Automotive News articles from March 2004

Automotive News archives from March 2004

Nondelivery of Spanish vehicles results in lawsuit.(lawsuit against Comarth Motor Group LLC and Gulfstream USA Motor Group LLC)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Eric Freedman A Colorado dealership group has filed a breach of contract and fraud suit over its alleged failure to consummate a franchise arrangement for Comarth automobiles, which are manufactured in Spain. LGC Management...

Auto News briefly.(Briefs)
March 1, 2004... Cars, stars share Oscar hoopla Cars and Hollywood stars shared the runway during General Motors' third annual Academy Awards fashion show and party last week. The event showcased some of GM's hottest production and concept vehicles - and a...

Zetsche: Chrysler minivans will retain look.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Rick Kranz Chrysler group minivans will receive extensive sheet metal and interior design changes in about two years but will not stray from the minivan look, says Chrysler group CEO Dieter Zetsche. "We do not intend to create...

Late News.(automotive briefs)
March 1, 2004... New rules for paint shops WASHINGTON - Under federal rules issued last week, automakers and suppliers must cut air pollution from paint shops and other coating operations. The EPA says the rules will cut toxic emissions from automotive...

Ford closes Edison, N.J., plant.(automotive briefs)
March 1, 2004... Byline: - Debi Domby * Ford Motor Co. closed its Edison, N.J., plant on Friday, Feb. 27. The plant, which began operation in 1949, produced 6,853,228 vehicles during its lifespan. It built 813,648 Lincoln and Mercury cars (1949-59);...

GM tries to catch a wave in Calif. Company is still dogged by falling market share there.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Kathy Jackson General Motors says it is finally picking up momentum in California, where more new cars are sold than in any other state and where automotive trends often start. But GM's market share in the Golden State is...

GM Jan. sales sizzle in Mexico.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Dale Jewett General Motors, the perennial sales leader in Mexico, started the new year with a 4,000-unit lead over its nearest competitor. GM's car and truck sales in Mexico totaled 21,534 units in January, up 13.3 percent from...

Where hip-hops go to shop.(News)(Power Motor Car Co., luxury car dealership)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein All Steve McCloskey has to do is look around his showroom on New York's Long Island to understand the value of bling. "About 65 percent of our business comes from hip-hop artists,'' said McCloskey, who sells luxury...

Nissan's Tom Semple has a platter of design projects.(News)(Interview)
March 1, 2004... Nissan Motor Co. is pumping out new products faster than ever. That puts pressure on Tom Semple, president of Nissan Design America, and his team of 70 designers in San Diego and 25 in suburban Detroit. Semple, 59, became Nissan's top...

American Honda makes change at the top.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Yuzo Yamaguchi Honda Motor Co. has named a new head of its crucial U.S. sales arm. Koichi Kondo will replace Koichi Amemiya as CEO of American Honda Motor Co. Inc. on April 1. Amemiya has held the post since 1989. Kondo,...

Stretching the M class.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Mercedes-Benz plans to offer a long-wheelbase version of its next-generation M class, due in 2005. The 204-inch version of the luxury SUV will have three rows of seats and unique sheet metal to distinguish it from the short-wheelbase M class....

Missing cArs.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Issue: Colorado dealership group claims fraud and beach of contract after Spanish import-badged cars promised by a distributor did not arrive. Where it stands: Group files lawsuit in Denver.

Recalled GM wipers have just 1 problem: Water.(News)(General Motors Corp.)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Harry Stoffer - General Motors is recalling about 636,000 mid-sized SUVs built in the 2002 and 2003 model years to repair windshield wiper systems that are susceptible to water damage. The company advised dealers that customers...

Fuji pushes Subaru to go upscale; New wagon, higher prices are part of strategy.(Marketing)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jean Halliday Subaru, once advertised as "inexpensive and built to stay that way,'' has considered drastic changes, including fattening its vehicles' prices substantially and even jettisoning its brand name, in an effort to move...

Big 3's business troubles bit supplier earnings in 2003.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Julie Armstrong The Big 3's production cuts and declining market share last year hurt the bottom line of some of North America's biggest automotive suppliers. Visteon Corp.'s earnings plummeted $1.21 billion in 2003. The...

Automakers find hip-hop brings bling to bottom line; Marketers court young, edgy crowd.
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein Word up, automotive decision-makers. There's more bling bling on your bottom line. Hip-hop has become music to the auto industry's ears. Mercedes-Benz partners with rapper Jay-Z. General Motors offers the title...

