Automotive News back issues from April 2002:
Toyota walks the walk.(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Toyota Motor Corp. has come a long way since it began selling vehicles in the United States more than 40 years ago. It now has a full line of products that ...
Debts, lawsuit cloud Farr's future; Ex-football star's auto empire withers.(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Mel Farr - once the owner of the nation's largest group of black-owned dealerships - is dismantling his empire. Four years ago, Mel Farr Automotive Group's string of 11 new-car dealerships generated $568 million in revenue. His 13 franchises included Ford, Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, ...
Auto News digest.(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Range Rover price rises 1 NEW YORK - The 2003 Range Rover will be priced at $69,330, including the destination charge, when it goes on sale in June. It will be $665, or about 1 percent, more than the 2002 model. The 2003 Range Rover will have free scheduled maintenance for four ...
Saturn touts power, size in new Ion.(automobile design)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... The 2003 Saturn Ion is larger, more comfortable and more powerful than the S series it replaces. The Ion is approximately 6 inches longer (185.0 inches), 2 inches wider (67.9 inches) and 2 inches taller (56.0 inches) than the 2002 S series. Power is provided by a ...
[0] Auto News digest.(multiple automotive industry news briefs)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Chrysler revs up GT Cruiser The Chrysler group hopes to put PT Cruiser sales back into the fast lane with this fall's launch of the turbocharged GT model. PT Cruiser sales softened late last year and in January because Chrysler didn't offer 0 percent financing or hefty cash-back ...
Aviator is Navigator look-alike.(automobile design)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Lincoln expects the styling that made the Navigator a success to perform the same magic for the 2003 Aviator, the mid-sized sport-utility that arrives in showrooms in late summer. The division enters a booming segment that Lincoln says accounts for 75 percent of the luxury ...
Toyota-PSA car could spread beyond Europe.(joint venture,Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile Czech)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... A small car that Toyota Motor Corp. and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen SA are developing jointly for Europe in 2005 could be exported to ``anywhere else'' depending on demand, the Japanese head of the new venture says. But Masataka Enomoto, who this month will be named as president of ...
Chrysler seeks fast OK for 2 concepts.(Chrysler Group, Dodge M80 pickup, Jeep Compass sport-utility vehicle)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Alarmed by the age of its buyer base, the Chrysler group has put two youth-oriented concept vehicles unveiled at the Detroit auto show on a fast track for approval. The Dodge M80 pickup and Jeep Compass entry-level sport-utility are aimed at the industry's hottest target group - ...
Shorter. Sweeter?(Automotive dropped from company name)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Suppliers that have dropped ``Automotive'' from their names ...
It's official: Aussie Monaro is next GTO.(General Motors to adapt car for United States)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... The next Pontiac GTO will come from Australia. General Motors product czar Robert Lutz told a breakfast group at the New York International Auto Show that GM will import the Australian-built Monaro to the United States. About 20,000 will be imported each year. The ...
Subaru's goal: 250,000 sales in '05.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Subaru is aiming at U.S. sales of 250,000 units in 2005 - an increase of 34 percent compared with 2001 - including a new seven-passenger model to be derived from its partnership with General Motors. Fred Adcock, Subaru of America Inc. executive vice president, said Subaru ...
Japan exports jump 10.9.(vehicle exports)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Japan's vehicle exports jumped 10.9 percent in February from a year earlier on a surge in shipments to the United States and Canada. The rise, to 376,275, gained momentum from an 18 percent increase in U.S.-bound shipments, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers ...
N.A. light-vehicle production drops as result of early Easter.(North America)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... * Most North American vehicle manufacturers were closed Friday, March 29, for the Easter holiday. Many also will be closed today, April 1. * Because the holiday is earlier this year than last, 2002 North American car and truck production has fallen below that of 2001 ....
New York auto show.(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Japanese makers are racing to offer new sport wagons, from the stylish Nissan Murano to the ultrafunctional Honda Element. Stories from the show | PAGES 3, 8, 10, 22, 34 and 35 | * ...
Honda plans 50,000 Elements.(sport-utility vehicle)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... With no B-pillar in the new Honda Element sport-utility, Honda engineers faced a challenge: how to strengthen the vehicle for side impacts. The B-pillar was eliminated in favor of rear-hinged rear doors. With both rear and front doors open, the vehicle has a wide opening to ...
Murano arrives this fall; Nissan sport wagon shares Altima platform.(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... The 2003 Murano sport wagon, a fresh attempt by Nissan Division to adopt more striking design, goes on sale this fall. ``Rather than being confined to a conventional two-box-on-four-wheels, the Nissan Murano's designers had free reign to create a more dynamic and dramatic ...
