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Date: February 21, 2010 11:16:13 PM MST
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Subject: WEEKLY: Toyota starts to fight back; Drought ends; Average Joe can get a car loan
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Feb. 22, 2010
Automotive News digital edition for Feb. 22, 2010
EDITOR'S PICKS
TOYOTA IN CRISIS
Toyota starts to fight back
Company argues that overall safety record is normal
Tired of the flood of negative reports from the government and media, Toyota's U.S. executives are mounting a new and more vigorous defense of the company's tarnished safety record. Company officials argue Toyota is being punished unfairly for a level of long-term safety performance that is well within industry norms. Last week they cited consumer complaint statistics to defend Toyota's record.
FULL STORY
Drought ends; Average Joe can get a car loan
The worst of the crisis in retail automotive financing has passed. Late last year, lenders began extending more loans to car buyers -- even some with weak credit histories -- and to dealers. Late in 2008 and for most of 2009, even customers with good credit had trouble financing a car purchase. But now auto lenders are somewhat freer with their money, dealers say.
FULL STORY
GENEVA AUTO SHOW PREVIEW
Geneva gets smaller — and more practical
Spotlight shifts to green vehicles for the real world
A year ago, the 32 world debuts at the Geneva auto show belied the industry crisis moving from North America to Europe. A year later, reality has reached Geneva. This year's show, with 25 concept and production debuts, is more modest, more focused on real-world possibilities and increasingly environmental. Even high-performance brands such as Ferrari and Porsche have bowed to the trend to be...
FULL STORY
GM priority is profit, not all-out production
General Motors Co. and its dealers are adjusting to a new reality: It's OK to miss some sales in the name of profits. GM is squeezing all the vehicles it can out of its existing plants instead of hurrying to restart idle plants, even though an improving economy this year could push demand past GM's forecast. Meanwhile, dealers are learning to operate without lots bloated with ready-to-sell...
FULL STORY
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE CONGRESS
European auto leaders will discuss industry challenges at ANE Congress
European auto industry leaders including the heads of Opel, Ford of Europe and Saab-Spyker will speak at the Automotive News Europe Congress in June. The theme of this year's Congress is "Solutions After a Crisis: Navigating out of a European Downturn."
FULL STORY
Big trucks: First gain in 3 years
Sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks rose in January for the first gain in three years. The rise in commercial-truck sales, a leading economic indicator, may point to an improving economy. Sales rose 3 percent in January from the year-earlier level to 17,557 trucks. The last rise in commercial-truck sales was in January 2007.
FULL STORY
DEALERS
NEWS ANALYSIS
Software may end showroom haggling
Two software applications unveiled at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention last week could change the way trade-ins and new-car pricing are handled online. Automotive Web sites took the car retailing process to the Internet years ago, but most still require interaction with a car salesman at some point. That could all change.
FULL STORY
Public retailers will invest more
With signs of improvement for auto sales, some of the industry's biggest retailers are ready to invest again. AutoNation Inc., Group 1 Automotive Inc. and Asbury Automotive Group Inc. all say they will increase capital expenditures in 2010. In AutoNation's case, COO Michael Maroone is eyeing a record investment amount: $150 million, double 2009 spending.
FULL STORY
Crossovers are key to BMW pursuit of Lexus
Lexus widened its lead over BMW as the best-selling luxury brand in the United States last year. But BMW's top U.S. executive aims to overtake his rival in 2011 or 2012 after three new crossovers are introduced. "Ask me in 2011 and I will say we have a chance," Jim O'Donnell, CEO of BMW of North America, said at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention.
FULL STORY
Dealership bankruptcies soar in Japan
The global financial crisis isn't hammering auto dealers in just the United States. Bankruptcies of dealership companies in Japan shot up 28 percent last year as economic hard times hit sales. The number of dealerships going bust reached 50 in 2009, up from 39 the year before, according to a study by Teikoku Databank Ltd., a Japanese market research company.
FULL STORY
GM calls for more ethanol stations
General Motors Co.'s growing output of vehicles capable of running on ethanol-gasoline blends won't help cut polluting emissions or U.S. dependence on foreign oil until a slim network of ethanol stations is greatly expanded, said Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman for global product operations.
