Automotive News articles from March 2007

Automotive News archives from March 2007

Help me, Rondo: Kia hopes for crossover hit.(News)(Kia Motors Corp. introduces The Rondo)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Kathy Jackson Kia hopes to capture some restless minivan customers with its new Rondo crossover. The Korean company is betting that the Rondo's spacious interior and sporty outside will attract customers who want minivan...

Hyundai seeks new ad agency.(News)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Mary Connelly Hyundai Motor America expects to select a new advertising agency next month, the company's new marketing chief says. The Richards Group, a Dallas agency that held the Hyundai account for five years, is not taking...

For Lutz, it's all in the wrist.(Final assembly)(GM vice chairman Bob Lutz on watch designs)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Here's Bob Lutz, warming to one of his favorite topics, describing how product design "can convey a feeling of very spare, understated luxury without a lot of details.'' But in this case, General Motors' vice chairman isn't extolling the...

Ikeda is appointed CEO of Subaru of America.(News)(Tomohiko Ikeda)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Subaru of America will have a new CEO effective April 1. Tomohiko Ikeda will replace Kunio Ishigami, who has held the top U.S. post since June 2004. Subaru said Ishigami will retire. He has been with parent company...

Ex-Ford hybrid leader turns up at JCI.(News)(Mary Ann Wright at Johnson Controls Inc.)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Richard Truett Fresh off winning a General Motors contract to develop lithium ion batteries for gasoline-electric hybrids, Johnson Controls Inc. is boosting its executive ranks by adding a seasoned American hybrid engineer. ...

Delphi bleeds more cash in January.(Suppliers)
March 5, 2007... Byline: David Barkholz Delphi Corp.'s losses widened in January as Detroit 3 production cuts continued to plague the bankrupt parts supplier. Delphi reported a net loss of $186 million in January, compared with a net loss of $121...

A carbon tax on gasoline? It's worth a look.(Opinion)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... As a rule, using taxation to alter consumer behavior is bad policy that smacks of social engineering. But given the concerns about CO2 contributing to climate change and the need for the nation to reduce its dependence on imported oil, this is...

GM pickups fetch good prices, seek market share.(News)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Jamie LaReau The new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are commanding strong prices at dealerships, but it's too soon to tell whether they'll gain market share. In January, the average purchaser spent $31,799 for a 2007...

It's a darn good idea for NASCAR.(Column)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)(Column)
March 5, 2007... Byline: KEITH CRAIN During one of the fuel crises of the 1970s, there were all sorts of suggestions for ways that motorsports could help conserve fuel. They ranged from ideas about race cars to ones about the cars driven by race fans. ...

Booming Lexus ponders new niches; 2 crossovers, hybrid could join lineup.
March 5, 2007... Byline: Mark Rechtin High-flying Lexus is studying a plan to slot new vehicles in several key niches, which would fortify an already fast-growing lineup. America's best-selling luxury brand is conducting market research on: * A...

Late News.
March 5, 2007... DCX unions oppose GM link DaimlerChrysler's employee representatives in Germany would oppose taking a minority interest in General Motors in exchange for GM buying the Chrysler group, industry sources said. Last month DaimlerChrysler said...

Berlin bans the smoke-belching Trabant.(Final assembly)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... There's an old joke in Germany: How do you double the value of your Trabant? Fill it with gas. The smoke-belching Trabant, long the butt of such jokes and a symbol of Cold War East Germany, is to be banned from the streets of Berlin...

Wrangler with 4 doors has 0 days' supply.(News)(Jeep Wrangler)(Jeep Eagle Corp.)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Bradford Wernle Jeep dealer Chuck Eddy in Austintown, Ohio, was used to waiting until spring for Jeep Wrangler customers to show up. When autumn came, sales of the old two-door Wrangler would pretty much dry up. That's because...

Magna chief prepares for Chrysler rescue; Stronach may play white-knight role.(Suppliers)(Magna International Inc.)(Frank Stronach)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Robert Sherefkin, David Barkholz When the Chrysler group lost its paint-shop supplier on the eve of the new Jeep Wrangler launch last August, Magna International Inc.'s founder and chairman, Frank Stronach, rode to the rescue. ...

