Automotive News articles from July 2007

Automotive News archives from July 2007

Wake-up call: Toyota outsells GM; Does America really want to be first again?(Viewpoint essay)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Tom Nemet What is the meaning of Toyota Motor Corp. outselling General Motors worldwide in the first quarter of this year and Toyota Division outselling Chevrolet and Ford in the United States in May? Although purely a...

Unconvincing CEO.(Opinion)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Lear CEO Robert Rossiter is suffering the embarrassment of being forced to delay by two weeks his shareholders' vote on Carl Icahn's buyout offer. So far, Rossiter has been unable to persuade his stakeholders that they should accept the...

GM's ad plan: 1 agency for Buick-Pontiac-GMC.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Jamie LaReau General Motors' firing of two longtime advertising agencies last week was made without the traditional review. GM marketing executives moved quickly to gain efficiencies by using a single agency to mirror GM's...

Dealers.(People)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Milestones Marian Tansky of Tansky Honda in Zanesville, Ohio, received a 30-year award for Honda from American Honda Motor Co. Dennis Hooks of Hooks Lincoln-Mercury in Weatherford, Texas, received a 25-year award for Lincoln and...

First V-8 makes Hummer H3 an Alpha male; Engine promises greater oomph for off-road tasks.(News)(Product/service evaluation)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Rick Kranz Hummer pumps up the 2008 H3 with the addition of the model line's first V-8. For 2008, Hummer is touting enhanced capability through a new model, the H3 Alpha. The V-8-powered model aims to capture the hearts of...

UnitedAuto Group takes Penske name.(Final assembly)(Penske Automotive Group Inc. )(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Say goodbye to UnitedAuto Group Inc. The public dealership group based in suburban Detroit is now Penske Automotive Group Inc. - as in CEO Roger Penske. Shareholders approved the new name at the company's annual meeting. The board of...

Chinese may revive Austin-Healey name.(Final assembly)(Nanjing Automobile; Healey Automobile Consultants )(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Austin-Healey, one of Great Britain's most cherished sports car brands, could be heading back to production, thanks to the Chinese. Nanjing Automobile and Healey Automobile Consultants have signed a deal to develop sports cars bearing the...

Faster chips pack more functions.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Tim Moran Driven by relentless demands for new automotive electronics systems, two microchip makers say a powerful new generation of chips could be running car systems as soon as 2010. In a statement last month,...

JM Family shop offers accessories work.(News)(JM Family Enterprises Inc.)(Company overview)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Arlena Sawyers A new business run by Southeast Toyota Distributors LLC installs aftermarket accessories on new vehicles for Toyota dealerships. The pilot center opened in suburban Atlanta this spring. Five Toyota dealerships...

Production.(reopening of plant)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... 3 tables: Scheduled plant overtime * Plant closings * North America car and truck production: see print copy CAPTION(S): The Chrysler group's Windsor, Ontario, plant reopens today, July 2, after being down six weeks for changeover to...

Auto News Digest.(Briefs)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Chrysler certifies Auto/Mate for parts orders CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. - Chrysler group dealers can connect to Chrysler's parts inventory management system through a computer system operated by Auto/Mate Dealership Systems. Auto/Mate, of...

Toyota is asking for trouble if it cranks up imports.(Opinion)
July 2, 2007... As Toyota Motor Corp. celebrates 50 years of selling cars in the United States, the company finds itself at a crossroads and seems headed in the wrong direction - back to the days when it relied heavily on exports from Japanese factories. ...

Auto News Digest.(Briefs)
July 2, 2007... GM will sell Allison unit DETROIT - General Motors last week agreed to sell its Allison Transmission commercial and military business to the private equity firms Carlyle Group and Onex Corp. for about $5.6 billion. The agreement...

Ford is paying $2,007 bonus on pickups, SUVs.(Incentives)(Ford Motor Co.)(sports utility vehicles)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Along with fireworks, speeches and holiday parades, Ford Motor Co. customers can save a few bucks on cars and light trucks this week. In a Fourth of July promotion, Ford is offering 0 percent interest on all...

