Automotive News articles from April 2003

Automotive News archives from April 2003

Designline.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolag - Saab - was founded in 1937 to manufacture military aircraft. Production of the first car model, the Saab 92, began in December 1949.

Europe's top 3 lighting suppliers.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... 1. Valeo Lighting Systems has a 40% share of front lighting business in Europe and a 35% share of the rear lighting market. 2. Automotive Lighting was set up in 1999 as a 50-50 joint venture between Germany's Bosch and Italy's Magneti...

Joseph Anderson Jr.(News)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1965. * Won 2 Silver Stars, 5 Bronze Stars and 3 Army Commendation Medals during 2 tours in Vietnam. He was a platoon commander with the 82nd Airborne Division and a 1st Cavalry...

It's smart, and it pays.(Opinion)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
April 7, 2003... Dealers handling import-badged brands are opening more and more single-line stores, and it's one of the imports' better ideas. The reasons are obvious and compelling: Exclusive use of showroom space and 100 percent attention of the sales...

Spotlight is on Chinese market.(Design)
April 7, 2003... DETROIT-The 2004 Michelin Challenge Design will focus on design in the emerging Chinese market. This will be the third annual competition, with winning entries - either drawings or models - displayed at next year's Detroit auto show....

Stock watch.(News)
April 7, 2003... table: see print copy.

Marek Djordjevic.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Age: 34 Title: Chief stylist of exterior design at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Career: Has spent entire career with BMW Notable project: Exterior design for Rolls-Royce Phantom

Venture files Chapter 11, hires CEO.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Rhoda Miel Venture Holdings Co. LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 28 as part of a reorganization plan that will bring the interior and exterior trim supplier new leadership while it struggles to regain its...

John Opfer.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Age: 30 Title: Designer Career: Joined the Chrysler group four years ago Notable project: Exterior of Dodge M80 pickup concept

LED systems may dominate sector by end of the decade.(News)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Alex Graham The adoption of light-emitting diode systems offers great potential for change in the lighting sector. For example, German supplier Schefenacker, which does not produce front lighting systems, is looking to break in...

Dealers max out F-150 orders.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Co. dealers are stocking up on the F-150 pickup as the automaker prepares to change its plants over to the redesigned 2004 model. Dealers are eager for the trucks to carry them through the changeover,...

March leaves many questions behind.(Sales)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Throughout March, the people who interpret vehicle sales for a living piled up a lot of questions. The questions remain. The March numbers didn't do a good job of answering them. Here's the box score:...

Late News.(various briefs)
April 7, 2003... Toyota lifts Lexus store limit Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. has increased the number of Lexus dealerships a dealer can own. A dealer can own up to four main Lexus dealerships and two companion Lexus stores nationally, says John...

BMW's new 5 series.(News)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... photo: see print copy. CAPTION(S): A junior version of the BMW 7 series? No, this is the redesigned 2004 5-series sedan. The car is a little larger than the current model and uses lots of aluminum to reduce weight. 5-series features...

Asian epidemic bedevils automakers; Events canceled, workers monitored in affected areas.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: David Sedgwick The SARS epidemic has become a major headache for companies doing business in Southeast Asia. Many automakers and suppliers have banned employees from traveling to areas hit hard by the epidemic, including Hong...

Ford Credit slaps $595 acquisition fee on leases.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Credit Co. started charging lease customers a $595 fee last week, matching most of its industry competitors. While the fee will raise payments for some customers, the company says it will use the extra...

Bangle aims for distinctive models.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Hilmar Dunker, Pia Krix BMW chief designer Chris Bangle wants the automaker's model line to have strong differentiation. ``We needed a scheme that would put everything into a logical matrix,'' he says. ``The plan was not...

The world mourns the death of Henry Ford.(News)
April 7, 2003... For a life so public, the end came in candlelit, eerie privacy. Henry Ford, the man who put America on wheels and changed the fabric of American society, died in his bed of a cerebral hemorrhage just before midnight on April 7, 1947 - 56...

Import exclusives now top 5,000.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. ``We can stand alone'' is the rallying cry of dealerships that sell import-badged cars and trucks, and those retailers are putting that slogan into action. For the fourth year in a row, the number of solo...

Dan Sims.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Title: Design director, Mitsubishi Motors America Inc.'s R&D Center, Cypress, Calif. Age: 42 Current projects: Mitsubishi Endeavor, Galant, next Eclipse Background: Born in Tokyo. Fluent in Japanese. Bachelor's degree in...

