Automotive News articles from January 2006

Automotive News archives from January 2006

Pony cars may outbuzz SUVs, crossovers: Part 2 of 2; Cool Camaro, Challenger concepts could outshine production models.(News)
January 2, 2006... Lincoln The redesigned 2007 MKX succeeds the Lincoln Aviator. The Lincoln crossover is a sibling to the Ford Edge and shares the modified Mazda6 vehicle platform. Sales begin in late 2006. The vehicle targets the Lexus RX 330 as its main...

Top 10 stories on autonews.com in 2005.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... 1. 2005 Frankfurt preview - Sept. 7 - 13,733 hits 2. Kill a brand? GM's LaNeve says no - March 24 - 11,147 3. Buick goes upmarket with LeSabre replacement - Feb. 9 - 9,575 4. 2005 Geneva preview - Feb. 21 - 7,411 5. Saturn...

Predictions for 2006.(News)
January 2, 2006... 1. After relocating with his company to Tennessee, Nissan sales boss Jed Connelly accidentally discovers oil on his property while hunting rabbits. His kinfolk advise him to move away from there. They say California is the place he oughta be,...

Letters to the Editor.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 2, 2006... Salesperson drubs GM giveaways To the Editor: I strongly protest the fact that General Motors continued a form of employee pricing for 2006 models. I am absolutely opposed to continuing to sell cheaply or give away the best vehicles...

The best (and worst) of everything.(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... What's the best way to understand 2005? Make a list. Automotive News lays it all out, from the top 10 stories, to the top 10 blunders, to the top 10 concept cars, including the Lexus LF-A, above. List index | PAGE 3 |

10 friends in Congress.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Here are 10 federal lawmakers recognized as consistent supporters of automotive interests. 1. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich. The ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee has been a representative since 1955. 2. Rep. Joe...

10 hot technologies.(News)
January 2, 2006... 1. Satellite radio: This is the must-have in-car gadget. High-profile entertainers such as Howard Stern and Snoop Dogg, above, are expected to increase the appeal of the pay-per-month service, which is optional on most car brands. 2....

Big 3 take a battering.(News)
January 2, 2006... It was not a happy year for the domestic auto industry. The first six of 2005's top 10 stories involved events or situations that the Big 3 and their suppliers wish had never happened. There was no question about the Story of the Year....

Colors.(automobile color)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Most popular vehicle colors in North America in 2005 Color: % of vehicles 1. Silver: 18 2. White/white pearl: 17 3. Gray: 15 4. Blue: 12 5. Black: 11 5. Red: 11 7. Light brown: 9 8. Green: 4 9....

Efficiency.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... table: These are the 10 most efficient vehicle assembly plants in North America based on hours per vehicle in 2004. See print copy

How about we just call it 'roller coaster pricing'?(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Our 2005 Flop of the Year is value pricing - specifically, the version of value pricing practiced by General Motors and Ford Motor Co. In the fall, GM and Ford cut sticker prices on most cars and trucks in an effort to bring them closer to...

Lincoln's new name game; Ford's luxury division will try to soup up its lackluster image with alphabetic vehicle names.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Amy Wilson Lincoln will join other luxury brands by switching to alphabetic names for its vehicles, using letters instead of words. The alphabetic names begin this fall when a new Lincoln crossover goes on sale, a Lincoln...

Turbocharged Solstice GXP packs 260 hp.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Richard Truett Pontiac's plan to re-establish itself as General Motors' performance division will pick up speed in August when the 260-hp Solstice GXP arrives at dealerships. The Pontiac Solstice GXP packs a with variable valve...

Hybrids helped Toyota avoid flak for big SUVs.(Toyota Motor Corp.)(sport utility vehicles)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Never mind your grandmother. You can have your cake and eat it, too. Take Toyota Motor Corp. It offers a generous lineup of gas-guzzling SUVs and large pickups. At the same time, Toyota enjoys a reputation as an environmentally...