Calendar.(trade shows of automobile industry)(Calendar)
March 5, 2007... AUTO SHOWS - 2007 March 2-12 - Melbourne International Motor Show, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia, 61-3-9829-1111, www.motorshow.com.au March 5-11 - Quebec City International Auto Show, Centre de Foires de Quebec,...

Schweitzer's regret: Jettisoning Jeep.(Final assembly)(American Motors Corp.)(Regie Nationale des Usines Renault)(Chrysler Corp.)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... If Louis Schweitzer could have a do-over, he would have hung on to the Jeep brand when Renault bailed out of the United States 20 years ago. In a recent memoir, the Renault chairman and former CEO writes: "It would have been clever to make...

Few unions in sight at Mississippi plant site.(News)(Toyota Motor Corp.)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Toyota Motor Corp. executives said last week that the independent work ethic of 20,000 furniture makers in northern Mississippi had swayed the automaker to invest $1.3 billion there. It didn't hurt that there...

U.S. vital to Subaru's new 4-year plan; Mori: Add dealers; spot trends; link sales, production.(News)(Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Automobile Div.)(Ikuo Mori)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: James B. Treece For Subaru boss Ikuo Mori, success in the United States is critical. Mori, president of Subaru maker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., said the United States is the "highest-priority market'' in his new four-year...

2 key retirements force rebuilding job at Nissan.(News)(Retirement of Jim Morton and Dan Gaudette in Nissan North America Inc.)(Column)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Lindsay Chappell As two senior U.S. executives prepare to exit, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Co., must rebuild his U.S. management team - just as he is launching a turnaround of Renault SA in Paris. Next month two Ghosn...

Toyota's next problem: Not enough engines.(News)(expansion plans of Toyota Motor Corporate Services of North America Inc.)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Toyota Motor Corp. has a simple math problem. It is preparing to build about 2.2 million cars and light trucks a year in North America by 2010. But it only has the capacity to produce 1.45 million engines annually,...

Exec moves Toyota, under the radar.(News)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Lindsay Chappell The man who picked Elvis Presley's rural Mississippi birthplace as the site for a new $1.3 billion Toyota factory is a French Canadian who cuts a striking figure on his Harley-Davidson. But if the auto industry...

Obituaries.(Obituary)(death of Richard Cunningham and Chuck King)(Obituary)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Richard Cunningham SAN DIEGO - Richard Cunningham, owner of Cunningham BMW in El Cajon, Calif., died here Feb 12. He was 59. Chuck King PALM DESERT, Calif . - Chuck King, one of the early leaders of Nissan in the United States,...

AIADA calls off annual conference.(News)(American International Automobile Dealers Association )(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Harry Stoffer Ending a 29-year tradition, import-brand auto dealers will not gather here in the third week of May to lobby members of Congress. The American International Automobile Dealers Association has canceled what would...

Detroit 3 lose bid to dismiss defective-seatback suit.(Legal File)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Eric Freedman Maryland's highest court has unanimously reinstated a proposed class-action lawsuit by state residents who own 1990-99 vehicles made by General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler Corp. The Court of Appeals...

Dealers.(People)(appointments of Kevin Mazzucola, Denise Brennan, Tim Doran)
March 5, 2007... Transitions * The members of Automotive Trade Association Executives, an organization in McLean, Va., that represents the executives of more than 100 state and metropolitan automobile dealer associations in the United States and Canada,...

VW will adopt Audi's modules of development.(News)(Volkswagen AG)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Jason Stein Volkswagen, a pioneer in module sharing, will learn some new tricks from sister brand Audi. By using Audi's modular-architecture strategy, VW will cut development times by a year and expand its portfolio...

FordDirect uses calls to seal sales.(News)(FordDirect.com customer service )
March 5, 2007... Byline: Ralph Kisiel A FordDirect pilot program has found that calling a customer by telephone shortly after that customer requests a vehicle quote while on FordDirect.com increased the close rate on that lead by about 2 percentage points....

From Detroit to 'Bama: No snow, enough ice for hockey.(News)(dialogue with John Kalson of Hyundai Motor Company Ltd.)(Interview)
March 5, 2007... Byline: April Wortham John Kalson doesn't require much sleep. Four or five hours a night will do it, leaving plenty of waking hours to hit the gym, practice music in his basement studio, work on his golf game and cheer on his sons'...

