Automotive News articles from November 2005

Automotive News archives from November 2005

Calendar.(Auto Show)(Calendar)
November 7, 2005... Nov. 4-13 - South Florida International Auto Show, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Fla., 305-947-5950, www.sfliautoshow.com Nov. 5-13 - New England International Auto Show, Bayside Expo Center, Boston, 781-237-5533,...

Light-vehicle sales.(Sales)
November 7, 2005... 3 tables: U.S. car and light-truck sales by make - October 2005 * U.S. car and light-truck sales by make - 10 months 2005 * U.S. light-vehicle sales by nameplate, October & 10 months 2005: see print copy

Production.
November 7, 2005... 3 tables: Scheduled plant overtime * Plant closings * North America car and truck production: see print copy.

SEMA summit is all about makeovers.(News)(Specialty Equipment Market Association)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... The annual show of the Specialty Equipment Market Association is an increasingly important hotbed of ideas for automakers. Here are three views of the show: Bill Powell, vice president, industry-dealer affairs, General Motors "We...

Galant gets high-power Ralliart model.(News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Kathy Jackson Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. will add a Galant Ralliart model next spring. It will join the Lancer Ralliart as the only Ralliart models sold in this country. Ralliart is the motor sports arm of Mitsubishi...

The time is right for uniform titling of salvage vehicles.(Brief Article)(Column)
November 7, 2005... Hurricane Katrina blew the lids off a number of festering national problems, especially the fragile nature of critical energy infrastructure and the woeful plight of the underclass. The big storm's damage to a half-million or more cars and...

3 doors, 6 airbags, 4 disc brakes.(News)(Hyundai Accent redesigned)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... The redesigned 2007 Hyundai Accent hatchback, which arrives in May, is expected to cost less than the $12,000 Accent sedan. The hatchback will come standard with six airbags, four-wheel disc brakes and a rear spoiler.

As sales plunge, Ford pushes leases on Fusion, Explorer.(Ford Motor Co. Ford Div)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Mark Rechtin Following a 25.2 percent swoon in October sales, Ford Division plans to push leasing as a way to entice consumers into the showroom. Five years ago, leases accounted for more than 20 percent of Ford retail sales....

Ridgeline takes on look of a street racer.(News)(Charles Baer designes Ridgeline Street Sport for Honda Motor Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Kathy Jackson If Charles Baer has his way, Honda will have a souped-up Ridgeline pickup on U.S. roads soon. Baer, 29, is responsible for the exterior design of the Ridgeline Street Sport concept shown at the Specialty Equipment...

Trolling for tuners.(Honda Motor Company Ltd.' Honda Motor Company Ltd. marketing)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Honda's Sport Concept Civic Si features a low stance, wide fenders and custom leather seats. Honda, eager to re-establish the Civic's reputation in the tuner market, offers performance parts and packages for the redesigned 2006 Civic sedan,...

Delphi suppliers go on chopping block; Miller: Tier 2 business largely unaffected.(Suppliers)(Steve Miller's closes plants )
November 7, 2005... Byline: David Barkholz Delphi Corp. could eliminate up to 30 percent of its 2,200 U.S. parts suppliers as CEO Steve Miller sells and closes plants during Chapter 11 reorganization. But Miller told Automotive News late last month that...

Public dealers trim expenses, fatten profits.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Donna Harris Public auto retailers squeezed more profits from their operations in the third quarter of 2005. They cut expenses and focused on high-margin businesses. Collectively, the six largest public dealership groups...

Faurecia aims to double U.S. sales.(Suppliers)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Sylviane de Saint-Seine Faurecia SA, France's largest supplier, plans to double its U.S. sales in the next three to five years, CEO Pierre Levi said. This will be done through organic growth - winning contracts from carmakers -...

Mazda zooms toward record global profits.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: James B. Treece Mazda Motor Corp.'s first-half profits rose sharply faster than revenues or unit sales. Mazda is on track to post record full-year operating profits and net income. Currency gains from a favorable yen...

