Automotive News articles from January 2003

Automotive News archives from January 2003

Late News.(includes; American International Automobile Dealers Association, Marianne McInerney appointment)
January 6, 2003... AIADA picks president WASHINGTON - Leaders of the American International Automobile Dealers Association have chosen Marianne McInerney of Alexandria, Va., to be the group's next president, Automotive News has learned. She was executive...

'Terminator 3' is Toyota's first major movie deal.(Marketing)
January 6, 2003... Toyota Division's first major movie partnership is with next summer's Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines. ``This is the first movie we are doing in a major way,'' including product placement and significant media support for the film,...

Detroit show proves it: Product is king.(Column)(North American International Auto Show)(Column)
January 6, 2003... Byline: KEITH CRAIN This is the beginning of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It's a fabulous week in Detroit. More than 5,000 journalists from all over the world will be here. It is one of the most important shows on...

Feds look for more flaws in Vette steering column.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Harry Stoffer Federal safety officials are expanding an investigation of steering columns on 1997-2001 Chevrolet Corvettes to determine whether they are prone to lock up while the cars are in motion. General Motors already has...

The 2004 F-150 will be offered in 5 trim levels.(News)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... 1. XL: A base pickup, a traditional workhorse truck. 2. STX: A sportier base model designed for the first-time or less-affluent pickup buyer seeking image on a budget. 3. XLT: Expected to represent 50% of F-150 volume. It is an...

V16s - Now and then.(News)
January 6, 2003... Cadillac XV16 Displacement: 13.6 liters (828 cubic ins.) Horsepower: 1,000 Torque: 1,000 lbs.-ft. Valves: Pushrod, 2 valves per cylinder 1930-37 Displacement: 7.2 liters (452 cubic ins.) Horsepower: 165-185 ...

Nissan unveils redesigned Quest and Maxima.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin When Carlos Ghosn took charge of Nissan Motor Co. in 1999, he vowed that every vehicle in the Nissan Division lineup would be redesigned by the end of 2004. Next on the list will be the 2004 Maxima sedan and 2004...

Incentive rationale.(Cover Story)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... GM's John Smith, the new head of sales and marketing, says incentives are attractive because * 0% financing has helped GM win high-income buyers. * Industry sales probably will fall in 2003. * GM surpassed its 2002 sales and profit...

Phantom blends new and old; BMW's first Roll-Royce stands tall and formal without compromise.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Richard Feast Everything about the $320,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan that debuts at this week's Detroit auto show is new - except the name. The tall, formal, square-faced model is BMW AG's new vision of an old brand. It's also...

Ford site has the most visitors.(Marketing)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Kathy Jackson Ford Division had the hot automotive Web site during the third quarter of 2002, according to an analysis by two companies that monitor Internet use. According to data compiled by Autometrics Ltd. of Troy, Mich.,...

Letters to the Editor.(Letters)
January 6, 2003... 'Desirability' trumps 'excitement' To the Editor: Keith Crain's comment in his Dec. 2 column, ``Exciting products in limited supply would get rid of rebates in a hurry,'' is on the right track, but I would amend it to say, ``Desirable...

Dodge concepts have power and panache.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Dodge Division is out to stoke its reputation as the Chrysler group's home of performance and personality with a quartet of new designs. The Dodge concepts - one unveiled in Los Angeles, the rest in Detroit -...

Japan exports rise for 11th month.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Yuzo Yamaguchi Robust demand from North America and Asia helped Japan's new-vehicle exports in November jump 20.4 percent from a year earlier. It was the 11th consecutive monthly increase. A 21.4 percent leap in U.S.-bound...

Auto News briefly.(Briefs)(Nissan pickup shadowboxes with the General)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Nissan North America chose a Motor City image to tout the fact that it will unveil its 2004 full-sized pickup at the North American International Auto Show this week in Detroit. The company sent journalists a postcard showing the truck's shadow...