FULL STORY
Hyundai plans to increase U.S. share this year
Hyundai Motor Co. aims to increase its U.S. market share to 4.5 percent this year from 4.2 percent in 2009, propelled by product launches and aggressive marketing. Hyundai, one of the few brands to increase sales in the battered U.S. market last year, sees a "really good chance" that U.S. sales will break 500,000 vehicles for the first time in 2010, U.S. sales chief Dave Zuchowski said.
FULL STORY
Sears recruits rejected dealers
Retail giant Sears Holdings Corp. hopes to expand its Sears Auto Center network by recruiting former auto dealers as franchisees. The Independent Sears Auto Center franchise program allows dealers who lost their General Motors Co. or Chrysler Group franchises to operate as licensed Sears Auto Centers.
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
Business, bonding and blues
Auto people like to talk business -- and party. At the NADA convention in Orlando, they got both, although the party scene was subdued -- befitting a lean industry still climbing out of a nasty recession.
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
Hyundai ups Tucson build for U.S.
Hyundai Motor Co. will boost Tucson production in South Korea to meet rising demand for the redesigned crossover, said John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America. In December, Hyundai introduced a new-generation Tucson with a sportier design and drivetrain in an attempt to appeal to singles and young couples. Hyundai's U.S. retailers sold 2,216 Tucsons in January, up from 974 in the same month...
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
CEO: Asbury's lean, looking to buy stores
Charles Oglesby says 2010 is looking up. The CEO of Asbury Automotive Group Inc. said the public group has planned its business around flat volume but expects sales to increase, particularly when warm weather arrives.
FULL STORY
BACK TO TOP
COLUMNISTS
KEITH CRAIN
NADA proves cooperation is still king
There was some remarkable dialogue between manufacturers and their franchised dealers this month at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando. Of course, there were notable exceptions of companies not in attendance -- manufacturers that don't seem to see their dealers as equal partners. Instead, they see them as outlets to sell vehicles and do the factory's bidding. But,...
FULL STORY
HANS GREIMEL
Have Toyota execs learned from the recall ... of 2006?
Akio Toyoda and Shinichi Sasaki hold a press conference, apologize for a rash of recalls and then explain how
Toyota Motor Corp. will improve quality so it never happens again. If you think this scene sounds familiar from last week, try four years ago
Hans Greimel is Asia editor of Automotive News.
FULL STORY
BACK TO TOP
FINANCE & INSURANCE
Hyundai-Kia captive steps up leasing, financing
It may be easier for Hyundai and Kia dealers to close deals this year as the finance arm serving both brands offers more enticing leasing and financing offers. Hyundai Capital America President Michael Buckingham also said he's making loans to customers with lower credit scores.
FULL STORY
FINANCE & INSURANCE
Panel: Reliable lenders are critical
New models and hot-selling brands are nice. But what dealers need to keep the auto industry going is a steady source of customer financing from committed lenders, say some of the nation's largest auto retailers. "We need a finance company," said Tammy Darvish, a second-generation Chrysler dealer and vice president of Darcars Automotive Group in Silver Spring, Md. Darvish was part of a dealer...
FULL STORY
Forecast: Lenders want more up front, leaving less for F&I
Dealerships will continue to find that lenders remain unwilling to front as much money toward car loans as they used to, making sales of aftermarket products by the finance and insurance office a challenge. That's the dim forecast from senior executives from top auto lending institutions who were interviewed this month during the National Automobile Dealers Association convention.
FULL STORY
FINANCE & INSURANCE
Wachovia will become Wells Fargo; growth expected
Wachovia Dealer Services saw double-digit growth in its dealer client base last year and expects double-digit growth again in 2010 as the division is renamed Wells Fargo Dealer Services. Wells Fargo intends to increase retail and commercial lending services for auto dealerships. It has more than 200 salespeople handling 60 to 80 dealerships each.
FULL STORY
Ford offers dealers free F&I training
Ford Motor Co. has hired MarketSource to provide free finance and insurance training to dealerships, the automaker told dealers at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention. The goal is for dealers to sell more extended service plans and other F&I products.
