Brian Corbett • May 1, 2000

A Marriage of Convenience

Was the indomitable Juergen Schrempp, chairman of DaimlerChrysler AG, being shrewd or desperate when he finalized the deal that gave him 34% of Mitsubishi Motors Corp. of Japan?There is evidence it was a little of both.Desperate is too strong a word, but Mr. Schrempp was running out of opportunities to achieve his goal of 25% of total revenue share in Asia.Geography and politics have a way of making

By Alisa Priddle • May 1, 2000

SALE OF STORE BITTERSWEET FOR VENERABLE DEALER

RICHMOND, VA. - As a highly regarded former NADA president, Dick Strauss was in a ticklish spot.The national dealer association, which he headed in 1991 and had served as Virginia's director, was locking horns with Ford and GM late last year on the issue of factory ownership of their retail stores.At the same time, the Virginia Automobile Dealers Assn. had ardently joined a nationwide campaign to

By Maynard M. Gordon • May 1, 2000

PONTIAC’S NEW AZTEK SRV CROSSOVER TAKES AIM AT THE SPRY SET

LAKE TAHOE, NV - It's pretty gutsy naming a vehicle after warrior-like Mexican Indians who had a penchant for cannibalism and human sacrifices.Then again the new Pontiac Aztek is a pretty gutsy vehicle.General Motors Corp. expects a loyal following, but not necessarily mass volumes for its new Aztek, a crossover vehicle due out next month.Sales predictions are 50,000-70,000 units a year, says Mark

By Steve Finlay • May 1, 2000

DETROIT’S CONNOR AVENUE AUTO PLANT IS LIKE HEAVEN TO ITS WORKERS

Imagine an auto plant where workers are called craftspersons; where teams of 25 choose their own leader; where everyone knows how to perform three or more jobs and anyone can stop the assembly line over quality issues.Some would guess Toyota's Georgetown or Nissan's Smyrna plant, known for their product quality, efficiency and highly skilled employees. But they'd be wrong. Think Detroit's Conner Avenue

By Barbara McClellan • May 1, 2000

DEALERSHIP HITS THE 125 YEAR MARK

What's the oldest auto dealership in America? It could be Normandin Chrysler Plymouth Jeep in San Jose, CA.That store's roots date to 1875, two decades before the advent of the American auto industry.The business dates to the horse-and-buggy days. Indeed, founder Amable Normandin, a blacksmith and sleigh maker from Montreal, opened it as a buggy-making shop.In 1906, the company expanded to include

By Steve Finlay • May 1, 2000

Saab’s Manby leaves GM to head Greenlight Internet firm

A surprise top-level management change at Saab Cars USA has occurred with the departure of 21-year GM veteran Joel K. Manby and promotion of Saab veteran Dan Chasins to succeed him as president and CEO.Mr. Manby, 40, left the GM subsidiary to become president of a six-month-old auto sales website partially owned by megadealer Asbury Automotive Group - Greenlight.com, based in San Mateo, CA.The third

May 1, 2000

GM targets Aztek sales of 50,000 to 70,000

General Motors Corp. expects a loyal following, but not necessarily mass appeal for its new Pontiac Aztek, a crossover "sports activity vehicle" that debuts this summer. Sales predictions are 50,000 to 70,000 units a year, says Mark Reuss, vehicle line executive. That's not a huge amount by GM standards, but enough to make a bold statement that Pontiac is in the crossover game. The Aztek, which sits

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

“I’ll miss dealers most”

He bore the brunt of dealer scorn towards Ford Motor Co. pur-chasing franchised stores. But Ross H. Roberts did not leave mad when he wrapped up his 37-year career in Ford sales."The thing I'll miss the most is the dealer relationships," he declares. "We had many differences of opinion over the years, but I enjoyed giving them plaques for tenure and achievements and meeting their families."Even when

By Maynard M. Gordon • May 1, 2000

SUVs in NY - Is That Your Final Answer?

Okay, here's one easier to answer than the $100 question on Who Wants to be a Millionaire:What type of new vehicle dominated the unveilings at last month's New York Auto Show?a. Inexpensive 300-hp sports carsb. The '01 DeLoreansc. Boldly styled Toyotasd. Sport/utility vehicles (SUVs)You don't need a "lifeline" to answer that one, we hope.The New York Show is emerging as a nice little waypoint between

By Bill Visnic • May 1, 2000

Ford gets serious about certifying its dealerships

LAS VEGAS - Ford Division expects its new Blue Oval Certification program for dealers to improve the brand's consumer satisfaction ranking from below the industry average to the best in the business.Introduced during Ford's spring dealer meetings in Las Vegas last month, the program is a comprehensive series of standards and processes that dealers must prove they meet through documentation and third-party

By Tim Keenan • May 1, 2000

Ford gives Ont. casting plants to joint venture

Ford Motor Co. will give up majority ownership of two Canadian aluminum casting plants in Windsor, Ont., to Nemak, its joint venture with ALFA of Mexico, to gain dominance in aluminum casting and pursue more non-Ford business. Ford of Canada President Bobbie Gaunt made the announcement in Windsor that the two have signed a memorandum of understanding with an agreement to be finalized by year's end.

