Automotive News articles from June 2004

Automotive News archives from June 2004

A good first step.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... It's better for auto dealers and consumer advocates to collaborate than it is for them to glower at one another from opposing tables in a courtroom. That's the premise of a promising effort by dealers and consumer groups to create a...

Supply line.(Briefs)(Ford Mondeo )(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Hankook Tire to supply Ford Mondeo SEOUL - Hankook Tire will supply the K105 performance tire as original equipment on sporty versions of the Ford Mondeo in Europe. Under the three-year contract, Hankook of Seoul will ship 140,000...

Health care costs need a full cure, not a Band-Aid.(Opinion)(Big 3)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... It's no surprise that the Big 3 and the UAW have lobbied discreetly to get a federal tax credit for health care payments that the companies make for employees and retirees aged 55 through 64. It's an interesting idea and is worth discussing....

Dealers.(People)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Milestones * Barnes Boyle of Boyle Toyota in Sumter, S.C., received a 35-year award for Toyota from Southeast Toyota Distributors LLC. CAPTION(S): 40 with Buick: Frank Lindeman, left, and Tom Lindeman of Lindeman Buick in...

Toyota seeks service data; dealers complain.(News)(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin Toyota's effort to improve customer care in the service drive is getting some unexpected opposition from dealers. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. has used its computerized national data collection system, called...

Yazaki and suppliers test cost-cutting program.(News)(Yazaki North America Inc.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Julie Armstrong Yazaki Corp. says it is testing a collaborative cost-cutting program with some of its suppliers in North America and Europe. "The suppliers that are involved in the pilot are actually helping us to define the...

Here's how the analysis works.(News)(Automotive prices)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. The Automotive News price analysis includes 1,544 of the 1,566 car and light-truck models on sale in the United States. Omitted are exotic brands whose sales are low and whose price swings do not reflect the...

Keyless doors put a dent in chivalry.(Opinion)(Editorial)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Edward Lapham It was one of those rainy, cold May days in Detroit that was more like early April than a week before June. The kind of day that makes you yearn for a little California sunshine. To add insult to injury, the day...

Suzuki XL-7 SUV joins Reebok on cross-country road tour.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Arlena Sawyers American Suzuki Motor Corp. is touting its XL-7 SUV as the official vehicle of the "Reebok Mobile Tour.'' The tour will visit more than 250 foot races, walking events, marathons and retail outlets across the...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
June 7, 2004... * A story on Page 4 of the May 31 issue gave an incorrect ranking for Findlay Industries Inc. on the Automotive News list of the 150 largest suppliers of original equipment parts to North America for 2003. The company is No. 113. * A...

Indy 500: Still the world's best race.(Column)(Column)
June 7, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN The annual 500-mile race at Indianapolis was held last week. Even with rain delays, there was plenty of excitement and competition. That's the way it has been at Indy for almost a century; the Indianapolis Motor...

More changes at Fiat: Who's who?(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Luca Ciferri The frequent changes at Fiat S.p.A. must frustrate Rick Wagoner. General Motors' CEO now has another set of top executives to get to know at the wobbly alliance partner. Since GM and Fiat joined forces in March...

GM pays $5,000 to repeat buyers.(Incentives)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. General Motors is offering sweet deals to owners of its cars and trucks. GM is passing out loyalty bonuses of $5,000 on 29 nameplates offered by Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Oldsmobile and Pontiac. ...

May sales set a record, but Big 3 share continues to drop.(Sales)
June 7, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Dealers in the United States sold an impressive 1,630,066 new cars and light trucks last month. It's a number that bears repeating because it was a record for May, 0.3 percent higher than the previous May...

Lutz casts doubt on Sweden-made Saabs.(News)(Saab-Scania AB)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink Automotive News Europe The future of Saab's factory in Sweden has been thrown into doubt by General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz. "Who knows where Saabs will be built in future? There is nothing that says...