Chrysler confirms 2-tier strategy for Chery vehicles.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Rick Kranz Nissan's Carlos Ghosn talks about a $3,000 car. But the best Chrysler can hope for from China's Chery Automobile Co. is a car that might sell for around twice that price. Three thousand "is pretty low,'' said...

Klegon: Time for soul-searching.(News)(Chrysler Corp.'s Frank Klegon)(Interview)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Rick Kranz The split from Daimler offers Chrysler a chance to reinvent itself, says Chrysler product development czar Frank Klegon. That's especially true on the engineering side, he said. Klegon said there are many...

How do you say 'Firestone' in Chinese?(Final assembly)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Now, along with contaminated seafood, toxic toothpaste and kids' toys slathered with lead-based paint, comes another image booster for Chinese exports: tires that self-destruct. Foreign Tire Sales of New Jersey will recall replacement tires...

GM, dealers seek to boost service work; Herberger's goal: More customer-pay maintenance and accessories sales.(Service & Parts)(Doug Herberger of General Motors' Service and Parts Operations)(Interview)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Laura Clark Geist For Doug Herberger, head of General Motors' Service and Parts Operations, the goal is nearly a mantra: One more out of 10. Just three of every 10 U.S. owners of GM vehicles take those cars and trucks to GM...

What the Vatican forgot.(Final assembly)
July 2, 2007... The Vatican raised eyebrows recently by issuing a list of commandments for the road, and wags were quick to note a few that might have been added. Here are some from Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the Massachusetts wiseguys who host National...

Energy chief: Bush would veto Senate's bill.(Final assembly)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... It appears President Bush has his little-used veto pen aimed at the Senate's recently passed energy bill and its auto fuel economy provisions. Until this year, Bush has used the veto just once - the fewest of any president since the brief...

Despite slow sales, Crossfire will be back in 2008.(News)(Chrysler Crossfire )(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Bradford Wernle The Chrysler Crossfire - once a dramatic symbol of the promised synergies in the DaimlerChrysler merger, a marriage of German technology and American style - has become a bargain bin sports car. That merger is...

Supply Line.(Briefs)
July 2, 2007... Metaldyne opens 1st China plant SUZHOU, China - Metaldyne Corp. opened a plant here last month, marking the company's first operation in China. In a statement, Metaldyne said it invested $10 million in the project and expects annual...

Wanted: A few innovative dealers.(News)
July 2, 2007... If you are a franchised new-car dealer and have pioneered any winning strategy in any part of your business, please tell us about it. We're gathering ideas for a special Insight section on innovative dealers to be published Oct. 8. Send a note...

Race is on for low-priced car in India.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: James B. Treece The global race to build an inexpensive car is shifting to India. Today, the $4,000 Maruti 800, built by a unit of Suzuki Motor Corp., owns the low end of that market. But plans by Tata Motors Ltd. for a car...

Nissan's turnaround artist; Mark McNabb returns to restart Nissan, Infiniti sales.
July 2, 2007... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Mark McNabb's sudden return to Nissan North America's top executive ranks comes with a challenge: His demanding boss, Carlos Ghosn, is not happy. McNabb, 46, spent the first 20 years of his career working up...

New GM work salves Delphi's pains.(News)(contract of General Motors Corp. and Delphi Corp.)
July 2, 2007... Byline: David Barkholz General Motors sweetened the UAW-Delphi Corp. agreement with new work, including future fuel cell product assembly, to make the concessionary contract a little more palatable to the rank and file. UAW-represented...

Late News.
July 2, 2007... Pension fund opposes offer for Lear DETROIT - The California State Teachers' Retirement System says it will vote against Carl Icahn's $36-a-share bid for Lear Corp., further dampening the chances of the $2.86 billion sale. The pension...

Crash test dummies race against new competition; Market's growth plods but margins remain strong.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Robert Sherefkin The world's two largest makers of automotive crash dummies are struggling with a slow-growth industry and new forms of competition. So to protect profits, the companies late last year hatched a merger plan with...

