Operations: Page 206

Russia Auto Industry: A Tale of Two Markets

Russia has returned to the land of haves and have-nots, with foreign auto makers targeting the former and domestic makers left to market their antiquated vehicles to the latter.

By Byron Pope • Oct. 21, 2008

Proton Again Looking at Foreign Partnership

Proton is eagerly awaiting the impact of its upcoming multipurpose vehicle, which is expected to account for sales of 50,000 to 60,000 units annually.

By Alan Harman • Oct. 16, 2008

Explore the Trendline➔

Automotive Manufacturing

Production strategies are changing rapidly as tariffs and shifts in consumer buying patterns affect the industry.

By WardsAuto staff

Capacitive Switches Push Right Buttons With Consumers

Unlike mechanical switches, capacitive switches contain virtually no moving parts.

By James M. Amend • Oct. 14, 2008

Now It’s Lenders’ Turn to Get Picky

Lenders are slower in deciding whether to approve an auto loan, in part because most of them have pulled the plug on automated approvals.

By Steve Finlay • Oct. 13, 2008

Try This Great Phone Track

I'm nervous when I hear sales or business-development people use 20-year old word tracks on the telephone with customers. Sure, the basics haven't changed, but what has changed is the communication process. If we're still saying the same things we said many years ago, we are probably offending, angering or at least frustrating many of our best prospects. Because so much of our current success hinges

By Tom O'Connor • Oct. 1, 2008

Blaming Dealers Is Wrong

Pinning the blame or the cost of sagging new-car sales on dealers is just wrong. I understand how tough it must be for manufacturers to look in the mirror and see the failure of so many of their products as self imposed. I also understand they did not single handedly cause the price of oil to rise or the stock market to fall. But, neither did their dealers, and neither a fancier showroom nor deeper

By Peter Brandow • Oct. 1, 2008

Let’s Avoid Vehicular Communism

Forgive us for our decadent and unhealthy choices, oh wise members of the new Washington Automotive Politburo.

By Drew Winter • Sept. 30, 2008

Industry Debates Pickup Potential in Wake of Recent Gains

The recent uptick in pickup share comes as good news to beleaguered Detroit-based auto makers, who still owned 86.1% of the market in August.

By James M. Amend and Byron Pope • Sept. 29, 2008

Cross Country Acquires ATX; OEM Deal Announcement Imminent

The new CEO views telematics as “a significant growth market,” something that will reveal itself at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, if not before.

By Eric Mayne • Sept. 18, 2008

Jaguar, Land Rover Stop Reporting Monthly Sales

The U.K.-based luxury auto makers continued to make public monthly tallies following their sale by Ford to India’s Tata earlier this year, but ceased the practice Sept. 1.

By Byron Pope • Sept. 5, 2008

Existing Customers Most Important

Dealership chain Lithia Motors crunches numbers to determine who are the 100,000 sales customers and 100,000 service customers most likely to buy again.

By Steve Finlay • Sept. 2, 2008

Ultra-Low-Cost Cars Pose Opportunities, Risks, Study Shows

The low-cost car segment is growing at an incredible rate, with volumes expected to reach 17.5 million units globally by 2020.

By Byron Pope • Aug. 28, 2008

Artist Dick Mayer Created Unique Brand Identity for Ward’s Publications

Mayer penned scores of original covers for Ward’s AutoWorld, including lively cartoons that became a staple of the magazine and had a major impact on its success.

By Ward's Staff • Aug. 25, 2008

Russia’s TagAZ Launches Chery Assembly

Chery Automobile’s A5, which sold as the Chery Fora in Russia up to now, has been renamed the Vortex Estina and will be unveiled at next week’s Moscow auto show.

By Peter Homola • Aug. 21, 2008

Brain Drain Threatens Auto Industry

Retirements, alone, are expected to cull 20% to 30% of auto maker senior executive ranks within the next five years and 40% to 50% of executives within the next decade.

By Drew Winter • Aug. 14, 2008

Reporter’s Notebook: Whistling While They Work

Ward’s writers pass along the buzz at this week’s 2008 Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI.

By Ward's Staff • Aug. 11, 2008

ATX More Than Doubling Subscriber Base

The Texas company that helped pioneer telematics will grow from 1 million to 2.5 million subscribers by 2011 and will add two new auto maker customers.

By Tom Murphy • Aug. 11, 2008

GEMA Chief Coventry Adds GEM Duties

Since its launch 10 years ago, GEM has put more than 38,000 neighborhood electric vehicles on the road, worldwide.

By Ward's Staff • Aug. 5, 2008

Going Once, Going Twice…

Two years ago, I moderated a panel of executives from several of the third-party online lead vendors. The main topic was how to improve the current lead-buying model.

By Cliff Banks • Aug. 4, 2008

Bill Gates Invests in AutoNation Inc. Dealership Chain

Microsoft Corp. founder now owns a 5.5% stake in AutoNation Inc. according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Gates' private investment fund Cascade Investments, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation acquired the 9.9 million shares of the nation's largest dealership chain. Although valued at $82.8 million at time of acquisition, the transaction is classified as a passive investment

Aug. 1, 2008

If They Can Make It There

New York Defying a national sales slump, metro New York auto dealers racked up a 6.9% increase in vehicle sales in the year's first quarter, a survey commissioned by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Assn. reveals. We've been very lucky, because we haven't been hit as quickly as other regions of the country, says Mark Schienberg, association president. The first quarter was staggeringly good

By Herb Shuldiner • Aug. 1, 2008

Benefits of a Networked Chassis

Despite Vast Improvements in Computing power and electro-hydraulics, advanced chassis and drivetrain systems only will function at their full potential if they manage a vehicle's dynamic forces in a controlled and coordinated manner. At least that's the thinking of Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen AG, which recently held a technology clinic at Michelin SA's proving grounds in Laurens, SC, to showcase

By Mike Sutton • Aug. 1, 2008

Dump the Old Sales Process

Value-creation selling (VCS) is a new model for the retail automotive industry. This is one of a series of articles that will help explain this concept. VCS allows sales consultants to create optimum customer value during the sales presentation through empowerment and knowledge. VCS sales consultants always do what's best for the consumer and become their advocates. Sales presentations are no longer

By Mark Rikess • Aug. 1, 2008

Service Dept. More Important

Conventional wisdom is that when vehicle sales decline, dealers turn to other areas business to keep that revenue coming in. That's why the service department has become more important for dealers, as they look for ways to drive revenue. The average dealership gets 30%-40% of its profit from its service department revenue. That department is becoming more important to customers, too. Google says that,

By Cliff Banks • Aug. 1, 2008

How to End the In-Fighting

I've been asked over the years why the parts manager and the service manager do not get along in some stores. The parts department often is blamed for everything that goes wrong. The advisors will tell the customer, The reason we didn't have your truck done is the wrong part came in. Or they tell the customer some other outlandish story about how the parts department didn't pick up the part in time.

By Lee Harkins • Aug. 1, 2008