Cross-country drive events seek to create Mustang buzz.(Marketing)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jean Halliday Advertising Age With high-profile events that cater to Mustang enthusiasts, Ford Motor Co. hopes not only to sell a new Mustang to current owners but also to create a buzz that will turn nonowners into prospects. ...

Ford: 'American Idol' is ideal for Focus; Automaker negotiates to keep sponsorship.(Marketing)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Kathy Jackson Ford Division is negotiating to maintain its exclusive automotive sponsorship of "American Idol'' despite controversy caused by the hit TV show. The Fox network's popular live talent contest, which airs twice a...

Ford engineer excelled in Dearborn, beyond.(Harold MacDonald )(Obituary)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Laura Clark Geist Harold MacDonald spent most of his 34 years at Ford Motor Co. in product development. But he is remembered for roles that took him beyond the automaker's engineering studios. MacDonald, who died May 26 at age...

VW: Gasoline price spike will increase sales of diesel cars; Passat, Touareg join diesel lineup.(News)(Volkswagen of America Inc.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Rick Kranz Timing is everything. With U.S. gasoline prices now more than $2 per gallon, Volkswagen of America Inc. predicts a 37 percent boost in its diesel vehicle sales this year. Two new diesel-powered models are...

Hybrid sales skyrocket; Prius buyers wait in line.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Gail Kachadourian As gasoline prices rise, Toyota has a waiting list of more than 20,000 customers for its fuel-efficient Prius. Rinke Toyota in Center Line, Mich., has 17 customers on its Prius waiting list. The dealership...

Dealers push for arbitration; More dealerships demand that customers give up the right to sue.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris More dealers are requiring customers to accept third-party arbitration of disputes as an alternative to consumer lawsuits. Arbitration typically is quicker and costs less than taking consumer disputes to court....

PAG to cut luxury exports to U.S.(News)(Premier Automotive Group)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin, Bradford Wernle Ford Motor Co. plans to cut exports of its European luxury vehicles to the United States because of the weak dollar. But U.S. dealers say reduced shipments have less to do with exchange rates than...

GM: Stability system averts van accidents.(News)(General Motors Corp.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Arlena Sawyers General Motors says the addition of its stability enhancement system to 15-passenger vans is preventing accidents. The system also is boosting GM sales of full-sized vans, the automaker says. The assertions come...

Dealers say costly fuel is changing sales, but automakers disagree; GM sees switch when fuel stays at $2.50 a gallon.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Mary Connelly Automakers say high gasoline prices are not changing what shoppers buy. But some dealers and analysts say shoppers are wary and will change their buying habits if gasoline remains costly. "We have been listening...

Dodge revives Charger name for '06 sedan.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Mary Connelly Dodge will bring back the Charger name on a full-sized rear-wheel-drive sedan in 2005, a company insider has confirmed. Its exterior will draw on the heritage of the late 1960s Charger muscle car but will not be...

Big 3 go whistling past graveyard again; L.A. commuters aren't so blase.(Opinion)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin I gassed up my car the other day. It's a vintage Porsche 911, hardly a gas-guzzler at 20 mpg in real-world around-L.A. driving, but it requires premium fuel. It cost a stunning $48 to fill the tank. That's when I...

Sprint helps BMW reach customers with kiosks.(Marketing)(BMW of North America L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein BMW of North America is taking its sales message to buyers where they exercise, travel, eat and shop. BMW is collaborating with the Sprint communications service to provide information kiosks that will market the...

When comparing price, we're stuck with sticker; It's not precise, but there's no good option.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Some automotive analysts insist that the price sticker has outlived its usefulness as a tool for gauging retail prices. Others, probably older, smile and reply that the sticker never has been much of a tool for...

Visteon moves Maples to lead Ford account.(News)(Visteon Automotive Systems, Jonathan Maples)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Julie Armstrong Visteon Corp.'s top purchasing executive has been reassigned to run its largest customer account. Jonathan Maples, 47, who had been vice president of quality and materials management since joining Visteon in...

