Automotive News articles from September 2006

Automotive News archives from September 2006

Calendar.(Calendar)
September 4, 2006... AUTO SHOWS Sept. 7-12 - Autosalon Nitra, (press day: Sept. 6), Agrocomplex Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia, 421-37-6572-301, www.agrokomplex.sk Sept. 30-Oct. 15 - Paris International Motor Show, (press days: Sept. 28-29), ParisExpo - Porte de...

SEPT. TABLES.(News)
September 4, 2006... THIS ISSUE: PAGE Sales, U.S., Aug. & 8 mos.: 33 Sales, U.S., by nameplate: 34 Production, weekly: 37 SEPTEMBER 11 * Inventories as of Sept. 1 * Sales per dealership * Production, weekly SEPTEMBER 18 *...

Keep the motor running.(advanced system to clean up diesel emissions )(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... An advanced system to clean up diesel emissions may come to market saddled with an outdated bureaucratic penalty. The system, called selective catalytic reduction, uses urea injection to remove oxides of nitrogen from diesel exhaust. But...

On exhibit: What happens after the crash.(report of car accidents)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Stephanie Collings was a 17-year-old Tyler, Texas, high school student on a family trip when a car, driven by a woman strung out on methamphetamine, crossed the center line at 110 mph and slammed into her family's car. Stephanie's mother died,...

Lexus safety gear goes missing in U.S. Japan-market LS 460 gets features that won't play in lawsuit-happy U.S.(sophisticated safety technologies take control of braking and other functions )
September 4, 2006... Byline: James B. Treece The Lexus LS 460 that goes on sale this fall will be able to parallel-park itself without the driver even touching the steering wheel. But while the LS 460 is packed with high-tech features, several of the...

Mitsubishi dealers balk at 90-day pre-orders.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson Prodding dealers to order and sell a steady stream of cars, Mitsubishi is now requiring dealers to place orders 90 days in advance. The goal, says Dan Kuhnert, senior vice president of sales, is to have advance...

Suzuki boosts ad spending; XL7, SX4 will benefit from $60 million buy.(advertising and sales of the company)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson American Suzuki Motor Corp. plans to spend an estimated $60 million on advertising in the fourth quarter to promote its redesigned 2007 XL7 crossover and new 2007 SX4 small hatchback. That compares with about $40...

Auto News briefly.(DaimlerChrysler AG. Chrysler Group)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Magna buys a golf club - and it's not a 9-iron We all have heard how important it is for auto suppliers to diversify in these tough times. On Aug. 25, giant supplier Magna International spent $50 million Canadian (that's about $45 million...

Who's wearing doo-doo now?(Final assembly)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Never pooh-pooh Russian doo-doo. It may come back to haunt you. Those with a finely tuned sense of history might have noticed an ironic turn in the tortured story of Jaguar last week. When Ford bought Jaguar in 1989, it dispatched a...

Redesigned MDX seeks performance enthusiasts; Acura wants SUV to attract men and keep the moms.(Sport utility vehicles)(Acura introduced the RDX crossover)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson When Acura introduced the RDX crossover in August, its executives said they were going after BMW customers. Now the redesigned MDX is stalking the same customer. "All-wheel drive is the cornerstone of dynamic...

Antenna firm made run to border, ran out of cash.(Ward Products Corp)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Beset by falling prices for its auto antennae, Ward Products LLC last year began restructuring with a move of its assembly work to Mexico - only to run out of cash. Last month, the North Brunswick, N.J., parts...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction notice)
September 4, 2006... * A Page 1 story in the Aug. 28 issue gave the wrong location for a dealership. Hollywood Scion is in Hollywood, Fla. * A story on Page 19 of the Aug. 28 issue gave the wrong horsepower for the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550. The car has 382 hp....

Ford will have seat belts buckled down by 2010; New restraint systems may not go in its products.(Ford Motor Co.)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Amy Wilson Four-point seat belts will be ready for production by the end of the decade, Ford Motor Co. says. But despite the promise of the new technology, the automaker won't yet say whether it will install the seat belts in...