Supply Line.(Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. supplies Subaru Impreza, Collins and Aikman Corp. closes facility and Ricardo North America Inc.'s new office in Japan)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Bridgestone will supply '06 Subaru Impreza NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC will supply its Potenza RE92 tires for the 2006 Subaru Impreza. Bridgestone Firestone, of Nashville, Tenn., is a subsidiary of...

Doolan goes hunting - for execs.(Final assembly)(Courland Automotive Practice's executive recruiter )(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Vic Doolan spent more than two decades in the executive suite, first at BMW and then at Volvo. He was president of Volvo Cars of North American, Inc. before retiring last spring. Now he's putting his skills to work to help other companies...

GM teaches dealers selling techniques.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jamie LaReau In an attempt to make value pricing work, General Motors is retraining its dealers and salespeople to stop pushing the deal and start talking product. "We have a robust training plan that talks about the...

Faster in-car network could revive by-wire technologies.(FlexRay's network system)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Automakers are close to adopting a faster in-car data network standard that could revive brake-by-wire and other by-wire technologies. Analysts say BMW AG will introduce the FlexRay high-bandwidth data network on a...

Siegel-Robert follows top customer to China.(plans for manufacturing plant construction)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Alysha Webb Siegel-Robert Automotive Inc.'s first manufacturing plant outside the United States is just a month old, but the plastics supplier already has plans to expand. Siegel-Robert Automotive, of Farmington Hills, Mich.,...

The court of Carlos will hear arguments this week.(CEO Carlos Ghosn to decide upon Nissan Motor Company Ltd.'s business relocation to Tennessee)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Forget moving cars and trucks. This week, Nissan is all about moving vans. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn will hear arguments for and against moving the company's U.S. headquarters from Southern California to Nashville, Tenn., at the company's...

Upholders of cupholders.(trends in automotive accessories)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Americans are spending more time than ever in their vehicles, so it's no wonder they're taking their coffee mugs, water bottles and just about anything else that holds beverages with them. Automakers have responded by providing places to set...

It's a great opportunity for dealers.(Specialty Equipment Market Association's trade show)(Column)
November 7, 2005... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Every year, it becomes more obvious: Anyone who attends the SEMA show in Las Vegas comes away dazzled at the potential for accessories for cars and trucks. SEMA is the Specialty Equipment Market Association, and its...

Toyota pushes comfort with Yaris.(News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Mark Rechtin Toyota Division will replace a rare U.S. dud, the Echo car, with the Yaris in early 2006. Unlike the lumpy Echo, the Yaris is stylish. It's a good bet to add momentum to the relentless Toyota sales machine in the...

Obituaries.(Obituary)(Judson Harper and Yvon Tessier)(Obituary)
November 7, 2005... Judson Harper SHREVEPORT, La. - Judson Harper, former owner of Quality Buick in Houston and Harper Pontiac-Oldsmobile-Buick-GMC in Minden, La., and former co-owner of Rountree Oldsmobile-Cadillac here, died Oct. 22. He was 78. Yvon...

Russian steel maker sets sight on U.S. Southern auto plants.(News)(OAO Severstal Group)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Russian steel giant OAO Severstal Group is moving deeper into the North American automotive steel market to primarily go after Southern auto plants. Severstal is building an $880 million Mississippi steel mill...

Nissan boosts certified program; Division provides title insurance on some used vehicles.(Nissan North America Inc.)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Donna Harris Nissan North America Inc. is providing title insurance on Nissan Division certified used vehicles. The coverage resembles the insurance that protects buyers of real estate against title disputes. Buyers can file...

Tough month, tough questions; October sales disaster has industry facing the firing line.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jack Teahen, Kathy Jackson, Mark Rechtin Five questions about a tough sales month... 1. Why were October sales so bad? Was it payback, or is there more to it? When sales drop 14 percent year to year, there are many...

