Automotive News articles from June 2008

Automotive News archives from June 2008

Some design houses fall on tough times.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Michael Taylor Designing Italian supercars has never been a vocation for the fainthearted. Companies without mastery of the Fiat political swirl are unlikely to last - and if they do, they will need to establish international...

Mitsubishi hopes new gearbox widens Evo's appeal.(Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc.)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Kathy Jackson Mitsubishi aims to attract a wider group of customers for its redesigned Lancer Evolution by offering the high-performance sedan with an automated manual transmission. The MR trim level of the redesigned 2008...

Mazda6 set to take on mid-sized sedan heavyweights.(Mazda Motor Corp.)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Mark Rechtin The problem with global vehicle platforms is that what works in one national market may not be right for another. In the case of the outgoing Mazda6 mid-sized sedan, the U.S. market was stuck with a car that was...

Chrysler's Chernoby: Growing up gearhead.(Mark Chernoby)(Interview)
June 2, 2008... Mark Chernoby comes across as pretty relaxed for a guy in charge of a top-secret vehicle development program vital to the future of Chrysler LLC. He is just as happy spending a day on Spider Lake in northwest Michigan as he is poring over the...

Gas prices fuel industry's new era; Automakers confront new reality: Trucks are out, cars are in, small is chic and mpg trumps everything else.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Lindsay Chappell As gasoline prices top $4 a gallon, the shift by U.S. consumers from big, powerful trucks to small cars with small engines is now a stampede. Fuel prices are roiling the auto industry in a way Americans have...

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June 2, 2008... Rolf Jess, head of group controlling for Stankiewicz GmbH, tells reporters in Montgomery, Ala., in April that the German maker of sound-dampening components will invest $16.4 million in a second U.S. factory, in Vance, Ala. From left: Marcus...

Calendar.(Calendar)
June 2, 2008... Auto Shows July 1-7 - Syrian International Motor Show, New Damascus International Fairground, Damascus, Syria, 963-11-322-0732, www.syrmotorshow.com July 23-Aug. 3 - British International Motor Show, Canary Wharf, London, 020...

Senate to hear personal pleas on roof crush rule.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Harry Stoffer A Republican senator may seek to impose tougher standards for vehicle roof strength with a law rather than an updated rule from the Bush administration. Automakers prefer the regulatory approach over new legislation....

Family-owned business struggles for survival.(Carrozzeria Bertone)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Julian Rendell Recent years haven't been kind to Bertone, and the family-owned business has been struggling financially. There are two operating companies: Stile Bertone, the design house based near the mountains outside Turin;...

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June 2, 2008... Ford's Fiesta U.S. line will have a four-door sedan and a hatchback when sales begin in 2010. Ford won't say whether the hatchback will be the three-door model pictured or a five-door. The stylish models are targeted at consumers demanding high...

Photo caption.(Jack Demmer Ford Inc. celebrates its renovated store openings)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Faces from the factory When Jack Demmer Lincoln-Mercury in suburban Detroit celebrated the opening of its renovated showroom and service facilities last month, well-wishers included about 200 fellow dealers, business associates, employees...

Surging steel prices shock auto industry.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Sharp increases in steel prices - up as much as $500 per vehicle since January - have left automakers and suppliers reeling. Tensions are rising as steel makers tear up contracts and demand immediate price...

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June 2, 2008... Workers move the final letter into place atop the Nissan Americas building near Nashville. A nice finishing touch, the writer says, would be a statue of Nobushige Wakatsuki, who urged the automaker to sell cars in America.

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June 2, 2008... 25 with Chevrolet Mike Hutson, right, of Ray Hutson Chevrolet in La Crosse, Wis., receives a 25-year award from Chevrolet from Ty Birkholz, Chevrolet's northern Wisconsin district sales manager.

What's next? More transplant models headed this way.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Global automakers build 46 international-brand nameplates for the United States in North American factories. Several more models, such as the Renault Clio and Nissan Tiida, also are produced in North America...

Leno's words of wisdom for automakers.(Jay Leno)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Jay Leno has some choice words for the Detroit 3 in the June issue of Portfolio magazine. The late-night comedian and car collector wrote a column full of advice to help General Motors, Ford and Chrysler kick-start sales. His admonition: It...

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June 2, 2008... Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally answers a question put to him by an audience member during last year's Management Briefing Seminars. This year's event begins Aug. 11 in Traverse City, Mich.