Mitsubishi's maestro.(Design)(Mitsubishi Motors America Inc., Endeavor SUV, Project America)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Lindsay Chappell The Mitsubishi Endeavors that are flowing down the assembly line in Normal, Ill., represent a brainteaser for the automaker's design team, engineers and parts suppliers. The challenge: How do you create an...

Timeline.(Design)
April 7, 2003... * First model: Endeavor SUV (launched in January) * Second model: Galant sedan (4th quarter 2003) * Third and fourth models: Eclipse coupe, Spyder (4th quarter 2004)

How to create an SUV that's like no other.(Design)(Hummer H2)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn Remember that tough kid in eighth grade, the one with the mustache? Sat in the back. Wore a jean jacket. When he walked down the hall, you got out of his way. There was just something about him - an edginess, a...

Japan puts focus on design.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: James B. Treece Other Japanese automakers have been putting emphasis on the role of design during the past few years. Even before the start of his Nissan Revival Plan, then-Nissan Motor Co. COO, and now CEO, Carlos Ghosn hired...

Pickup's purpose: Protect turf, break rules.(Design)(Chevrolet Cheyenne)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn Look at side views of Chevrolet pickups for the past 40 years. Notice how they share a low, wide profile? Not so with the Cheyenne pickup concept that debuted at the Detroit auto show in January. The hood is not as...

Gen Yers weigh in on models they're supposed to like.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Automakers are paying more attention to the youth market. Honda has the Element. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.'s Scion brand will go on sale in California in June. And other automakers have been showing off concepts on the auto show circuit...

Top 5 worldwide.(Design)(popular vehicle colors)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Most popular vehicle colors for 2002 models North America 1. Silver/gray 2. White 3. Red 4. Blue 5. Naturals* Europe 1. Silver/gray 2. Blue 3. Black 4. Green 5. Red Japan 1....

Military lessons help supplier CEO succeed.(Suppliers)(Joseph Anderson Jr. of Vibration Control Technologies L.L.C.)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Though he's 30 years removed from leading troops in combat, Joseph Anderson Jr. says he still feels some of that same mix of excitement and anxiety as an entrepreneur. Anderson, CEO of Vibration Control...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 7, 2003... * A story on Page 14IT in some editions of the March 24 issue incorrectly spelled Zexel Valeo Climate Control Corp., Valeo's compressor division.

Designline.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Each diamond in Mitsubishi's logo signifies a principle of the company's philosophy: corporate responsibility to society, integrity and fairness, and international understanding through trade. Mitsubishi means ``3 diamonds'' in Japanese.

Chrysler, Audi agree with NAMAD; Automakers OK formula; minorities will own 15% of dealerships.(News)(National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Arlena Sawyers The Chrysler group and Audi of America Inc. will work to have at least 15 percent of their dealerships owned by minorities. The target was proposed by the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers. ...

Dion's role changes in new ads.(News)(Celine Dion featured in Chrysler ads)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Mary Connelly Celine Dion played a starring role in her first round of commercials for the Chrysler brand. In the second round viewers will hear - but not see - the singer. Three 30-second TV spots for the 2004 Chrysler...

Chrysler calls Pacifica another 'segment buster'.(News)(sports tourer vehicle)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Rick Kranz The Chrysler group, which developed the first minivan, wants to stake its claim on another segment. Chrysler is touting the 2004 Pacifica as a ``segment buster.'' The vehicle, which the company calls a sports...

Auto News briefly.(Briefs)
April 7, 2003... Vixens now drive Volvos, band says Volvo finally has made an impact in the world of rock 'n' roll. The latest single from hip rock band Everclear is titled ``Volvo-Driving Soccer Mom'' and recounts tales of frisky girls gone good. A...

Designline.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Some designers say their appreciation for automobiles grew from their fathers' love of cars. For example, GM designer Jeff Angeleri says that when he was growing up, his father owned a Ferrari 365GT and an original 289 Cobra.

VW runs behind on replacing coils.(News)(Volkswagen, Audi dealer replacement of failed ignition coils)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Volkswagen and Audi dealers in the United States now have enough ignition coils in stock to replace all coils on a vehicle, even if only one has failed. Coils provide electricity to the engine's spark plugs. When a...

History of the XJ, from a Jaguar designer.(Design)(Ian Callum)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin It was a benefit as well as a challenge. Jaguar Cars design chief Ian Callum had more than 30 years of tradition to work with on the new-generation XJ sedan. But he also had to take over the half-finished design of...