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

ENERGY CRISIS AIDED JAPANESE IMPORTS

THE CURRENT SKYROCKETING PRICES OF GASOLINE stirred up some powerful memories of the original energy crunches of 1973 and especially 1979.Those were significant events for a number of reasons, not the least of which was that they solidified Japanese automakers' market share in this country.Prior to the Arab oil embargo of 1973, the "Big Three" U.S. auto producers - General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler

By Nat Shulman • May 1, 2000

PT Cruiser leading Chrysler growth crusade in Europe

With a relatively new product lineup, including the PT Cruiser and the '01 Sebring family, DaimlerChrysler Corp. is setting ambitious sales goals around the globe for its Chrysler brand. While executives are forecasting only a slight increase in worldwide vehicle sales - 100,000 units to 3.3 million worldwide in 2000, the real growth is expected to happen during the next 10 years, especially in Europe.

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

The GM Story: From Near Bankruptcy to Global Powerhouse

It's February 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression, and all Michigan banks are temporarily closed by order of the governor. Soon it becomes apparent that the two largest institutions, First National Bank and Guardian National Bank of Commerce, do not have the wherewithal to reopen, posing a serious problem for General Motors Corp., which relies heavily on both to fund future vehicle development.

By Alan k. Binder • May 1, 2000

Ford wins the battle of the best automaker’s financial statements

There's discussion about dealers using a standard financial statement versus using a different financial statement for each manufacturer.There's also talk that some dealer groups will be adopting one manufacturer financial statement for all its dealers.Below are of my comments on the issue, based on being on the business for more than 25 years, writing and teaching about how to read dealer financial

By Carl Woodward • May 1, 2000

Don’t Saturnize the PT Cruiser

The wonderful thing about the automobile business is that every so often one comes through, and you know it's great. The PT Cruiser is one of the greats.It wasn't easy, you know. Not the PT. Imagine the conflicts among the highest levels at Chrysler Corp. Bob Lutz, who is always so sure of himself and ready for a fight; Tom Gale, the best designer of tomorrow's cars, not yesterday's.Months go by without

By Jerry Flint • May 1, 2000

“In Reno instead of Vegas, Spokane instead of Seattle”

Two years ago, Lithia Automotive Group ranked 75th on the Ward's Dealer Business list of top 100 megadealers. Last year, Lithia went to No. 24. This year, the Medford, OR-based company climbed to the No. 12 slot on sales of 68,700 units and revenues of $1.24 billion.This rise is the result of an aggressive acquisitions strategy that includes the addition of 13 dealerships (revenues of $585 million)

By Fred Bonnie • May 1, 2000

Ford hit with lawsuit over Rouge explosion

Ford Motor Co. finds itself involved in another lawsuit because of an explosion on Feb. 1, 1999, that killed six workers at the automaker's Rouge manufacturing complex. Five insurance companies of Rouge Industries Inc. have filed a $25 million lawsuit against Ford alleging the automaker's negligence led to the blast. This newest lawsuit, filed in Wayne County, MI, comes a mere week after another Rouge

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

Audi Allroad Marks Successful quattro Era

GENEVA - Audi AG celebrates 20 years of quattro (all-wheel-drive) technology with the launch of its '01 Allroad quattro, a beefy luxury car-based crossover.Top Audi executives held a private anniversary dinner with a candlelit cake here preceding the Allroad's European introduction at the recent Geneva auto show. The car, which goes on sale in Europe in May and in the U.S. this fall, makes its U.S.

By Barbara McClellan • April 1, 2000

Speedy Delivery

General Motors Corp. has, for years, been groping for ways to arrest its declining market share. One of its latest brainstorms is to jump onto the Internet band-wagon with a plan that would allow customers to order precisely the models and the options they want, over the Internet, and have the car delivered in four to 11 days.Wow! That sounds great, considering the car I just bought took three months

By STEPHAN SHARF • April 1, 2000

Fiat, GM Ripe with Overlap

When they announced a strategic alliance and stock swap in March, General Motors Corp. and Fiat SpA said that despite their new relationship, they wanted to remain competitors. That shouldn't be difficult considering the overlap they have in product segments, manufacturing footprints and world markets.The deal calls for GM to pay $2.4 billion for a 20% stake in Fiat's auto operations. In exchange,

By Brian Corbett and Andrea Wielgat- with Bill Diem • April 1, 2000