FULL STORY
Extended service plan launched
Auto lender Santander Consumer USA began offering an extended service contract program in January and eventually will launch its own GAP, or guaranteed automotive protection, plan that helps pay off the loan if a customer's vehicle is totaled or stolen.
FULL STORY
Zurich debuts e-contracting
Zurich North America has introduced a process that allows dealerships to remit insurance products such as vehicle service contracts over the Internet. Zurich already offers dealers a Web-based system for quoting prices on its contracts.
FULL STORY
Ford Credit expands e-contracting
Ford Motor Credit Co. is expanding its e-contracting program this year to dealers in 12 states. The program now is available in eight states and will be nationwide by 2012, officials said at the NADA convention.
FULL STORY
BACK TO TOP
AUTOMAKERS AND SUPPLIERS
Fiat's Russia deal: 150,000 Jeeps a year?
A Fiat joint venture plant in Russia will build 150,000 Jeeps per year, says the venture's Russian partner. But Fiat and Chrysler aren't commenting. On Feb. 11, Fiat S.p.A. signed a deal to expand its joint venture with Sollers to build as many as 500,000 vehicles a year by 2016. Fiat owns 20 percent of Chrysler Group.
FULL STORY
Mercury is likely to revive Tracer name for small car
Mercury will get a small car off the platform of the redesigned Ford Focus, Ford officials have confirmed. Ford Motor Co. executives told dealers this month at the make meeting at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention that the car will reach showrooms in 2011, the same year as the Focus.
FULL STORY
QUESTION & ANSWER
Pickens sees natural gas as a natural for big trucks
T. Boone Pickens says the United States never has had an energy policy. No matter. The 81-year-old Texas oil and gas billionaire crafted one. And he expects passage this spring of federal legislation enabling a chunk of it -- fueling big trucks with natural gas. He spoke with reporters last week at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention.
FULL STORY
Global platforms could shake up suppliers
A new shakeout of the North American supply base could be under way as automakers focus on global vehicle platforms, an industry consultant says. The race to compete in this industry dictates global platforms, says James Ricci. That creates opportunities for the best-positioned suppliers -- but undermines ones that aren't global.
FULL STORY
OPINION
Toyota's solution: Old plan in search of a new result
In announcing the latest solution for a rapidly disintegrating situation, Toyota last week apologized for past actions, announced the formation of committees and appointed more people to ensure quality is never an oversight again. In essence, it is history repeating itself.
FULL STORY
Daimler cuts dividend; 3 more years for Zetsche
Daimler AG scrapped its dividend for the first time in 14 years after swinging to a worse-than-expected 2009 net loss, sending shares down to their lowest level in five months.
FULL STORY
Schweitzer to chair Volvo Truck
Volvo Truck Corp.’s election committee unanimously proposed former Renault CEO Louis Schweitzer as board chairman, Reuters reported. Schweitzer, 67, took over as chairman last month after the resignation of Finn Johnsson, who had chaired the board since 2004.
FULL STORY
Plane crash kills 3 Tesla workers
Three employees of electric-vehicle maker Tesla Motors were killed Wednesday, Feb. 17, in a crash of a small plane belonging to one of them.
FULL STORY
Ex-GM exec joins Boston-Power
Boston-Power Inc., a lithium ion battery maker, named former General Motors executive Robert Purcell Jr., 57, to its board.
FULL STORY
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Toyota will do what must be done
As a business owner whose company supplies both Toyota and other OEMs, I have been directly impacted by the recent recall campaign at Toyota. Rather than bog down Congress with a public witch hunt filled with needless grandstanding, I suggest we allow the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to do the job it is commissioned to do and has done effectively in this case.
FULL STORY
BACK TO TOP
NADA
OPINION
Letting bygones be gone
General Motors Co. and officials with the National Automobile Dealers Association say they've put their disputes behind them. A bond between the two groups now "is nonnegotiable," says Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. That's the right move.
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
NADA sales forecast: 11.9 million this year
Powered by the improving economy, U.S. sales of cars and light trucks likely will rise 14 percent this year to 11.9 million vehicles and will go higher next year, the chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association predicts.
