Automotive News articles from January 2004

Automotive News archives from January 2004

No halo, but G6 is crucial to Pontiac.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: K.C. Crain Pontiac is aiming for two halo vehicles - the GTO and the Solstice roadster - but the financial future of the brand is riding on the 2005 G6. General Motors is scheduled to unveil its Grand Am replacement at the...

Opinion.
January 5, 2004... Guides for NHTSA as it overhauls CAFE regulations The federal government has taken a long overdue step toward clearing up some of the absurdities of the nation's fuel economy regulations. In its proposed overhaul of corporate average...

At a glance.(Marketing)(Ian Beavis, Mitsubishi Motors North America )(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Name: Ian Beavis Age: 50 Title: Senior vice president of marketing, Mitsubishi Motors North America Challenge: To define the brand clearly to increase buyer consideration

Engineer wanted new Mustang to sound like a true muscle car.(News)(Hau Thai-Tang led redesign of Mustang)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett Ford Motor Co. engineers had a clean sheet of paper to redesign the Mustang. Hau Thai-Tang, the Mustang's Vietnamese-born chief engineer, believes he made the most of it. Thai-Tang says he and other Mustang...

Morgan Motor will sell $95,000 Aero 8 in U.S.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Dale Jewett The two-seat Morgan Aero 8, which has sold more than 300 units in Europe over the past 18 months, will come to the United States this year. The U.S. version has been enlarged slightly in the interior, and amenities...

Auto News DIGEST.(News)
January 5, 2004... 2 accused of stealing secrets DETROIT - A Visteon Corp. employee and an acquaintance have been charged with stealing trade secrets. Jerry Lee Latimore of Flint, Mich., and Luther Gregory Gilford of Oak Park, Mich., appeared before a...

2004 Detroit Auto Show.(highlights)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Follow the money was Toyota's guide for its first truely full-sized pickup. The concept, left, was shown on Sunday, the opening media preview day for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit Other Highlights: * Ford...

GM developed architecture just for Solstice.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Dave Guilford To build the Pontiac Solstice two-seater, General Motors created a rear-wheel-drive, small-car architecture called Kappa. And to do that, says Lori Queen, vehicle line executive for small cars, GM "blew up the...

Dealers.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Transitions * Bert Arnlund of Arnlund Auto Group purchased Max's Honda in Casper, Wyo., from Max Stalkup and renamed the dealership Honda of Casper. Arnlund Auto Group also owns dealerships in Seattle, Montana and Kansas. * Ken...

Hummer taps Nike for H3T.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: John D. Stoll Tracy Teague says it started as an "innocent collaboration.'' The Nike Inc. footwear designer should know. He was in the room full of key designers from Nike and Hummer two years ago, when a Nike delegation spent...

Ford lags in getting OK for China auto financing.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Alysha Webb Ford Motor Co., a latecomer to China's passenger-car market, is chasing market leaders Volkswagen and General Motors in financing as well. Volkswagen AG, General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. on Monday, Dec. 29,...

It's a big week for the year ahead.(Column)
January 5, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Yesterday was the opening of media week for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. For the next few days, the world's automotive press will be learning just what the marketers of vehicles in North...

Ford share slides toward 75-year low; Its domestic brands grab about 19.5% of U.S. market in 2003.
January 5, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Barring a last-minute surge, final U.S. sales numbers for 2003 released today, Jan. 5, are likely to show that the market share for Ford Motor Co.'s domestic brands has dropped to a 75-year low. Through...

Court: Dealerships may profit from service contracts.(Legal File)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Eric Freedman Dealerships can include extended service contracts in a vehicle's cash price without violating the state sales finance law, a Pennsylvania Superior Court panel has ruled. The finance law does not prohibit the sale...

Mercedes updates crossover concept; Vision GST is changed for Detroit auto show.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Mercedes-Benz is showing an updated version of the Vision Grand Sport Tourer concept car that it unveiled at the Detroit auto show two years ago. The new Vision GST has an exterior very close to the production...

Covisint's exit from auctions not likely to have big impact.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett Covisint's decision to shed its online auction business is expected to have little impact on an industry that has watched the company struggle since its founding nearly four years ago. Paul Manns, Covisint's...

2003 looks like industry's 5th-best.(News)(automobile industry sales and best selling cars)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Here are some key sales figures to note when the final numbers for 2003 are released today, Jan. 5: * Total industry: U.S. light-vehicle sales will total about 16.5 million, down about 2 percent from 2002....

