Operations: Page 223

Refrigerant Duel

The debate over automotive heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system refrigerants is expected to heat up in the next few years as European and U.S. car makers find themselves going in opposite directions. Once again, the Japanese auto industry is caught in the middle. At stake are tens of billions of dollars in revenues in North America and Europe, and many more billions in the emerging

By Roger Schreffler • July 1, 2005

Fingerprint Customers?

Not speaking from experience, it used to be that the only time your fingerprints were taken was if you were arrested. These days, you may find yourself getting fingerprinted for far less. In California, for example, anyone seeking a vehicle sales or dealer license has to go through a process whereby each and every finger is methodically and electronically scanned into a federal computer database.

By ROB COHEN • June 1, 2005

Explore the Trendline➔

Automotive Manufacturing

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

By WardsAuto staff

Signs of Smallville USA

Driving in northern Michigan, billboards of four dealerships stand out. Each has grown from a single location into two- and three-store groups. Since the scenic northern Michigan has no big cities, the communities these dealers serve are markets, lacking competing franchises of the same brand. In towns with names such as Roscommon (population 858) and Pinconning (pop. 1,291), Dean Arbour, Bob Feeny,

By Mac Gordon • May 1, 2005

Atlas Accelerates Material Testing

Atlas Weathering Services Group aims to shorten the amount of time auto makers spend testing the durability of materials used in vehicles with four new temperature-controlled, outdoor, accelerated-testing services: Static, Night, Dynamic and Variable Irradiance programs. Atlas' Equatorial Mount with Mirrors for Acceleration, with or without Water (EMMA/EMMAQUA) accelerated-weathering services provide

By Mike Sutton • May 1, 2005

MEGADEALER 100

Who says times are bad? Despite discouraging news coming from Detroit and a market that is as competitive as ever, according to many dealers, revenues for the nation's top automotive dealer groups reached record levels in 2004, continuing the heady years experienced since the late 1990s. Dealer groups on the Ward's Megadealer 100 reported total revenues of $123.8 billion in 2004 up from $116.6 billion

By Cliff Banks • May 1, 2005

Tips for Used-Car Leads

If you are looking for ways to get more used-car leads from your website, trainer Jack Simmons of AutoTrader.com and Dennis Gailbreath of J.D. Power & Associates suggest five simple things you can do. Tell an online story about the vehicle. Most websites provide only basic information. Worse, many of the abbreviations that are used go over customers’ heads. Adds Gailbreath: “You can’t just list ABS

By Cliff Banks • April 4, 2005

Gagnon Was Seeking Opportunity

Although he had been gone from Mitsubishi Motors North America for more than a year, former CEO Pierre Gagnon says he was waiting for the right opportunity to move on to another auto maker when Visionary Vehicles LLC came along. Visionary founder Malcolm Bricklin has hired Gagnon to head North American sales and distribution of the vehicles to be built by Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. and imported into

April 1, 2005

Expect April-June Uptick

The second quarter will bring modest growth to U.S. light-vehicle sales, while slowed production rates will lower inventory levels to a 2-year low by June. Ward's is projecting some growth in sales with volume in April-June up less than 1% from a year ago, and the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) up to 16.7 million from like-2004's 16.5 million. The first-quarter SAAR, including an estimate

By Haig Stoddard • April 1, 2005

2nd Quarter Uptick

The second quarter will bring some slight growth to U.S. light-vehicle sales, while slowed production rates will drive down inventory to a 2-year low. Ward's is projecting sales from April to June to be up less than 1% from year-ago and the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) to rise to 16.7 million from like-2004's 16.5 million. The first-quarter SAAR, including an estimate for March, is pegged

By Haig Stoddard • April 1, 2005

Pay Them Up & Down

I often receive questions from readers and clients concerning my thoughts on management pay plans. While I never specifically suggest what a manager should be paid, I share my thoughts on the components that should be part of all management compensation agreements. It is practically impossible for a dealer or operator to keep watch on all aspects of his or her business, so we must ensure we have managers

By Tony Noland • April 1, 2005

Save Your Factory

Fanuc Robotics America Inc. is looking to dissuade North American manufacturers from the notion they must move production to more economical sites offshore in order to stay competitive. Low-cost labor markets such as China, India and South America and an expanding global consumer base are enticing reasons for companies to pack up and move production overseas. But Rick Schneider, president and CEO-Fanuc

By Mike Sutton • April 1, 2005

Geneva Sees Chinese Presence for First Time

GENEVA – Chinese vehicle brands – for the first time ever – were represented at Europe's springtime annual international auto show here this week. While the two companies don’t yet present a threat to Europe’s established auto makers, the presence of Ssangyong Motor Co. Ltd. and Hafei Motor Co. Ltd. offer a hint of future competition. Ssangyong, a South Korean-based SUV manufacturer, has exhibited

By William Diem • March 4, 2005

Mitsubishi Shows Colt Convertible Concept

GENEVA – With the launch of its new 3- and 5-door Colt under way, financially beleaguered Mitsubishi Motors Corp. unveils at the auto show here the coupe-cabriolet concept model of its European subcompact car. Output of the production version, slated to launch early next year, will be outsourced to Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina SpA. The 3- and 5-door models are built at Mitsubishi’s NedCar BV plant