New Accord only looks longer.(News)(information of 2008 Honda Accord)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... The re-engineered 2008 Honda Accord sedan, snapped in Canada, has new sheet metal. The taillights, above, slope rearward to create the illusion that it's much longer than the 2007 Accord, but dimensions are expected to be about the same as...

Honda retools; top exec seeks to be closer to plant floor.(News)(Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Ralph Kisiel The Japanese head of Honda manufacturing in the United States has removed a layer of general manager roles in an effort to improve communication and teamwork between management and the factory floor. Akio Hamada,...

Some suppliers see dollars in a higher CAFE.(News)(corporate average fuel economy)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Harry Stoffer Most auto industry lobbyists are united against what they call "extreme'' fuel economy proposals. But some companies see business opportunities in the proposals. A case in point: Top executives of CellTech Metals...

Ford will expand development plan.(People)(Ford Motor Co.)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Amy Wilson The new Ford Fiesta will be the first car designed and engineered under Ford Motor Co.'s new global vehicle development program. Derrick Kuzak, Ford's global product development chief, says the aim is to develop a small...

Jeep thrills: Ad blast focuses on fun.(News)(Jeep Eagle Corp.)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Mary Connelly Jeep's first advertising campaign produced by its new creative agency promotes the brand's off-road heritage and expanded SUV lineup. Cutwater, the San Francisco ad agency hired this year to handle creative...

Suzuki joins the crowd in St. Petersburg; Automotive cluster takes shape near Russian port.(News)(Suzuki Motor Corp.)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Anna Smolchenko Global automakers are turning this northwestern Baltic port into a Russian production center because of its proximity to Europe, logistics links and access to this country's car-hungry customers. Suzuki Motor...

Letters To The Editor.(Letters)
July 2, 2007... Needed: Diesels, 35 mpg by 2010 To the Editor: With the exception of a few hybrid vehicles, the Detroit 3 and the major import brands have done nothing to improve vehicle fuel economy in the last 20 years. National security...

Look to Asia, Europe for new products.(Column)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: KEITH CRAIN There will be a lot of tears and hand-wringing if and when the new corporate average fuel economy rules go into effect. During the next decade or so, they will ratchet up fuel economy to about 35 mpg from the current...

Young techs strut their stuff; why not give them hybrids?(Final assembly)(Editorial)
July 2, 2007... It had been a while, so I stopped by the national finals of the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition, which were held last week on the front lawn of the Glass House in Dearborn. That's the contest where high school student mechanics race...

Driven to diesels; Powerplants boost fuel economy in light-duty trucks.(News)(diesel engines saving fuel economy )
July 2, 2007... Byline: Richard Truett The Detroit 3 are racing to install fuel-saving diesel engines in their U.S. light trucks. Nissan and Toyota may be in the race, too. Diesels are common in domestic brands' heavy-duty pickups. But fuel economy...

The main man at Manheim describes his perfect day.(Interview)(Cox Enterprises Inc. Manheim Auctions Div.)(interview with Dean Eisner)(Interview)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Back in his yuppie days, Dean Eisner was a rising young star at some of the world's most prestigious blue-chip corporations. But he wound up a used-car salesman - and boy, is he glad. Eisner held executive jobs...

High court ruling roils vehicle pricing waters; Makers may get more muscle to enforce stickers.(News)(United States. Supreme Court)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Donna Harris, Harry Stoffer Auto dealers and shoppers routinely ignore manufacturers' vehicle sticker prices. But a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week appears to give car companies greatly expanded power to set the retail prices...

Coalition drafts guidelines to protect dealership data.(News)(A)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Open Secure Access Inc. has completed the first set of guidelines designed to protect auto dealership data while in the hands of third-party vendors. The guidelines were developed by the 50 members of Open Secure...