Chrysler's low-rebate strategy shows promise; Redesigned Dodge Durango helps boost sales.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Mary Connelly The Chrysler group's first experiment with its new low-rebate pricing strategy has shown some legs, thanks to strong sales of the 2004 Dodge Durango. But how long can those legs keep running? The company is...

Faurecia cuts Tier 2 suppliers.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Sylviane de Saint-Seine, Edmund Chew French auto parts supplier Faurecia is slashing the number of Tier 2 suppliers it uses in an effort to improve efficiency and quality. At the beginning of 2003, Faurecia had 2,800 suppliers....

Delphi will add China capacity.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... SHANGHAI - Delphi Corp. will invest $40.5 million to enlarge a parts plant near Shanghai to supply China, Reuters reported last week. Delphi of Troy, Mich., is the world's largest parts supplier. Delphi has invested just under $500...

BMW, Honda and Toyota earn suppliers' praise; Suppliers' Choice Awards honor those that foster innovation.(News)
March 1, 2004... Honda, Toyota and BMW are the best North American automakers at fostering innovation among their suppliers, a new study says. Those companies surpassed their North American competitors in five areas measured by the 2004 Automotive News PACE...

]]]]Online this week.(News)(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... Today, March 1: Find Marty Bernstein's take on how automakers spent their marketing dollars for the Academy Awards. March 2: U.S. car and light-truck sales for February will be released. Visit autonewsdatacenter.com on Friday, March 5, for...

Hip-Hop nation.(automotive brands mentioned in songs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... These 5 automotive brands were mentioned most often in top-20 songs listed on Billboard magazine's music charts last year. Mercedes-Benz Song mentions: 112 Artists and songs: 50 Cent, "In Da Club''; Fabolous, "Into You'' ...

GM plans Pontiac sport wagon; Vehicle will be sibling of compact Chevrolet Equinox.(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Dave Guilford Pontiac will add a small sport wagon for the 2006 model year, built on the same platform as the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox. Supplier sources said General Motors will build the Pontiac at the CAMI Automotive plant in...

Toyotas sold in U.S. may get Chinese engine.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Alysha Webb, James B. Treece Toyota Camrys and RAV4s sold in America may get an engine made in China. Toyota Motor Corp. and China's Guangzhou Automobile Group last week broke ground on an engine plant that will produce...

Dealerships: Warranty accounts drained; More fallout from National Warranty failure.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris Three Nebraska dealerships that sold service contracts backed by the failed National Warranty Insurance Co. allege that tens of thousands of dollars they set aside to pay claims are missing. The dealerships - Bob...

Staying together.(News)(International Truck and Engine Corp.)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... 3 things International is doing to keep Ford's business 1. Strive to deliver quality engines 2. Continue work on a V-6 diesel in case Ford wants a small diesel engine 3. Invest in emissions technology

Popular online auction has its share of pitfalls.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett Twice in the past four years I have been the high bidder on automobiles sold on eBay Motors. But only one car from those auctions is parked in my garage. I learned an expensive lesson about buying a used car on...

Obituaries.(Obituary)(Obituary)
March 1, 2004... James Byrnes SAG HARBOR, N.Y. - Former auto dealer James Byrnes died Feb. 24. He was 89. He owned Byrnes Nolan Dodge in New York from 1937 to 1974. Paul Condrin ALTOONA, Pa. - Auto dealer Paul Condrin died Jan. 11. He was 81. He...

NADA boss must walk a fine line.(National Automobile Dealers Association)
March 1, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Last week, the new chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association stopped by to say hello. It's obvious that the association has another leader who understands the car business and will do a fine job...

Renault, Nissan form Mexico finance arms.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Sylviane de Saint-Seine Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. have set up two joint financing arms in Mexico to provide loans to customers and dealers. Nissan will own a 51 percent stake in NR Finance Mexico, catering to Renault and...

Nissan 'cube' touts Armada.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jean Halliday Nissan North America Inc. is using outdoor advertising in a new way as it spreads the word about its first full-sized SUV. "Out-of-home advertising doesn't mean a billboard,'' says Jon Cropper, Nissan's senior...

Diesel supplier fights for life at Ford.(News)(Ford Motor Co.)(International Truck and Engine Corp.)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett Ford Motor Co.'s diesel engine supplier is fighting to keep its 22-year relationship with the automaker from going up in smoke. Relations between International Truck and Engine Corp. and Ford are strained for two...

Vision 2010.(News)
March 1, 2004... Toyoda Gosei's global plan for growth * Annual sales of $5 billion * North America generates 20% of sales * 8% profit margin * Zero defects per million parts * Top 3 sales rank for each core product ,

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... 63-year Dodge dealer throws in the towel To the Editor: In what direction is DaimlerChrysler heading? After 63 years as a stand-alone Dodge dealer in metro New York, I have decided to move on. Gone are the days when monthly sales...