By Brian Corbett • March 2, 2005

Stola to Show Gandini-Designed Concept in Geneva

TURIN – Stola Group will present at the Geneva auto show a static model of a new coupe designed by famous designer Marcello Gandini and built in just five weeks. The show car is called the Stola S 86 Diamante (Italian for diamond). The S 86 nomenclature continues on a tradition established five years ago with the S 81 concept. Stola S86 Diamante Gandini did the design work for the 2-seater, conceived

By Giancarlo Perini • Feb. 28, 2005

Land Rover to Bring V-6 LR3 to U.S. This Year

CHICAGO – Land Rover will capitalize on the early success of its LR3 SUV by adding a V-6 mill to its option list later this year. Land Rover officials in the past told Ward’s it would consider bringing a V-6-powered version to the U.S. following the launch of the V-8 here, but no timetable was given. The LR3 (called Discovery 3 in other markets) sports a 300-hp 4.4L V-8 and a $45,000 base price in

By John D. Stoll • Feb. 10, 2005

Ward’s Megadealer 100 Entry Form

Did your dealer group generate total sales of $300 million or more in 2004? If so, we want to hear from you. To be listed on the industry's authoritative ranking of the top 100 franchise dealer groups, just click on the link below for the submission form. To download a 2004 Ward's Megadealer entry form, click here. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. For free download, click here. Complete it and return

Feb. 9, 2005

New Name and Web Site for Household Auto Finance

Household Auto Finance, a leader in non-prime auto financing, changes its name to HSBC Auto Finance. It's the final step of its acquisition by HSBC. The merger with HSBC provides unprecedented strength and stability for the company, says HSBC Auto Finance Managing Director John Haines. It enables us to better support the needs of dealers, offer expanded products and provide opportunities for new alliances.

Feb. 1, 2005

Michelin Lands Applications for Tweel

Michelin Group has its first applications for its new tire and wheel concept, but the innovative device remains 10-15 years from automotive use, executives say. The non-pneumatic, hub and spoke Tweel, which resembles a bicycle wheel, consists of a polyurethane inner mated to a ring of rubber that contacts the road. Because it requires no inflation, the Tweel eliminates the need for a tire-pressure

By David E. Zoia • Feb. 1, 2005

How to Treat Women Service Dept. Customers

Today, more women are working outside their homes, managing their own finances and buying their own cars. They're self-sufficient and generally discriminating consumers who often maintain their own vehicles and their families' vehicles as well. Women make up about 65% of a service center's customer base, according to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. Women rate trust as the

Feb. 1, 2005

Suzuki Adding More Utes

The utility vehicle segment is getting crowded, but American Suzuki Motor Corp. still sees room for growth and soon will have two new entries. First up is a small cross/utility vehicle that will debut in concept form at the New York auto show in March. The vehicle will be produced in Japan and arrives in the fall as an '06 model, Suzuki insiders say. It will have an integrated ladder-frame unibody,

Feb. 1, 2005

Show Has Silver Lining

People who track car-color trends say a desire for new and expressive hues is heating up with an increased popularity of light metallic brown and blue as well as a resurgence of red. People are looking to express their individuality, says Leatrice Eiseman, whose Color Answer Book includes a section on car colors. Regardless, silver still is king of vehicle colors, according to the 52nd annual DuPont

By Steve Finlay • Feb. 1, 2005

Gilligan Says Mitsubishi Here to Stay

DETROIT – Although he has been in his new position just four days, Mitsubishi Motors North America President and CEO Richard Gilligan says he is here to stay – as is his beleaguered company. “If I really thought in my heart of hearts that this brand is not going to succeed and to grow, I wouldn’t be picking up and going to California and taking my wife on her 13th move,” Gilligan tells Ward’s in an

By Christie Schweinsberg • Jan. 10, 2005

Puerto Rico Could Account for 10% of Scion Sales

DETROIT – Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.’s Scion brand not only is selling well in the U.S., but also in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. In fact, Scion Vice President Jim Farley tells Ward’s Puerto Rico eventually could account for 10% of total brand sales. “In Puerto Rico, we sold just over 2,000 Scions (in calendar 2004),” says Farley. “And they’ve only been on sale since the end of August, so

By Christie Schweinsberg • Jan. 9, 2005

Pontiac G6 Family Adds Two Models

The second and third members of the Pontiac G6 family are unveiled at the 2005 Greater L.A. Auto Show. Following the debut of the midsize sedan, which went on sale in late 2004, the G6 will begin offering ’06 coupe and convertible models in 2005. “The G6 coupe and convertible are uniquely Pontiac vehicles that are great additions to the family started by the G6 sedan,” says Jim Bunnell, Pontiac-GMC

By Brian Corbett • Jan. 5, 2005

Make List, Check Thrice

Have you ever uttered these words, There is just not enough time in the day.? Actually, there is always enough time to do the things you need to do, especially if you make them priorities. William Ellery Channing, a 19th-century clergyman, once said, It has often been observed, that those who have the most time at their disposal profit by it the least. He added, A single hour in the day, steadily

By RON COXSOM • Jan. 1, 2005