Automakers: Page 438

New “product a month” strategy in works at GM

General Motors Corp. is creating a new product-development and marketing strategy that calls for introducing an all-new vehicle every month by 2000, says Roy S. Roberts, general manager of GM's Pontiac-GMC Div. He also says GM will increase truck production from 40% of total capacity today to 50% by 2000 to meet the growing demand for trucks in the marketplace. "A product a month, every month. We're

Oct. 1, 1996

How Ford’s new brand strategy works

What is a brand? A brand is trust. A brand is a distinctive name, trademark and trade dress that clearly identifies and enhances the value of a product, service or company" --Gregory Kolligan, partner and managing director, Brand/Equity International.Ford Motor Co. gathered 600 of its people from around the world for a six-day meeting at a downtown Detroit hotel early in June to plot a new global

By David C. Smith • Oct. 1, 1996

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

‘97 marks debut of GM’s grand brand scheme

Robert Baird Jr. never walked into a Cadillac dealership before he accepted the position of brand manager for Seville and Eldorado early this thisThat was exactly the point. Maybe someone weaned on imported cars, but trained in the art of distinguishing one brand of skin cream, suntan lotion or soap from another, could come up with the secret potion that could pull those affluent baby boomers into

By Gardner, Greg • Oct. 1, 1996

Bill Ford Jr. emerges in Trotman successor speculation

Meanwhile back at the Glass House, the spin doctors are busy containing the buzz that young William C. (don't-call-me-Billy) Ford Jr. could succeed Chairman Alex Trotman as early as 1999. In an enticing, yet carefully hedged article, Fortune magazine's Alex Taylor III says some Ford directors are ready to anoint the 39-year-old son of Detroit Lions owner William C. Ford as the first family member

Oct. 1, 1996

Ford-UAW pact won’t reverse trend toward outsourcing

Don't look for a massive shift of parts work from independent suppliers back to the Big 3 automakers just because Ford Motor Co. agreed to maintain its UAW employment at no less than 99,750, or 95% of the current 105,000 workers in the U.S.There are incentives meant to encourage Ford to consider making parts it now buys from the outside. For example, if Ford bought a plant that makes instrument panels

Oct. 1, 1996

Ford revs up for 1 million sales off F-platform in ‘97

In 1994, Ford Motor Co. became more of a truck company than a car company. Next year trucks based on its F-Series platform may well reach 1 million sales for the first time ever, Edward E. Hagenlocker, president of Ford Automotive Operations, tells WAW.Clearly buoyed by the warm reception given the all-new F-Series full-size pickups introduced for 1996, plus early bullish reports from dealers for

Oct. 1, 1996

Another piece of the puzzle: Chrysler maps out its global strategy

The execs at Chrysler Corp. like to think the company dances to the beat of a different drummer."When we see everybody marching along all in lockstep we start looking around to see if we can't break out of the ranks and kind of march somewhere else," says Chrysler's Tom Gale, who has been running the company's international sales for the past three years. "We don't want to be with everybody else."But

By Deep, Said • Sept. 1, 1996

Weight watchers: aluminum, magnesium make gains as automakers reduce mass.

Increasing use of aluminum and magnesium in vehicles is giving automakers faster weight loss than even possible by Sweating to the Oldies with Richard Simmons.Aluminum poundage will show a healthy boost again in the '97 model year, says the Aluminum Assn. The trade group says aluminum averages 252 lbs. (114 kg) in 1996 cars and 241 lbs. (109 kg) in light trucks, for an overall average of 247 lbs.

By Drew Winter, Tim Keenan • Sept. 1, 1996

Fiat takes on the world

It was hot-weather tested in Phoenix and cold-weather tested in Farmington Hills, MI, but don't expect to see the new Fiat Palio on the streets of these or any other U.S. or Canadian city.A small hatchback, Palio is the first in a family of cars Fiat SpA has named Project 178 -- or world cars. Brought only to the U.S. for testing, including a stint at the company's research and development facility

By Wielgat, Andrea • Sept. 1, 1996

Malaysia’s on the move

KUALA LUMPUR -- "National" vehicles are multiplying like rabbits these days in Malaysia. And none are VWs.An experiment begun in 1985 with a state-owned company to produce the Proton Saga, a rebadged Mitsubishi model, not only has spawned additional models but a second and third "national" car plus a "national" van. And the product lineup isn't complete.A "national" motorcycle with Kawasaki ancestry

By Mack Chrysler • Sept. 1, 1996

Is the bloom off light-truck boom?

Hardly anyone challenges the assumption that light-truck sales in the United States will grow indefinitely. Big Three executives boldly predict that light trucks will account for at least half of total light vehicle sales by the turn of the century.Since 1990, light trucks have grown from 33% of the total light vehicle market to about 43% currently, with General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler

By CHRISTOPHER W. CEDERGREN • Sept. 1, 1996

Ice cream and catsup? GM’s Metal Fabricating Div. goes on a diet

Baskin Robbins' 31 Flavors and Heinz 57 don't sound like technical manufacturing jargon, but Joseph D. Spielman, head of General Motors Corp.'s giant Metal Fabricating Div., uses them often to describe the way his operation used to be.He's referring to 31 flavors of manufacturing processes and 57 varieties of press lines. Unfortunately, they haven't blended any better on the factory floor of the GM

By Drew Winter • Sept. 1, 1996

Direct-injection coming for the masses

Toyota Motor Corp. says it has developed a 4-stroke, direct-injected (DI) gasoline engine that will be fitted in a production subcompact car (Japanese market) by the end of this year.In conjunction with the new DI engine is another crucial item: a production-ready 3-way exhaust catalyst capable of oxidizing the oxides of nitrogen (NOx)-rich exhaust inherent to lean-burn engines.The new engine, designated

By Bill Visnic • Sept. 1, 1996

Ford’s new ethics code: how would it look?