Correction.(Correction notice)
March 5, 2007... * A story on Page 1 of the Feb. 26 issue omitted the first name and title of Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in Frankfurt.

Carmakers go to Tinseltown; Execs want studios to promote cars in motion pictures.(Marketing)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Marc Graser The auto industry long has had a love-love relationship with Hollywood. Now the two are getting even closer. A growing number of major automakers are setting up shop in Los Angeles. They are moving executives there...

Saturn soars; Silverado scores.(Sales)(sales report of the automobile industry)(Market share report)
March 5, 2007... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. February was a pretty good month for the auto industry in the United States. But you'd make a grave mistake to generalize about the month's sales. You have to ask each manufacturer individually. You'll get...

Chrysler stores are a no-sale.(DaimlerChrysler AG. Chrysler Group)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Bradford Wernle Lithia Motors Inc. is one of the nation's largest Chrysler group dealers, with 109 franchises in 40 locations. But Lithia CEO Sidney DeBoer is in no rush to buy more Chrysler stores. That's because...

No joke: It has been a rugged winter.(Final assembly)(automobile dealers)(Editorial)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Edward Lapham This is going to be a tough year. How tough? It's so tough, I saw a new-car dealer with an empty used-car lot. Buh-dump-bump! With apologies to Johnny Carson, there was plenty of anecdotal evidence at...

Supply line.(Briefs)
March 5, 2007... Robert Bosch concludes deal for Aussie firm STUTTGART - German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH said it has completed the purchase of a 51 percent stake in Australian brake producer Pacifica Group Ltd. for $236 million, Reuters reported....

Personnel.(People)(briefs)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... ADAM SYSTEMS - Bruce Weaver to CEO, from semiretirement, and Mike Riley to COO, from general manager. ADAM Systems, of Daphne, Ala., provides enterprise application software for automobile, recreational vehicle and motorcycle dealers. ...

Automakers pay attention to consumer online chatter.(Marketing)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Jean Halliday Ford Motor Co. wants unvarnished consumer comment. So it is monitoring Internet chatter about its brands. That intelligence eventually may influence Ford's products, its strategies for vehicle launches and public...

Japan brands again sweep Consumer Reports rankings.(News)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Jim Henry For the second straight year, Japanese brands swept Consumer Reports' list of best vehicles for 2007. Toyota Division and Honda Division accounted for seven of the magazine's 10 "top picks.'' New winners included the...

Animal rights group to dealer: Call off the dogs.(Final assembly)(DaimlerChrysler AG. Chrysler Group)(Alaska Dodge Dealers Association)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... An animal rights group is nipping at the heels of Rod Udd, a Chrysler and Dodge dealer in Anchorage, Alaska. But Udd says he'll continue to spend $300,000 a year to sponsor the Iditarod dog sled race, as he has done since 2003. Last week,...

Auto News digest.(Briefs)
March 5, 2007... American Suzuki names sales chief LOS ANGELES - Gary Akin was named vice president of sales for American Suzuki Motor Corp. He replaces Tom Carney, who resigned Oct. 31. Akin, 49, will oversee Suzuki's entire sales operation. He joins...

Bush fuel economy plan has rough debut in Congress.(News)(George W.Bush )(fuel standards for automobiles)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Harry Stoffer The Bush administration estimates that its plan to improve fuel economy would raise the price of the average General Motors car $1,800 by 2017. In contrast, the price of the average Honda would increase less than...

Tower buys some more time to reorganize.(Suppliers)(Tower Automotive Inc.)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Tower Automotive Inc.'s exclusive right to file a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization has been extended to March 21. This is the ninth extension that Tower has obtained in its bid to form such a reorganization...

Seat belt makers win, lose suits.(News)
March 5, 2007... Byline: David Barkholz The seat belt industry lost one and won one last month in product liability cases in Texas. In a lawsuit stemming from a fatal 2004 rollover accident, Honeywell International Inc. was ordered to pay $24 million...

Japanese brands surge in Mexico.(Sales)(Market share report)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Charles Child Strong demand for light trucks bumped up sales in Mexico 1.1 percent in January vs. January 2006. Japanese automakers enjoyed a good month in Mexico. No. 2 seller Nissan Motor Co. posted a 4.0 percent gain, moving...