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
Tonkin: NADA will be noticed
New chairman says dealers' input will drive group in '10
Dealers who questioned whether the National Automobile Dealers Association adequately defended dealers' interests last year will see a lot more of the group in 2010, said Ed Tonkin, who became NADA chairman Feb. 15. "We have a new attitude that our agenda for NADA must be built from the bottom up, directly from dealer input," Tonkin said at the closing session of the NADA convention last week.
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
Business, bonding and blues
Auto people like to talk business -- and party. At the NADA convention in Orlando, they got both, although the party scene was subdued -- befitting a lean industry still climbing out of a nasty recession.
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
Hyundai ups Tucson build for U.S.
Hyundai Motor Co. will boost Tucson production in South Korea to meet rising demand for the redesigned crossover, said John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America. In December, Hyundai introduced a new-generation Tucson with a sportier design and drivetrain in an attempt to appeal to singles and young couples. Hyundai's U.S. retailers sold 2,216 Tucsons in January, up from 974 in the same month...
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
CEO: Asbury's lean, looking to buy stores
Charles Oglesby says 2010 is looking up. The CEO of Asbury Automotive Group Inc. said the public group has planned its business around flat volume but expects sales to increase, particularly when warm weather arrives.
FULL STORY
NADA CONVENTION
What Lithia's DeBoer wants in a carmaker
Sid DeBoer, 64, is CEO of Lithia Motors Inc., a publicly traded group of 86 auto dealerships in 12 states. This month Lithia made a preliminary estimate of 2009 sales totaling $1.8 billion to $1.85 billion. The earnings are scheduled to be released Wednesday, Feb. 24. DeBoer spoke during J.D. Power's International Automotive Roundtable just before the National Automobile Dealers' convention.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Ford strives to speed up inventory flow
Ford Motor Co. executives told dealers that the automaker is working on ways to get them a steadier supply of products. Ford leaders confirmed here at the make meeting that Mercury will get a new small car in 2011.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Chrysler dealers hunker, wait for products
Dealers who attended the Chrysler make meeting are hunkering down, waiting for a wave of new products in the works. They seem to be willing to give the company the benefit of the doubt that a brighter future is ahead. Chrysler engineers have been working on a line of new vehicles based on Fiat platforms. The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the last vehicle to share Mercedes-Benz components, is due in...
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Kia aims to boost U.S. sales 10% this year
Kia will continue to be aggressive in the United States this year, executives told dealers at the make meeting. The brand is shooting for a 10 percent increase in sales this year and says it has the means to do it. Last year, Kia sold 300,063 vehicles in the United States.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Audi U.S. chief: Profit means more than hitting sales goal
Despite Audi's oft-stated plans to sell 200,000 vehicles in the United States by 2018, the luxury brand's North American chief says profitable growth is more important. "We are not going to chase volume for the sake of volume," Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi of America, said after the make meeting. "We will only grow if it puts an extra dollar in the bank. Otherwise it is no good."