Inrix: Router can reduce traffic delays.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Leslie J. Allen The leading provider of U.S. traffic information for navigation systems says its latest breakthrough could significantly reduce traffic delays. Inrix Inc. has announced what it is calling its "third...

Magazine: Chrysler, Fiat are talking.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Bradford Wernle Reports of talks between Chrysler LLC and Italian carmaker Fiat have resurfaced, this time in the German publication WirtschaftsWoche. Alfa Romeo brand boss Luca De Meo told the magazine that in recent weeks,...

Diesel prices hit suppliers' Mexico sites.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Suddenly, Mexican plants look less attractive. A double-digit jump in diesel fuel prices is walloping North America's auto suppliers, leading to a review of plant locations and inventory practices. Midwest...

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June 2, 2008... Jatco expects higher North American demand for its continuously variable transmission. A CVT operates like an automatic transmission but with about 10 percent better fuel economy.

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June 2, 2008... The final design of the B.A.T. 11 is the work of two Bertone designers: Valery Muller, who is responsible for the concept's exterior, and Gwen Pennarun, who handled the interior and wheels.

After light-truck push, cars are king again.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Michael LeGault The New American Manufacturers are steering back onto familiar roads. In recent years they catered to the American market by making pickup trucks and SUVS. But with demand for low-mpg vehicles slumping, those...

Former Fla. dealer gets jail for bilking bank.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Andrew Grossman The former owner of a Florida dealership is appealing his conviction on charges that he stole more than $1.1 million from his bank by falsifying vehicle documents. John Giovanetti, who on May 14 was sentenced to...

Even on used market, big trucks go begging.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Arlena Sawyers In mid-May, a customer visited McRee Ford in suburban Houston looking for a fuel-efficient car. He wanted to trade in a 2008 Ford F-250 diesel pickup he had bought for $53,000 just three months earlier. Dealer...

Genesis in Toledo: It's a long story.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Craig Trudell Toledo, Ohio, could become a poster city for Chrysler LLC's retail consolidation plan - sooner or later. Chrysler's Project Genesis seeks to combine Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep franchises in the same dealerships. The...

Ford will make next Mustang look smaller.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Rick Kranz In an environment in which a big car might be viewed as a gasoline hog, Ford Motor Co.'s intention to make the next-generation Ford Mustang look smaller may be politically correct. "We have a car which I think is...

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June 9, 2008... Brian Benstock, general manager of Paragon Honda in New York, works on a deal. Despite customers' credit challenges, Paragon sold 1,542 certified used vehicles last year, more than any other Honda dealership in the U.S.

Auto News Digest.(Hyundai Motor America has set the price for Genesis)(Ford Motor Co. has started the production of Ford Flex)(Nissan Mexicana S.A. de C.V. has appointed Julio Panama)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Ford buys more from minorities DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. spent record amounts with minority- and female-owned suppliers in 2007. The automaker spent $4.2 billion with minority-owned Tier 1 suppliers and $1.2 billion with female-owned...

Toyota breathing down GM's neck on monthly U.S. sales.(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... With Toyota closing the sales gap every month, General Motors must be feeling a little like Norm Peterson, the portly patron of "Cheers,'' who once lamented in a sitcom episode: "It's a dog-eat-dog-world, and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear.''...

Hummer Bummer: A death sentence?(Jacques Moore)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jamie LaReau In 2002, Jacques Moore added the Hummer brand to his Cadillac-Saab dealership in Richmond, Va. As a pioneer with General Motors' new premium channel, Moore spent millions building a separate Hummer showroom. He was...

Smith is CEO of Jaguar, Land Rover.
June 9, 2008... LONDON - Tata Motors Ltd. named David Smith CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover. Smith, 47, had been Jaguar and Land Rover's CFO. He has been the companies' acting CEO since the April 20 death of CEO Geoff Polites. Smith, an Englishman, is a...

Audi's U.S. chief: Brand can handle high gas prices.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Craig Trudell Audi is well positioned to weather the recent rise in fuel prices, its top American executive said. But the German luxury brand is still pondering whether U.S. manufacturing is the answer to its currency exchange rate...