Pickups plunge; analysts expect rebound.(sales increases)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Mary Connelly One of the last remaining pillars of Big 3 profits - sales of full-sized pickups - is crumbling. In October, U.S. sales of large pickups totaled 134,128 units, down 31.8 percent from the same period last year....

New VW chief wants dealers to step up.(Volkswagen of America Inc.'s Adrian Hallmark)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Adrian Hallmark, former head of Bentley marketing, has been on the job less than a month as executive vice president of Volkswagen of America Inc. We caught up with him at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas last week....

TRW says cutbacks will continue next year.(TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Bradford Wernle TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. already has said it will close nine plants by the end of 2007, and more closings may be on the way. TRW is in the midst of a major cost-cutting effort as it tries to ride out...

Ford's hybrid hero is among the missing.(News)(Mary Ann Wright of Ford Motor Co. resigns)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Richard Truett Any company that wants to prosper has to retain its star managers. So why did Ford lose the engineer who was instrumental in rescuing the Ford Escape Hybrid? When Mary Ann Wright took over that program last...

Minority dealers join Ford dispute.(News)(Ford Motor Co.'s dealer development program)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Arlena Sawyers If Ford Motor Co. awards you a dealership under its dealer development program, does that make you a dealer? Ford says no. But the association of minority Ford dealers says yes. And it's joining a legal battle to...

Dealers.(People)
November 7, 2005... Beginnings * Mark Jacobson opened Mark Jacobson Toyota in Durham, N.C. Transitions * Joe Clemons and Pat Clemons of the Clemons Automotive Group in Boone, Iowa, purchased Ottumwa Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Ottumwa, Iowa, from Bob...

Brain drain: Why are so many talented executives leaving Ford?
November 7, 2005... Byline: Amy Wilson A string of surprise exits in recent months have depleted the management ranks at Ford Motor Co. Ford no doubt still boasts many strong executives. And top executives say they're satisfied with the strength of the...

Chevrolet seeks to build brand in Germany.(General Motors Corp. Chevrolet Motor Div.)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Harald Hamprecht Chevrolet wants to bolster its brand recognition in Europe's largest market. "Consumer awareness of Chevrolet stands at 72 percent in Germany,'' said Jorg Wahl, who took over Chevrolet Germany's marketing...

Mays: Next S-Type returns Jaguar's 'daring design'.(Ford Motor Co.'s new automobile )
November 7, 2005... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink Jaguar wants the world to believe that the 2007 XK expresses the brand's new design philosophy. But those who have seen the next S-Type say it's the model that will return the brand to its former glory. ...

British car biz hums under foreign owners; Now high quality complements the classic styling.(automobile imports from Britain to increase)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Richard Truett Early this year, I spent a week touring car factories in England. For those of us who are fans of British cars, these are interesting days. According to Britain's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, auto...

Post-sale sticker shock brings a grim October.(General Motors Corp. GM North America and Ford Motor Co.'s automobile sales)
November 7, 2005... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. It's the oldest story in the book: Ya can't sell 'em if ya give 'em away. To their sorrow, General Motors and Ford Motor Co. realized how true that is as they wept over their October sales. For the month,...

Henkel seeks automotive acquisitions.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Bradford Wernle Henkel KGaA, a German conglomerate in the automotive adhesives and sealants business, is on the prowl for acquisitions to expand its North American automotive business. Last month the company opened an $8...

Roof edict could be called 'Wrangler rule'.(DaimlerChrysler AG's Wrangler may not meet roof-crush resistance standards of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Harry Stoffer The federal government wants to expand the reach of its roof-crush rules aimed at protecting passengers in rollover crashes. But the move would cover just one additional model: the Jeep Wrangler. DaimlerChrysler...