LR2 leaves Freelander in the dust; Land Rover's new crossover replaces poor-selling SUV.(News)(sport utility vehicles)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Mark Rechtin While Europeans enjoyed the novelty of the original Land Rover Freelander, Americans deemed it small, crude and expensive. It did so poorly in the United States that Land Rover killed the Freelander in 2005, two...

Dealers make gain on independent body shops.(Service & Parts)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Donna Harris Franchised auto dealerships operate less than one of every five collision repair shops in the United States. But those shops generate about a third of all body shop revenue, a new study suggests. Small independent...

Letters to the Editor.(Letter to the editor)
March 5, 2007... Add dealers; don't cut the ranks To the Editor: I can't help but feel as though I have missed something or that the press is failing to fill us in on all the facts regarding the repetitious news advising the Detroit 3 to reduce their...

Automakers, advertisers turn to making deals; Video-on-demand, digital marketing win favor.
March 5, 2007... Byline: Jon Lafayette In an episode of the new FX TV series "Dirt,'' a tabloid editor played by Courteney Cox leaves a Hollywood party. She challenges another character: "Keep up with me if you can.'' The valet delivers her car - a black...

Dealers use tech tools to push service, parts sales.(Service & Parts)(U.S. Autogroup uses Quark3 Inc.'s customer management tools)(Column)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Grant W. Repsher Dealership service and parts departments, with the help of automakers, are bringing to customer relations the kind of high-tech tools they long have applied to vehicle diagnostics. Such systems enable customers...

Maguire: Female dealers are 'in the game'.(News)(dialogue with Marcy Hnath Maguire of Maguire Automotive Group)(Interview)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Donna Harris Marcy Hnath Maguire, co-CEO of Maguire Automotive Group in East Windsor, N.J., is one of the nation's most prominent female dealers. Maguire, a director of the National Automobile Dealers Association, helped NADA...

Mulally gets a raise in stock.(Final assembly)(Ford Motor Co. increases benefits for Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Six months into his stint as Ford CEO, Alan Mulally is getting a raise. Ford's compensation committee voted last week to increase the value of Mulally's stock option grants to $6 million, up $1 million from when he came on board. ...

Bush's 34 mpg will be mighty tough; That's 4% a year; Lutz says that means big bucks.(Robert A. Lutz)(Editorial)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Rick Kranz General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says Pontiac's future product plans were pretty much locked in place. The brand was going to abandon most of its front-drive vehicles during the next several years. The emphasis...

Which client is in driver's seat? Look to parking lot; Ad agency execs drive products they push.(News)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Jean Halliday When the Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners advertising agency competed for the Mini USA account in 2005, its executives visited Mini dealerships. They talked with Mini owners and enthusiast clubs. A few staffers already...

GM vendor deal raises AutoSoft's profile.(Suppliers)(General Motors Corp.)(AutoSoft Inc.)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Charlie Prophet, COO of AutoSoft International Inc., is enjoying all the attention that comes with an endorsement by the world's largest automaker. In January, General Motors named AutoSoft one of only four vendors...

Lithia buys 6 Iowa dealerships.(News)(Lithia Motors Inc.)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Lithia Motors Inc. bought six franchised auto dealerships in Iowa last month. The price was not disclosed, but Lithia says the dealerships - in Ames, Johnston and Des Moines - have combined annual revenue of $100 million. Lithia, of...

Diesel spat snarls Ford Super Duty launch; Engine supply for hot pickup remains in doubt.(Ford Motor Co.)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Richard Truett A festering dispute between Ford Motor Co. and International Truck and Engine Corp. is threatening to stall the launch of Ford's most profitable vehicle, the Super Duty pickup. Late last week, a Michigan judge...

Alliston does its Civic duty.(Production)(production halts in automobile industry)(Brief article)(Column)
March 5, 2007... Byline: Debi Domby Honda of Canada Manufacturing's Alliston, Ontario, Line 2 was down the week ending Feb. 24. Production stopped to allow modifications for adding the Honda Civic to the line in April. The plant has built only trucks - the...