Ford hits another quality snag; Oil leaks in V-8 truck engines lead to costly repairs.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Trying to solve another nagging quality problem, Ford Motor Co. is repairing or replacing some 5.4-liter V-8 engines on four truck lines, including the Ford F-series pickup, because of oil leaks. The company is spending up to $4,500 per unit to replace complete engine ...
Eckrodt promises to fight for Mitsubishi.(Rolf Eckrodt )(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... As the sole boss of Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Rolf Eckrodt is better positioned to fully integrate the Japanese carmaker into the rest of the DaimlerChrysler group. Eckrodt, who has been Mitsubishi's COO for car operations, will become president and CEO on June 25, replacing ...
Toyota treats Scion concept as an experiment; Press says brand is `classroom' to attract youth.(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Showing two concepts here last week that will be the basis of the first vehicles for the Scion youth brand, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. COO Jim Press said the new sales channel is as much an experiment as a business proposition. ``This is the classroom for us,'' Press said. ...
Ad complaints spark meeting ; Dealers, Chrysler agency to discuss marketing agenda.(dealers to have more input for national and regional campaigns)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Key Chrysler group dealers are scheduled to meet with company executives and Chrysler's ad agency soon to see which direction the division is headed with new advertising. The Chrysler group, under fire by consumer groups over some of its TV spots, has said it will let dealers ...
Supply line.(new plant for sunroofs)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Webasto builds second Ky. plant LEXINGTON, Ky. - Webasto Roof Systems Inc. of Rochester Hills, Mich., is building a 200,000-square-foot plant here, its second in the region. It will be finished early next year. The plant will build glass sunroof systems for a variety ...
Dana, GKN put brakes on Drive Tek.(joint venture on hold )(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Dana Corp. and GKN PLC have put their Drive Tek joint venture on hold because customers weren't eager to buy complete driveline systems. Drive Tek shut down its Auburn Hills, Mich., engineering office in March, after executives for the two companies spent the first two months ...
Isuzu kicks it up a notch with Ascender.(American Isuzu Motors Inc., sport-utility vehicle)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... American Isuzu Motors Inc. last week unveiled the Ascender sport-utility, which will replace the Trooper at the top of the company's U.S. lineup. Isuzu will offer a 10-year/120,000-mile limited warranty on the General Motors powertrain in the Ascender. It will be ...
Infiniti adds 2 key models ; Mid-sized sedan, sport coupe will go on sale in fall.(Infiniti Div., Infiniti M45, Infiniti G35)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Infiniti Division last week added more key pieces to its lineup - a mid-sized sedan and a sport coupe. The move put it three quarters of the way through a product blitz giving it four new vehicles in a year. Both the M45 sedan and the G35 coupe, which is based on the division's ...
Just be sure you say it with authority.(automotive industry brand names)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... If only automakers could control how U.S. consumers pronounce their names. While the automotive industry pumps billions of dollars into boosting brand image, it doesn't do very well at getting folks to remember the name correctly. But that's fundamental public relations. People ...
Toyota has high hopes for compact duo; Automaker uses a two-part launch strategy.(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Call it the tale of two compacts. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. will use a two-pronged marketing approach to launch its new compact entries, the Toyota Corolla and its hip and stylish sibling, the Toyota Matrix. The company will target more traditional subcompact buyers in the ...
Acura's concept car packs power, sips gas ; Automaker will adopt DN-X's technology in production cars.(American Honda Motor Company Inc. Acura)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Acura's DN-X concept sedan is powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that produces 400 hp yet gets 42 mpg. ``You will see some of these technologies on Acura models in the not-too-distant future,'' said Acura boss Thomas Elliott, executive vice president of American ...
W. Europe sales fall 1.4% in Feb.(Western Europe, new vehicles)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Demand for new vehicles in Western Europe slipped again in February. Sales fell 1.4 percent from February 2001 levels, to 1,061,349 units. In the first two months of the year, overall sales declined 1.3 percent. ``These results would have been even worse without the ...
Nissan plays catch-up in Mississippi; Frenzied construction tries to make up for years of lost time.(Canton, Mississippi)
Apr 01, 2002; ... First in an occasional series tracking the development of Nissan's Canton plant. Nissan Motor Co. is running flat out here, and its $930 million truck assembly plant is not even finished. After years of financial troubles that paralyzed product development, Nissan is ...
Letters to the Editor.
Apr 01, 2002 ... Penske's purchase called a wise move To the Editor: I really must cross swords with Ed King (Letters, March 18) on his assessment of UnitedAuto Group's acquisition of Britain's Sytner Group. He is way off base. What makes him believe that because Britain ...
Ford pushes used cars via cycle racing.(Ford Motor Co. Ford Div., Ford Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned vehicle program, Chris Carr Racing Team)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Ford Division has turned to motorcycle racing to help promote its certified used-car brand. The Ford Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned vehicle program is the title sponsor of the Chris Carr Racing Team for 2002. Carr is the defending American Motorcyclist Association U.S. flat ...
