Operations: Page 225

AOL, Autobytel Plug into Hot Hispanic Car Market

AOL Latino, a Spanish-language Internet service provider for U.S. Hispanics, and Autobytel are launching a new channel called Automviles (Automobiles in Spanish). This new channel provides AOL Latino members with comprehensive Spanish language car-search and comparison tools. Once buyers have made their choices, they can submit a request to receive a price quote from a local Autobytel dealer. According

Sept. 1, 2004

AAM Opens New Detroit Headquarters

American Axle & Mfg. Inc. officially opens its new $40 million 250,000 sq.-ft. (23,225 sq.-m) headquarters in Detroit with a ceremony that includes city and state dignitaries. The 7-story headquarters is directly next door to AAM's Detroit Gear & Axle manufacturing plant and is located on a former brownfield site. Staff began occupying the new building in July 2003. American Axle's journey to prosperity

Sept. 1, 2004

Explore the Trendline➔

Automotive Manufacturing

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

By WardsAuto staff

Let the Customer Do It

For years, some dealership staffers have filled out or helped fill out customers' credit statements, believing this validates the information provided to lenders. In many cases, the credit statement is filled out by either the salesperson or finance manager, who use this time to build rapport and get to know the customer. Although many dealerships may still do this, it's not a wise practice. Sales

By REBECCA D. CHERNEK • Sept. 1, 2004

SSR’s Halo Effect Spurs Truck Sales

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Through the end of June, General Motors Corp. has sold 7,100 Chevrolet SSR roadsters, which may not sound like big sales for the world’s largest auto maker. But the sporty retro-truck can claim responsibility for three times as many Chevy pickups rolling out of showrooms by the end of the year, because enchanted consumers walked through the door to at least ogle the SSR, according

By Tom Murphy • Aug. 5, 2004

Alcan Bumper Deliveries Delayed Until September

TRAVERSE CITY, MI Startup of aluminum bumper beam production at Alcan Inc.’s new plant in Novi, MI, has been pushed back a few months for an unspecified vehicle program that has been delayed. Alcan celebrated the opening of the Novi facility in April, which will manufacture advanced bumper beam assemblies for a pair of North American-built vehicles for a European auto maker. (See related story: Alcan:

By Alisa Priddle • Aug. 4, 2004

Half-Price Gas in Traverse, Sort Of

TRAVERSE CITY, MI Mark White stopped at a gas station here recently and was pleasantly surprised to find a fill-up of his aluminum-bodied XJ sedan cost less than half what he is accustomed to paying. Before you run out and try to get the name and address of the station from him, you should know this: White, senior body structures manager for Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, paid $39 and is a native

By Drew Winter • Aug. 3, 2004

Cupholders Sell Cars

Cupholders could be a defining factor in how people choose the next car they buy, according to a survey by Autobytel, the automotive shopping and research website. Of the 890 consumers polled by Autobytel, 64% say they currently use their cupholders daily, up from 46% in 2002. More importantly, 39% say they would consider a different make of car to get the cupholder, up from 27% of shoppers who were

Aug. 1, 2004

Lots of Mustang Sallys

While only 4% of female motorists consider themselves severe drivers, 41% actually are, according to findings in the new study by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Assn. (AAIA) Vehicle Maintenance & The Female Motorist, an analysis of the attitudes and perceptions that influence women's behavior regarding vehicle maintenance and repair, asked female drivers to self-classify whether they were or

Aug. 1, 2004

Would Dracula Drive It?

Cross Lander USA thinks America's SUV market is ready for something with a little Eastern European flavor. The Miami-based importer signed a contract last year with Romania's ARO SA (Auto Romania) allowing it to build U.S.-bound 4-wheel-drive SUVs, based on an aged military vehicle design, at its Campulung, Romania, plant. The plan is to sell the vehicles at a rate of up to 6,000 units annually in

By John D. Stoll • Aug. 1, 2004

Leaders Nurture Leaders

Let's continue from last month's column on my journey down the leadership trail. It may help yours. I learned that there is no short cut to developing leadership. Leaders are not born that way. It takes hard work and more. To me the key ingredients of leadership are: Honesty Vision Consistency Desire Smart (not just hard) work Communication There is no order of importance; they are all essential.

By Don Ray • Aug. 1, 2004

Calculate When to Hire

Conventional management wisdom suggests that calculating monthly sales per parts employee is the method for determining when another employee should be hired. But there's another, better way to figure that. Conversations with folks at one store suggest a monthly figure of $32,000 to $33,000 for sales per parts employee. Other sources may recommend slightly higher sales and gross figures, and your

By GARY NAPLES • Aug. 1, 2004

Art of SellingCigars!