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Subaru dealers: We need cars
With sales hot and market share rising, the only thing Subaru dealers want is more cars. They can't keep enough in stock, particularly the updated Outback crossover and Legacy sedan, Phil Porter, chairman of the Subaru National Dealer Advisory Board, said after the make meeting.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Volvo can offer 0% after Ford Credit split
For the first time in years, Volvo Cars of North America Inc. has competitive 0 percent loans because it dumped Ford Motor Credit Co. financing. Late last year Volvo switched entirely to U.S. Bank for consumer financing because Ford's rates weren't competitive, said Doug Speck, CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. U.S. Bank was already handling Volvo's lease financing, he said.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
After quiet '09, Mazda will crank up ads
After an erratic marketing effort in 2009, Mazda North American Operations promised its dealers that "we will not be dark" during 2010, or at least for the first six months. Mike Morais, chairman of the Mazda National Dealer Advisory Council, said Mazda Motor Corp. has marked North America as its "primary target" in the coming year.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Suzuki will share Kizashi launch budget
Realizing it can't compete against the big players in mid-sized sedans, Suzuki has taken half of its $30 million marketing budget for the crucial Kizashi sedan launch this year and given it to the dealers, said Kevin Saito, president of American Suzuki Motor Corp.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Dealers pose tough questions for Toyota
But post-meeting ire is reserved for media, government
Toyota's make meeting was not as contentious as some dealers had expected. But with the company mired in quality problems, dealers asked plenty of tough questions. For example, they wanted to know how long Toyota had known about the safety defects that led to recalls and how the controversy would affect dealer business.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
For Nissan, more models, better floorplan rates
Nissan dealers devoted most of their make meeting to talking about new products coming this year. But dealers also heard of plans to boost inventories of older trucks. Dealers have clamored for more Frontier and Titan pickups and full-sized Armada SUVs -- all of which had factory volumes slashed after the light-truck market began shrinking in 2007.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Land Rover promises small SUV in 2011
A new, smaller SUV for Land Rover will go on sale late in the third quarter of 2011, Land Rover announced to dealers at a breakfast meeting. The SUV, based on the LRX concept, debuts at the Paris auto show this fall and will be seen first in the United States in December at the Los Angeles auto show.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
BMW is big Olympic advertiser
BMW Group is using the Winter Olympics to launch a marketing campaign to convince shoppers that BMWs are engineered well but are fun to drive, too. George Sharpe Sr., chairman of the BMW Dealer Forum and president of Sharpe BMW in Grand Rapids, Mich., said the brand's make meeting was upbeat -- as might be expected, given the average 2.5 percent net margin on sales that BMW's 378 dealers obtained...
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Jag dealers hear about future under Tata
As the second anniversary of the brand's sale to India's Tata approaches, Jaguar dealers heard repeated assertions at a breakfast meeting that the future is bright. Gary Temple, president of Jaguar Land Rover North America, conveyed the parent company's belief that the U.S. market is the "bellwether for Jaguar, Land Rover and other luxury brands" whose success in the United States reflects what...
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
VW restates goal: Double U.S. sales by 2012
Volkswagen Group of America reaffirmed its goal to sell 450,000 cars in the United States by 2012 at the make meeting. That's a big jump from 2009, when VW sold 213,454 vehicles. But VWoA management says new product introductions, including a redesigned Jetta and an all-new mid-sized sedan out of its new Chattanooga, Tenn., plant, will make that target achievable.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Acura ups spiffs till hybrids arrive
A sharp sales slide and Acura's decision to cancel rear-drive V-8 vehicles have dealers wondering whether the brand ever will reach Tier 1 luxury status. But Acura officials tried to convince dealers at the make meeting that the new plan -- relying on hybrids -- will succeed.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Honda wants to help dealers boost margins
Honda dealers aim to improve their profit margins, increase conquest sales and keep their image separate from the tarring that Toyota has taken of late. John Mendel, American Honda Motor Co.'s executive vice president, said the company will try to give dealers "more below the line" in terms of profit margins not visible to consumer Web sites.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
GM promises to fix parts shortages
General Motors Co.'s dealers have complained of repair parts shortages, but that problem should end this year, executives told dealers at an invitation-only luncheon. Dealers say back-ordered parts range from engine motor mounts for Northstar V-8 engines to steering rack-and-pinion assemblies for large crossovers to trim items for Hummers.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
M launch is Infiniti's key event for '10
Infiniti plans a large national advertising push this spring to support its 2011 M sedan, which will be the brand's primary focus in 2010, dealers were told at the make meeting. Dealers are counting on the car for added sales and to bring new attention to the brand. Infiniti sales were down 6 percent in January compared with a year ago.
FULL STORY
NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Porsche will end spiffs; under VW, it's 'business as normal'
Porsche Cars North America says it has slashed its inventories in half in the past few months to about 45 days and expects to end incentive spending by the end of March. "We were oversupplied across the board, and those inventory levels are pretty balanced again," said COO Michael Bartsch.
FULL STORY
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MARKETING
Dealers and social media: Promise, pitfalls
Retailers learn tech tools to get closer to customers
Ford dealer Wendell Barron spent much of his time at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention trying to understand the social media marketing craze sweeping the industry. The closest he had come to social media before was a Facebook page that his wife created for him. But Barron joined hundreds of other dealers learning about social media and evaluating a dizzying array of products.