Opel's design priority: `Sexy, sexy, sexy'.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Opel executives are determined to recapture the design leadership the brand once had. The General Motors subsidiary's turnaround plan has been most visibly focused on cost cutting and rationalizing manufacturing. But design chief Martin...

Bull market.(News)
April 7, 2003... In China, SUV sales are rising. Here is why. * Low-priced Chinese models boost demand. * Lower tariffs boost imports. * Affluent Chinese like the SUV mystique.

Eric Stoddard.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Age: 27 Title: Designer, Hyundai-Kia Design Center Career: Joined Hyundai-Kia from DaimlerChrysler in 2002 Notable project: Exterior of Kia Slice concept

Supply line.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: K.C. Crain Lexus GX 470 gets Gentex mirrors ZEELAND, Mich. - Gentex Corp. is supplying interior, automatic dimming mirrors for the Lexus GX 470 SUV. The Gentex mirror is standard equipment and comes with Johnson Controls...

Ford makes public groups measure up.(Cover Story)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Donna Harris Ford Motor Co. is enforcing tough standards for publicly held dealership groups and will not allow them to buy more dealerships if their current Ford stores don't meet those standards. Ford's policy toward public...

Travel tips.(News)(safety tips to avoid SARS)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... SARS has afflicted some travelers who visited China's Guangdong province, Hong Kong, Singapore and Hanoi, Vietnam. Here are some safety tips. * Avoid trips to affected areas. * Travelers leaving affected areas should be screened for...

Called to duty.(News)(military personnel in auto industry)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... U.S. military personnel at selected automakers, suppliers and dealership groups. Chrysler group Active duty: 102 Ford Motor Co. Reservists: 2,420 Active duty: 198 Honda North America Active duty: 50 General...

Fabrizio Giugiaro emerges from father's shadow.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Luca Ciferri Fabrizio Giugiaro came of age in Geneva last month - and it wasn't just because he turned 38. Giugiaro designed two of the biggest stars at the Geneva auto show: the Lamborghini Gallardo and the exterior of the...

Private equity is not an ogre.(Opinion)(Column)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Daniel Ajamian There is a myth that when a company is acquired by private equity, the ulterior motive is to get a return on investment as fast as possible by any means necessary. In that vein, Automotive News' sister...

Conference postponed.(Automotive News Group's China Congress)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... The Automotive News Group's China Congress has been postponed amid concern over the spread in Asia of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. The event was to be held April 21-22 in Shanghai. It was postponed after the Centers for Disease...

GM trims 10% in some areas; Price, incentive pressures force deeper budget cuts.(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)(Cover Story)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Dave Guilford General Motors is telling some departments to slice budgets by 10 percent this year as it adjusts to slower vehicle sales. Gary Cowger, president of GM North America, says administrative support departments are...

Hey, that's my grille.(automobile designers' first projects)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn Most designers have to pay their dues before they get to work on their dream project. Here's a look at some designers' first projects. * Tom Matano, who led the design of the legendary Mazda Miata sports car,...

Dealers.(People)(awards presented to car dealership employees)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Milestones * Richard DeGregoris of Gregoris Motors Inc. in Valley Stream, N.Y., received a 35-year award from Nissan North America Inc. CAPTION(S): 50 with Ford: Don Walker and Wade Walker of Walker Motors...

Import brands create more dealerships; Big 3 continue to lead, despite their total number falling by 132.
April 7, 2003... Byline: Arlena Sawyers There were 217 more new-car and light-truck dealerships in the United States at the beginning of 2003 than at the beginning of 2002. It was the third consecutive year that the number of establishments has increased....

Designline.(Jeff Teague of Academy of Art College helped design automobiles)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Jeff Teague, the former director of the industrial design department at the Academy of Art College, also set up the department. His work includes the 1988 Mitsubishi Mirage and 1998 VW Passat. He is the son of the late Dick Teague, former vice...

Michael Maurer's life in the fast lane; Saab design chief's adventures have taught him how to hang on.
April 7, 2003... Not many people could hang with Michael Mauer. That is unless they can ski, hike, inline skate, mountain bike, canoe and swim for a total of 36 hours. Mauer, Saab Automobile AB's chief designer of three years, lives for such athletic...