Ford to build another China plant; Nanjing may be used to build Mazda, Volvo or Land Rover vehicles.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Alysha Webb Ford Motor Co. plans to build a second car assembly plant in China. The plant will be in Nanjing, a city near Shanghai in eastern China. Chang'an Ford has signed a memorandum of understanding with government...

Dealership loses bid to adjust damage award in nondisclosure suit.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris A Missouri circuit court has upheld an $865,500 jury verdict against an automobile dealership for failing to disclose that a used Ford Explorer which it sold in 1994 had a salvage title. Dealership owner Bob...

Bridgestone recalls Firestones on Excursions.(News)(Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc.)(Firestone (Tire))
March 1, 2004... Byline: Amy Wilson Early warning data generated by new federal reporting requirements triggered Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. to launch another recall of Firestone tires mounted on Ford Motor Co. SUVs. As in the massive Firestone...

Nesbitt leads Opel design.(News)
March 1, 2004... COLOGNE, Germany - Martin Smith has resigned as head of design for General Motors' Opel and Vauxhall vehicles to become executive director of design for Ford of Europe. GM appointed Bryan Nesbitt to replace Smith. Nesbitt, 35, has been...

Suppliers: 5 simple rules for survival.(News)
March 1, 2004... Kathleen Ligocki is CEO of Tower Automotive Inc. This column is taken from her keynote speech at the 2004 Automotive News World Congress in January. Kathleen Ligocki It looks like happy days are here again for the industry. Those of...

Service group will honor members.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BEDFORD, Texas - The Automotive Service Association plans to honor the achievements of its members and industry leaders on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas. The event will be held in conjunction with the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service convention...

Jan. conversion shipments plunge 35%.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: - Gail Kachadourian January was a good month for the U.S. motor home industry, but shipments of conversion vehicles continued to fall. Shipments of motor homes, which totaled 5,300 units, were up 15.2 percent from the same...

New Chrysler, Mercedes honchos face major hurdles.(Opinion)
March 1, 2004... Two key players in DaimlerChrysler's latest executive shuffle will have a profound effect on whether Juergen Schrempp's vision for DaimlerChrysler AG comes true. After three years as COO of the Chrysler group, Wolfgang Bernhard, 43, will...

Mazda seeks 5% to 10% sales boost in Europe.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Mazda Motor Corp. Executive Vice President John Parker spoke with Asia Editor James B. Treece last week. Is the Mazda-Flexa six-seat minivan to be shown in Geneva related to the large SUV that Mazda is developing? What we're showing is...

John Parker.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Title: Executive vice president, Mazda Motor Corp. Age: 56 Education: Bachelor's degree in engineering, College of Technology (Port Elizabeth, South Africa), 1968; bachelor's degree in finance, University of South Africa, 1975 ...

Toyoda Gosei wants to double global sales; Supplier seeks non-Toyota sales in North America.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Julie Armstrong Supplier Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd., a former Toyota Motor Corp. division, plans to nearly double its North American and global sales in three to five years. Toyoda Gosei expects to reach $1 billion in annual sales...

Correction.
March 1, 2004... * An item about Automotive News PACE Award finalist Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector on Page 22 of the Feb. 23 issue was accompanied by an incorrect photo. The correct photo is above. CAPTION(S): see print copy for photo

dealers.(News)(Selinsgrove Ford)(Kent City Ford)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Beginnings * Rick DeSilva of Liberty Subaru in Oradell, N.J., opened Liberty Hyundai in Suffern, N.Y. Liberty Hyundai will move to Mahwah, N.J., when the dealership building is completed. Milestones * Todd Benner of Selinsgrove...

DCX puts Mitsubishi under a microscope.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: James B. Treece There's no telling what DaimlerChrysler executive Andreas Renschler and his team will find as they pore over Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s books. The company has a history of hiding bad news. Renschler, Smart...

Parts imports soar, political heat rises; Trade deficit balloons 37%; U.S. suppliers complain.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Lindsay Chappell The U.S. trade deficit in auto parts worsened to nearly $26 billion last year, pushed by rising component imports from China, Germany and Japan. According to new data from the U.S. Commerce Department, the...

Title Fight.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Issue: A Missouri dealership that didn't disclose that a used Ford Explorer had a salvage title asks the trial court to reconsider the jury's $865,500 damage award against it. Where it stands: Court upholds the award and refuses to grant a...