Personnel.(Association for Manufacturing Technology has appointed Robert Simpson)(BMW Group Financial Services has appointed Shaun Bugbee)(Kia Motors America Inc. has appointed Adam Perlow)
June 9, 2008... ASSOCIATION FOR MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY - Robert Simpson, 48, to president, effective Oct. 7. He had been corporate vice president and president of global plastics machinery for Milacron Inc., of Cincinnati. He replaces John Byrd III, 61, who...

BMW purchasing chief 'looking for waste'.(BMW AG)(Herbert Diess )(Interview)
June 9, 2008... Last October, BMW promoted Herbert Diess from head of its motorcycle division to purchasing chief. Since then, his resolute cost-cutting program has run into fierce criticism from suppliers. In an interview, Diess explained why he has to...

Harbour Report: Chrysler, Toyota most efficient.
June 9, 2008... Byline: David Barkholz Chrysler LLC ran the most efficient assembly plant in North America last year and tied with Toyota Motor Corp. as the most productive vehicle manufacturer, according to this year's Harbour Report on factory...

PR chief Steve Harris: At GM through '08.
June 9, 2008... Steve Harris, General Motors' top PR executive, won't be resuming his retirement until year end - or maybe beyond. Harris, who was asked in January 2006 to unretire by GM CEO Rick Wagoner, agreed to do the job for 18 to 24 months before...

2 key overseas staffers move to Automotive News in U.S.(Jesse Snyder)(Alysha Webb)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Two overseas staffers within the Automotive News Group have new assignments in the United States. Jesse Snyder, a longtime editor at Automotive News Europe, has moved to Detroit to become a senior writer at Automotive News. Snyder, 59,...

Late News.(Canadian Auto Workers may strike at General Motors Corp.)(Mazda Motor of America Inc. to extend warranty on the engine for the RX-8 sports car)(Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America Inc. to add Camry to Indiana truck plant )
June 9, 2008... CAW to consider strike against GM DETROIT - Canadian Auto Workers President Buzz Hargrove said Friday the union will decide as soon as this week whether it will strike General Motors, which upheld its decision to close a truck plant in...

Ford spends big on MKS ad launch.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Co. may spend as much to introduce the Lincoln MKS as it typically does to launch an F-series pickup, a Lincoln marketing executive said. Lincoln began advertising the 2009 MKS last week. The large sedan,...

Spring intros can be dicey.(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Amy Wilson The 2008 Ford Taurus proved how tricky it can be to introduce a vehicle in the first half of the calendar year, before the model year sell-down. Taurus sales fell last summer when Ford Motor Co. cut advertising in favor...

Sticker law cleaned up a pricing mess; 50 years ago, labels saved the auto industry from itself.
June 9, 2008... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. This is a big year for anniversaries. General Motors will celebrate its 100th in September. Toyota has been in the United States 50 years. So has Nissan. And it's the 50th anniversary of the Automobile...

Is the gas crisis real or just temporary?
June 9, 2008... Byline: Keith Crain That's the $64,000 question. Will it go away, or is the shift in consumer preferences permanent? There are many who see this as a watershed; something that is real and has stunned the North American continent...

GM union local strives to pull parts jobs in-house.(General Motors Corp.)
June 9, 2008... Byline: David Barkholz Mike Dunn should be ecstatic. While General Motors is halting truck production at four plants, it is adding a third shift at the car-building Orion Township, Mich., assembly plant. Dunn is the chairman of UAW Local...

Small-car surge is a replay of 1979.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Folks too young to remember the oil crises of the 1970s may see the recent small-car surge as the greatest market flip in U.S. auto history. But these aren't uncharted waters. For historical perspective on the shocking sales numbers that...

Kremlin watching, Chrysler style.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Back in the bad old days of the Cold War, Kremlin watchers looked for hidden meaning when the Politburo in Moscow delayed a meeting or changed the luncheon speaker. That's a little bit like privately held Chrysler these days, as analysts...

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June 9, 2008... Mazda updates the RX-8 Mazda has given the 2009 RX-8 an exterior freshening, improved body rigidity and optional R3 sports suspension. Exterior changes include restyled front and rear fascias, headlights and taillights. The interior gets a...

Sources: GM poised to buy Cobasys; Troubled battery supplier hurt mild hybrid production.(General Motors Corp.)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Andrew Grossman and Robert Sherefkin General Motors is nearing a deal to buy Cobasys LLC, the troubled supplier of batteries for GM's mild hybrid vehicles, three sources told Automotive News. A source with knowledge of the...