NADA seeks to fill top lobbying spot; Tom Greene retires after holding post for 25 years.(News)(National Automobile Dealers Association)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Harry Stoffer For the first time since Jimmy Carter was in the White House, dealers are looking for someone to lead their lobbying on Capitol Hill. The National Automobile Dealers Association seeks a chief operating officer for...

600,000 Nissans recalled for fuel sender.(News)(Nissan North America Inc.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Harry Stoffer Nissan North America Inc. is recalling about 600,000 light trucks to repair or replace fuel-sending units that may fail, especially in cold climates. The affected vehicles are 1999-2003 Frontier pickups with...

Auto News digest.(Briefs)
June 7, 2004... Chrysler recalls PT Cruisers WASHINGTON - The Chrysler group is recalling 438,000 Chrysler PT Cruisers built for the 2001 to 2005 model years to repair a problem with a power steering hydraulic hose, the National Highway Traffic Safety...

GM plant builds its last Regal.(Production)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Debi Domby * The last Buick Regal was produced at General Motors' Oshawa 2 plant in Ontario on Tuesday, June 1. The plant began producing the car in May 1987. In a 17-year run, 1,389,991 Regals were built there. The Buick Century...

There's more on the Web.(News)(Calendar)
June 7, 2004... **Online this week Thursday, June 10: * Findings from the annual Harbour Report on manufacturing performance * Coverage of the Automotive News China Congress in Beijing In our Data Center Friday, June 11: * Canada car and...

Plastics News will host auto design panel.(News)(MoldMaking Expo 2004)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Trends in automotive design and materials usage will be the focus of a June 22 panel session at Plastics Encounter's Design Day conference in Cleveland. Automaker panelists will include Terry Duncan, Ford Motor Co. product strategies...

Service and parts sales, profits rise.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Ralph Kisiel U.S. auto dealerships continue to increase sales from their service and parts departments, but the rate of growth is slowing. Last year's 2.7 percent increase in total service and parts sales comes after increases...

Rush to cable has networks scrambling; Early talks point to small rise in ad rates.(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein The sharp run-up in broadcast TV ad rates has hit a speed bump: Automakers and other advertisers are making an abrupt and dramatic shift to cable. Sources say broadcast ad rates during "upfront'' bargaining - the...

GM hires Cobalt for dealership Web sites; 2-year-old DealerLink will no longer exist by year end.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Gail Kachadourian General Motors has taken itself out of the dealership Web site business. The automaker has signed a five-year deal with the Cobalt Group, an automotive Web services provider, to develop and maintain GM...

Study sees tough times for suppliers.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Up to 17 percent of North America's parts makers could wind up in bankruptcy court in the next two years, says a prominent turnaround firm. The warning is in contrast to the fairly strong profits that many...

Toyota revs up lease deals.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin Low interest rates and high cash incentives have caused a shift away from new-vehicle leasing in recent years. Now Toyota wants to reverse that trend by pushing more lease deals. In 1999, leases on Toyota-badged...

Auto News briefly.(Briefs)
June 7, 2004... Supplier helps ring in D-Day Perceptron Inc., a Plymouth, Mich., company that supplies robot guidance systems and other technology to the auto industry, helped France mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day. One of the nation's many observances...

Ford gives SVT buyers a bonus; PowerLease program aimed at retaining power-hungry buyers.(Marketing)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Gail Kachadourian Ford Motor Co. is throwing its performance-vehicle enthusiasts a bone. The automaker has no new SVT, or Special Vehicle Team, products coming until the 2006 model year. So it is offering power-hungry...

Letters to the Editor.(Letters)
June 7, 2004... AIADA notes stance on F&I proposal To the Editor: While we greatly appreciate Automotive News' coverage of finance and insurance practices in our industry, some of the comments I provided for a May 31 story, "Group plans dealership...