Production table returns Jan. 9.(Production)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... There was no North American car and truck production last week because most manufacturers were shut down for the holidays. The production table will return Jan. 9 with December totals and preliminary 2005 figures.

No better way to start the year.(Column)(North American International Auto Show)
January 2, 2006... Byline: KEITH CRAIN No one is excited about leaving home right after the New Year, but what better way to kick-start 2006 than the North American International Auto Show in Detroit? It's really two shows in one. This weekend, we'll see...

And for 2006, I do solemnly resolve to ...(Opinion)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Resolutions we may - or may not - hear for 2006: Steve Miller, Delphi Corp. CEO: No more Mr. Nice Guy. Carlos Ghosn, Renault CEO: I'll find a cheaper headquarters location than Paris for Renault. Rick Wagoner, General Motors CEO:...

Stallkamp, Treadwell join panel on finance strategies.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Two experienced auto industry leaders will discuss ways to locate financing at the Automotive News World Congress on Jan. 17. Tom Stallkamp, former Chrysler Corp. president, will participate in the panel discussion. Stallkamp is a...

GM will take center stage at L.A. show.(News)(Los Angeles)(General Motors Corp.)
January 2, 2006... General Motors will dominate the last Los Angeles Auto Show held in January. GM will introduce the restyled 2007 Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL, a high-performance 2007 Pontiac Solstice, the redesigned 2007 Chevrolet Aveo sedan and a...

Supershows.(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Crossovers will be fender to fender at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week. But two throwbacks will generate the most buzz: the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger concepts. Show preview | PAGES 34-36 | The...

Wining and dining; 10 CEOs' favorite restaurants.(News)(Directory)
January 2, 2006... 10 CEOs' favorite restaurants 1. Bill Ford, CEO, Ford Motor: Giovanni's Ristorante, Detroit 2. Mike Jackson, CEO, AutoNation: Jackson's Four Fifty, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 3. Koichi Kondo, CEO, American Honda Motor Co.: Ooedo, Tokyo...

2005 Newsmakers.(News)
January 2, 2006... Malcolm Bricklin The tireless promoter spins a vision of cheap Chinese cars flooding the United States. He hoped to sell Chinese cars here by 2007, to be financed by millions collected from eager dealer-investors. So far, the dealers...

Hyundai looks to IT to improve service.(Service & Parts)(Interview)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Gail Kachadourian Don Dees is Hyundai Motor America's new vice president of service. He oversees Hyundai's service operations, technical training and support, warranties and service contracts, customer surveys and consumer affairs....

NADA: Credit scammers target parts departments.(Service & Parts)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Donna Harris Dealers must tighten policies on taking parts orders by credit card or risk getting scammed, the National Automobile Dealers Association warns. A new e-mail message from NADA to state and metropolitan dealer...

10 marketing gambits.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... 1. Lee Iacocca pitches Chrysler's employee discount plan with rapper Snoop Dogg and actor Jason Alexander. 2. Pontiac introduces the Solstice on NBC reality show "The Apprentice.'' 3. Lexus attempts product placement in magazine...

A fond farewell; The auto industry said goodbye to a number of luminaries in 2005. Here are some of those who died last year.(News)(Obituary)
January 2, 2006... * Tom Adams, 85, retired CEO of Campbell-Ewald, died Jan. 25. He joined the advertising agency in 1945, worked on the Chevrolet account, and became a vice president in 1955. He was named president in 1958 and chairman and CEO in 1968. Among the...

Telling signs.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... 10 signs that Toyota Motor Corp. will conquer the world 1. In its dealings with the public and press, Toyota sounds more confident and less modest. 2. Toyota earns record profits from building and selling vehicles, not vehicle...

BMW aims to be top-selling European brand in U.S. again.(News)(BMW of North America L.L.C.)(Interview)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko As 2005 came to a close, BMW of North America LLC was poised not only to outsell archrival Mercedes-Benz again but, for the second year running, become the top selling European brand in the United States, says CEO...