Ford adventure show gets ax.(Ford Motor Co. Ford Div., No Boundaries, Warner Bros.)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Ford Division found its boundaries. Warner Bros. canceled Ford's ``No Boundaries'' TV show after only four weeks of the 13-week season. The one-hour ``Survivor''-like program averaged 1.7 million viewers, not enough for the WB Network. So Ford Motor Co. is searching ...
Late News.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Chrysler reviews ethnic ad agencies DETROIT - The Chrysler group put its black and Hispanic advertising accounts into review. The accounts are worth $50 million in billings this year. Don Coleman Advertising Inc. in Southfield, Mich., has handled Chrysler's black ...
Auto News digest.(Precision Tune Auto Care promotes vehicle maintenance )(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Precision Tune has some tips LEESBURG, Va. - Precision Tune Auto Care promotes vehicle maintenance by using statistics from the American Automobile Association and the Car Care Council. A Precision Tune press release tells consumers that AAA research shows that more ...
GM has done it; all makers need a chief car guy.(General Motors)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Sometimes the simple, obvious solution is best. General Motors took a leap forward last year when it hired Robert Lutz. His knowledge and charisma are infectious. But the position is just as important as the man. GM created a job for Lutz, vice chairman of product development ....
Court tosses suit against GM after plaintiff loses evidence.(General Motors)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Product liability plaintiffs who fail to preserve crucial physical evidence, denying manufacturers a chance to inspect and test it, may find their lawsuits dismissed without trial, even if their actions aren't deliberate, a federal appeals court has ruled. As a result, the court ...
One more headache.(Ford Motor Co. trucks and sport utility vehicles, reported problems)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Problem: Head gasket on some 5.4-liter V-8s allows oil to seep Fix: Repair or replace the engine ...
Blackwood bites the dust early; Lincoln won't offer posh pickup in 2003.(Lincoln Blackwood)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Lincoln has pulled the plug on its luxury pickup. The 2002 Blackwood will die this year, one model year earlier than planned. Lincoln has sold only 379 Blackwoods since the model went on sale last November. The launch was hampered by engineering delays, and only 1,019 units have ...
Obituaries.(automobile dealers)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Philip Bentley Sr. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Longtime automobile dealer Philip Bentley Sr. died Jan. 30. He was 84. He was a founding partner of Bentley Pontiac-GMC, Bentley Cadillac-Oldsmobile and Bentley Imports, all in Hunts-ville. Charles Gumushian DETROIT - ...
Daewoo Motor America to GM: Please keep us in the deal.(Daewoo Motor America Inc., senior executives letter to General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... The eight senior executives of Daewoo Motor America Inc. have written General Motors in a desperate bid to keep the U.S. sales arm part of any GM deal that takes over the bankrupt Korean parent, Daewoo Motor Co. GM agreed last fall to pay $400 million for key assets of Daewoo ...
Disney divisions unite for Mazda marketing deal.(Walt Disney Co., Mazda North American Operations, Mazda MPV)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Mazda North American Operations struck an integrated marketing deal with five divisions of Walt Disney Co. Disney brought several TV stations into the deal, said to be worth $5 million to $10 million. The deal is a supplement to the company's heavy network TV ...
Makers seek room to grow; Luxury marques want hipper market.(luxury automobiles)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Luxury automakers are readying a slew of new or redesigned vehicles to reach baby boomers in their peak earning years and young, upwardly mobile buyers. Several brands, including Cadillac and Lincoln, have dual-product strategies to retain older buyers while they reposition themselves as ...
Mitsubishi Outlander takes on RAV4.(Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America Inc., 2003 Outlander, Montero, Toyota RAV4)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America introduced two sport-utilities, the new 2003 Outlander and a facelifted Montero. The Outlander, aimed at the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, is based on the Lancer subcompact. Pierre Gagnon, president of Mitsubishi's U.S. sales arm, said the base ...
Corrections.(Correction Notice)
Apr 01, 2002 ... * A table on Page 1 of the March 25 edition gave incorrect ad spending figures for the five brands listed. The table should have explained that the figures were in thousands of dollars. * Two executives' names were ...
Luxury cars get big new incentives.(Chicago, Illinois area, customer rebates)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... The word for incentives is ``up,'' and up means as much as $7,000 a copy on some luxury cars. To clear the decks for its 2003 Town Car, Lincoln has raised the customer rebate to $7,000 on 2002 models in the Chicago region. The national rebate on the car is $5,500, up from ...