Ford's F-150: The inside story; Wide variety of interiors is key to marketing plan.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mary Connelly Ford Division will sell its new F-150 from the inside out. The redesigned 2004 pickup boasts five interiors - from a base, vinyl-floored model that can be washed out, to an upmarket cabin with leather bucket seats...

Audi gives its A8 a lavish introduction in Europe.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Jean Halliday Audi of America Inc. may use a pre-launch ad strategy for its A8 sedan similar to the one used by its parent company in Europe. Audi AG launched a new version of its top-of-the-line car a few weeks ago in Europe...

Certification steos.(News)
January 6, 2003... * Review local and federal laws. * Evaluate disposal methods. * Create a waste management plan. * Set goals for waste disposal. * Organize a team to help enact the plan. * Hire a third party to audit the plan and...

English looks, German engineering.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Richard Feast With its traditional grille and square face, the new Rolls-Royce Phantom certainly looks like the archetypal English car. But how ``English'' is it? The chassis, body, driveline and other key mechanical components...

Ailing Isuzu, Fiat leave lobbying alliance.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Harry Stoffer Two financially strapped automakers are dropping out of the industry's leading lobbying organization, the Washington-based Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. The two, Isuzu Motors America Inc. and a unit of...

Close calls.(Sales)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... A look at some of 2002's sales races * Lexus remains best-selling U.S. luxury brand Posts 234,109 sales - 2,077 ahead of BMW * GM market share rises to 28.6% First back-to-back annual gain since 1976 * Light trucks outsell...

Scion launch, GTO relaunch top LA.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin Toyota last week unveiled the two cars that will launch its experimental Scion sales channel, the company's attempt to lure young buyers to its dealerships. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. will launch the Scion...

Italian financier confirms bid for Fiat.(News)
January 6, 2003... Ending several days of rumors that have driven Fiat S.p.A. shares sharply higher, Italian financier Roberto Colaninno confirmed that he intends to make a bid for the ailing company and wants to manage it. Colaninno, former CEO of Telecom...

GM concepts mix muscle, styling; Centieme gives hint of Lambda plans.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Dave Guilford Chevrolet leads General Motors' concept lineup with two vehicles: the Cheyenne, a full-sized pickup, and the SS, a muscular performance car drawing on its Super Sport heritage. The Chevrolet concepts were...

Cole, Runge to speak at World Congress.(News)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... A well-known industry analyst and a top official at a federal agency that has a direct impact on the auto industry will address the Automotive News World Congress next week. Dr. Jeffrey Runge, administrator of the National Highway Traffic...

2004 Endeavor.(News)
January 6, 2003... Height: 67.3 in. Length: 190.2 in. Width: 73.6 in. Wheelbase: 108.7 in. Curb weight: 3,847 lbs. Engine: SOHC V-6 Horsepower: 215 @ 5,000 rpm Torque: 250 lbs.-ft. @ 3,750 rpm Drivetrain: Fwd, awd Price...

A tough industry?You bet, but keepit in perspective.(Opinion)
January 6, 2003... You don't have to strain to see plenty of darkness clouding the start of a new year. The economy is stuck in first gear. The stock market remains in a funk. The reputation of corporate bosses has sunk lower than low. War with Iraq looms,...

Dealer earns recognition for his green practices.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Donna Harris Some car dealers have tried to make their shops environmentally friendly, but few have received international recognition for it. Ford dealer Larry Sexton, owner of Sellers-Sexton Inc. in St. Robert, Mo., could be...

Saturn ads try to inject life into L.(Marketing)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Dave Guilford Most of the talk coming out of Saturn in the past year has been about the Vue sport-utility and the Ion compact car. Those high-profile debuts overshadowed Saturn's third product move: a mid-cycle attempt to...

Cadillac debuts ultraluxury concept; Sixteen has V-16 engine, silk carpets.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Dave Guilford Cadillac makes its case for inclusion in the ultraluxury club with its Sixteen concept, replete with a 1,000-hp V-16 engine and silk carpets. The Sixteen was scheduled to be unveiled Sunday, Jan. 5, at the...