10 rising stars.(News)
January 2, 2006... Jim Bolte, 46 Vice president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama Inc. After heading Toyota's North American IT push, the company dispatched Bolte to its new Huntsville, Ala., truck engine plant. He's focusing on keeping up with...

Family marketing message now is to parents, not kids.(Marketing)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Laura Clark Geist A few years ago, automakers thought they had the key to marketing to parents through their children: Put characters from cartoons and kids' TV shows and movies in ads for minivans and SUVs. Ford Division used...

10 top concept cars.(News)
January 2, 2006... 1. Mazda MX-Crossport: The Mazda6 provides the underpinnings for a five-seat crossover that arrives as a 2007 model. Styling cues were taken from the sporty MX-Crossport concept. The production vehicle, dubbed CX-7, debuts at the Detroit auto...

10 European cars we wish were sold here.(News)
January 2, 2006... 1. Alfa Romeo Brera Ah, Alfa Romeo! Sigh... Why did those fabled Italians abandon America? The sexy Brera coupe is the kind of car that could rekindle a passionate American-Italian automotive affair. The coupe has just the kind of...

Challenger takes cues from pony era.(News)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Rick Kranz Dodge harnessed styling cues from the pony car era for its new Challenger concept. The Hemi-powered, rear-drive coupe draws on design themes first seen on the 1970 Challenger. The Challenger competed against the Ford...

Nissan will debut 3 small vehicles.(News)(Nissan Motor Company Ltd)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson The theme at the Nissan display could aptly be labeled "Think small.'' The automaker will introduce three small vehicles at the Detroit auto show: 1. The 2007 Versa, a car that will be positioned below the...

Pony cars may outbuzz SUVs, crossovers: Part 1 of 2; Cool Camaro, Challenger concepts could outshine production models.(News)
January 2, 2006... It's kind of like 1970 - the year the Chevrolet Camaro was redesigned and the Dodge Challenger was introduced - all over again. Chevrolet will introduce the new Camaro next week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and...

Departures.(News)(Peter Butterfield resigns from Kia Motors America Inc.)(Eckhard Cordes resigns from DaimlerChrysler AG. Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars & smart Div.)(Earl Hesterberg resigns from Ford Motor Co.)(as well as others from Delphi Corp., Volkswagen, General Motors China, Mitsubishi Motors North America and Collins & Aikman Corp.)
January 2, 2006... 2005 was a year filled with surprise executive defections from across the auto industry. Here are 10 of the biggest. J.T. Battenberg III CEO, Delphi Corp. He said his retirement had nothing to do with an accounting scandal...

Wheel suppliers take a pounding; Amcast's woes disrupt Corvette wheel shipments.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Robert Sherefkin The wheels are coming off the wheel industry. Beset by reduced business from automakers, higher raw material and energy costs and cutthroat pricing, the key players in North American wheel making are grappling...

10 big blunders.(News)
January 2, 2006... Only 10 blunders in 2005? Hardly. But here are 10 that caught our eye. 1. Now everybody's mad A public-relations crisis involving gays was not on Ford Motor Co.'s Christmas wish list. But that's what it got. In early December, Ford...

Auto News Briefly.(Briefs)
January 9, 2006... Here's a concept: Lamborghini will stay small Although it unveiled the Miura concept last week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Automobili Lamborghini has no plans to expand its lineup beyond the Murcielago and Gallardo sports cars. And it...

Fields: Nap time is over.(Final assembly)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... The Field of Dreams mind-set has become a nightmare - and the Big 3 had better wake up, says Mark Fields. "That `Build it and they will come' attitude is... old thinking that we need to shed as American automakers,'' Ford Motor Co.'s...

Asian firm plans plastic microcar for Europe.(News)(Innovech International Ltd.)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Alysha Webb Visit Europe and you will quickly get used to seeing tiny cars zipping around the cities. Now, an Asian company wants to add a new, plastic-bodied vehicle to the mix. The auto, called the mycar, is just 81/2 feet...