Lobby group: Senate bill gives Nissan a CAFE freebie.(News)(corporate average fuel economy)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Harry Stoffer Automakers' top lobbying group here says a Senate-passed increase in fuel economy standards would give Nissan "an unfair competitive advantage.'' A letter to House members last week from Dave McCurdy, president of...

Ferrari future: Lean, green.(News)(Ferrari S.p.A.)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Luca Ciferri Pressure to improve fuel economy is a big challenge to all carmakers - even Ferrari. Ferrari's response is to make future models lighter. The strategy: Smaller engines and lighter vehicles that will emit less...

GM design exec: We'll keep brands fresh.(People)(General Motors Europe AG)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink On June 1, Mark Adams was named General Motors Europe's vice president of design, giving him responsibility for the Opel, Vauxhall and Saab brands. The 45-year-old London native began his career in 1986 at Ford of...

Volvo won't build plant in North America.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Dale Jewett Volvo Car Corp. won't build an assembly plant in North America because it is less expensive to produce vehicles in Europe, CEO Fredrik Arp said. "The payback on a North American plant is pretty long,'' Arp said...

After building DaimlerChrysler Financial, it's time to blow it up; Exec must undo combo he spent years creating.(News)(Klaus Entenmann)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Brent Snavely After spending the better part of a decade combining the financial service arms of Mercedes, Freightliner and Chrysler into one company, Klaus Entenmann now must pull the companies apart. It won't be easy. ...

Chrysler bets big on dual-clutch transmissions.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Bradford Wernle The Chrysler group wants to become the North American leader in dual-clutch transmission technology. Chrysler, in conjunction with its transmission joint venture partner Getrag Corp., started construction last...

Chamco begins recruiting Mexico dealers.(News)(China America Cooperative Automotive Inc.)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Stephen Downer Top officers of would-be Chinese auto importer and distributor Chamco Auto met formally here with potential suppliers and dealers for the first time last week. Sports car impresario Steve Saleen and Chamco CEO...

Dealer hits big time with boost from private equity.(Carlos Hoz de Vila )(Company overview)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Donna Harris When Carlos Hoz de Vila wanted to leave his native Bolivia and go to college in the United States, the teenager earned $50,000 by handling complicated financial deals for banks. After he later got a job in...

Elena Ford gets Ford Credit marketing post.(People)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Richard Truett Elena Ford's star continues to rise at Ford Motor Co. The 41-year-old great-great-granddaughter of Henry Ford takes over Aug. 1 as executive vice president in charge of global brand marketing at Ford Motor Credit Co....

Asensio: Auto industry must retain women.(News)(Anne Asensio)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink If the auto industry does not involve more women in its product decisions, it risks becoming irrelevant. That is one of the views that car designer Anne Asensio shared when she addressed the Automotive News...

Continental: Siemens prefers VDO go public.(News)(Siemens VDO Automotive AG)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Paul McVeigh Continental AG has made a competitive offer for Siemens VDO, Continental CEO Manfred Wennemer said last week. But Wennemer admitted that parent Siemens AG prefers an initial public offering for the future of...

Alapont: Wages must fall for suppliers to compete.(News)( Jose Maria Alapont)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Dale Jewett Wage rates in North America, Europe and Japan must fall for auto suppliers to be competitive, says Federal-Mogul CEO Jose Maria Alapont. Speaking at the Automotive News Europe Congress here last week, Alapont said...

Chevy drives GM growth in east Europe, Russia.(News)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink General Motors expects to sell 505,000 vehicles, or 25 percent of its European sales volume, in Russia and eastern and central Europe this year - up from 6 percent in 2001. "In 2010, 33 percent of our volume...

Carmakers put less cash on barrelhead.(News)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Customer cash rebates are shrinking. In the second quarter through June 17, the average giveback was $2,100, according to the Power Information Network. That's down from $2,290 in the second quarter of last year and $2,555 in the second...

Toyota scuttlebutt: New Scion SUV, hybrid-only Lexus.(Final assembly)(Toyota Motor Corp.)(sport utility vehicles)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Will Toyota rebadge a Subaru Tribeca SUV as a Scion to join the xB? Will the carmaker offer another hybrid-only model? Japan's New Model Magazine X floats the Scion xTribeca idea in its latest issue. A spy photo accompanying the story shows...