AutoNation chief: Detroit 3 making strides.(News)(dialouge of Mike Jackson)(Interview)
March 5, 2007... Byline: David Sedgwick, David Kushma, Lindsay Chappell As CEO of AutoNation Inc., Mike Jackson runs the nation's largest group of auto dealerships. The public group's 257 dealerships are in 17 states, with a big presence in the key Sun Belt...

Ford's next small car will be a world traveler.(Final assembly)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... The Ford brand's next-generation B-car will be the same around the world, Ford's global product chief says. And the car is coming to the United States, filling Ford's long-empty subcompact category. There will be slight differences in...

It wouldn't work.(Opinion)(General Motors Corp. acquires DaimlerChrysler AG. Chrysler Group)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... The notion that General Motors might hook up with the Chrysler group is intriguing, but there are a number of reasons why such a relationship might not work. Together, GM and Chrysler would have too much product overlap, too many legacy...

GM is in talks to make Chevrolets in Uzbekistan.(General Motors Corp. negotiating with UzDaewoo Auto)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Jason Stein General Motors wants to build cars in central Asia as part of its effort to expand capacity in emerging markets. GM executives are in negotiations with UzDaewoo Auto to produce Chevrolets at a plant in Andijan, a...

Onstar may bleed subscribers; Cellular providers drop analog for digital; Lexus and Mercedes are also at risk.(General Motors Corp.dropping its 10 percent of OnStar Corp. subscribers)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Ralph Kisiel, Tim Moran General Motors must dump 10 percent of its OnStar subscribers - about 500,000 users - because OnStar must cut off service to vehicles equipped with outdated analog telematics equipment. Next year,...

GM is near key decision on CTS family for Cadillac.(General Motors Corp.)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Guilford Over the next three months or so, General Motors executives will decide whether to produce a new Cadillac CTS wagon and coupe, the next step in Cadillac's rebirth as a global brand. Hoping to build on the...

GM exec: Saab near profit.(General Motors Corp.'s Carl-Peter Forster forecasts sales of Saab automobile)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Guilford General Motors' struggling Saab brand will be profitable "toward the end of the decade,'' GM's top European executive said last week. Carl-Peter Forster, president of GM Europe, said that by cutting expenses, GM...

Watanabe: Quality is key for Toyota.(Katsuaki Watanabe, Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Guilford As Toyota expands, it must try harder to keep its emphasis on quality strong, President Katsuaki Watanabe says. Watanabe said Toyota will follow its expansion with a major effort to train employees in the Toyota...

Harlem GM store loses black operator.(Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Barely a year after a Chevrolet and Saturn dealership opened in New York City's Harlem neighborhood, its black dealer-operator has left and General Motors is running the store. When Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem...

For dealers, this Bird Dog will hunt; Dealer rolls out customer-referral sales software.(Gary Linam )
March 12, 2007... Byline: Arlena Sawyers In 1999, Alabama used-car dealer Gary Linam created a program to reward customers who brought him other buyers. He called it the Bird Dog Club. Today the club has nearly 10,000 members. Their referrals have...

Panel: Dealers are slow to use electronic contracts.(Finance & insurance)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Donna Harris Electronic contracting has not gained wide acceptance among auto dealerships, even though it could cut the time that dealers must wait to get paid for vehicle sales. That's what top auto finance executives said...

Wachovia reaches out to dealers after merger.(with WFS Financial Corp.)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Donna Harris Wachovia Corp., a major vehicle lender, has renamed its auto dealer services division to reflect its merger last year with WFS Financial. The name change, to Wachovia Dealer Services, is among several changes that...

Toyota Hybrid X.(hybrid vehicles)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Vehicle type: Four-door, four-seat, open-space vehicle concept Engine: Hybrid Synergy Drive Who designed it: Toyota European Design Centre What's cool: Except for a pair of U-shaped pillars that extend across the roof, glass...

Mazda2 sales in U.S.? Depends on capacity.(Mazda Motor Corp.)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Amy Wilson CEO Hisakazu Imaki says Mazda Motor Corp. must resolve Mazda2 production constraints before deciding whether to introduce the new subcompact in the United States. "We will probably be short of capacity,'' Imaki told...