Investors plan to reopen former Venture plant.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... A group of investors has purchased a closed Venture Holdings Co. LLC plant in Kentucky with plans to re-establish production. The group, Melleck LLC, of Hopkinsville, Ky., is contacting customers of Venture's former...

Obituaries.(Obituary)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 9, 2006... Thomas Naquin ELKHART, Ind. - Thomas Naquin, retired chairman of Tom Naquin Chevrolet-Cadillac-Nissan-Oldsmobile-Suzuki Inc. here, died Dec. 20. He was 78. John Roberts AUSTIN, Texas - John Roberts, dealer principal of Lexus of...

LaNeve: It's time to talk product at GM.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson General Motors' top sales executive says gloomy financial news has overshadowed the GM product story, but new ads this month will begin to change that. "These ads will say we have the best product, here's why -...

Auto News Digest.(Briefs)
January 9, 2006... Warrantech shops for insurer BEDFORD, Texas - Warrantech Corp., a large provider of vehicle service contracts and aftermarket warranties, has extended its insurance relationship with Great American Insurance Co. The relationship was...

GM encourages dealers to use Reynolds or Quorum systems.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Ralph Kisiel General Motors is asking its 7,300 dealerships in the United States and Canada to use computer systems and services from either Reynolds and Reynolds Co. or Canadian vendor Quorum Information Technologies Inc. The...

Hybrid supply chain expands.(Saturn Vue Green Line from Cobasys)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Richard Truett When the Saturn Vue Green Line goes on sale in August, it will mark the birth of the North American supply chain for gasoline-electric hybrids. The Green Line's battery pack comes from Cobasys, a joint venture...

Ford Reflex: Sporty, diesel-electric hybrid.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Richard Truett Had Ford kept its Probe coupe around for a third generation, it might have morphed into something like the low-slung Reflex concept car. The Ford brand hasn't had a front-wheel-drive performance coupe since the...

Chrysler shows off rwd options.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Rick Kranz The Dodge Challenger and Chrysler Imperial concepts show the versatility of the Chrysler group's rear-drive LX vehicle platform. The Challenger is a sleek retro-styled four-passenger coupe that draws inspiration from...

Can GM get bugs out of shipping? UAW: Crates from Mexico contain more than parts.(General Motors Corp.)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Globalization could be taking a bite - literally - out of some General Motors operations. UAW officials report that shipments from Mexico sometimes contain unwelcome stowaways, including scorpions and large,...

GM teams with Ukraine carmaker to avoid tariff; AvtoZAZ builds Chevys from kits, then ships them to Russia duty-free.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Lyle Frink As its partnership with Russia's largest automaker, AvtoVAZ, cools, General Motors has found another way to get its cars into the country. Ukrainian automaker AvtoZAZ builds the Chevrolet Lanos from kits and ships...

Valeo splits approach to night vision; Supplier develops active, passive systems.(Vehicle Technology)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Jens Meiners, Jason Stein In a bid to become a larger player in the high-technology market, Valeo SA is trying to sell night-vision technology to automakers. The French supplier is developing two night-vision systems, one...

Experts will discuss finance strategy.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Three corporate finance experts will join a panel discussion on financial strategy at the Automotive News World Congress on Jan. 17 in Dearborn, Mich. Robin Adams, CFO of supplier BorgWarner Inc.; John Casesa, Merrill Lynch's global...

UAW, Opel worker reps will discuss GM cost cuts.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Harald Hamprecht Trade unions at General Motors' Opel subsidiary in Germany will discuss joint action with their U.S. counterparts to fight cost-cutting moves. Opel workers' representatives also are demanding that GM export...

Personnel.(People)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... COLLINS & AIKMAN CORP. - Tim Trenary to vice president and treasurer. He was finance director for South America and director of financial services and processes at Federal-Mogul Corp. Matti Masanovich to vice president of internal audit. He...

View to the Cosmos.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... ASC Inc. developed a two-directional sliding roof system for its Cosmos concept vehicle. The Southgate, Mich., supplier says the fabric roof system gives the SUV more hauling potential. ASC was scheduled to unveil the Cosmos at the Detroit auto...