FULL STORY
Honda saves face on Facebook after cross words for Crosstour
Automakers that want to join social media communities have to play by the social media rules. That can mean taking the bad with the good -- and occasionally losing control of the message. Nowhere was this more apparent than when Honda created a Facebook page in September to unveil its new Accord Crosstour people hauler. Unfortunately for Honda, the photo used to accompany the Crosstour was not...
FULL STORY
Chrysler dealers like new ads
Chrysler Group's new dealer council got a peek at some new advertising last week and was pleased to see messages focused more on selling cars. Some dealers had been unhappy with recent ads geared toward brand-building, such as a Jeep spot that showed clocks but no Jeeps.
FULL STORY
Fisker hires ad agency
Fisker Automotive has hired Lambesis, of Carlsbad, Calif., as its global advertising agency of record.
FULL STORY
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PEOPLE
QUESTION & ANSWER
Pickens sees natural gas as a natural for big trucks
T. Boone Pickens says the United States never has had an energy policy. No matter. The 81-year-old Texas oil and gas billionaire crafted one. And he expects passage this spring of federal legislation enabling a chunk of it -- fueling big trucks with natural gas. He spoke with reporters last week at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention.
FULL STORY
Schweitzer to chair Volvo Truck
Volvo Truck Corp.’s election committee unanimously proposed former Renault CEO Louis Schweitzer as board chairman, Reuters reported. Schweitzer, 67, took over as chairman last month after the resignation of Finn Johnsson, who had chaired the board since 2004.
FULL STORY
Plane crash kills 3 Tesla workers
Three employees of electric-vehicle maker Tesla Motors were killed Wednesday, Feb. 17, in a crash of a small plane belonging to one of them.
FULL STORY
Ex-GM exec joins Boston-Power
Boston-Power Inc., a lithium ion battery maker, named former General Motors executive Robert Purcell Jr., 57, to its board.
FULL STORY
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REMARKETING
M-B device aids end-of-lease inspections
Wireless hand-held devices used by Mercedes-Benz dealerships to inspect new vehicles before they are delivered to customers now can be used to inspect vehicles at the end of their leases.
FULL STORY
TOYOTA IN CRISIS
Some customers take hits on Toyota trade-ins
Last week Todd Caputo had a customer who wanted to get rid of a 2009 Toyota Camry with 10,000 miles. The customer's wife refused to drive it because it was part of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.'s massive recall. Caputo, a Chittenango, N.Y., Chevrolet dealer, offered the man $12,000 toward the purchase of a 2009 Hyundai Sonata with 5,000 miles on it. The customer owed about $20,000 on the Camry...
FULL STORY
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VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
TOYOTA IN CRISIS
Toyota starts to fight back
Company argues that overall safety record is normal
Tired of the flood of negative reports from the government and media, Toyota's U.S. executives are mounting a new and more vigorous defense of the company's tarnished safety record. Company officials argue Toyota is being punished unfairly for a level of long-term safety performance that is well within industry norms. Last week they cited consumer complaint statistics to defend Toyota's record.
FULL STORY
Lawmakers focus on Tacoma complaints
NHTSA records suggest unintended acceleration cases were more than 'minor drivability issues'
When lawmakers question Toyota President Akio Toyoda and other Toyota Motor Corp. executives this week, they will be honing in on how the automaker handled the high number of safety-related complaints about its Tacoma pickup truck. In 2008, Toyota said hundreds of unintended-acceleration complaints about the Tacoma reflected "minor drivability issues and are not indicative of a safety-related...
FULL STORY
GM's next pickups: More technology
General Motors Co. will add technology to its next generation of full-sized pickups, including adaptive cruise control and Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, GM may offer a flexible electronics system that is compatible with a wide range of aftermarket devices beyond MP3 players and mobile phones.
FULL STORY
GM calls for more ethanol stations
General Motors Co.'s growing output of vehicles capable of running on ethanol-gasoline blends won't help cut polluting emissions or U.S. dependence on foreign oil until a slim network of ethanol stations is greatly expanded, said Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman for global product operations.