More-powerful Type-S roars back onto scene; Acura packs more hp into new model.(American Honda Motor Company Inc. Acura)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson Acura is bringing back the sporty Type-S model to the TL line for the 2007 model year. The company hopes to attract more young, affluent men to Acura showrooms. The Type-S was sold alongside the TL as the 3.2 TLS...

Two heavyweights reshape Metaldyne.
September 4, 2006... Former Honda star Shoichiro Irimajiri, left, and Metaldyne CEO Tim Leuliette, right, will be running an international metal-casting company, now that two powerful Wall Street firms have made a deal. Seller Heartland Industrial Partners unloads...

Ford launches a Lincoln.(production management of automobile industry)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Debi Domby * Ford Motor Co. will start building the Lincoln MKZ in Hermosillo, Mexico, this week. The MKZ replaces the Lincoln Zephyr. * The Chrysler group's Sterling Heights, Mich., plant resumed production of the Chrysler...

Honda takes CR-V styling outside the box.(Honda Motor Company Ltd.)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson Honda designer Shoji Fujimaki, charged with redesigning the CR-V crossover, was shocked when he got results of customer research in the United States. "Many people said the car looked wimpy and boring,'' said...

Letters to the Editor.(Letters)
September 4, 2006... Factory hocus-pocus clouds parts profit To the Editor: As we press forward to achieve list price for warranty parts, let us not forget who prints that list. Consider the fact that proprietary parts could be priced on a "transaction...

Ad campaign for CR-V to tout CRaVings.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Kathy Jackson Following in the footsteps of the Civic and Fit ad campaigns, American Honda will continue to use animated graphics and fun when it launches the redesigned 2007 CR-V on Sept. 28. The estimated $50 million campaign...

Car crash survivors in Croatia can't sue Chrysler in Mich. Judge: Automotive suits by foreign plaintiffs could congest state courts.(car accidents)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Eric Freedman Ah, the complexities of litigation in a global economy. What happens when a vehicle designed and assembled in Michigan with an allegedly defective Japanese-designed and Japanese-built transmission is sold in...

If GM-Ghosn talks are a no-go, let Ford have a crack.(General Motors Corp partnerships)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... General Motors, Nissan and Renault are nearing the halfway point of the 90-day study to determine whether they ought to form an alliance. Almost no one expects GM's team to recommend one, so the parties ought to turbocharge their due-diligence...

OnStar: GM maps out plan for its navigation system.(General Motors)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Jamie LaReau More than 2 million General Motors vehicles will come with factory-installed navigation systems by 2007. GM will seek to broaden the market for navigation systems through its OnStar telematics network. It plans to...

Sonic wants service profits to cover overhead.(Sonic Automotive Inc.)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Donna Harris Within three to five years, Sonic Automotive Inc. plans to cover all overhead costs at its 159 dealerships with service and parts profits. A 100 percent service absorption rate would be unusual in the industry....

The GM tribe leaves the island.(General Motors)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Survivor is a goner at General Motors. GM, one of the first sponsors of CBS' 6-year-old guerrilla fantasy show, has pulled its advertising this season - but it says the decision has nothing to do with the show's curious decision to divide...

Jim Farley's star rises.(promotion of Jim Farley)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Jim Farley, one of Toyota's up-and-coming executives, got a promotion last week with no new duties. But the change is significant, since Toyota often telegraphs the future with symbolic gestures. The 44-year-old, who grew up in the Detroit...

GM to tell ad bigwigs: Blend old, new media.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Mary Connelly General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner will describe what he expects from the media giants that supply the bulk of GM advertising in a first-of-its kind meeting next week. Wagoner is expected to tell CEOs and other top...

Auto News digest.(vehicles to deliver large gains in fuel economy)(Ford Motor Co selling its Aston Martin luxury car unit)(reorganization of Collins & Aikman Corp)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Study: 75 percent of consumers consider hybrids DETROIT - Three of every four people will consider a hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle the next time they shop for a vehicle, according to a new study from J.D. Power and Associates. But...

Chrysler's 'world' I-4 is standard on all Sebrings.(sport utility vehicles)(Chrysler offers optional V-6 engines)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Bradford Wernle Fuel economy considerations guided Chrysler's thinking when it planned the engine lineup for the redesigned 2007 Sebring sedan. Chrysler's 2.4-liter, four-cylinder "world engine'' will be standard in all three...