GL is Mercedes' 1st full-sized SUV.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Despite higher gasoline prices and waning consumer interest in large SUVs, Mercedes-Benz is adding a seven-seat SUV to its U.S. lineup. Mercedes was scheduled to unveil the full-sized GL class at the Detroit...

Ford pickup concept burns hydrogen.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Richard Truett The F-250 Super Chief concept provides a peek at where Ford Division wants to take its next generation of heavy-duty pickups. The brawny body looks as if it were chiseled out of granite. It has an in-your-face...

J.D. Power: Ford Credit tops in leases.(Finance & insurance)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Gail Kachadourian Ford Credit leads automakers' captive finance companies for customer satisfaction with its leasing practices, a new study says. According to J.D. Power and Associates' 2005 Consumer Financing Satisfaction...

GM gets a break on hybrid rule; Government gives company time to re-engineer system.(General Motors Corp)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Harry Stoffer Evolving vehicle technology and government regulation again are proving a prickly combination. Hybrids provide the latest example. The emergence of hybrid cars and trucks forced federal regulators to rewrite a...

How to buy American and save money; Careful cost analysis makes a difference in the long run.(Opinion)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Donald A. Manzullo Recent news reports have painted a gloomy picture for domestic carmakers. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors face serious credit and profitability issues and foreign incursions into their domestic markets. While...

The Final Say.(Final assembly)
January 9, 2006... "General Motors, the world's largest automaker, announces that, despite a massive program of rebates, zero-interest financing, employee discounts, lifetime mechanical warranties and dealer incentives, it has not actually sold a car since March...

How the 2 systems work.(Vehicle Technology)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Both active and passive night-vision systems detect infrared energy that is invisible to the human eye. Each system helps people see in the dark - even when there is an absence of light, infrared radiation is still there. Like the human...

Ford Credit, Allstate back in business.(Finance & insurance)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Donna Harris Ford Motor Credit Co. has resolved a dispute with Allstate Insurance Co. over claims procedures. As a result, the captive will continue to finance Guaranteed Asset Protection, or GAP, contracts insured by Allstate and...

Japanese automakers see exports as key to growth in 2006.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: James Treece Japan's domestic auto market is expected to improve only modestly this year. Two industry associations forecast some gains for foreign-brand imports and trucks. But they predict other segments will be soft. ...

Lincoln MKS hints at production car.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Amy Wilson Lincoln's MKS concept car is a sneak peek at a long-awaited full-sized sedan for the struggling luxury brand. Lincoln calls the MKS a teaser that strongly hints at an upcoming flagship sedan and at the brand's design...

Chevy is No. 1 selling brand again; Its U.S. sales fell in 2005, but not as much as Ford's.(Sales)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Dale Jewett After 19 years, Chevrolet is once again wearing the sales crown. The final tally for 2005: Chevrolet, 2,651,124; Ford Division, 2,634,041, a difference of 17,083 units. Last year, Ford beat Chevrolet by 18,801...

No more indirect lending from National City.(Finance & insurance)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Donna Harris National City Corp. is getting out of the indirect vehicle lending business. The bank says volume and profits were too low. Indirect lending consists of retail loans that financial institutions make to consumers...

Association to dealers: Understand Hispanics' needs.(Finance & insurance)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Gail Kachadourian The National Automotive Finance Association is working with dealers and lenders to help them address credit and sales issues specific to Hispanic vehicle buyers. At an association workshop last month, Brian...

Dealers.(People)(Nissan North America award)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Milestones Stanley Weinstock of Biener Nissan in Great Neck, N.Y., received a 35-year award for Nissan from Nissan North America. CAPTION(S): 35 with Toyota. Phil Dowd, right, of John and Phil's Toyota in Corvallis, Ore., received...

Jeep follows Compass in new direction.(News)(2007 Compass introduced)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Rick Kranz The 2007 Compass is taking the Jeep brand in a new direction. Unlike the Wrangler, Grand Cherokee and other Jeep models, the front-drive Compass is not intended for severe off-road adventures. The Compass has an...