Honda's pickup has the flavor of an SUV.(News)(Honda SUT)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Kathy Jackson Of the six top-selling brands in this country, Honda is the only one without a pickup. But that will change soon. On Sunday, Jan. 4, the company gave journalists and competitors a glimpse of the direction Honda...

Concept does double duty; Nissan, Infiniti will get versions of Actic.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Kathy Jackson Both Nissan and Infiniti divisions likely will get production versions of the small crossover that Nissan North America Inc. was scheduled to show as a concept at the Detroit auto show on Sunday, Jan. 4. The...

Cowger: Farming out work doesn't always save cash.(News)(Gary Cowger)(farming out body assembly and painting to suppliers doesn't guarantee costs savings for automakers)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Dale Jewett Farming out body assembly and painting to suppliers doesn't guarantee huge costs savings for automakers, according to Gary Cowger, president of GM North America. "We looked at that concept in Europe four or five...

GM contest to give away 1,000 autos in 2 months.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Julie Armstrong In an attempt to break through marketing clutter and boost showroom traffic in the slow winter months, General Motors will give away 1,000 vehicles in 56 days. GM's entire 54-vehicle portfolio of 2004 nameplates...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 5, 2004... * The production story on Page 38 of the Dec. 29 issue overstated the number of North American assembly plants that set production records in 2003. Only five plants set records; AutoAlliance International Inc. should not have been listed.

Mini marketers work to build an icon; Brand says buyers' ages don't matter; it wants leaders.(Marketing)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Lillie Guyer BMW Group's Mini brand is trying to move toward iconic status with the help of its dealer body and an offbeat marketing approach. Building an icon - a brand that takes on a cultural significance and is easily...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 5, 2004... 'Complete disgust' with Chrysler ads To the Editor: I am the business manager of a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealership, and I am writing to express my complete disgust with Chrysler group advertising. What market is Chrysler trying to...

3 new Fords have touches of Volvo; Influence shows in platform, safety.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett Three new vehicles from Ford Motor Co. have been Volvo-ized. This fall, Ford will launch the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego sedans and the Ford Freestyle crossover vehicle. Volvo engineers helped...

New look for the Corvette.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... The redesigned 2005 Chevrolet Corvette, introduced at the show, is shorter and narrower than the current car. It abandons hideaway headlights, a Corvette feature since the 1963 model year. The coupe will arrive in showrooms in the third...

Aston Martin DB9 Volante.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... The Aston Martin DB9 Volante, the convertible version of the DB9, was scheduled to make its debut at the Detroit auto show today, Jan. 5. The Volante will be introduced worldwide next fall. The DB9 Volante replaces the DB7 convertible. The DB9...

Chevy seeks end to cheap small cars with Cobalt.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin Robert Lutz, General Motors' product chief, ordered various improvements in the new Chevrolet Cobalt to nudge it upscale. Although it meant adding weight and cost, engineers installed sound deadening and vibration...

Mustang gets rebuilt from wheels up.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett The Ford Mustang, riding on the same platform since Jimmy Carter was president, is long overdue for a trot to the glue factory. That comes next summer when the car will be replaced by the 2005 Mustang, which has...

Mitsubishi's goal: Stop copying Americans.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Kathy Jackson With the Eclipse Concept-E, Mitsubishi hopes to show the world that it can compete with style as well as technology. The car, a gasoline-electric hybrid 2+2 with all-wheel drive, features plasma running headlamps...

Mercedes mimics Mini by using offbeat tactics.(Marketing)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Jean Halliday DETROIT - Mercedes-Benz USA LLC will take a page from BMW Group's quirky, award-winning introduction of the Mini when it brings its Smart car to the United States in 2006. Looking to get a bang from a relatively...

Mitsubishi Motors' much-traveled Beavis comes in as automaker's change agent.(Marketing)(Ian Beavis)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Jean Halliday Marketing veteran Ian Beavis is back in the auto industry, this time at troubled Mitsubishi Motors North America as senior vice president of marketing. The 50-year-old returns to the auto business after several years...

Cobra concept.(News)(Ford Shelby Cobra at the Detroit auto show)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Ford Motor Co. was scheduled to unveil the Ford Shelby Cobra concept at the Detroit auto show on Sunday, Jan. 4. The car, based largely on the mechanicals of the Ford GT, has a 6.4-liter all-aluminum V-10 engine producing 605 hp and a top speed...