My wife and I were on a mission. Christmas was coming up. The mad dash to buy the perfect gifts was on. One of our gifts was for a friend who lives out of state and happens to be a police officer. Cigars my wife said, he likes cigars! Now the hunt was on. How was I to know that a search for cigars would lead us to the best salesperson we would meet all year? My wife and I are both non smokers. I have

By MARK TEWART • July 1, 2004

How to Hire Effectively

When your normal staff includes three service advisors and one leaves, find a replacement as soon as possible. It's difficult to determine your actual revenue loss when you are one service advisor short, but it's costly. During your search for a replacement, this is what can happen within the ranks: Your two remaining advisors become stressed, even over a short time period, when they cover the responsibilities

By RICK BOUDREAU • July 1, 2004

New Wind Tunnel

Two years after opening its new North American headquarters and technical center here, Behr America Inc. unveils its $15 million climatic wind tunnel. Hans Lange, president-Behr America, says the tunnel is the most advanced facility of its kind in the world, surpassing the productivity of even Behr's own three Stuttgart wind tunnels and a smaller Fort Worth, TX, tunnel. Behr Group Chairman and CEO

June 1, 2004

Live Fast, Die Young

Despite the market's ups and downs, high-priced sports cars have fared relatively well in the U.S. since 1995, when the segment's sales hit a 15-year low. Since then, luxury sports cars have increased their share of market from a tiny 0.4% to a surprisingly high (considering their price and impracticality) 0.7% so far this year. And as small as it is, this segment is one of only two car sectors to

By Haig Stoddard • June 1, 2004

Scion xB Not So Cool After All

Scions may be cool, but they're certainly not cold. This is what many buyers, particularly in the Gulf States, have discovered after cranking up the air conditioning in their new xBs. The AC, says Scion Vice President Jim Farley, is in the surprise hit market of Texas, where humidity often soars as high as the temperatures. Farley says Scion has been talking to Japan, where the xB is built, regarding

By KATHERINE ZACHARY • June 1, 2004

Lost Opportunity?

In the world of extreme sports, ESPN X-Gamer and off-road motorcycling maestro Travis Pastrana is big Michael Jordan big. The 20-year-old motocross racer has a high-profile video game named after him, he's inked high-dollar deals with Puma AG and American Suzuki Motor Corp., and has been competing in motorcycle stunt events funded by multimillion dollar corporate sponsorships since before he could

By John D. Stoll • June 1, 2004

CENTRIX Hooks Up with NASCAR

CENTRIX Financial, a subprime financial management and services company will become the Official Auto Finance Company of NASCAR. It will also back a program that identifies and develops Afro-American and Hispanic drivers and crew members. CENTRIX and NASCAR are both engaged in the process of peeling back layers of stereotype and misinformation to reveal the true nature of our core consumer bases,

June 1, 2004

Fierce Competition

Plastics applications are falling behind aluminum usage in new European cars. Reinforced plastic composites, which for 25 years have been used on European body panels, now are facing a recycling challenge that may limit growth. Counting all cars produced in Europe, plastic parts averaged 133 kg (293 lbs.) in 2003 and aluminum 110 kg (243 lbs.), says Michel Costes, CEO of consultant group Mavel SA,

By William Diem • May 1, 2004

5-Step System Teaches Average Joes to Sell Cars

A big problem facing dealerships is a lack of talented sales people, says Ross Rossano, founder of the Rossano Institute, an automotive sales training firm. This problem gets worse every year, he says. Dealerships are looking for the ever-elusive sales pro, usually without much luck. Dealerships and salespeople need a system for selling cars that helps ordinary sales people achieve extraordinary results.

May 1, 2004

A Few Questions, Please

Is your computer managed or owned by your dealership management system (DMS) provider or is it yours? Is it secure from unwanted intrusions? Are you comfortable with your dealership network environment? How effective is its usage? No, I am not referring to your DMS network. I mean your own computer network, servers and all. Servers? Network? I just want to sell cars, you say. Well, we all know it's

By Don Ray • May 1, 2004

Perfectly Queer

As the sun rises on a Manhattan morning, it's just another day for the Fab Five of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the hit TV show screened on both NBC and the Bravo cable network. The Five: Carson Kressley, Thom Filicia, Jai Rodriguez, Kyan Douglas and Ted Allen, are rushing to the aid of some helpless hetero shlub in flannel plaid who has no idea what the difference is between zhushing and schussing

By Christie Schweinsberg • May 1, 2004

Websites Are More Than Advertising

Many dealers today consider their websites only to be an advertising medium. Even some third-party lead generators refer to dealership websites as simply another way to advertise. The thought process goes like this: Sure, the Internet can generate sales, but people really can’t buy cars online (when was the last time a car was delivered over the Internet?). Until people can take delivery online, the

By Cliff Banks • April 7, 2004

Land Rover LR3 ‘Questions Convention’

NEW YORK – In a U.S. market flooded with SUVs, Land Rover North America is hoping a “polarizing” design will serve as a key differentiator for its new midsize, body-on-frame LR3 that replaces the Discovery in the company’s U.S. lineup. “The goal for the new LR3 was to design a vehicle that would be instantly recognizable as a Land Rover,” says Geoff Upex, director of design. “It is a very single-minded

By John D. Stoll • April 7, 2004

Look Out For Pine Trees

When I was a kid, I had a dog named Dash. His mamma was a Collie. His daddy was from a good neighborhood, if you get my drift. Dash's favorite pastime was chasing rabbits among our yard's Georgia pines. Dash was fast, but challenged in the brains department. Sensing that, the rabbits started taking advantage of him. A rabbit would roar towards a pine tree, gauging his speed so that Dash's snarling

By THOMAS B. HUDSON • April 1, 2004