Dealers.(awards for Peter Adolf )(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Milestones * Peter Adolf of Continental Motors in Anchorage, Alaska, received a 30-year award for Subaru from Subaru of America Inc. CAPTION(S): 50 with Ford: The Parker family of Parker Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Murray, Ky.,...

Ford share loss accelerates; Stability detoured by pickup slump.(securities)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Amy Wilson The market's shift away from pickups is jeopardizing Ford Motor Co.'s bid to substantially narrow losses in U.S. market share this year. At the beginning of 2006, Ford leaders said stabilizing share was a key goal...

Supply line.(Kenwal Steel Corp. plans to build new plant)(ArvinMeritor Inc joint venture with Pyeong Hwa Automotive)(Johnson Controls Inc. has purchased Environmental Technologies Inc)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Kenwal Steel plans to build Tenn. plant DETROIT - Kenwal Steel Corp. will build a $12 million service center in Lebanon, Tenn. The 100,000-square-foot plant will process a range of flat-rolled steel products. The factory is...

Mystery man behind merger; Brockman is private force in Reynolds-UCS combination.
September 4, 2006... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Dealers know Bob Brockman as a tough, opinionated, hard-nosed businessman who delivers terrific dealership management software. For years, the 65-year-old Texan stayed under the radar as boss of little Universal...

Infiniti pushes G35 toward spunky, not soft.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Squealing around the curves at New England's Lime Rock Grand Prix racetrack, crash-helmeted buff-book writers are trying their best to disprove the marketing materials about the redesigned Infiniti G35. In the...

UAW pushes for card check at Mercedes' Ala. plant.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Lindsay Chappell The UAW is working behind the scenes to organize the sole Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in North America - not by appealing to its workers but by negotiating with its parent company, DaimlerChrysler. A...

Suppliers: Pick up the PACE.(News)
September 4, 2006... Auto suppliers have until Friday, Sept. 8, to apply for the 2007 Automotive News PACE Awards. The awards, co-sponsored by Microsoft, SAP and Transportation Research Center Inc., recognize automotive suppliers for innovation. Winners will be...

Microsoft may offer short-term contracts for dealer systems.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Microsoft Corp., developing its own brand of dealership management system, envisions a system with short-term dealer contracts - perhaps month-to-month. Hearing dealers' complaints about being locked into long-term...

Work on Kia plant will start late; opening target unclear.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Kia Motors Corp. will miss its hoped-for target of launching construction on its first U.S. auto plant this month. Information obtained by Automotive News indicates Kia has postponed the start of construction...

Was it good for you? Features that hit - or miss.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Peter Brown Using the remote-unlocking key fob is like sex. The first time you do it, you don't entirely understand it, but you know you're going to do it again. Back when it was new, the key fob offered such an obvious...

CEO: Selling Impact Forge was best strategy.(Suppliers)(Interview)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Being the "last man standing'' in a consolidating auto parts industry was not a strategy that Robert Stevens was prepared to adopt. The CEO of Impact Forge Inc., of Columbus, Ind., recently agreed to sell his...

It's still the best industry to be in.(Column)
September 4, 2006... Byline: KEITH CRAIN A lot of stories have appeared lately about the exodus of top executives, middle managers and, of course, hourly workers from the Detroit automobile companies. While it is true that there is a great deal of what...

Job 'vun': Knudsen tells Chevy: Let's top Ford.(Ford Motor Co.'s manufacturing boss during the heyday of the Model T)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... William Knudsen could not abide second place. As Ford Motor Co.'s manufacturing boss during the heyday of the Model T, he didn't have to. But Knudsen found himself in second place by miles when he became president of Chevrolet in 1924....

Stallkamp, Leuliette make a deal; Japan's Asahi Tec acquires Metaldyne.(Suppliers)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Robert Sherefkin, James B. Treece Last fall, Metaldyne Corp. CEO Tim Leuliette received a compelling offer from longtime friend and former Chrysler Corp. President Tom Stallkamp. Would Leuliette be interested in combining...