GM and Toyota turn up the heat on hybrids.(Cover Story)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Richard Truett General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. are upping the competitive ante on gasoline-electric hybrids, applying the fuel-saving powertrain technology to high-volume vehicles over the next several years. GM will...

Will FX45 thrive? It's up to Steve; Infiniti's crossover targets busy boomers.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: David Versical To know the Infiniti FX45, it helps to know Steve. Steve is the name that Nissan North America planners gave to the archetypal buyer of Infiniti's new sport wagon, scheduled to go on sale Jan. 24. Steve is...

2003 Infiniti FX45.(News)
January 6, 2003... Height: 65.0 in. Length: 189.1 in. Width: 75.8 in. Wheelbase: 112.2 in. Curb weight: 4,299 lbs. Engine: 4.5-liter V-8 (3.5-liter V-6 in FX35) Horsepower: 315 hp @ 6,400 rpm Torque: 329 lbs.-ft @ 4,000 rpm...

AMV8 is an'affordable' Aston Martin.(News)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin Once available only in the most rarified air, the Aston Martin nameplate will descend to the level of - gasp! - Porsche and Ferrari. The AMV8 Vantage, to be unveiled today, Jan. 6, at the Detroit auto show, is the...

Toyota scraps Japanese youth-marketing unit.(News)(Toyota Motor Corp. closes down Virtual Venture Co.)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: James B. Treece Toyota Motor Corp. has pulled the plug on the company it set up to woo young buyers in Japan. Virtual Venture Co. was created in 1998 to develop cars and marketing approaches that would appeal to young Japanese....

Fiat closes a U.S. subsidiary.(News)(Fiat S.p.A. closes Fiat USA Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Jim Henry A subsidiary at Fiat's corporate headquarters in the United States is shutting down. The closing of Fiat USA Inc. here eliminates only eight jobs, mostly in corporate communications; its chief responsibility is...

Kia spots hit the mark; Dodge ad misses.(Marketing)(evaluation of automobile advertisements)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Marty Bernstein Automotive marketers spent $1.9 billion on broadcast network TV through the first nine months of 2002, a 22 percent increase over the same period in 2001. With more new commercials from car companies than ever...

Dodge dimensions.(News)(specifications for Dodge Div.'s concept cars)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 6, 2003... Information is not available for all concepts in all categories. Avenger Height: 63.6 in. Length: 187.2 in. Width: 72.3 in. Wheelbase: 113 in. Engine: 3.5-liter V-6 Kahuna Height: 67.0 in. Length: 185.6...

GM's concepts.(News )(General Motors Corp.'s concept vehicles)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... * Chevrolet Cheyenne - Update of full-sized truck architecture with sleek exterior, increased cargo capability, spacious interior. * Chevrolet SS - Rear-wheel-drive muscle car powered by an aluminum 430-hp, 6.0-liter V-8. * Buick...

Hyundai's OLV fits below Santa Fe.(News)(Outdoor Life Vehicle)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin As if there weren't enough competition in the compact sport-utility segment, Hyundai Motor America is considering a vehicle positioned below the successful Santa Fe. The OLV (for Outdoor Life Vehicle) concept sport...

Mitsubishi endeavors to be bold; Wagon's goal is standout styling.(News)(Mitsubishi Endeavor sport wagon)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Joe Kohn Toyota has its Highlander and Honda has its Pilot - Japanese sport wagons based on mid-sized car platforms. Now Mitsubishi is about to enter the growing field with the Endeavor. With it, the company hopes to cut...

Former auto execs to tout F&I software at NADA event.(News)(Red Poling, Ted Cunningham to promote Bankers Integration Group's finance and insurance software at National Automobile Dealers Association convention)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Jim Henry Red Poling, the retired Ford Motor Co. CEO, and Ted Cunningham, the former executive vice president for global sales and marketing for the Chrysler group, will stump for Bankers Integration Group, a finance and insurance...

Lexus takes the RX 330 sport wagon to next level.(News)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin Lexus' RX 300, the first strike in an onslaught of car-based luxury sport wagons, is a tough act to follow. And that's the challenge facing its replacement, the 2004 RX 330. One could argue that the current model...