GM's big SUVs may get lighter; Tahoe, Yukon will `fade away in their present form'.(General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jamie LaReau General Motors may shift its two big SUVs, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, to a lighter, more fuel-efficient platform, said a company source. The Tahoe and Yukon - traditionally two of GM's most profitable...

Media buyer for GM cuts 25 jobs.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Mary Connelly GM Planworks, the agency that handles General Motors' media buying and planning, has eliminated 25 jobs. Those positions account for 5 percent of Planworks employment, says Lena Petersen, a spokeswoman for Starcom...

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June 9, 2008... A Japanese newspaper reported that Toyota is talking with NUMMI partner GM about assembling the Prius in California.

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June 9, 2008... GM launched Two Mode versions of the GMC Yukon, shown, and Chevrolet Tahoe in January. Now the automaker plans to step up promotion of the hybrid SUVs to strengthen sales.

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June 9, 2008... Customers seeking fuel efficiency will have to pay a premium for a Two Mode Chevrolet Tahoe. The top-end LT starts at $40,460 and the hybrid at $50,490.

Nielsen likes to step off the beaten path.(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc's Chris Nielsen )(Interview)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Lindsay Chappell In 1999, Chris Nielsen became the first U.S. manager at Toyota to rotate through the company's operations in Japan. Before then, foreign assignments within the company were restricted mainly to Japanese executives....

Toyota considering 'Made in U.S.A.' Prius.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Hans Greimel Toyota's popular Prius hybrid could soon be "Made in U.S.A.'' The company is considering a North American production site to meet soaring demand for the fuel-efficient car, but it has made no decisions regarding a...

New Maxima is a tad smaller - but more buff; Upgrades boost agility, muscle for Nissan flagship.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Lindsay Chappell In recent years, the Nissan Maxima has endured a squeeze play. Below it, the Altima had grown bigger, more expensive and more popular. And from above, the Infiniti G chipped away at the Maxima's high-end sports...

Congress, Bush square off over rollover suits.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Harry Stoffer Automakers are caught in the middle of a fight between Congress and the Bush administration over a new vehicle standard for roof strength. Last week, senators warned the administration not to adopt a standard that...

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June 9, 2008... GM's announcement dismayed dealers who spent millions on distinctive Quonset-hut styled stores with test tracks and a huge "H'' framing the front door.

DEALERS.
June 9, 2008... 25 with Subaru Greg Sorensen, left, of Southern Oregon Subaru in Medford, Ore., receives a 25-year award for Subaru from Tomohiko Ikeda, CEO of Subaru of America. 25 with Toyota Dave Edwards, right, of Dave Edwards Toyota in...

Mini's mixed results: Sales soar, quality stumbles.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... BMW's little Mini brand came up big in May, but started June with a full-sized dose of bad news. The brand had the biggest U.S. sales increase, on a percentage basis, of any brand in May, up 52.8 percent from May 2007. Although that was...

Fun in the Pasadena sun.
June 9, 2008... In April, Bentley Pasadena in Pasadena, Calif., invited guests to cheer on the U.S.A. Water Polo Men's Senior National Team during a private match. In conjunction with the event, a child from the Children's Miracle Network will be granted his...

Jaguars and jewels.
June 9, 2008... In May, Rusnak Jaguar in Pasadena, Calif., and the Pasadena Tiffany & Co. store hosted a champagne reception, Glamour with Diamonds and Jewels, for 100 Rusnak guests. Pictured above, from left, are Liz Rusnak Arizmendi, vice president of public...

GM dealer program rebounds.(General Motors )
June 9, 2008... Byline: Ralph Kisiel The Integrated Dealer Management System program at General Motors is slow out of the blocks. But not to worry, say GM and the program's vendors. When GM launched the program in early 2006, the automaker expected...

Congress must balance safety, mpg concerns.
June 9, 2008... As Congress considers environmental and safety measures that would affect the auto industry and much of the country, lawmakers must ensure that their work doesn't have severe unintended consequences. For example, the Warner-Lieberman bill...

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June 9, 2008... Before stickers were required by law, buyers were clueless about the price of a new car. Now the manufacturer's suggested retail price - including prep and freight - is right there on the window for all to see.

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June 9, 2008... Sen. Mark Pryor warned NHTSA that Congress won't allow a roof standard limiting the ability of crash victims to sue in state courts.