Tough sell.(consumers who switched to Chrysler automobiles from foreign companies)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Percent of buyers changing brands in 2002 who switched to Chrysler brand vehicles from the following luxury makes Acura: 0 Infiniti: 3% Lexus: 0 Volvo: 3% Total industry: 4% Source: J.D. Power and Associates' sample...

California awakes; it's ready to kill faulty ZEV rule.(Opinion)(California Air Resources Board drops zero-emission vehicle mandate)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... A wise man once said that politicians eventually will make the right decision - but only when there is nothing else to do. California regulators finally appear ready to do the right thing with the state's zero-emission vehicle mandate: Kill...

A designer is born - in 7th grade English.(Design)(DaimlerChrysler designer Mark Walters designs the Dodge Tomahawk motorcycle concept)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn In a roundabout way, Ford Motor Co. played a role in the creation of the Dodge Tomahawk motorcycle concept. Mark Walters, the 38-year-old who designed the 500-hp beast, credits Gene Bordinat Jr., Ford's design chief...

A chance to shape design destiny.(Design)(Hyundai-Kia Design Center designs the Kia KCD-1 Slice vehicle)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Richard Truett With its wheels pushed just about as far to the front and to the rear of a vehicle as possible, the Kia KCD-1 Slice is not meant to resemble any other crossover vehicle - even if it is a concept. The Slice - the...

Designing a minivan so mom can see all.(Design)(Nissan Design America is involved in the Quest minivan project)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn How deeply does Carlos Ghosn get involved in design issues? Just ask Alfonso Albaisa, a designer for Nissan Design America in San Diego. Albaisa will tell you about a 2002 meeting with Nissan Motor Co.'s CEO at the...

Self portrait: A tough, 4wd pickup.(Design)(John Opfer describes design of Dodge M80 pickup truck)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn John Opfer designed the exterior of the Dodge M80 with a special person in mind: himself. ``I was thinking back to when I was in high school and growing up in California. I wanted to get myself some sort of...

Honda wins appeal in defective seat belt case.(Legal FileHonda of America Manufacturing Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Eric Freedman The Texas Court of Appeals has overturned a $32 million award in a suit alleging that the seat belt on a 1991 Honda Civic was defectively designed. The driver's estate failed to prove that a safer alternative...

Chinese like freedom of SUVs; Automakers rush to expand lineups, expecting 20% annual sales growth.(News)(Industry Overview)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Alysha Webb It is Sunday afternoon, and Xu Difei is daydreaming. The 35-year-old manager of a state-owned enterprise is looking at an SUV in the Nanjing Auto Showroom, a sparkling dealership near Shanghai's famous Bund...

Models affected.(list of Volkswagen AG, Audi AG automobiles with defective ignition coils)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Ignition coils will be replaced in these 2001, 2002 and early production 2003 models. * VW Golf, GTI, Jetta, New Beetle and Passat with 1.8-liter engine * Audi TT and A4 with 1.8-liter engine * Passat W8 * All VWs with...

GM's North America factory boss to retire.(Guy Briggs retires from General Motors Corp.)(Biography)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Guy Briggs, General Motors' No. 2 U.S. production executive, will retire at year end, finishing a 43-year career that helped GM narrow the quality and productivity gaps with its Japanese competitors. Joe...

It's in the bag; Top designers illustrate the proper way to draw a bag.(Design)(Honda R&D Americas' executive designer is Doug Halbert)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Doug Halbert is on a mission. He wants young designers to know how to draw. Halbert, executive designer of Honda R&D Americas in Torrance, Calif., says he has been surprised by the response to his comment last October in Automotive News...

Little GTO draws big flak from car buffs; GM's rear-drive muscle car 'is a car that Pontiac must get right.' Though it won't go on sale for months, it already is evoking emotion.(Design)(General Motors' 2004 Pontiac GTO is discussed)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Richard Truett The 2004 Pontiac GTO, a pet project of General Motors' high-flying product chief Robert Lutz, is getting pummeled. The Australian import is taking such a bruising that it is starting to look a little like that side...

What they're saying.(Design)(Comments about the 2004 Pontiac GTO)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... A sampling of comments from members of the Cruisin' Tigers Pontiac GTO Club about the 2004 Pontiac GTO * ``It blends in with any other domestic or foreign jelly-bean car. If a 2004 GTO parks next to my '66 GTO at cruise night, I am moving...