Denso posts strong earnings.(Suppliers)
November 7, 2005... Byline: James B. Treece Japan, Asia and Australia propelled Denso Corp.'s strong earnings in the six months ended Sept. 30. In North America and Europe, where financially troubled suppliers Delphi Corp. and Visteon Corp. have most of...

Reynolds' write-off swells; Added expense comes as CEO shakes up team.(News)(Finbarr O'Neill)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Reynolds and Reynolds Co. now says it will cost $94 million to pull the plug on its next-generation software system for automotive dealerships. The price for the pullout rose another $27 million according to a...

Import brands poised to overtake GM; Foreign makers may snatch production crown in North America.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Philip Nussel Benchmarks are a dime a dozen in the auto industry, but here's one that's especially tough on Detroit. For the first time, import-brand automakers this year will produce as many or more vehicles in North America...

Ghosn adviser has Southern roots.(Final assembly)(Carlos Ghosn)(James Morton)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Carlos Ghosn's key adviser in the California-Nashville issue is no stranger to Southern politics and business. James Morton, Nissan North America's senior vice president of administration, finance and government affairs, is leading the team...

Bill Ford picks brother-in-law as key aide.(News)(Steve Hamp)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Bradford Wernle With Ford Motor Co. facing difficult times, CEO Bill Ford has turned to a trusted family member to become his chief of staff. On Friday, Nov. 4, the company named Steve Hamp, Ford's brother-in-law, to that post....

German supplier adds Ford business in N. America.(News)(Mann+Hummel Group )(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Supplier Mann+Hummel Group of Ludwigsburg, Germany, has improved its position in North America. The company will manufacture air filter systems and intake manifolds for engines used in three Ford Motor Co. vehicles: the Ford Fusion,...

In-car USB port sounds sweet to Visteon.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Tony Lewin Visteon Corp. is racing to help automakers fit their models with USB ports. If the supplier can act fast enough, it expects to win big. "It's a major but short-term opportunity,'' Hans Eric Destree, Visteon...

Nanjing, SAIC at impasse on China Rovers.(News)(Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp.)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Alysha Webb Nanjing Automobile Group and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. are discussing a way to cooperate in building MG Rover models in China, sources close to the companies say. But the talks are bogged down. Nanjing...

Software improves screen depiction of cars.(News)
November 7, 2005... Volkswagen AG is one of the first automakers to try ray tracing, a new software that claims to show the most realistic images of cars on computer screens. Computer-animated representations of cars and their components are a matter of...

VW adopts common-rail fuel injection.(News)(Volkswagen AG)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Jens Meiners The Volkswagen group will switch to common-rail diesel technology when it launches a new generation of three- and four-cylinder diesel engines starting in 2007. VW is dropping its Pumpe-Duese, or pump nozzle, fuel...

Mitsubishi delays engines.(News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Kathy Jackson It will be 2009 before Mitsubishi Motors Corp. can take full advantage of the alliance it formed with DaimlerChrysler AG and Hyundai Motor Co. to build a new generation of four-cylinder engines. Rich Gilligan, CEO...

Radical roadster.(introduced by Caresto )(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Swedish custom coachbuilder Caresto created this one-off roadster using Volvo mechanicals. The T6 Roadster has a Volvo 2.9-liter inline-six twin turbo engine that cranks out 330 hp. The body is made from hand-crafted aluminum, with a removable...

Ford unveils mobile office option for road warriors.(Ford Motor Co. contracts with Microsoft Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Mark Rechtin Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft Corp. believe they have found the solution for America's on-the-road workers. The "Ford Mobile Office,'' a rugged portable computer, will be sold as an accessory for the F-series pickup...

Toyota operating profits falter as spending rises.(News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: James B. Treece Toyota Motor Corp. spent its way to lower operating profits in the quarter ended Sept. 30. Most of the added spending was in Japan. Launching the Lexus brand in Japan, adding factory capacity at home and abroad,...