Lamborghini unveils concept, begins building Gallardo coupe.(News)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Luca Ciferri Lamborghini's sales are rising, and new cars are on the horizon, including a ragtop concept for its Murcielago sports car. Any production version is certain to be less extreme than the convertible concept that was...

Due this week: Year-end numbers.(Production)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Debi Domby * An abbreviated weekly production table appears below. The table lists production for the first week of January for 2003 and 2002 only because most North American car and truck manufacturers will not release December...

automotivenews.com.(News)
January 6, 2003... More from Detroit, online Many of the vehicles unveiled at the Detroit show are featured in this issue. But more are still to come. See automotivenews.com for Tuesday's showings of the: * 2004 full-sized Nissan pickup * 2004...

7 upcoming hybrids.(Cover Story)
January 6, 2003... GM: Chevrolet Equinox Chevrolet Malibu Saturn Vue GM full-sized pickups TOYOTA: Toyota Highlander Lexus RX 330 FORD: Ford Escape HEV

Designer strove for new Ford icon.(News)(Joe Baker uses cultural influences in Ford 427 concept car design)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Richard Truett Since his student days at Great Britain's Coventry University School of Art and Design in the mid-1990s, Joe Baker has been interested in the cultural influences that affect a vehicle's design. Baker, who...

GM pushes industry to big finish.(Sales)(incentives lead to high December sales)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Jim Henry Fueled by big-time incentives, December sales put a big exclamation point on General Motors and on the industry in general. Light-vehicle sales in December were about 1.4 million, an increase of 9.9 percent over the...

Auto News digest.(Briefs)
January 6, 2003... DCX forms engine venture LOS ANGELES - DaimlerChrysler has formed a joint venture with Mitsubishi Motors Ltd. and Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. to operate a new engine plant in the United States, Reuters reported last week. The venture,...

Las Vegas company hopes to import Russian minicar; But tiny Oka faces many hurdles.(News)(Oka Auto USA)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Jim Henry A Las Vegas company says that it will start importing Oka minicars from Russia this year and that it hopes to drum up interest from U.S. dealers at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention next month. ...

Unions add few technicians to rolls.(News)(International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers )
January 6, 2003... Byline: Donna Harris Despite aggressive campaigns last year in 10 major cities, technicians at only a handful of dealerships around the country have voted for union membership. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace...

Caddy revisits past with V-16; With cylinder deactivation, engine gets almost 20 mpg.(News)(Cadillac concept car with V-16 engine)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Richard Truett As part of Cadillac's drive to regain its position as a technology leader, the division is reconnecting with a piece of its history with a modern take on the V-16 engine. The pushrod aluminum V-16, encased in a...

Top concept cars vie for 4 awards.(News)
January 6, 2003... The Automotive News Concept Car of the Year awards will be given out at sister publication AutoWeek's Design Forum at Detroit's Cobo Center on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Over the past year, a panel of six judges evaluated more than 60 concept vehicles...

GM incentive barrage will continue.(Cover Story)(Cover Story)
January 6, 2003... Byline: Dave Guilford General Motors will continue to use heavy incentives to battle for market share in 2003. John Smith, newly installed in GM's top sales position, says the company's incentive strategy - criticized by Wall Street...

A product parade.(Cover Story)
January 6, 2003... Ford's remake of the nation's best-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup, tops the list of unveilings at this week's Detroit auto show. It follows a line of significant debuts - from Toyota's second Scion, in Los Angeles, to BMW's first...

Frenzied finish.(Cover Story)(General Motors sales)(Brief Article)(Cover Story)
January 6, 2003... High incentives spurred a huge gain in General Motors' December sales, and GM helped push the U.S. market to a strong year-end gain. The U.S. total of 16.8 million light-vehicle sales ranks as the fourth-best year ever. What was up ...