GM plans big ad push for its big hybrid SUVs.(General Motors' )
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jamie LaReau General Motors' marketing staff plans to aggressively promote its Two Mode hybrid SUVs - the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe - across as many forms of media as possible this year. That includes a large digital presence...

Corrections.
June 9, 2008... * A story on Page 30N in some editions of the June 2 issue gave the wrong title for Armando Tamez. He is Nemak's CEO for North America. * A story on Page 54 of the June 2 issue gave the wrong first name for John Felice, general marketing...

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June 9, 2008... Audi of America's Johan de Nysschen said the small luxury-car segment could gain momentum as customers seek fuel efficiency.

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June 9, 2008... Toyota's Chris Nielsen: "I always want to detour off and explore something I've never seen before.''

A wild ride as market flips to small cars; New F-150, Ram in peril as big pickups collapse.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Mark Rechtin The collapse of the full-sized pickup segment comes at a disastrous time for Ford and Chrysler as they prepare to launch redesigned pickups this fall. The segment is expected to shrink by about 500,000 units this...

A wild ride as market flips to small cars; Japanese can add small cars faster than Detroit 3.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jesse Snyder Toyota and Honda are better positioned than the Detroit 3 to quickly adjust their production to U.S. consumers' sudden shift to smaller cars. Automakers are scrambling to cope with an abrupt swing in demand from...

Auto execs would benefit from some store experience.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Edward Lapham Usually, industry honchos don't really get to know the inner workings of an auto dealership. Oh, some execs who came up on the sales side may have an understanding of how a dealership works, especially if they've...

May in Detroit: Scary, not merry.
June 9, 2008... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. Can the Detroit 3's U.S. sales get any worse? Last month, the domestic brand sales of the Detroit 3 were down a collective 23.4 percent from May 2007 - down 27.6 percent for General Motors, 25.4 percent for...

Battery shortage hurts hybrid sales.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Richard Truett With gasoline at $4 a gallon, the market is screaming for more hybrids. But sales of hybrids dropped significantly in May. Battery shortages are crimping supplies of the Ford Escape Hybrid and Toyota Prius, two...

GM finance whiz changed the industry.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Does the name Donaldson Brown ring a bell? If so, you're probably a bean counter at General Motors. In a fledgling industry that venerated mechanics and supersalesmen, Donaldson Brown was the first great finance executive. Brown was...

Milestones.
June 9, 2008... * Don Marshall of Marshall Pontiac-Buick-GMC Truck in Clinton, Ind., received a 25-year award for Pontiac and Buick from General Motors. * Lawrence Durocher of Durocher Lincoln-Mercury in Plattsburgh, N.Y., received a 25-year award for...

Supply LIne.
June 9, 2008... JCI will open Ga. plant to supply Kia MILWAUKEE - Johnson Controls Inc. will open a plant in West Point, Ga., to supply vehicle seating and interior products to Kia Motors Corp. in summer 2009. Production of seat systems and door...

Porsche's new 911.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Two days after the current 911 received J.D. Power and Associates' 2008 initial quality crown, Porsche disclosed details on the updated 2009 model coming in September. Four new 911 Carrera versions will feature more powerful engines that for...

Lithia to sell outlets, delay used-car stores.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Andrew Grossman and Donna Harris Lithia Motors Inc. plans to shed as many as 15 dealerships and defer investment in its used-vehicle stores as part of its new restructuring plan. The public dealership group aims to save $18...

Chrysler cuts fees to outside service firms 5%.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Bradford Wernle Chrysler LLC's nonproduction contractors are feeling the pain of the industry's downturn. Chrysler has imposed a 5 percent price cut on roughly 80 nonproduction contract houses. The cuts took effect June 1 and...

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June 16, 2008... Honda is making its latest green-inspired model the emission-free, hydrogen fuel cell FCX Clarity sedan available this summer via lease in California.

Clean diesel Maxima may be a manual.(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Hans Greimel Nissan Motor Co.'s long-awaited first clean diesel offering for the United States, a redesigned Maxima sedan, may debut with a manual-only transmission. Yo Usuba, senior vice president in charge of powertrains,...

ZF: Future transmissions are "all about fuel economy'.
June 16, 2008... Byline: April Wortham Performance will take a back seat to fuel economy in future generations of ZF Friedrichshafen AG's automatic transmissions. So says Harald Naunheimer, director of automatic transmission product development for the...