CarMax plans to open 11 locations; New outlets will include first stores in the Northeast.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Arlena Sawyers CarMax Inc. plans to open 11 used-vehicle stores in its fiscal year that begins March 1. Those additions would increase the number of CarMax stores by almost 16 percent. New outlets in Hartford and New Haven,...

Auto exec poll: Asians will keep gaining share.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Auto executives around the world are predicting gloomy times for Detroit and Europe, and more gains for Asia's automakers. In a survey released Wednesday, Jan. 4, by the international consulting firm KPMG LLP,...

Jeep touts ruggedness of redesigned Wrangler.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Mary Connelly This fall, Jeep will introduce a redesigned Wrangler with more off-road capability. As the Jeep brand begins selling car-based SUVs in 2006, the new Wrangler will carry the flag for Jeep's traditionally rugged...

Cadillac shows Escalade EXT.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... General Motors was scheduled to unveil two variants of its redesigned Escalade SUV, the ESV and the EXT, at the Detroit auto show Sunday, Jan. 8. The EXT pickup, left, offers wraparound fascias and integrated running boards, as well as a...

VW may produce GX3; Bernhard: Vehicle could breathe life into brand.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson The three-wheeled GX3 that Volkswagen rolled out on Wednesday, Jan. 4, is more than a concept vehicle, vehicle VW brand chief Wolfgang Bernhard said. "If this gets positive feedback, we will see this on the...

Buick shows off Enclave concept.(News)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Jamie LaReau General Motors was scheduled to unveil a concept version of its Buick Enclave crossover at the Detroit auto show on Sunday, Jan. 8. The production version is expected to go on sale in 2007, replacing the Rendezvous...

17 million sold, 17 million recalled.(Final assembly)(safety recalls at Ford and Toyota)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... When it came to safety recalls, the auto industry cleaned up its act in 2005. Recalls to fix safety problems plummeted from 2004's record 30.8 million vehicles to about 17 million in 2005. Ford Motor Co. led the industry by recalling nearly...

Pedal patent dispute may reach high court; Key question: What is the threshold for innovation?(Legal File)(DriveSol Worldwide Inc. versus KSR International Co. )
January 9, 2006... Byline: Eric Freedman Two automotive pedal manufacturers are locked in a high-stakes Supreme Court battle that could redefine a key issue of U.S. patent law: How innovative does a device or idea have to be to deserve a patent? The case...

Coal tragedy has industry link.(Final assembly)
January 9, 2006... Mining accidents generally have no direct impact on the auto industry, but last week's deadly disaster in West Virginia could be an exception. The reason? Investor Wilbur Ross, who wants to become a player in the automotive supply sector, is...

GM replaces 4 purchasing execs.(Late News)(automotive analyst John Casesa leaving Merrill Lynch)(Federal-Mogul Corp. restructuring)
January 9, 2006... GM replaces 4 purchasing execs DETROIT - General Motors purchasing chief Bo Andersson is shaking up his global purchasing staff, replacing four of his seven top commodity purchasing executives. Those seven GM executive directors...

Trendspotting: 8 movers in the new millennium.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Bradford Wernle The year 2000 was the biggest in the history of the U.S. auto industry. Sales topped 17.4 million units. General Motors and Ford were in high gear. Demand for big SUVs was through the roof. But that was then,...

For safety, don't ignore the driver.(Column)(Column)
January 9, 2006... Byline: KEITH CRAIN An interesting benefit of all the computers and sensors in our automobiles is that safety can be added without adding a lot of cost. Over the next several years, we are going to see amazing safety features that grow out...

Dealers say IT needs to get better; No vendors meet goals for satisfaction in NADA poll.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Dealer satisfaction with computer system vendors has declined since 2003, and none of the 11 vendors covered by the survey met the National Automobile Dealers Association's goal of 90 percent. The 2005 study,...