Supply line.(Briefs; Final Assembly Systems; Commercial Vehicle Systems; Collins and Aikman Corp.; DuPont Performance Coatings)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Durr wins VW business STUTTGART - Durr's Final Assembly Systems business unit has won a contract to refit the existing final assembly line at Volkswagen's plant in Mosel, Germany, to handle production of the next-generation Golf. A...

Trial balloons on wheels.(News; concept cars)
January 13, 2003... Concept vehicles used to be pure flights of fancy for auto designers. Now, automakers typically use them as trial baloons for new ideas and designs. Here is a sampling of noteworthy concepts from the show. Cadillac Sixteen Type of...

Toyota Sienna.(News)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Type of vehicle: Minivan Seats: 7 or 8 Base engine: 3.3-liter V-6, 230 hp In showrooms: March Price: $22,955 (plus destination) for base Sienna CE What's cool: The wheelbase grows by 5 inches; the track is wider by 4...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 13, 2003... DeVille never was the top Cadillac To the Editor: According to a story in your Nov. 25 issue, General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz wants the DeVille to ``regain its place atop the Cadillac lineup as its pre-eminent sedan, replacing...

Plucky pickups; For U.S. makers, the full-sized segment is the last bit of holy - read ``profitable'' - ground not trampled by imports. But the battle is heating up.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: David Sedgwick Automakers showed off a dazzling variety of vehicles at the North American International Auto Show, and auto chiefs packed plenty of attitude. Chrysler COO Wolfgang Bernhard sat astride a 500-hp Dodge motorcycle. The...

Porsche N.A. taps a new CEO.(News)(Peter Schwarzenbauer)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Jim Henry Peter Schwarzenbauer takes the job as president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America March 1. He replaces Fred Schwab, who had the job for a decade. Schwarzenbauer, 43, is managing director for Porsche Iberica,...

GM's year-end push lowers days supply.(Sales)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Jim Henry The year-end clearance at General Motors helped cut the industry's supply of light vehicles to 60 days as of Jan. 1, down from 79 a month earlier. It was the second-lowest Jan. 1 level in the last decade. ``Money...

Detroit show heralds an exciting year.(Column)
January 13, 2003... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Unless you're living in a cave, you must realize that the North American International Auto Show is going on this week in Detroit. Last week was media week, and now the show is open to the public. People are coming in...

Mini marketing chief proves them wrong; A marketer of the year helps car surpass sales expectations.(Marketing; Jack Pitney)
January 13, 2003... Jack Pitney, general manager for the Mini division of BMW of North America LLC, has the distinction of being one of the few car division heads whose professional experience is in marketing communications instead of automotive engineering,...

Jack Pitney.(Marketing; GM of Mini)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Title: General manager, Mini Age: 40 Career highlights: * 1995-2000: Director of communications,North and South America,BMW US Holding Corp. * 1990-95: Corporate communications, Mazda North American Operations * 1998-99:...

Mercedes pushes awd for cold-weather sales.(News; 4MATIC all wheel drive)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Mercedes-Benz will begin offering all-wheel-drive versions of every one of its model classes this year in an effort to snare more cold-weather sales. The automaker's 4MATIC system will appear on its S-class...

Jim McDowell.(Marketing)(vice president of marketing, BMW of North America LLC)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Title: Vice president of marketing, BMW of North America LLC Age: 49 Career highlights: * 1985 Porsche Cars North America, planning director * 1990 Porsche AG, director of marketing, Stuttgart * 1993 BMW AG, joined...

E-class wagon.(News; Mercedes)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Type of vehicle: Luxury wagon Seats: 5 Base engine: 3.2-liter V-6, 221 hp In showrooms: Fall What's cool: The redesigned wagon will see the return of Mercedes' 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The system shifts torque from front to...

Nissan hammers hard on Big 3 franchise; Company stomps into Detroit with pickup, three other vehicles.(Cover Story)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin Carlos Ghosn and his Team Nissan last week stormed onto the Big 3's home turf with one of the most significant slates of market-ready vehicles ever unveiled by an import brand at the Detroit auto show. So much for...