Could your conduct withstand public scrutiny? If your conduct was disclosed to management and reported in the media, would you be able to justify it as lawful and appropriate?That's the gist of Ford Motor Co.'s new Standards of Corporate Conduct governing what's proper behavior in doing business with suppliers and other customers.But unlike the more draconian measures put in writing by General Motors

Sept. 1, 1996

Strong buck aids Camry cause

As the first high-volume Japanese car introduced since the U.S. dollar emerged from its coma, Camry provides Toyota with an enviable dilemma: lower the price and grab some market share or hold the line and pocket a little extra profit.Jay N. Woodworth, a Summit, N.J.-based consultant, says the 35% increase in the yen (from a trough of [yen]80/$1 in May 1995 to [yen]108/$1 now) gives a huge competitive

By Gardner, Greg • Sept. 1, 1996

‘97 Ford Expedition: North, to Alaska...

FORT RICHARDSON, AK -- It was a great idea: Invite the press troops to Alaska and let 'em have a go at the all-new 4-door Ford full-size SUV in the world's most rugged terrain.What Ford didn't count on is the dearth of rugged roads, on or off, in the Anchorage and Seward areas where Expedition was supposed to show its prowess. Nothing but decent as far as the eye could see.SUV purists need mud and

By David C. Smith • Sept. 1, 1996

Steering a course to reduced mass

Nearly anyone in the auto game who's clued in enough about suspensions to know a good one from a bad one will agree that BMW AG makes some good ones. Maybe the best. And don't think for a minute that BMW isn't aware of its iron-clad reputation in this area.Suspension is important to BMW. Brilliant suspension design is a prime component in the sometimes enigmatic package of qualities that define a

By Bill Visnic • Sept. 1, 1996

One SLicK new roadster

FLORENCE, ITALY -- As far as I'm concerned, whoever it was at Mercedes-Benz AG to have finally "signed off" on producing the 1998 SLK roadster deserves a few extra "company matches" to supplement his or her pension. The SLK is a titanic achievement.Titanic because this stubby 2-seater entertains like few other Mercedes road cars in recent memory.The SLK responds to the driver's wishes with puppy-dog

By Bill Visnic • Sept. 1, 1996

Ford/Amcast aluminum differential carrier for new F-150 pickup

A leader in the conversion to aluminum of high-integrity, performance-critical automotive components, Amcast Automotive has developed a new aluminum vehicle component that was formerly made of iron. This critical part is the front differential gear carrier on Ford's hot new F-150 pickup truck.Named "Truck of the Year" at the 1996 North American International Auto Show, the new F-150 features a new,

Sept. 1, 1996

A new look at ethics

When in doubt, don't do it. That's the overriding message General Motors Corp. conveys with its revised ethics policy circulated to GM's 697,000 employees worldwide on May 1.Now, three months later, repercussions of the tougher new guidelines involving gifts, entertainment and other forms of gratuities continue to reverberate in the automotive community.Although it's designed to clamp down chiefly

By Smith, David C.; Rothenberg, Al • Aug. 1, 1996

No respect: EV1’s aluminum body shouldn’t stand in Prowler’s shadow

Chrysler Corp.'s Plymouth Prowler is so over-exposed in Detroit, even street people can tell you about its innovative aluminum body between sips of cheap wine. "And at only $35,000, it will be very affordable," they say. Then they ask for spare change.But the equally ingenious aluminum structure of General Motors Corp.'s EV1 electric car, which hits the marketplace this fall -- about six months before

By Drew Winter • Aug. 1, 1996

Chrysler still likely strike target, but don’t count Ford out, yet.

Speaking of labor talks, it's coming down to crunch time.Chrysler Corp.'s $1 billion second-quarter profit will reinforce conventional wisdom that it will be the target. An announcement from Solidarity House is expected on Aug. 22.But not so fast. Don't be surprised if the UAW chooses Ford Motor Co., which is now making big-time profits again ($2.6 billion in the first half), to help it sculpt the

Aug. 1, 1996

General Motors’ China hand

Ward's Auto World Senior Editor Greg Gardner interviewed Rudolph A. Schlais Jr., president of General Motors China operations, during June's Auto China '96 show in Beijing. Here is a transcript of that interview.Q -- Where do things stand with the joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp.?A -- We were selected as the partner of choice in October. We've been actively working with SAIC on

By Gardner, Greg • Aug. 1, 1996

More problems for Honda

Speaking of PR problems, nearly 50 Honda dealers are suing the automaker for allegedly looking the other way while a company manager forced them to pay kickbacks, according to a suit filed in federal court in Baltimore. The charges stem from the case against former American Honda Motor Co. senior vice president Stanley James Cardiges, who pleaded guilty to receiving between $2 million and $5 million

Aug. 1, 1996

If a price increass in the middle of the forest and nobody hears it....

Is it still a price increase? Of course it is. Ford Motor Co. hiked prices on its 1996 Explorer by $200 and on the F-150 by between $385 and $400. An entry-level Explorer now starts at $19,770 and a base F-150 begins at $14,815. And there's another price hike on the way for the new model year. What you give up in passenger-car rebates, why not take back on hot-selling pickups and sport-utes. Hey,

Aug. 1, 1996