Operations: Page 156
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
The Long and Short of Auto Loans Now vs. Then
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.Last week, I asked readers and car-industry Facebook folks what they thought of 84-month auto loans. Plenty of people weighed in. Here’s a s...
By Steve Finlay 2 • July 16, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
JLR Looks to Eastern Europe to Expand Production
The luxury automaker has signed a manufacturing agreement with contract assembler Magna Steyr to build vehicles in Austria but also is in negotiations to build a new plant in Poland or Slovakia.
By Peter Homola • July 16, 2015 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Toyota
TrendlineAutomotive Manufacturing
Production strategies are changing rapidly as tariffs and shifts in consumer buying patterns affect the industry.
By WardsAuto staff -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
How to Drive Auto Sales Without Sacrificing Branding
In an industry where TV commercials have long dominated, digital video is coming in hot on its tail.
By Erik Schear • July 15, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Report Forecasts Robust Hybrid Growth While EVs Lag
The Roland Berger consultancy calls its 2025 forecast optimistic, meaning hybrid sales growth in the U.S. and Europe will depend on strict emissions and fuel-economy regulations and large investments in battery-recharging infrastructure.
By Roger Schreffler • July 14, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Luxury Brands Have Great Cars, and Great Salespeople
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.Why do Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus rank 1-2-3 in U.S. luxury-brand sales?Reasons vary. But one of them is that their dealership salespeople...
By Steve Finlay 2 • July 13, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ukraine Duties on Car Imports Under Fire From WTO
Japan’s complaint to the WTO claims Ukraine’s duties violate the trade organization’s agreement on safeguards and its general agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT).
By Keith Nuthall • July 7, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ireland Posts Strong First Half, More of Same Expected
June car sales were down, but industry executives say that’s because buyers were waiting for second-half 2015 license plates and manufacturer incentives to come.
By Alan Harman • July 6, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Russia Liberalizes Localized Auto Production Rules
The proposal is a response to concerns expressed by many foreign automakers that the ongoing decline of the Russian automotive market may leave them unable to meet their obligations to reach 75% levels of localization by 2018.
By Eugene Gerden • July 6, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Fewer U.S. Households Buying New Cars
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.New-car sales in the U.S. are strong and could hit 17.3 million vehicles this year. That’s close to an all-time record. Everyone in th...
By John McElroy 1 • July 1, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Scion Planning Biggest Ad Campaign Since Brand’s Launch for iA, iM
The Toyota youth-focused brand is targeting 30,000-40,000 sales annually of the new iM compact hatchback and 12-month volume in the mid-20,000 range for the iA.
July 1, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Facebook’s Great, But Conversation Sells Cars
Social-media marketing has changed the way car dealerships interact with consumers, but hasn’t impacted sales.
By Justin Marquardt • June 30, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
A Place to Store, Track Your Classic
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.PONTIAC, MI – A car collection needs space, and this old hub of automotive production has it.Those with big wallets and a seemingly uncontro...
By Tom Murphy • June 26, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Duramax Seeks Tow-Hold Among Compact Trucks
Block, head, pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft are among carry-over parts on 2.8L diesel slated for Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, but unique features include an exhaust brake and torque converter with vibration-absorbing qualities.
June 25, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Redesigned ’16 Chevy Cruze Geared for Global Stage
“We’ve optimized Chevrolet on a global scale,” GM North America President Alan Batey tells WardsAuto. “This is a demonstration of that.”
By James M. Amend • June 24, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Lotus Cars Relocating U.S. Headquarters to Michigan
The U.K.-headquartered sports car maker says the move from Lawrenceville, GA, to share facilities with Lotus Engineering in Ann Arbor, MI, puts it at the heart of the U.S. auto industry.
By Alan Harman • June 24, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Scion xB Calling It Quits
The first-generation xB is near-iconic and became the face of the Scion brand in its early years, but the second-generation model didn’t have the same acceptance.
June 24, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Malaysia’s May Sales Dip; Proton, Suzuki Do R&D Deal
The May result saw new-car sales drop 8.0% to 45,874 units for a 5-month total down 3.7% at 235,838. The much smaller commercial-vehicle segment fell 11.5% to 5,380 units for a year-to-date total off 2.7% at 28,909.
By Alan Harman • June 23, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mirage Success Surprising Even to Mitsubishi
The Japanese automaker delivered roughly 12,000 Mirages through May, higher than the year-to-date volume of the Tesla Model S, BMW i3 and all Land Rovers.
June 22, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
North America-Built LV Sales Will Lag Capacity Increases
As Mexico lures more manufacturing, its market also is opening up to more overseas-built vehicles with import offerings doubling since 2001.
By Haig Stoddard • June 22, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
JLR Researchers Getting Inside Drivers’ Heads
The automaker’s JLR Sixth Sense research borrows advanced sports, medicine and aerospace technology to monitor the driver’s heart rate, respiration and levels of brain activity to identify stress, fatigue and lack of concentration.
By Alan Harman • June 19, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Jatco Grows Global Presence as CVT Standard Bearer
Jatco and rival Aisin AW both look to grow their customer bases, Jatco will concentrate its major facilities investments in China and the U.S. over the next five years.
By Roger Schreffler • June 19, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Russia’s AvtoVAZ Plans $3 Billion Investment
Money will be spent to improve manufacturing, increase local content and bring Lada’s Vesta concept to production. Also on tap is a new-gen Chevy Niva with partner GM.
By Eugene Gerden • June 17, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Smartphone Remote Control Belies ‘Hang Up and Drive’
Future possibilities for the JLR technology could include greater autonomous functionality where the driver gives a command from the handset to traverse an obstacle or exit a parking space, and the car does the rest.
By Alan Harman • June 17, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
FCA Could Be Wild Card in UAW-Detroit Three Talks
UAW President Dennis Williams believes auto workers deserve a raise this year and that profit sharing, while valuable, is not a substitute for increases in hourly wages. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of FCA US, holds the opposite view.
By Joseph Szczesny • June 15, 2015 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
JLR Technology ‘Reads’ Roads to Spot Potholes
JLR’s Mike Bell says the Range Rover Evoque research vehicle can identify the location and severity of road hazards and adjust the suspension in milliseconds. The automaker believes the information could be shared with other road users.
By Alan Harman • June 12, 2015
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