Nissan seeks auditor to assess ad spending; With ad rates rising, such reviews are starting to catch on.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Richard Linnett Nissan North America is shopping for a media-audit company to judge the effectiveness of the nearly $1 billion it spends annually on advertising and promotions. "We are just trying to be smart,'' says Steven...

Lotus Elise arrives in May.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin After eight years of waiting, the U.S. market will get the lithe Lotus Elise roadster in May. With the dollar weak against the pound, the British automaker is pricing the car at $39,985, not including its...

Mazda wagon ready for launch.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Mazda will start building the Mazda6 wagon, right, on Feb. 15 at its joint-venture plant in Flat Rock, Mich., after the Jan. 30 startup of the Mazda6 five-door hatchback (inset). The wagon will be offered only with a V-6 engine as part of...

On the Way.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... New or redesigned Lincolns scheduled for showrooms include * 2006 Mark LT pickup * 2007 Aviator sport wagon * Mazda6-based mid-sized sedan, probably a 2006 model * Flagship sedan

Another new year, another new Detroit auto show.(News)
January 5, 2004... Welcome to the show and the Show Daily. Automotive News has set up a newsroom in Cobo to bring you news, photos and interviews from the North American International Auto Show. We will publish the Show Daily on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday....

Martens: Product will lead Ford's recovery.(News)(Phil Martens)(Interview)
January 5, 2004... Impressed with Phil Martens' product-development work at Mazda Motor Corp., top executives at Ford Motor Co. chose him to repeat the job on a grander scale at Ford Motor Co. Martens ascended to Ford Motor Co.'s top North American product...

Chrysler tries to recapture look of '50s.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Mary Connelly To Ralph Gilles, the 2005 Chrysler 300 is a celebration of American car design. Gilles, the design director of the 300 and the 2005 Dodge Magnum, is shaping a new direction for the Chrysler group, forsaking the...

Ralph Giles.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Age: 33 Job: Design director of the 2005 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum Past credits: Interior designer of the 2003 Dodge Viper and the 2002 Jeep Liberty Quote: "The (300) is very extroverted, like America.''

Chrysler, Dodge fwd vehicles to keep cab forward.(News)
January 5, 2004... Rear-wheel drive - not cab-forward design - dictated the shape of the Chrysler group's bold new nameplates, the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Magnum, due in the spring. But the Chrysler group will retain cab forward in front-wheel-drive...

Estimate: N.A. output slides 2.8% in 2003.(News)(automakers in North America built less)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Debi Domby * Automakers in North America built 16,305,219 vehicles in 2003, Automotive News estimates. That figure is down 2.8 percent from 2002. See the box at right for a breakdown of automakers' share. * Actual year-end...

Service plan dispute.(News)(dealer can keep part of the purchase price as profit )(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Issue: Vehicle buyer claims a Pennsylvania dealership violated state law when it kept part of the purchase price of a service contract as profit. Where it stands: State Superior Court rules the dealership was within the law. The plaintiff...

J Mays wants edgier vehicle styling; Design chief says Ford brand will center on toughness.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Co.'s design chief promises he won't turn Ford Division into the auto industry's hip-hop brand. But J Mays intends to inject an edgier, urban sensibility into vehicle styling. "Urban is directly related to...

GM's Welburn takes center stage at show.(News)(Ed Welburn)(Interview)
January 5, 2004... The North American International Auto Show is Ed Welburn's coming-out party as General Motors' design chief. Only the sixth person in the automaker's history to hold that position, he follows legends such as Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell....

The road to design chief.(News)(Ed Welburn)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Ed Welburn's career highlights 1972: Graduates from Howard University, joins GM's Advanced Design Studio. 1987: Designs Oldsmobile Aerotech. The car, driven by A.J. Foyt, sets 2 world speed records of more than 257 mph. 1995:...

Range Stormer puts sport in SUV.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin After decades of designing rugged off-roaders, Land Rover has created a concept vehicle that leans toward on-road performance. The Range Stormer, unveiled today, Jan. 5, looks more like a jacked-up sports car than...

Interiors get higher priority at Big 3.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein The Big 3 want to make a statement at this year's show: Interiors no longer will take a back seat. From concepts to production vehicles, Ford Motor Co., General Motors and the Chrysler group have vowed to improve...

New York dealer group plans training center.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Ralph Kisiel The 650 dealers that make up the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association are feeling the pinch of the service technician shortage along with everyone else across the nation. But they have decided to take a...