10th annual Automotive News Pace Awards.(News)
March 1, 2004... Here are the final six profiles of finalists for the 2004 Automotive News PACE Awards What: Automoitve News PACE Awards honoring innovative automotive suppliers Co-sponsored with Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and Transportation Research Center...

Ford showroom goal: Efficient, appealing.(News)(Interview)
March 1, 2004... Ford Motor Co. focused last year on promoting its redesigned F-150 pickup. Now it must shift its marketing focus to cars. It won't be easy; rival automakers are flooding the market with new nameplates, and advertising clutter is worse than...

Earning and learning.(Automotive Youth Educational System certification)
March 1, 2004... Students who earn Automotive Youth Educational System certification and want to stay in the field have 2 choices after high school graduation. 1. Seek entry-level employment in a dealership 2. Continue technical education at an...

Chrysler insists snow is no problem for 300.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jason Stein When the Chrysler group gathered journalists around a cutaway of its new rear-wheel-drive 300C sedan here last week, one question stopped executives cold. "If I buy a base 300'' without the electronic stability...

Personnel.(People)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA INC. - Pete Wendy to relationship marketing manager. He was retailer affairs manager for Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover North Amer- ica. Natalie Bow to advertising and media manager. She was relationship marketing...

Mazda leans on veteran in Japan; Parker, 56, bucks recent trend of young guns.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: James B. Treece Mazda Motor Corp. has had the fastest executive track within Ford Motor Co. in recent years. So keep your eyes on John Parker. Yet when the 56-year-old South African presents Mazda products at the Geneva auto...

* Power soft-top returns.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Production of the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette convertible begins this fall, soon after the Corvette coupe. Chevrolet offers a power soft-top option for the first time since 1962. The top is designed and manufactured by a partnership between General...

UAW stares down American Axle.(News)(United Automobile Workers)(American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc.)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Julie Armstrong, Robert Sherefkin Last week's strike by the UAW at a major auto supplier shows how far the union is willing to go to protect jobs. While the union has made wage concessions to other suppliers, plans by American...

eBay auto unit shows it has clout.
March 1, 2004... Byline: Arlena Sawyers eBay Motors, the online auto auction service that attracts 10 million visitors per month, is catching on quickly with auto dealers. After just three years, the auto operation has become eBay's largest unit,...

DCX looks for parts in China.(News)(DaimlerChrysler AG)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Alysha Webb DaimlerChrysler AG has begun searching for suppliers in China to make low-cost parts for its operations worldwide. A team formed last month is seeking local parts sources for a Mercedes-Benz plant that will begin...

Dura seeks growth beyond Big 3.(News)(Dura Automotive Systems Inc.)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Robert Sherefkin This is the year that tests Larry Denton's durability. The CEO of Dura Automotive Systems Inc. is trying to bolster the auto supplier's product base and customer ranks beyond the Big 3, which are squeezing him...

Youth training plan spreads to small towns.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Ralph Kisiel The Automotive Youth Educational System, a nationwide initiative among dealers, automakers and schools to groom high school students for careers as auto mechanics, plans to expand beyond major metropolitan areas. ...

Ford counts on GT to change image.(Marketing)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jean Halliday The Ford GT won't hit showrooms until summer, but Ford Motor Co. already is getting marketing mileage from the supercar. The 500-hp, street-legal car won't be a moneymaker. Ford plans to produce only 3,500 of the...

There's more on the Web.(News)
March 8, 2004... ** Online this week Tonight, March 8: Be among the first to find out the winners of the 2004 Automotive News PACE Awards. Go to autonews.com/2004pace after 9 p.m. EST. March 9-10: Look for coverage of the SAE World Congress in Detroit....

Car, truck production drops.(Production)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Debi Domby * North American car and truck production fell to 1,360,197 units in February, down 0.3 percent from the year-ago month. Last month's total was the lowest in any February since 1998, when 1,360,157 units were assembled....

Finding flexibility; GM engineers its vehicles so a wide variety can be built in a single assembly plant and can be shifted quickly from one plant to another. But will it keep pace with Honda and Toyota?(Insight)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Dave Guilford General Motors is ready to flex its engineering muscles. For the past several years, GM engineers have focused on creating a suite of vehicle architectures - common sets of components that can be used for various...

Last Olds will roll off the line in June.(News)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Byline: K.C. Crain After 107 years in business, Oldsmobile will build its last car in June. The last Oldsmobile, a 2004 Alero, is scheduled to roll off the line in the first week of June, an industry source says. General Motors had...