FULL STORY
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SERVICE & PARTS
Lawmakers focus on Tacoma complaints
NHTSA records suggest unintended acceleration cases were more than 'minor drivability issues'
When lawmakers question Toyota President Akio Toyoda and other Toyota Motor Corp. executives this week, they will be honing in on how the automaker handled the high number of safety-related complaints about its Tacoma pickup truck. In 2008, Toyota said hundreds of unintended-acceleration complaints about the Tacoma reflected "minor drivability issues and are not indicative of a safety-related...
FULL STORY
U.S. regulators were told of Toyota claims in 2004, insurer says
The largest U.S. auto insurer alerted regulators earlier than first believed about a worrying trend of accidents involving Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles, while the Obama administration's top transportation official said on Friday he would not relax pressure on the carmaker. Both developments came as Toyota's president, Akio Toyoda, readied to fly to Washington in an extraordinary appearance to...
FULL STORY
Most Toyota Financial auction vehicles are repaired, sold or for sale
Eight-five percent of the nearly 42,000 vehicles that were affected by the recall and parked at auctions when the company suspended sales in late January have been repaired, sold or are for sale, a Toyota manager said. Those vehicles were owned by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.’s captive finance company.
FULL STORY
Media shy Toyota president faces makeover for U.S. stand
After being pilloried for his less-than-perfect English, bowing technique and other bungles, the head of Toyota Motor Corp. will need a crash course in preparing for his debut in the U.S. Congress next week. Akio Toyoda, the grandson of Toyota's founder, has succumbed to pressure to testify before a congressional panel on Wednesday, ending days of uncertainty about how the embattled automaker...
FULL STORY
Akio Toyoda shifts stance, agrees to testify before U.S. House panel
Toyota Motor Corp. CEO Akio Toyoda accepted an invitation to testify next week before a congressional committee that is investigating the automaker's safety problems. “I have received Congressman Towns' invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on February 24 and I accept," Toyoda said in an e-mailed statement late Thursday.
FULL STORY
Spyker will need more money to sell more Saabs
Spyker will have to raise more cash in order to make its $400-million acquisition of Sweden's Saab sustainably profitable amid gut-wrenching changes in the global automobile industry. Spyker CEO Victor Muller clinched an audacious deal last month to buy Saab, helping it avoid closure, but now the Dutch maker of custom-made sports cars will have to double Saab's production, roll out new models and...
FULL STORY
Secret Toyota records subpoenaed by U.S. House committee
A House panel today subpoenaed confidential internal documents that a former Toyota Motor Corp. lawyer has said show that the automaker destroyed legal evidence about SUV rollover accidents. The House Oversight Committee issued the subpoena as part of its investigation into Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration.
FULL STORY
Corolla probe threatens Toyota brand
Toyota Motor Corp. braced itself for further damage to its brand as a U.S. probe into power steering complaints in the Corolla heightened chances of another recall. U.S. regulators launched a preliminary investigation today into reported power-steering problems with the second most popular car in the U.S. market, behind Toyota's Camry.
FULL STORY
Sears offering defunct car dealerships auto center franchises
Retail giant Sears Holdings Corp. hopes to expand its Sears Auto Center network by recruiting former car dealers as franchisees. Sears said today it is launching the Independent Sears Auto Center franchise program, allowing auto dealers who lost their GM or Chrysler franchises to operate as licensed Sears Auto Centers.
FULL STORY
NHTSA to study Toyota Corolla steering complaints
U.S. highway safety officials will begin a formal investigation into electric power steering complaints in the Toyota Corolla, a person familiar with the plan said on Wednesday. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study will focus on vehicles from the 2009 and 2010 model years. In Tokyo earlier Wednesday, the automaker's quality chief, Shinichi Sasaki, said Toyota may consider a...
FULL STORY
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FINAL ASSEMBLY
10 years after Alfa's promised return to the U.S., it's still not here
It seems like only yesterday that Fiat got American
Alfisti all worked up by declaring that its Alfa Romeo brand would return to the United States. But alas, March 13 will mark the
10th anniversary of that announcement. And it still hasn't happened, although we may be getting closer.