Bentley rolls out Arnage-based coupe.(Bentley Brooklands )(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Amy Wilson The Bentley Brooklands coupe will be priced around $330,000 when it goes on sale in the United States next year. Bentley plans to add the limited-edition coupe, based on the Arnage sedan, during the first half of...

Volvo's CEO predicts record sales in 2007.(Volvo Cars of North America Inc.'s Fredrik Arp)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Rick Kranz Volvo expects its C30 hatchback and redesigned S80 sedan to push the automaker to record global sales this year. Volvo expects to reach 600,000 annual sales by the end of the decade with help from an expanded product...

Demon: Attitude with value.(Dodge Demon)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Rick Kranz The Dodge Demon concept is envisioned as a low-priced, two-passenger dream car with attitude. Said Jae Chung, principal exterior designer of the Demon: "The assignment was to develop an affordable, rear-drive sports...

Rolls-Royce expects small car to double annual output.(Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Rolls-Royce expects to double annual production to 1,600 cars after adding a smaller car to its lineup in 2010. The car's design was approved last month, said Ian Robertson, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, at...

Auto News digest.(Briefs)(Alfa Romeo S.p.A. to enter USA)(Toyota Motor Corp. on purchase of Chrysler Corp.)(General Motors Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner on Delphi Corp. bankruptcy negotiations )(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Wagoner nudges Delphi talks General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner took time in one interview session to prod the parties involved in the tortuous Delphi Corp. bankruptcy negotiations to get the job done. The issues are known, Wagoner said, and...

Maserati Gran Turismo.(News)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Vehicle type: Coupe Seats: 2+2 Base engine: 4.2-liter, 405-hp V-8 On sale: In Europe this summer Base price: About $145,000 What's cool: Elegant styling, leather, roomier than the discontinued coupe. CAPTION(S): ...

CEO: A5 is key for Audi in U.S.(Rupert Stadler)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Audi's new CEO said the handsome A5 coupe unveiled at the auto show here is central to his plan to boost the brand's U.S. image and sales. "The main pillar of our strategy is the perfect product portfolio,''...

Chrysler's new mission: Inner beauty; Amid criticism, interiors get own design unit.(DaimlerChrysler AG. Chrysler Group)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Rick Kranz, Bradford Wernle With an eye on its competitors, the Chrysler group has created a separate studio to make its interiors more attractive. Previously, a single studio designed interiors and exteriors. The move follows...

Mazda Hakaze.(compact cars)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Vehicle type: Compact crossover concept Engine: 2.3-liter direct-injection gasoline Who designed it: Mickael Loyer and Luca Zollino What's cool: "Swan-wing'' doors; part of glass roof is removable for open-air feel Will it be...

Hispanic ad agency's out at Hyundai.(News)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Kathy Jackson Hyundai Motor America continues to make sweeping changes in marketing and advertising. The company has dropped its Hispanic agency, del Rivero Messianu DDB, said Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing since...

Chrysler's lesson: Getting bigger isn't always better.(Column)
March 12, 2007... The "for sale'' sign on the front lawn in Auburn Hills, Mich., may mean the end of the line for the Chrysler group as we know it. General Motors, Magna and no fewer than four private-equity firms are peeking inside the windows. The...

Supplier wins a key ruling against Faurecia.(Faurecia Interior Systems USA Inc. accused by Multimatic Inc.)
March 12, 2007... Byline: April Wortham Faurecia Interior Systems USA Inc. violated a confidentiality agreement with Multimatic Inc. when it gave the Canadian supplier's designs for a crossbeam to Multimatic's competitors, a federal judge has ruled. ...

Allied Holdings files reorganization plan; Proposal's terms give billionaire control of N.A. car hauler market.(will be acquired by Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos.)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Byline: Greg Migliore The troubled bankruptcy of Allied Holdings Inc. is nearing an end. And when North America's largest car hauler emerges from reorganization, Los Angeles billionaire Ron Burkle will emerge the clear winner. His...

Obituaries.(Bob Gartin, Bill Graham and Carl Hysen)(Obituary)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Bob Gartin DUNWOODY, Ga. - Bob Gartin, a longtime employee of Cox Enterprises and former Manheim senior vice president of finance and administration, died here Feb. 22. He was 66. Bill Graham SLIDELL, La. - Bill Graham, a former...