Eckrodt's laid-back style didn't fit Mitsubishi.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: James B. Treece Why couldn't German turnaround specialist Rolf Eckrodt perform the kind of miracle at Mitsubishi that Carlos Ghosn has pulled off at Nissan? Some of Eckrodt's critics say his upbeat and informal "Brazilian''...

High tech is fine, but automakers face bigger issues.(Society of Automotive Engineers convention in Detroit)
March 8, 2004... The annual Society of Automotive Engineers convention in Detroit has long been about sharing technical information. At this week's meeting, the SAE hopes to boost attendance with sessions devoted to development of high-performance cars such as...

Lighting innovations reflect glaring issues.(high-intensity discharge headlamps)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Lillie Guyer Global automotive suppliers are eager to bring innovative exterior lighting to their customers. And automakers are just as hungry to find ways to make their products stand out from competitors. But high-intensity...

Big changes in small science await.(Insight)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Harry Stoffer Nanotechnology is in danger of being overwhelmed by hype. One side says nanotechnology is the basis for another industrial revolution. The other warns it will lead to environmental disaster. The reality for...

Minivan seats evolve from fat to fold-flat.(Insight)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Dale Jewett The popularity of minivans has hinged on the versatility of their interiors - plenty of seats to take the family on a trip one day, no seats the next day to haul home half of a hardware store. But the hard truth...

Dealers help fuel Bush money machine; Individuals raise money for Bush at record pace.
March 8, 2004... Byline: Harry Stoffer In the wake of new limits on special-interest donations to political campaigns, auto dealers have emerged as key partners in President Bush's re-election bid. The McCain-Feingold law, which limits political...

GM plans quick bumper fix for new Malibu.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Harry Stoffer General Motors quickly will re-engineer the bumpers on its new Chevrolet Malibu because the car did poorly in insurance industry tests. GM is banking heavily on the Malibu to revive its car lineup and compete in...

Automakers see promise in placing power at wheels.(Insight)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Richard Truett Technology perfected on bicycles more than a century ago - chains, sprockets, bearings, inflatable rubber tires - helped get the auto industry rolling. Now a part used on some of today's high-tech bicycles could...

New disclosures confound legal experts.(Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris A new federal law intended to help car buyers obtain better financing deals is so vague that it may perplex customers and auto dealers rather than educate them, lawyers for dealers say. The Fair and Accurate Credit...

Mitsubishi hustles to revive Galant; Redesigned sedan gets $300 dealer incentive.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Kathy Jackson Mitsubishi's U.S. sales arm is still in a sales rut nearly six months after Finbarr O'Neill bolted from Hyundai Motor America to take over the troubled company. Sales of Mitsubishi's redesigned mid-sized Galant...

Dealers say legislation would cut profits; Illinois proposals seek greater disclosure of loan markups.(Finance)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Donna Harris Illinois dealers say legislation that would compel them to disclose their margins on car loans would unfairly constrict profits. But proponents say the measures before the Illinois legislature would help consumers...

Contract dispute.(Legal File)
March 8, 2004... Issue: Bankrupt dealership sues Ford Motor Co. and Ford Motor Credit Co. after losing franchise. Among other things, store claims Ford refused to approve its chosen buyer. Outcome: Federal appeals court rules that neither carmaker nor its...

Ready to run.(News)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... To increase commercial truck sales, Dodge last week introduced the Sprinter cab chassis at the National Truck Equipment Association Show in Baltimore. The vehicle can be fitted for various commercial uses. Like the Sprinter passenger and cargo...

Japan exports to U.S. tumble.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Yuzo Yamaguchi Japan's new-vehicle exports were off to a slow start in 2004, slipping 2.2 percent to 374,584 in January. Exports were weighed down by reduced demand from the United States and the European Union. Shipments...

Good luck fires up small Alaskan city; Chevrolet dealer sees 4 Hot Button winners in 1 week.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: K.C. Crain Perhaps people in Juneau, Alaska, should buy lots of lottery tickets. In one week, four people walked into Capital Chevrolet in Juneau, pushed the OnStar button and won a new car. The four - Linda Smith, Anna...

TRW is UAW's next big supplier target.(Suppliers)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Crain's Detroit Business TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. is the UAW's next auto supplier target for an agreement that would allow the union to organize plants without opposition. The union has been successful...

Toyota's local market focus; Automaker's push for engineering and design in U.S. becomes model for global plan.(Insight)(Company Profile)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Lindsay Chappell The Toyota Camry Solara is more than a car. It's a template. When the coupe hit the assembly line last summer in Georgetown, Ky., it became the model for what Japan's No. 1 automaker wants to do in the United...