FULL STORY
Some good news for Toyota owners: Cheaper child seats
Here's reassurance, of a sort, for Toyota owners afraid that their vehicles might be prone to accidents. They can buckle up their kids for less. Through March, child-seat maker Evenflo is offering a $10 discount to Toyota owners.
FULL STORY
Googling after Toyota in its own backyard
Web surfers who Googled "Toyota Corolla Torrance" last week were in for a surprise. At the top of the first Google page was a link to a video from Scott Robinson Honda in Torrance, Calif., which just happens to be the hometown of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.
FULL STORY
Can Forster make British luxury simmer like Bimmer?
As CEO of India's Tata Motors, Carl-Peter Forster no doubt will focus intently on Tata's Jaguar Land Rover unit. But Forster, 55, won't be the first BMW-trained German executive to run these two quintessentially English luxury-car brands. A decade ago, Wolfgang Reitzle gave it a shot.
FULL STORY
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EVENTSWEBINARSJOB LISTINGS
June 16, 2010
Novi, Michigan
Going Green is no longer an option or marketing ploy. Automotive companies have to raise fuel efficiency and lower emissions to stay in the game. Stricter government mandates are on the way in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.
Attend the 2010 Automotive News Green Car Conference and Exhibition on June 16. Hear the industry's top executives discuss the challenges of going green, examine the barriers to meeting stricter standards and identify ways to quicken the progress. Get the information you need most.
For details and registration, visit:
www.autonews.com/green or call 313-446-0326.
Attend the 2010 Automotive News Europe Congress on June 22-23 in Bilbao, Spain. Hear comprehensive pan-European solutions, alternatives and analysis for the most critical issues facing the industry today. Discussion topics include: Finding solutions through technological advances and environmental alternatives; making the right decisions after a crisis, including capacity adjustments and competition; and opportunities through collaboration for OEMs and suppliers. Get the information you need most.
For details and registration, visit:
www.autonews.com/anecongress or call
313-446-0326.
Exclusive Lead Sponsor:
Host Sponsor:
Scrappage Scenarios: Europe's Automotive Outlook A Year Later
With scrappage schemes ending, what is the outlook for 2010? What are the post scrappage plans from automakers? Our speakers Jürgen Stackmann, Member of the Board, Marketing & Sales at Ford of Germany and Arndt Ellinghorst, Automotive Analyst from Credit Suisse, will share their views on what the prospects are and what it will take to continue a recovery.
Sponsored By Raytheon
Register today
to view the live webinar on Feb 22.
Truck 2020: Transcending Turbulence
The truck industry faces the dawn of a new era. The changes surrounding it are daunting, the need for transformation is immediate and the challenges are multidimensional. Current trends are forcing truck manufacturers to reexamine their operating models and search for new ones.
Please join us for our webinar to discuss these trends and the results of IBM's important study.
Sponsored By IBM
Register today
to view the archived webinar on-demand.
Secure Collaboration - Manufacturer to Supplier
In this global collaborative environment, manufacturers and suppliers need a solution where they can safeguard intellectual
property and minimize risk, while keeping the natural flow of data unimpeded.
Join us for a webinar where we will share insights on how other organizations are utilizing the skills of a talented work force and technology to support a business framework for secure collaboration and innovation.
Register today to view the archived webinar on-demand.
SALES/CLIENT RELATIONS/CLAIM ADJUSTER: National Automotive Experts
Strongsville, NA, United States
Various Management Positions:
Unknown
Unknown, NA, United States
Parts Logistics, Supply Chain Management, and Warehouse Management: Volkswagen Group of America
Auburn Hills, MI, United States
OUTSIDE SALES:
DAC Company
Various, NA, United States
AGENT ADMINISTRATORS: Confidential
Various, NA, United States
OFFICE MANAGER::
Confidential
Unknown, FL, United States
Parts Wholesale Operations General Manager: Group 1 Automotive
Oklahoma City, OK, United States
Finance Specialist:
Toyota of Greer
Greer, SC, United States
Sales Agent Opportunity: Capital Payments
Varies, NA, United States
Sales Reps:
NAS Global
Various, NA, United States
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