Facing the SARS epidemic.(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome impacts Southeast Asia's economy)(Brief Article)(Cover Story)
April 7, 2003... photo: see print copy. CAPTION(S): The spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, has brought disarray to the auto industry throughout Southeast Asia. Automakers and suppliers have banned travel, evacuated workers,...

Age: 40.(Design)(profile of chief designer at Saab Automobile AB)(Brief Article)(Biography)
April 7, 2003... Title: Chief designer, Saab Automobile AB Hometown: Rotenburg an der Fulda, Germany Education: B.S. in transportation design from Fachhochschule fur Gestaltung (School of Design) in Pforzheim, Germany Languages: German, French,...

A British classic, Yugoslav roots.(Marek Djordjevic designed new Rolls-Royce Phantom car)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn Marek Djordjevic has not been back to Belgrade, Yugoslavia, since a civil war ripped apart his homeland a decade ago. He left before serving a mandatory stint in the Yugoslav army. Today, Djordjevic (pronounced...

Panel to probe supply chain strategies.(Automotive News Manufacturing Conference)
April 7, 2003... A strong supply chain is critical to successful manufacturing, especially in a period of rapid change and flexible production strategies. Five panelists will discuss winning supply chain strategies at the Automotive News Manufacturing...

All eyes are on April sales; March's 4.1% dip is third straight decline for year.(Sales)
April 7, 2003... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. March sales went on the tally sheets last week, but the people who are interested in such things already seem to be more concerned with this month than with the past. They were asking: * What about...

Designline.(Design)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Mazda adds another sports car, the RX-8, to its lineup this summer. But before the RX-8, Mazda produced 3 generations of the RX-7. While working on the last generation of that nameplate, former designer Tom Matano used a restored 1968 Mazda...

Census changes reflect times.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Like the industry it tracks, the Automotive News dealership census has changed over the years. Twenty years ago, it was a barometer of the health of the retail industry in general and of individual brands in...

All that glitters is silver, at least for now.(Design)
April 7, 2003... You may not be surprised to learn that silver is the color of choice for a large chunk of the vehicles produced in North America, Europe and Japan. But what's next? PPG Industries, a major automotive paint supplier, says special-effect...

Designline.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Anne Asensio was on the Renault design team that created the Megane Scenic minivan, Clio subcompact and Twingo minicar. She also was involved in a 1-year design project at American Motors when it was part of Renault to develop a smaller Jeep...

Let the world be your guide; Understanding a culture opens styling options.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn Think about the design detail on your favorite Japanese vehicle. Chances are it's good. But have you ever stopped to consider why? This may sound basic - OK, it is basic - but a designer's culture and environment...

Suppliers invest big in adaptive front lighting.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Alex Graham Just as lighting suppliers are regaining profitability after a costly changeover to clear lenses, technological developments are threatening profits again. Major players among automotive lighting specialists such as...

Why designers should always carry a pen.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Chaz Osburn Sometimes designers find themselves, not their vehicles, the focus of attention. Case in point: At the Canadian auto show in Toronto in February a man approached Wayne Cherry, vice president for design at General...

Mark Walters.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Age: 38 Title: Designer in DaimlerChrysler's advance vehicle design department Career: 8 years at Renault; joined DaimlerChrysler 7 years ago Notable project: Dodge Tomahawk motorcycle

Jeff Angeleri.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Age: 31 Title: Senior designer, General Motors Career: Began career at Honda; joined GM in 1999 Notable project: Exterior of Chevrolet Cheyenne pickup concept

Automakers, suppliers maintain pay and benefits for called-up employees.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Robert Sherefkin The industry is going above and beyond the call of duty to aid reservists in its ranks as the military call up intensifies. Automakers and many suppliers are voluntarily paying the difference between military...

It's all academic to former Mazda designer; Matano settles into college life, but still stresses basics.(Design)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin Tom Matano is taking the lessons of three decades of automotive design and handing it down to the next generation. After working for Holden, BMW and Mazda, Matano has found a new home on the other side of the...

GM hopes to win buyers with overnight test drives.(News)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Dave Guilford General Motors dealers will be able to offer owners of non-GM vehicles overnight test drives in a program running April 15 to July 31. GM had been considering the program as a way to get on the consideration lists...

Chrysler to Ontario: Now or never; Company will build plant elsewhere if help is denied.(News)
April 7, 2003... Byline: Mary Connelly Ontario's provincial government must support a proposed Chrysler group assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, by May 1 or the company will look elsewhere, COO Wolfgang Bernhard says. ``In the next four weeks we...