McDowell, Pitney are top marketers.(News; Jim McDowell and Jack Pitney)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Kathy Jackson In a market that depends heavily on big, brutish, profit-making trucks and enormous ad budgets, two brands have defied logic and reaped sales success: BMW and Mini. Because of their outstanding accomplishments in...

Ford foregoes price increase on F-150.(News)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Mary Connelly When the redesigned 2004 FordF-150 comes out this summer, the price will be comparable to the current model, said Steve Lyons, Ford Division president. Ford's 2004 pickup costs more to build than the current...

Audi, VW will try to plug holes in U.S. lineups.(News)(Volkswagen )
January 13, 2003... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Audi and Volkswagen are exploring niches that would fill some holes in their U.S. product portfolios. Though its Touareg premium sport wagon won't go on sale until May, Volkswagen of America Inc. already is...

Toyota Sienna takes best from all comers.(News)(redesigned 2004 Sienna minivan)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Mark Rechtin Toyota took the best the competition has to offer and incorporated it into its redesigned 2004 Sienna minivan. Then it priced the bigger, more powerful model under the outgoing one. Toyota, realizing the Sienna was...

Nissan, PSA outdo industry.(News)(Nissan Motor Company Ltd. reports 49 percent gain)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Amy Wilson The Carlos Ghosn decade continues. Once-foundering Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. topped the automaker index with a 49 percent gain for 2002 under its Ghosn-led revitalization. Nissan also took the top three-year spot with a...

Mustang GT's design reflects early pony cars.(News)(Ford restyles Mustang design)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Rick Kranz The Ford Mustang GT convertible and fastback concepts, hits at the Detroit auto show last week, received last-minute front-end restyling after the cars were panned last summer at a California clinic. The concepts are...

Fiat takeover plans could be announced this week.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Luca Ciferri The Italian financier trying to gain control of Fiat Group could reveal his plans to Fiat's board of directors as early as this week. Roberto Colaninno, who four years ago led Italy's biggest hostile takeover,...

Mitsubishi SUV has U.S. pedigree.(News)(Endeavor sport-utility vehicle developed by United States production engineering team)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Mitsubishi's Endeavor sport-utility is the first effort of Mitsubishi's U.S. design studio working with its U.S. production engineering team to build a vehicle in its U.S. car factory. ``We're going to see more...

He likes it...he likes it not.(News)(auto makers display new models at the Detroit show)
January 13, 2003... What stood out at the Detroit show? National Editor Chaz Osburn toured the floor with Bryon Fitzpatrick, chairman of the industrial design department at College for Creative Studies in Detroit, a training ground for many of the industry's...

Saluting the champions of the 2002 sales derby; Trucks win big, beat cars for 1st time.(Sales)(Column)
January 13, 2003... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. It's time to dust off the jeweled crowns, diamond tiaras and Waterford punch bowls and award them to the winners of the 2002 sales championships. I call this column Hail to the Chiefs. The grand winner of the...

Players.(News)(full-sized pickup sales, year 2002)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Who's who in the U.S. full-sized pickup market Incumbents/2002 sales Ford F series/813,701 Chevrolet Silverado/652,646 Dodge Ram/396,934 GMC Sierra/202,045 Toyota Tundra/99,333 Newcomer/Annual target Nissan...

GM will trim traditional media; Customer relationship marketing to increase.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Julie Cantwell General Motors will devote more of its marketing budget this year to relationship marketing, such as sponsorships and the Internet, and less to traditional media. And the industry's largest marketer also will...

Mitsubishi Endeavor.(News)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2003... Type of vehicle: Sport-utility Seats: 5 Base engine: 3.8-liter V-6 In showrooms: February What's cool: An edgy interior - with metallic textures and brushedaluminum - is sure to appeal to Mitsubishi's youth market.

Ford unveils the 2004 McGovern.(News)
January 13, 2003... Byline: Mary Connelly A lot of new looks got introduced at the show - but not all of them had to do with cars. Among the nonautomotive developments, Ford Motor Co. revealed that designer Gerry McGovern has chopped off his signature...