Distressed suppliers catch Indian firms' attention.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Asian auto suppliers, especially Indian companies, are looking at the bevy of U.S. auto supplier assets for sale as a way to enter North America. Investment bankers say it's just a matter of time before one of...

Running on empty.(Final assembly)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Is the Toyota-General Motors deal for joint research on fuel-cell vehicles running out of juice? The deal expires in March, and neither side has said much about a renewal. GM CEO Rick Wagoner visited new Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe...

Personnel.(People)
November 7, 2005... AUTOTRADER.COM - Alan Smith to the new position of vice president, customer service from regional vice president - west. Craig Hunt takes Smith's former position. He had been regional director in the south region. Roger Hilterbrandt...

GM steps up its hybrid plans in China.(News)(General Motors)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Alysha Webb General Motors is increasing its efforts to build hybrid vehicles in China, and GM's Allison Transmission division and its suppliers will benefit. GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. agreed last week to...

Letters To The Editor.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2005... Unions were quiet; workers were hurt To the Editor: The writing has been on the wall for a long time about the realities of the global economy bringing with it lower-priced goods from cheap-labor countries. How long has it been...

GM downplays strike-strategy report.(Final assembly)
November 7, 2005... A Detroit newspaper is "a bit ahead of the curve'' in reporting that General Motors is increasing production to protect itself against a possible strike by Delphi Corp.'s UAW workers, a GM spokesman says. The Detroit News reported Friday,...

At GMAC, leasing, SmartBuy, subprime programs on the rise.(News)(William Muir )(General Motors Acceptance Corp.)(Interview)
November 7, 2005... General Motors is looking at selling a controlling interest in its captive finance company, General Motors Acceptance Corp. But GMAC President William Muir insists that the automaker will make no deal that would weaken the financial support the...

Kia begins work on China plant.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Norman Thorpe Kia Motors Corp. said its Chinese joint venture, Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co., broke ground last week on a second auto assembly plant in China. The $800 million plant will be near the joint venture's...

MazdaSpeed6 sedan pushes performance.(introduced by Mazda Motor of America Inc.)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Mark Rechtin The 2006 MazdaSpeed6 is Mazda's attempt to create a sedan as dynamic as the BMW 3 series for a few thousand dollars less. The basics: Rather than create 274 hp through engine displacement, Mazda instead used a...

Auto News Briefly.(Briefs)
November 7, 2005... First wow the press, then pay the bills During media days at the Tokyo Motor Show last month, Mazda put its Senku concept on center stage. The sleek possible successor to the RX-8 sports car drew raves. But when the show opened to the...

Ford's design chief: Lincoln is back on track.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Amy Wilson Nearly two years after taking over Ford Motor Co.'s North American design group, Peter Horbury says he has made enough progress on Lincoln to take it off the top of his priority list. The 2006 Zephyr mid-sized car is...

DCX opens China finance arm.(News)(DaimlerChrysler Financial Auto Finance (China) Ltd.)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Alysha Webb DaimlerChrysler AG launched its auto financing arm in China last week, becoming the fifth foreign automaker to be allowed to make retail loans and do dealer financing here. DaimlerChrysler Financial Auto Finance...

N.Y. dealers' $27 million center opens.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Gail Kachadourian Auto dealers in metropolitan New York have opened a $27 million center that will train dealership employees and educate young people about automotive careers. The 90,000-square-foot building in Queens opened...

Court: Used-car store is liable in sale of stolen car.(Legal File)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Eric Freedman A Philadelphia used-car dealership and a third-party lender must pay damages to a customer who bought a stolen car, a Pennsylvania Superior Court panel ruled. The court upheld a jury verdict that found Bavarian...

3 shows hit the big time (every third year).(Final assembly)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Three more U.S. auto shows are getting the stamp of approval from the worldwide organization of manufacturers - but they'll have to share the honor on a rotating basis. The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, known...