The dog days of summer? Not this year, folks.(Final assembly)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Edward Lapham Thank goodness summer is over. No, I don't have a problem with hot weather or a house full of school-aged kids. And, yes, I know the calendar says we have a few weeks to go until the start of autumn. But...

Chrysler shifts from Dr. Z to 0 % financing.(advertising of Chrysler Corp.)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Dr. Z, aka DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche, has disappeared from your TV screens, at least for the time being. "Ask Dr. Z'' was the centerpiece of a summer ad campaign touting the German-American engineering in Chrysler products. The...

Chrysler ups incentives.(Incentives)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Bradford Wernle The Chrysler group has jacked up the incentives on some key models to get rid of its bloated inventories of 2006 trucks. Although the summer blowout sale did reduce its days supply in August, it still has a lot of...

Ford finds no takers for Visteon factories.(management of Ford Motor Co.)
September 4, 2006... Byline: David Barkholz, Robert Sherefkin After 11 months of trying, Ford Motor Co. has yet to sell a single one of the former Visteon Corp. factories it absorbed last fall. With each passing day, the unprofitable former Visteon assets,...

Jeep's Toledo trade-off: Lower costs, less control; Supplier park begins Wrangler production.(prouction management)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Bradford Wernle, David Barkholz If ever there was an all-American product, it is the storied Jeep Wrangler. But the $2.1 billion Toledo Supplier Park, where the redesigned 2007 Wrangler is being built, is a global melting pot that...

BMW chief's challenges: More units, higher profit.(News)(Company overview)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Luca Ciferri New BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer faces twin challenges: Raise per-unit profits while meeting the automaker's ambitious growth targets. Reithofer, 50, replaces Helmut Panke, who ran BMW for only four years before...

Volvo cuts service time with advance parts orders.(Service & Parts)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Laura Clark Geist Volvo Cars of North America Inc. has wrestled in recent years with limited capacity and increased customer demand at its dealerships' service departments. Volvo owners often have had to wait more than a week...

Fuel leaks halt sale of some XJs.(several massive gasoline leaks from vehicle fuel tanks)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Mark Rechtin Jaguar Cars ordered its dealers worldwide to stop selling some 2006 and 2007 XJ sedans following several massive gasoline leaks from vehicle fuel tanks. Jaguar notified its U.S. and Canadian dealers of what it...

Class leader.(Mercedes-Benz AG imports luxury-sedan segment)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Mercedes' redesigned S class is mopping up in the high end of the import luxury-sedan segment. Seven months after its debut, the big Benz is still flying off dealer lots.

UAW ratifies agreement with Freightliner.(News)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Erin Robinson A UAW local in Mount Holly, N.C., has ratified a four-year agreement with Freightliner LLC, the truck manufacturing unit of DaimlerChrysler AG. The contract was approved by a 3-1 ratio by the 1,500 assembly plant...

GM sales up; Toyota way up.(sales and earnings of the company)(Financial report)
September 4, 2006... Byline: John K. Teahen Jr., Amy Wilson It isn't often that General Motors' U.S. sales exceed those of the year-ago month. It happened in August for the first time since January, so you could forgive a few smiles of relief around GM...

Late News.
September 4, 2006... GM will build more Cobalts DETROIT - General Motors plans to increase production at its Lordstown, Ohio, plant, which builds the Chevrolet Cobalt, a flier sent by UAW Local 1112 shows. The flier, sent to members of the Lordstown local,...

What will Toyota delay?(Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Toyota's reputation has been stung by a spate of recalls, and CEO Katsuaki Watanabe said last month that the company will delay some launches three to six months to give engineers time to fine-tune quality. So what's likely to be delayed? ...

Mercedes must become Mercedes again; Automaker discarded its heritage for niches, speed and sportiness.(News)(Mercedes-Benz)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Guido Reinking In the 1990s in Germany, Mercedes-Benz had a brilliant car commercial. A husband arrives home late and tells his wife, "My car broke down.'' The wife slaps him in the face. She does not believe her husband's...

Chevy flexes its muscles.(News)(Chevrolet WTCC Ultra )(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... The Chevrolet WTCC Ultra concept will debut at the Paris motor show this month. The car's muscular presence and sharp lines hint at possible styling for a future Chevrolet performance model that could be sold globally. This concept is a joint...