Steel makers form China joint venture.(News)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... LUXEMBOURG - Steel producers Arcelor SA of Luxembourg, Nippon Steel Corp. of Japan and Bao Steel of China have signed an agreement to create a joint venture to manufacture flat carbon steel for automakers operating in China. The venture will be...

Personnel.(People)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... AUTOMOBILE TRADE ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES - Jennifer Lindsey to executive director. She was director of field services for the Food Marketing Institute. TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES - Alan Cohen to vice president of law and public policy for...

Auto industry is feeling Japan's malaise.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: James B. Treece The "Japan passe'' phenomenon finally is showing up in the auto industry. The term refers to the view, common during the 1990s recession known in Japan as the "lost decade,'' that Japan was becoming irrelevant....

Lincoln still in search of its soul; Needed: Products, styling, identity.
January 5, 2004... Byline: Amy Wilson Lincoln executives are wrangling over whether to adopt radical or reserved styling as they develop a lineup aimed at reviving the brand. Despite Ford Motor Co.'s financial troubles, executives promise five new or...

autonews.com.(News)
January 5, 2004... Watch this space every week for news and information about our Web site: what's new online, what's coming, how to use the site and more. ]]]]Online this week The Detroit auto show autonews.com/2004detroit with daily coverage and...

Kia markets Amanti to luxury buyers; Target: Customers `who can't afford a Lexus or Mercedes'.(Marketing)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein A company known for selling small, affordable cars with off-the-wall advertising suddenly is spending big money to push a luxury vehicle. This isn't your college kid's Kia. Kia Motors America Inc. is trying to...

Personnel.(People)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... DELPHI CORP. - Mike Roberts to North American sales manager of consumer electronics for Delphi product and service solutions. He was vice president of mobile electronics for Kenwood USA Corp. of Long Beach, Calif. Delphi, of Troy, Mich.,...

Slipping away.(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... U.S. market share of Ford Motor Co.'s domestic brands, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Postwar lows 2003*: 19.5% 1981, 1948: 19.7% Recent high 1996: 25.4% *Through November Source: Automotive News Data Center

Ralph Gilles.(News)
January 5, 2004... Age: 33 Job: Design director of the 2005 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum Past credits: Interior designer of the 2003 Dodge Viper and the 2002 Jeep Liberty Quote: "The (300) is very extroverted, like America.''

SUT opens the door to new Honda trucks.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Expect more truck models from Honda Motor Co., now that it has pulled the wraps off of its first U.S. pickup, the SUT concept. Honda revealed the SUT at the show on Sunday, saying the model will go into...

Show Talk.(News)
January 5, 2004... "We can make the business case work at 20,000 units, but we're going to do derivatives.'' - GM Senior Vice President Mark Hogan, referring to the new Kappa architecture, which will carry the 2006 Pontiac Solstice and other cars

GM developed architecture just for Pontiac Solstice.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Dave Guilford To build the Pontiac Solstice two-seater, General Motors created a rear-wheel-drive, small-car architecture called Kappa. And to do that, says Lori Queen, vehicle line executive for small cars, GM "blew up the...

Mustang gets rebuilt from wheels up.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett The current Ford Mustang, riding on the same platform since Jimmy Carter was president, is long overdue for a trot to the glue factory. That comes next summer when the car will be replaced by the 2005 Mustang,...

GM's Welburn takes center stage at show.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Rick Kranz The North American International Auto Show is Ed Welburn's coming-out party as General Motors' design chief. Only the sixth person in the automaker's history to hold that position, he follows legends such as Harley...

1963 Corvette Sting Ray ignited Welburn's passion.(News)
January 5, 2004... Ed Welburn fell in love with the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray split-window coupe. "After all these years, I remember the first one I saw,'' Welburn says. "I rode my bicycle to the Chevy dealer, and there was a red coupe sitting there. I was...

Toyota concept truck hints at next Tundra.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin After two generations of full-sized pickups that didn't stack up statistically Toyota is vowing it won't make that mistake a third time. The FTX concept, measuring nearly 19 feet long and 7 feet wide and riding on...

300C tries to recapture the bold look of the 1950s.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Mary Connelly To Ralph Gilles, the 2005 Chrysler 300 is a celebration of American car design. Gilles, the design director of the 300 and the 2005 Dodge Magnum, is shaping a new direction for the Chrysler group, forsaking the...