Exports soar, put Japan back atop production list.
July 2, 2007... Byline: James B. Treece Japan is the world's biggest vehicle producer - again - thanks to a huge, Toyota-led surge in exports to North America. After a 12-year span in which the United States held the title, soaring exports thrust...

Mitsubishi promotes Kuhnert.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Kathy Jackson Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s top sales executive in North America has picked up responsibility for marketing, too. Dan Kuhnert has been named executive vice president of sales and marketing at Mitsubishi Motors North...

Calendar.(Calendar)
July 2, 2007... AUTOSHOWS July 26-29 - Expo Auto & Moto Brazil, TransAmerica Expo Center, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 55-11-31495111, www.expoautomoto.com Aug. 29-Sept. 2 - Moscow International Motor Show, Crocus Expo, Moscow, 44 20 7596 5177,...

The Fit fits in - but Honda dealers can't get 'em.(News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Kathy Jackson Honda dealers are begging for more small Fit cars, but they're not likely to get all they want. Dealers will receive about 54,000 units of the Japan-built Fit this year, says Dan Bonawitz, vice president of...

Job swap works for BMW, Mini marketers.(News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko It isn't often that two auto executives swap jobs and corner offices. But that's what happened at BMW of North America LLC two years ago. Jack Pitney became vice president of marketing, and Jim McDowell took...

Pick up the PACE applications now.(News)
July 9, 2007... Auto suppliers have until Sept. 14 to apply for the 2008 Automotive News PACE Awards. The awards - co-sponsored by Microsoft, SAP and the Transportation Research Center Inc. - recognize suppliers for innovation. This will be the 14th year for...

GM's awful June depresses market.(Sales)(Statistical data)
July 9, 2007... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Shackled by an absolutely horrific performance by General Motors, June sales of new cars and light trucks were the second-lowest in 10 years for that month. The rest of the U.S. industry did reasonably well, but...

Late News.(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Dana unveils plans to exit bankruptcy DETROIT - Troubled parts supplier Dana Corp. on Friday announced a plan to leave Chapter 11 reorganization. The plan includes new labor agreements and a $750 million investment led by the private equity...

Foreigners invest in N. American suppliers; Expansion-minded companies from Asia are especially active.(Suppliers)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Brent Snavely For nearly two years, merger and acquisition pros have said foreign companies were shopping for U.S. auto suppliers. But actual deals were hard to find. That's changing. In recent months, several overseas...

Ford thinks pink for breast cancer.(Final assembly)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Finally, Ford has a rare, limited-production Mustang that won't send your banker and insurance agent into convulsions. It's called the Warrior in Pink. Under the hood is a tame and economical 4.0-liter V-6, not the fire-breathing V-8s of...

Chevy courts youth with help from Rolling Stone.(News)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Mary Connelly Chevrolet is working with Rolling Stone magazine to reach young consumers in ways that go beyond traditional print advertising. Next year, for example, Chevrolet again will use Rolling Stone to publish its "The...

Pundits didn't see it coming.(News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Richard Truett In late 2002, Automotive News took a look at the Detroit's 3's eroding market share and posed the question: When will import brands gain 50 percent control of the U.S. market? The math made one thing clear: If...

Auto News digest.(Briefs)
July 9, 2007... Service contract sales rise in '06 McLEAN, Va. - Dealers sold service contracts on 32.0 percent of the new cars and trucks they retailed in 2006, up from 31.2 percent in 2005, the National Automobile Dealers Association said. ...

Auto News digest.(Briefs)(Ford leads in Daewoo bidding)(Dura Automotive Systems Inc. sell Atwood Mobile Products )
July 9, 2007... GM will retain Allison liability DETROIT - General Motors said last week that it would retain responsibility for pension and retiree medical costs for current workers at Allison Transmission after the unit is taken private in a $5.6...