Saturn, Nissan marketers to join panel.(News)
November 7, 2005... Rapid change in the auto market and its effects on automakers, dealers and consumers will be discussed in a marketing panel at the 2006 Automotive News World Congress. The Jan. 18 forum will include Jill Lajdziak, marketing general manager...

ADESA's quarterly operating profit takes slight tumble.(News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Brisk new-vehicle sales, bad weather and rising gasoline prices afflicted business at ADESA Inc. in the third quarter of 2005. The auction company reported an operating profit of $55.9 million in the three months...

Ragtops escape roof-crush rules; NHTSA: Convertibles can't share standards with fixed-roof vehicles.(News)(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Rick Kranz, Harry Stoffer Federal regulators want stronger vehicle roofs to protect people in rollover crashes, but they have no plan to protect occupants of convertibles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says...

Dodge seeks families, couples with Nitro SUV.(DaimlerChrysler AG. Dodge Div.)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Mary Connelly Dodge sees young families and young couples as the primary audience for its first mid-sized SUV, the 2007 Nitro. The Nitro, based on the Jeep Liberty platform, arrives in the third quarter of 2006. It will follow...

Ford combats raids on top designers.(News)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Amy Wilson Competing automakers have revved up their pursuit of Ford Motor Co.'s design talent in recent months. Ford has lost some designers to the raids. But it was able to promote other people in order to convince them to...

Japan increases shipments to U.S. Overall exports fall, as does production in 3rd quarter.(Production)
November 7, 2005... Byline: James B. Treece Japanese vehicle exports fell slightly in the third quarter, continuing a long-term trend. Output at home is shifting to factories overseas. But shipments to the United States in the quarter continued their...

Survey: VW, Jaguar have best certified plans.(News)(Volkswagen )(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Jaguar and Volkswagen have the top certified used-vehicle programs, a new ranking concludes. For the second straight year, IntelliChoice named the VW brand's certified program the best among nonluxury automakers....

GM throws cash at 2005s.(Incentives)(General Motors )(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr. For November, General Motors hauled out its favorite marketing maneuver: If the metal isn't moving, throw money at it. Most of the new money sits on the hoods of 2005 trucks, most of which had no rebates in...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
November 7, 2005... A car cutaway on Page 16D in some editions of the Oct. 17 issue misspelled the name of the exhaust manifold supplier on the 2006 Jeep Commander. Wescast Industries Inc. supplies the part.

GMAC: Sale can't sever dealer ties.(News)(General Motors Acceptance Corp.)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Gail Kachadourian General Motors will sell a majority stake in its captive finance operation only if it finds a buyer that will preserve its support of GM dealers and retail customers, a top GMAC executive vows. If GM sells a...

Group 1, Asbury simplify operations.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Donna Harris Group 1 Automotive Inc. is dumping the decentralized operating model it has used since it went public in 1997. By Jan. 1, Group 1 plans to revise its field operations. It will replace its 13 platforms, or local...

Mr. Goodwrench makes room for NASCAR in ads.(News)
November 7, 2005... Byline: Greg Bowens A new advertising campaign for General Motors Service & Parts Operations plays down the Mr. Goodwrench character in favor of elephants, hockey players and, soon, NASCAR. "We will have a NASCAR spot in the new...

Personnel.(People)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... YAZAKI NORTH AMERICA INC. - Bob Crumley to executive vice president of product planning, purchasing and logistics. He was CEO of SY Systems Technology America. Bryan Jinnett to vice president of quality and New Yazaki System. He also will...

Zap zings DCX with Smart suit.(Final assembly)(DaimlerChrysler,)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2005... Zap, a California company that wants to sell Smart cars in the United States but has been shunned by DaimlerChrysler, sued the automaker last week and wants $500 million in damages. Zap says in its lawsuit, filed in state court in Los...

Late News.
November 7, 2005... Insurance Institute: Side airbags help crash ratings WASHINGTON- In its first side-impact crash tests of minivans, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety gave "good'' ratings to three models with standard airbags. They are the 2006...