Mercedes tests market for diesels in Japan.(News)(DaimlerChrysler Japan Ltd. )
September 11, 2006... Byline: James B. Treece DaimlerChrysler Japan Ltd. executives had to convince headquarters in Germany that they could sell diesel engines in Japan. If they succeed, it may convince other European carmakers to follow in its footsteps. ...

Judge tosses suit against DCX captive; Ruling: Dealers lied, manipulated court system.(News)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Rick Kranz A lawsuit filed by two former auto dealers against DaimlerChrysler's captive finance company over alleged racial bias was thrown out last week. A federal judge in Chicago ruled one of the dealers lied repeatedly during...

Supply line.(Briefs)(Denso Corp. opens Moscow office)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Denso will open office in Moscow TOYKO - Denso Corp. plans to set up a branch office of its Netherlands European headquarters in Moscow, its first in Russia. The office will provide technical support for Denso customers, conduct market...

Obituaries.(Jim Burke of Ford Motor Co., dies)(Gilbert Haley of Michigan Automobile Dealers Association, dies)(Charles Ringler of Toyota Motor Corp., dies)(Obituary)
September 11, 2006... Jim Burke BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Jim Burke, founder of Jim Burke Ford-Lincoln-Mercury-Jaguar in Bakersfield, died here July 17. He was 80. Burke, who started his career in the parts department of a Ford dealership in 1949, was chairman of...

The Smart market: Small, gray - and destined to disappear; Modified minis are tiny, temporary niche.(News)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Rick Kranz Ken Weger's lifelong interest in minicars and microcars prompted him to purchase a new two-tone 2005 Smart ForTwo coupe. Former Oldsmobile dealer Anthony Ferrante's determination to survive drove him to sell it. ...

Auris will replace Corolla in Europe.(Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Luca Ciferri Toyota plans to call its next Corolla hatchback the Auris in western Europe and in Japan, sources in Japan say. The Auris is expected to be more upscale and more radically styled than the Corolla, and Toyota is...

In this simulating suit, driving gets old fast.(Design)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Erin Robinson Within 10 minutes of walking into Ford Motor Co.'s sprawling Product Development Center in Dearborn, Mich., I've aged at least 30 years. Seated behind the wheel of a black 2007 Ford Five Hundred, I find myself...

GM's massive pickup campaign.
September 11, 2006... Byline: Jamie LaReau General Motors has earmarked nearly $400 million for the launches of its critical GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado pickups. The big-budget campaign will break in October during World Series telecasts and National...

A perfect match for Ford, unless ...(Opinion)(Ford Motor Co. and Alan Mulally)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Peter Brown The new chief executive of Ford Motor Co. was introduced to Detroit last week in a blue blazer, brown slacks and slightly scuffed black loafers. At 61, former Boeing executive Alan Mulally looked like a congenial...

Nissan overhauls lobbying structure.(News)(Jim Morton appointed at Nissan North America Inc.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Harry Stoffer Nissan North America Inc. has reorganized leadership of its lobbying staff in the nation's capital. Jim Morton, Nissan's new vice chairman, says he will devote more of his attention to government affairs. But...

GM extended warranty a top secret for a year; `Project Ripken' targets consumer confidence.
September 11, 2006... Byline: Jamie LaReau About this time last year, General Motors' top executives met to devise a new marketing strategy to reduce incentive spending, cut rental-fleet sales, boost residual values and ultimately improve vehicle sales. ...

GM's warranty incentive is a smart move.(Opinion)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Kudos to General Motors for raising the competitive ante with longer warranties rather than a new round of cash-on-the-hood incentives. By increasing the powertrain warranty on all its 2007 models sold in the United States and Canada to...

Supply nears 60-day ideal.(News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Erin Robinson The industrywide supply was up to 59 days as of Sept. 1, up slightly from last month's 2006 low point of 55 days. The supply this month is one day below the industry ideal of 60 days. The Detroit 3 saw a...

Mark II drives CEO succession talk.(News)(Alan Mulally appointed at Ford Motor Co. )
September 11, 2006... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Co. just named a new CEO, yet the horse race to replace him is already on. New CEO Alan Mulally is 61, meaning he probably will be ready for retirement by the end of the decade. Ford doesn't have a...