Letters to the Editor.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 9, 2007... CAFE standards must be attainable To the Editor: The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers agrees with Automotive News: It's time to increase corporate average fuel economy standards. The alliance represents BMW, DaimlerChrysler,...

Peter Schreyer: In the cockpit at Kia.(News)(Interview)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Ian Morton Designers change companies all the time. Still, when Volkswagen brand design boss Peter Schreyer jumped to Kia last fall, the styling community took notice. Kia's new design honcho was born in Bavaria and had always...

VW may put a diesel in the Rabbit.(News)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Dave Guilford Volkswagen is pondering ways to expand its clean-diesel lineup after the Jetta TDI returns to North America with a new powertrain next spring. Next year, VW of America plans to sell 15,000 to 20,000 units of the...

At Mickey D's, fast food begets fast fuel.(Final assembly)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Call it fry-o-diesel. McDonald's Corp. will employ used cooking oil as biodiesel fuel to run its British delivery trucks, the fast-food chain said last week. According to press reports, McDonald's will use a blend of 85 percent biodiesel...

New Jeep diesel skids into rebate mode.(News)(Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD )(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Bradford Wernle The Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD diesel has only been on sale since March, but customers can get $3,500 off sticker on the much-anticipated vehicle. Although the vehicle isn't yet at full production, Jeep already is...

1 series on tap.(News)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... BMW's 1-series coupe will debut at the Frankfurt auto show in September, and North American sales will start in October. BMW says the top-end 135i will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six making 300 hp and 300 pounds-feet of...

Borst: Toyota Financial excludes subprime.(Finance & insurance)(George Borst)(Interview)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Donna Harris Toyota Financial Services plans to finance or lease about 55 percent of all new Toyota vehicles sold in the United States within three years, says company CEO George Borst. In its fiscal year that ended in March,...

Obsession rules at Lexus flagship plant; Everyone sweats the details in Japanese factory.(News)
July 9, 2007... Byline: James B. Treece A visit to the Toyota Motor Corp. plant that builds the flagship LS 600h L and its engine is a lesson in obsession. Toyota trains and retrains its Lexus workers. It turns cleanliness into a fetish. It measures...

Toyota's Watanabe tops as Industry Leader of the Year.(Special Report)(Katsuaki Watanabe of Toyota Motor Corp.)(Jim Lentz of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.)(Tom Purves of BMW (U.S.) Holding Corp.)
July 9, 2007... Byline: James B. Treece Katsuaki Watanabe has had a defining 12 months. They defined the president of Toyota Motor Corp. as the Industry Leader of the Year, the most valuable player on the 2007 Automotive News All-Star Team. The...

New Ala. plant may double steel capacity.(Suppliers)
July 9, 2007... Byline: April Wortham ThyssenKrupp AG's $3.7 billion steel plant planned for Alabama could eventually double in size to produce more than 10 million metric tons of steel and stainless steel annually. The plant has huge implications for...

Dealers' bright idea: Turn off some lights.(News)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Jim Henry With light pollution starting to attract more attention, some dealers are redesigning their stores to minimize the traditional bright lights. One of them is Ryan Ferrero, 38-year-old owner of Ferrero I-25...

Automakers must be wary of new pricing power.(Viewpoint essay)
July 9, 2007... The U.S. Supreme Court has given automakers new power to establish minimum prices that dealers are allowed to charge for new cars and trucks. But automakers should hesitate to make sweeping use of their new pricing power. In a...

Dealers.(People)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... Milestones Don Johnson of Don Johnson Motors in Rice Lake, Wis., received a 25-year award for Cadillac from General Motors. CAPTION(S): 35 with Honda: David Bryan, left, and Norwood Bryan of Bryan Honda in Fayetteville, N.C.,...

Correction.(Correction notice)
July 9, 2007... * A digest item on Page 35 of the July 2 issue incorrectly reported the status of the Nissan Versa sedan and the change in the base price of the Versa hatchback. The sedan has not been discontinued. A clarification of pricing and other changes...