China demand helps offset lower Japan exports to N.A.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Yuzo Yamaguchi Japan's new-vehicle exports rose 0.8 percent in April compared with the same month in 2003. Strong demand in Asian markets eased the pain of lower exports to North America and Europe. Japanese exports totaled...

Late News.
June 7, 2004... GM adds test drive twist DETROIT - General Motors is willing to bet $250 that consumers will buy its cars and trucks in a new twist on its 24-Hour Test Drive program. From Tuesday, June 8, through July 6, GM will pay $250 to...

Big 3 price increases outstrip most imports.(sticker prices)
June 7, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Sticker prices for 2004 model year vehicles sold in the United States rose 1.6 percent over 2003 models, according to an Automotive News analysis. That amounts to a $440 average increase in sticker prices for...

Dealers seek laws to thwart lawsuits.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris Three years ago, a lawyer noticed a car ad in a Monrovia, Calif., newspaper. He noticed that Sierra Auto Car's disclaimer - "on credit approval'' - was too small in relation to its "Zero Percent Interest''...

Viral ads depend on 'gotta-see' Web tricks.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein Pass it on: "Viral'' marketing is spreading in the auto industry. A computer-created cat loses its head in the sunroof of a Ford SportKa. Mini Cooper parts are used to build humanlike robots. And 32 people in a...

Roche remembered.(Opinion)(James Roche, ex president, General Motors Corp.,)(Obituary)
June 14, 2004... History will mark James Roche as the president of General Motors when GM spied on Ralph Nader in 1966. Roche denied knowing about it. Still, pundits may long debate how much GM - under Roche and CEO Fred Donner - triggered the years of heavy...

Calendar.(Calendar)
June 14, 2004... AUTO SHOWS June 12-20 - Sofia Motor Show, Inter Expo Center, Sofia, Bulgaria, 359-2-965-9910, www.expoteam.org Aug. 25-29 - Moscow International Motor Show, Krasnaya Presnya Expocentr, Moscow, 44-207-596-5224, www.motorshows-ite.com...

Chevy Impala stays in shape.(News)(Chevrolet Impala )(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Despite a new greenhouse and new sheet metal, the 2006 Chevrolet Impala will keep the same shape as the current model. The no-frills interior will get a more upscale look and feel.

Forster to be No. 2 GM Europe exec.(News)(GM Europe)(Carl-Peter Forster appointed)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink Automotive News Europe Adam Opel AG Chairman Carl-Peter Forster will move to Zurich, Switzerland, to become the No. 2 executive of struggling GM Europe, sources say. His promotion is part of a plan to get all...

Subaru transforms Indiana plant; Company prepares to drive solo as joint output with Isuzu nears end.(Special Report)(Isuzu Motors Ltd.)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Dale Jewett On a stormy Memorial Day weekend, security cameras at the Subaru assembly plant here taped a tornado tearing up nearby fields. The factory wasn't damaged. But winds of change are blowing through Subaru of Indiana...

Dealers.(People)(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.)(Boch Enterprises )(Norwood Dodge )(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Milestones * Chuck Patterson of Chuck Patterson Toyota in Chico, Calif., received a 25-year award for Toyota from Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. Patterson also sells Mazdas and Dodges. Transitions * Boch Enterprises in Norwood,...

Nissan stumbles in Canton, vows to fix problems.(Special Report)(Nissan North America Inc.)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Nissan North America Inc. is used to wowing the industry. It did so when it announced that it was spending $1.4 billion to build and launch an auto plant in Canton, Miss. Observers marveled at Nissan's...

Infiniti overhauls certified program.(News)(Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. Infiniti Div.)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Infiniti Division has revamped its certified used-vehicle program. Division executives say they designed the program to improve sales and to be simpler for dealerships to manage. The new program began May 1....

Victor Reuther was key UAW organizer.(News)(United Auto Workers)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Monica Link Victor Reuther lived in the shadow of his brother's fame, but he deserves recognition as one of the UAW's key organizers. On June 3, Victor died of kidney failure in Washington. He was 92. Along with his...

