Final Assembly
FINAL ASSEMBLY
Fiat's Google gotcha: A 500 shows up at VW's front door
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2012
Score one for Fiat in the sometimes whimsical, sometimes not, rivalry between the Italian automaker and Volkswagen. The two companies seem to taunt and tease each other like kids on a playground, especially in Europe. Check out Volkswagen's Swedish headquarters in suburban Stockholm on Google Earth and you'll see a Fiat 500 parked at the front door of the building.... Read More » Comments [0] | Recommendations [0]
FINAL ASSEMBLY
DeBoer thinks Dodge Dart will hit the bull's-eye
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2012
Customers who visit Dodge stores usually are looking for trucks rather than small cars, so some analysts question how well the new Dart compact will fare. But Sid DeBoer, founder and executive chairman of Lithia Motors, which owns a large number of Chrysler group stores, has a ready answer.... Read More »FINAL ASSEMBLY
German press expects Audi to shuffle exec deck
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2012
A senior management shake-up is in the works at Audi. According to German media reports, Volkswagen marketing chief Luca de Meo will replace Audi sales boss Peter Schwarzenbauer, who once headed Porsche's North American sales arm.... Read More »FINAL ASSEMBLY
China's top dealership group beats AutoNation in units -- but not revenue
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2012
China's new top-dog dealership group is China Grand Automotive, which passed Pang Da Automobile last year to become the largest auto retailer in terms of revenue. So how does China's No. 1 compare with America's biggest dealership group, AutoNation?... Read More »FINAL ASSEMBLY
Some days, Akerson would rather bowl
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2012
When General Motors founder Billy Durant was found, late in life, to be running a bowling alley in Flint, Mich., he supplied future generations of GM bosses with a laugh line they could always turn to.... Read More »FINAL ASSEMBLY
A Texas whodunit: The case of the fried Fisker
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 14, 2012
More bad news for battery-powered vehicles, or just a false alarm? Well, the fire alarm was real enough. A house blaze in suburban Houston destroyed a new Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid car last week. But did the Fisker start the fire?... Read More »FINAL ASSEMBLY
Chrysler calls minivan's obit premature
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 14, 2012
With apologies to Mark Twain, reports of the death of the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan may be greatly exaggerated.... Read More »FINAL ASSEMBLY
Tire marks on Ming wall blacken Ferrari's reputation in China
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 14, 2012
A publicity stunt in Nanjing, China, turned into a public relations nightmare for Italian sports car maker Ferrari last week.... Read More »Manufacturing
DealersMore »
Dealers must disclose reason for higher customer interest rate, judge rules
11:07 am U.S. ET | May 25 2012
The National Automobile Dealers Association suffered a legal setback Thursday as a federal judge in Washington said a dealer must disclose to a consumer whether the consumer is being charged a higher rate because of a negative credit rating -- regardless of whether the dealership assigned the loan to a third party.... Read More »
Finance & InsuranceMore »
F&I WEEK: Attorneys will help dealers with regulatory questions
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21 2012
Auto dealers who have been watching regulatory developments will get some answers next month during Automotive News F&I Week -- a free online conference.... Read More »
MarketingMore »
Study: BMW replaces Toyota as most valuable global car brand
3:00 am U.S. ET | May 22 2012
BMW has overtaken Toyota as the world's most valuable automotive brand, an annual ranking of the world's top brands shows. Mercedes, Volkswagen and Audi improved their brand value, according to the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study by market research company Millward Brown.... Read More »
Used CarsMore »
Used-vehicle prices ease in April, index shows
2:41 pm U.S. ET | May 7 2012
For the first time in six months, used-vehicle prices in April stopped their upward trajectory and showed signs of easing, according to a closely followed gauge released today. The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index in April stood at 126.1, down slightly from 126.2 in March and down from 126.6 in April 2011.... Read More »
Fixed OperationsMore »
Enterprise, Avis Budget join Hertz in pledge to not rent vehicles under recall
3:45 pm U.S. ET | May 24 2012
Car-rental companies Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Avis Budget Group Inc. said today that they have pledged not to rent or sell recalled vehicles that have not been repaired. The actions are in response to U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer's letter this month to the CEOs of three leading U.S. car-rental companies -- Enterprise, Avis, and Dollar Thrifty -- asking them to adopt such a policy.... Read More »
NADAMore »
EDITORIAL
New NADA study should avoid rearview mirror
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 14 2012
The National Automobile Dealers Association is commissioning another study, this one to generate hard data about dealers' return on investment from manufacturer-mandated dealership renovation programs.... Read More »
ManufacturingMore »
Renesas plans to raise $1.3 billion, cut 10,000 jobs
6:34 am U.S. ET | May 25 2012
Renesas Electronics, the world's biggest maker of automotive microcontrollers, plans to raise capital of 100 billion yen ($1.3 billion) and cut more than 10,000 jobs, according to the latest draft of a restructuring plan, a person briefed on the matter said.... Read More »
DesignMore »
BMW promotes Habib to head of automobile design
5:51 am U.S. ET | May 25 2012
BMW named Karim Habib as head of design for its automobiles division. Habib takes over the role from Adrian van Hooydonk, who had been doing the job in addition to his responsibilities as BMW's group design chief.... Read More »
Future ProductMore »
Prototype 2013 Ford Fusion is spotted in light camouflage
9:55 am U.S. ET | May 25 2012
The 2013 Ford Fusion made its public debut at the Detroit auto show in January. It was completely restyled from the last-generation car and bears a strong resemblance to the Ford Evos concept revealed in Frankfurt.... Read More »
Green CarsMore »
Higher ethanol concentrations could hurt vehicles, study says
2:52 pm U.S. ET | May 23 2012
A new study suggests that ethanol-blended fuel could take a toll on vehicles when used in higher concentrations. Renewable-fuels trade groups blasted the results, but auto industry groups warned of the dangers of rushing new fuel blends into the marketplace.... Read More »
TechnologyMore »
Auto microchip maker Renesas to cut 6,000 jobs, raise capital
2:00 pm U.S. ET | May 22 2012
Automotive microchip maker Renesas Electronics of Japan, which suffered major disruptions following last year's earthquake and tsunami, plans to cut 6,000 jobs and raise 50 billion yen ($630 million) in new capital, local media reported.... Read More »
Talk from the TopMore »
ROBERT YOUNG -- VICE PRESIDENT OF PURCHASING, TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA
Beyond crises, Toyota purchasing chief sees growth
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21 2012
Since becoming vice president of purchasing for Toyota Motor Corp.'s North American operations early last year, Robert Young has been tested repeatedly by world events. That year brought the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan and, months later, the floods in Thailand.... Read More »
Car CutawaysMore »
Plastic Omnium helps make the Peugeot 208 greener
12:01 am U.S. ET | May 23 2012
The Peugeot 208 features a rear bumper from Plastic Omnium that is made from 100 percent recycled materials. In total, 25 percent of the 208 is made using recycled or natural materials while its predecessor, the 207, contained just 7 percent.... Read More »
- Parts Manager
Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel -- Laguna Niguel, CA, United States - Sales Manager
East TN Ford Dealer -- TN, United States