Mulally's tasks: Make his mark, mentor 2 Marks; Battle-tested vet must be trainer as well as trail boss.(News)(Alan Mulally )
September 11, 2006... Byline: Amy Wilson As Ford Motor Co.'s North American leadership team launches into an accelerated restructuring plan later this month, new CEO Alan Mulally intends to provide a steadying hand. Two leaders that outgoing CEO Bill Ford...

Ford cuts spur TRW to lower targets.(Suppliers)(TRW Automotive Inc.'s sales data)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Job 1 for supplier TRW Automotive Inc. is retrenchment. Last week TRW lowered its earnings and revenue expectations for this year because of Ford Motor Co.'s announcement on Aug.18 that it would be making...

Nakamura on Infiniti design: It's more like art.(Design)(Shiro Nakamura's services at Nissan Motor Co.)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura actually has three job titles at Nissan Motor Co. He is senior vice president and design director at Nissan's Tokyo headquarters. He is president of Nissan Design America in San...

Face it, a car's clock tells more than just time.(Design)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Larry Edsall Watches Tell More than Time is a book by Del Coates, a former Ford and Nissan designer. The title applies not only to watches but also to clocks in cars. They tell much more than time. They carry a strong message...

GM's media planning gets leaner.(News)(General Motors Corp.)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Mary Connelly A year ago, Dennis Donlin faced the task of combining General Motors' massive media-planning and ad-buying operations. That was hard enough. But at the same time, the CEO of General Motors Planworks confronted a...

UAW chief gives Delphi, Chrysler piece of his mind.(News)
September 11, 2006... Byline: David Barkholz UAW President Ron Gettelfinger used a high-visibility speech here last week to say no to the Chrysler group and blame Delphi Corp.'s greed for stalled labor talks. The "no'' was in response to a Chrysler group...

GE has big plans for auto service warranties.(Finance & insurance)(General Electric Co.)(Interview)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Laura Clark Geist The market for extended vehicle service contracts is growing, despite a sluggish economy and the renewed popularity of automotive leasing. Orlando Zayas, the new president of General Electric's GE Auto...

German carmaker draws on Japan for design ideas.(Design)(Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio)
September 11, 2006... Byline: James B. Treece Tucked behind a Mazda dealership and across from a Yoshinoya "beef-in-a-bowl'' fast-food outlet in Yokohama, a city south of Tokyo, sits a seeming anomaly: the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio. ...

Copart gets out of nonsalvage business.(News)(Copart Inc.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Copart Inc. says it will stop providing its VB2 technology to independent auctions so they can sell nonsalvage used vehicles online. The company says it plans to concentrate on its salvage business. The...

Personnel.(People)(Thomas Burke appointed at Modine Manufacturing Co.)(Tom Mauck appointed at PPG Industries Inc.)(Paul Novas appointed at Tenneco Inc.)
September 11, 2006... RLE INTERNATIONAL NORTH AMERICA - Gerd Zimmermann, 58, to president. He was president of Edag Inc., of Madison Heights, Mich. He replaces John Wentzel, who moved to another position within the company. RLE International North America,...

Chevrolet may sell the Camaro in Europe.(News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Jason Stein Chevrolet Europe executives are studying whether to bring the Camaro sports coupe to Europe. Last month, General Motors confirmed it will build a new version of the American muscle car based on a concept unveiled at...

Visteon will sell 2 German plants.(Suppliers)(Visteon Corp.)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Wolf R. Ussler Struggling Visteon Corp. has put two of its five German plants up for sale. The move is expected to help Visteon halve its German work force of 2,800. Factories in Wuelfrath, near Dusseldorf, and Dueren,...

Mahle opens China r&d center to aid growth; Local center helps deter counterfeiters.(Suppliers)(Mahle GmbH, Valeo SA and Robert Bosch GmbH opens offices at China)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Alysha Webb Mahle GmbH's gleaming new technical center here not only has a number of empty rooms; it also is surrounded by open fields. That suits Weiping Yang's vision for the center. "We have a lot of room to fill up for...