How many want a $100,000 car? Automakers may be creating a glut for tiny ultraluxury segment.
June 14, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin Robert Barron is a luxury automaker's fantasy. The CFO of 20th Century Fox Television is an admittedly impulsive spender on big-ticket items. When he realized his Lexus had 90,000 miles, he traded it that day for a...

Mazda stays on hot streak in Canada; Sales soar 21.1% in May, while industry falls 11%.(Sales)(Mazda Canada Inc.,)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Bob English Mazda Canada is proving the adage "if you build it, they will come.'' At least if "it'' is a compact car with some flair, and the buyers you want to attract are Canadian. The success of the new Mazda3 compact sedan...

Labor costs slow acquisitions of U.S. suppliers.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Robert Sherefkin The continued strength of the euro has not attracted big numbers of European buyers of U.S. auto parts makers. Investment bankers say that's unlikely to change. The reason: The high cost of American labor. ...

Infiniti's sales expansion effort will begin in Asia.(News)(Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. Infiniti Div.)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Rick Kranz Infiniti, sold only in North America, will become a global luxury player next year when sales begin in Asia. The effort to take Infiniti worldwide is part of Nissan Motor Co.'s plan to boost the company's worldwide...

Donald Gray.(Obituary)(Obituary)
June 14, 2004... Donald Gray, retired leader of Automotive Youth Educational Systems, died here May 29. He was 61. Gray was national service manager for Chevrolet in 1995 when General Motors CEO Jack Smith asked him to develop the program that became...

Picture, if you will, America without the transplants.(Special Report)(Automobile industry)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Lindsay Chappell It's the year 2004, and Honda never arrived in Marysville, Ohio. Nissan never came to Smyrna, Tenn., and Toyota never set up shop in Georgetown, Ky. It is the "Twilight Zone'' world of the North American auto...

GM raises most 2004 stickers $157.(News)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. In an action that involved all brands except Hummer and the nearly deceased Oldsmobile, General Motors has raised sticker prices $157, or 0.6 percent, on a sales-weighted basis. It brought GM's price increase...

Transplant University's alumni gallery.(Special Report)
June 14, 2004... The industry has watched for two decades as many of its young and talented players went off to work for non-Big 3 automakers. But it has been a two-way flow: The factories of the New American Manufacturers also have become a training ground...

How Toyota threw out the old to start anew; Launch of U.S. plant showed the flaws in its training system.(Special Report)(Toyota Motor Corp.)
June 14, 2004... Byline: James B. Treece Takashi Hata was a young human resources manager when he and about 1,000 Japanese employees moved to Kentucky in the 1980s. He was there to launch Toyota Motor Corp.'s Georgetown, Ky., plant. Hata spent many...

Dealership financing is still customers' best bet.(Opinion; AutoNation Inc. pledge re. vehicle purchase )
June 14, 2004... Byline: Mike Jackson During the past few months, there has been much discussion of the commissions that new-vehicle dealerships receive from lending institutions for marketing, offering, and processing vehicle financing. Some observers...

Letters to the Editor.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 14, 2004... Hispanic consumers are dear to GM To the Editor: Regarding "Toyota attracts more Hispanic customers'' (May 24), General Motors is pleased that R.L. Polk & Co. found that Chevrolet ranks among the most popular with Hispanic-American...

Ex M-B designer to lead BMW studio.(News)(BMW AG)(Verena Kloos appointed)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko BMW AG has hired a former Mercedes-Benz designer to head its California design studio. Verena Kloos will become president of DesignworksUSA on Sept. 1. She replaces Adrian van Hooydonk. Van Hooydonk, a...

Peugeot-Ford diesel effort wins acclaim.(News)(Interview)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett French automaker PSA/Peugeot-Citroen SA is an industry leader in diesel technology. Its engineers have developed some of the cleanest running diesel cars on the market, and its partnership with Ford Motor Co. in...