Today.(News)
January 5, 2004... Automakers will be exploring new segments today. The Europeans in particular, who have stayed with traditional car and truck segments longer than the Americans and Japanese, will be stretching boundaries. Mercedes-Benz will show the...

Toyota to keep pumping product; Expect 11 new or redesigned vehicles.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin Although the Big 3 are rediscovering that product is king and launching waves of vehicles, Toyota Motor Corp. won't be a stationary target. By spring 2005, Toyota, Lexus and Scion will launch 11 new or redesigned...

GM China will import mid-sized vehicles.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Dave Guilford General Motors China could fill a product gap by importing mid-sized cars from North America to China, its top executive in China says. GM in November announced plans to export Cadillacs made at its Lansing,...

For Big 3, time to keep promises; Can new products spur a comeback?(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Rick Kranz After losing market share again in 2003, the Big 3 promise a comeback in 2004. General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler group each are showing a raft of new products at the show, hoping to make good on their...

Writers pick Ford F-150, Toyota Prius.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Gail Kachadourian The Ford F-150 and Toyota Prius received top honors as the 2004 truck and car of the year, as voted on by automotive journalists. The winners were announced Sunday. The Prius beat other finalists, the...

Ford may build Crown Vics for fleets only.
January 5, 2004... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Division is looking at dropping the Crown Victoria sedan from its retail lineup sometime after the new 2005 Ford Five Hundred sedan debuts this fall. The company will make its decision during the next year to 18...

Ford Shelby Cobra concept.(News)
January 5, 2004... Type of vehicle: 2-seat roadster What's cool: Inspired by the 1960s sports car, this Shelby Cobra is powered by a 6.4-liter all-aluminum V-10 engine producing 605 hp and a top speed of more than 200 mph. Production possibility: Fair....

Ford Bronco concept.(News)
January 5, 2004... Type of vehicle: SUV What's cool: Under the hood is a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine that makes 128 hp Production possibility: Slim Unveiled: Sunday Designer: Joe Baker

Jeep Rescue concept.(News)
January 5, 2004... Type of vehicle: Hummer-like 4-door vehicle Base engine: 325-hp Cummins turbodiesel V-8 What's cool: The Rescue is built on a 123-inch wheelbase, slightly longer than the Hummer H2. The Rescue features removable doors and a folding...

Mercury plans sport wagon.
January 5, 2004... Byline: Amy Wilson Mercury is planning a new sport wagon. Lincoln Mercury President Darryl Hazel confirmed that a crossover vehicle is in Mercury's future product cycle. It would be based either on the 2005 Ford Freestyle sport wagon,...

Chrysler ME Four-Twelve screams speed.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Dale Jewett, Rick Kranz The Chrysler ME Four-Twelve is all about one thing: speed. On the track, the 6.0-liter, four-turbo V-12 engine will push the car to an estimated top speed of 248 mph or make the run from 0 to 60 mph in a...

Show Talk.
January 5, 2004... "The sweet spots continue to be both the SUV market and the truck market. But the big hope for all of us is that the car market will make a comeback. We collectively as an industry have not paid the same attention to cars as to trucks.'' -...

ASC name has a new meaning.(News)
January 5, 2004... The initials are the same, but the name is different. ASC no longer stands for American Sunroof Co. CEO Paul Wilbur said Sunday at the show that the Southgate, Mich., company is changing its name to American Specialty Cars. ASC sold its...

Engineer wanted Mustang to sound like a muscle car.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett Ford Motor Co. engineers had a clean sheet of paper to redesign the Mustang. Hau Thai-Tang, the Mustang's Vietnamese-born chief engineer, believes he made the most of it. Thai-Tang says he and other Mustang...

Chevrolet Nomad concept.(News)
January 5, 2004... Type of vehicle: 2-door wagon What's cool: Rear drive. Styling cues are from the 1954 Nomad. Production possibility: It's possible but not in the plan. Unveiled: Sunday Designer: Simon Cox CAPTION(S): photo

New look for the Corvette.(News)
January 5, 2004... The redesigned 2005 Chevrolet Corvette, publicly revealed on Sunday night in Detroit, will be shorter and narrower than the current car. It abandons hideaway headlights, a Corvette feature since the 1963 model year. It is scheduled to arrive in...

Mercedes takes shot at hybrid crossover.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Mercedes-Benz is showing an updated version of the Vision Grand Sports Tourer concept car that it unveiled at the Detroit auto show two years ago. The new Vision GST has an exterior close to the production...