NADA chooses program for finance managers.(Finance)(National Automobile Dealers Association)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris The National Automobile Dealers Association has designated the Association of Finance and Insurance Professionals' certification program as its official training and testing program for finance managers. The...

Mitsubishi dealer chief: Company is here to stay.(News)(Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s Chuck Barber)(Interview)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Kathy Jackson Mitsubishi dealers are troubled by free-falling sales, which were down 23.4 percent in May and 34.3 percent in April. Their fears are compounded by Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s revitalization plans. The company said...

Trouble on the horizon; For the New American Manufacturers, growth once seemed easy. Now - from quality to competition - the future is loaded with more challenges than ever.(Special Report)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Lindsay Chappell For the New American Manufacturers, the good old days are over. At first it seemed easy. For their first two decades, U.S. transplant factories hummed with an efficiency that put the Big 3 to shame. Costs were...

Big 3 can thank Reagan for deregulation.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Edward Lapham President Ronald Reagan was never known as a car guy. But like a cowboy who gives his horse its head, the Reagan administration cut many of the regulatory ropes that had restrained - some say strangled - the industry....

Auto News Digest.(Briefs)
June 14, 2004... Former Mitsubishi chief faces charges TOKYO - Japanese police arrested a former head of Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and five others last week on suspicion of professional negligence that led to the death of a truck driver two years ago. ...

Public retailers' growth plan: Buy dealerships.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris Large public auto retailers continue to snap up dealerships. But their acquisition pace is not as torrid as in the late 1990s, when they could double their size in a year. The six largest public retailers say they...

GM battles VW to be king of China; Automakers sprint to boost capacity in booming market.(GM China Group, Volkswagen AG)
June 14, 2004... Byline: James B. Treece, Alysha Webb Upstart General Motors boldly is declaring that it wants to displace Volkswagen AG as the leader in China. "We believe GM can ultimately claim the largest share of this growing market,'' says Phil...

Japan's carmakers apply restraint in their growth; Employment at home affects N.A. output.(Special Report)
June 14, 2004... Byline: James B. Treece Japanese carmakers have grown impressively in North America in the past two decades. Japanese auto plants have ballooned. In 1985 three plants built 361,190 light vehicles in North America. Last year 17 plants,...

Mission accomplished, Porsche designer retires.(News)(Porsche AG)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Harm Lagaay, the designer responsible for Porsche's current face, will retire July 1. He'll be replaced on Aug. 1 by Michael Mauer, a former Saab and Mercedes-Benz designer. Lagaay has been credited with the...

Brands ignore commercials in hunt for wealthy buyers.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Mark Rechtin, Diana T. Kurylko You can't sell a Bentley on "Must-see TV.'' For the most part, ultraluxury automakers will market their growing volume of vehicles out of the public eye. For the launch of the DB9 coupe and...

VW wants to keep peace with its suppliers; But the carmaker still wants their help in big cost-cutting campaign.(Suppliers)(Volkswagen AG)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Henning Krogh Automobilwoche Volkswagen AG is working hard to improve its relationship with its suppliers - and cut costs. VW this year wants to cut about $982.9 million from its production costs, and the company expects its...

2 lines in Ala. help Honda meet demand.(Special Report)(Honda Manufacturing of Alabama L.L.C.)(Interview)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Lindsay Chappell In May, Honda Motor Co. opened its second assembly plant in Lincoln, Ala. The two production lines, which the automaker calls Line One and Line Two, form an operation that will employ 4,200 people building a total...

ZF Friedrichshafen looks for double-digit growth in Asia.(Suppliers)(ZF Friedrichshafen AG)(Interview)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Edmund Chew Automotive News Europe German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG is looking for double-digit growth in the Asian market next year. Siegfried Goll, CEO of the global supplier of transmissions, steering systems, suspension...

Automakers gear up for California climate fight.(News)(California. Air Resources Board)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Harry Stoffer California's plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks in the state would add more than $1,000 to the cost of the average new vehicle by 2015, officials say. The cost would come from greater use...