Texas ad co-op has new twist.(Toyota dealers, used-vehicle market, advertising cooperative)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Toyota dealers in Texas are pooling their advertising dollars to buy a bigger voice in the certified used-vehicle market. Dealer ad associations in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston are contributing $100 per certified used vehicle sold to cover the cost of local advertising for ...
Missing Monte Carlo.(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Issue: Driver failed to preserve Chevrolet Monte Carlo damaged in accident. ...
At the peak.(Mel Farr Automotive Group Inc., 1998 revenue)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Mel Farr Automotive Group's biggest year for revenue was 1998. Here is what the group looked like that year. Revenue (all depts.): $568.4 million Dealerships: 11 ...
The Big Apple still loves cars.(New York International Automobile Show)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... I've never quite figured this out. The New York International Auto Show is really big, but most folks who go to see the cars arrive by public transportation. New York was the home of the very first auto show, which was held more than a century ago. The show was in a ...
Why Canton? Ask ex-Michelin guy Ghosn.(Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A., Carlos Ghosn)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Nissan's decision to spend nearly $1 billion building a truck plant in central Mississippi still strikes a few in the industry as surprising. But one untold part of the story might shed some light on the site selection: Carlos Ghosn scouted the Canton site in a previous life. ...
Mazdaspeed's first performance car has 2003 debut.(Mazda Motor Corp., Proteges)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Mazda Motor Corp. will produce 2,000 high-performance 2003 Proteges for North America. The cars will be the first products tagged with the company's performance brand, Mazdaspeed. The Mazdaspeed unit will create high-performance versions of Mazda vehicles, plus parts, ...
Dealers.(new company)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Beginnings * Joe Bertolami opened Toyota West in Statesville, N.C. Citizenship * Hall Auto World in Virginia Beach, Va., which has 17 dealerships in Virginia and North Carolina, donated $144,550 to an endowment fund it established last ...
Magazines play new role for makers.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... G+J USA Publishing, which owns magazines such as Family Circle, Parents, Rosie and Fitness, named Dave Woodruff as its national automotive director this year. Woodruff will create cross-platform marketing programs for the company's automotive clients with the help of G+J's parent company, ...
Mercury may get Mondeo.(to rebuild the Mercury brand)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... The Ford Mondeo may reappear in the U.S. market wearing a Mercury badge. Ford discontinued the Mondeo-based Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique in the United States in the 2000 model year after six years of disappointing sales. Now the company is trying to rebuild the ...
Auto News briefly.(marketing)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Ford Division has a case of March Madness. In the lobby of a Ford building in Dearborn, Mich., Ford Division put up a sign with division General Manager Jim O'Connor's head pasted on the body of a cartoon basketball player. O'Connor appears to be protecting the ball from an opposing player ...
Expect more Japanese trucks; Fight with Big 3 for light-truck market will only get tougher.(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... Five years from now the U.S. truck world will have a much stronger Japanese flavor: * If trends hold, Japanese automakers will have nearly 25 percent of the light-truck market. * They will have led consumers into new definitions of car-based trucks. * ...
Hyundai Web site gives speedy feedback.(training offered for dealers)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002; ... When his Hyundai Customer Satisfaction Index scores are down, Larry Kirby gets on a Hyundai Web site to find proven techniques for pumping up the scores. Kirby, parts and service director for Lithia Hyundai of Fresno, Calif., checked the site recently because CSI scores showed ...
Career highlights.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... 1967: National Football League names Mel Farr rookie of the year 1975: Two years after ending career with Detroit Lions, Farr opens first dealership 1996: New-vehicle retail sales peak at 10,756; ...
Suppliers drop 'Automotive'; Auto firm by any other name may lure investors.(company names)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... What's in a name? Less than there used to be for some automotive parts makers. When Delphi Automotive Systems Corp. dropped ``Automotive Systems'' from its name and became Delphi Corp. on March 15, it followed a growing trend. Two years ago, Borg-Warner Automotive Inc. became ...
Advantage, EXT.(sales)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... The Cadillac Escalade EXT and Lincoln Blackwood went on sale in November. The Escalade EXT has sprinted ahead. Here are U.S ....
Star wars.(former football star Mel Farr )(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... A lawsuit against former football star Mel Farr alleges he * Defaulted on $50 million in debts owed to Ford Credit * Defaulted on a portion of ...
IRS backs off.(tax laws and inventories)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Here's why the IRS lets LIFO dealers use replacement cost to value parts inventories instead of acquisition cost. * Using replacement cost is a widespread industry practice. * ...
IRS changes parts inventory rule ; LIFO dealers can use factory prices.(dealers who use the LIFO accounting method on parts)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002; ... The Internal Revenue Service is allowing dealers who use the LIFO accounting method on parts to value year-end parts inventories the way they did before a 1999 U.S. Tax Court decision made using LIFO impractical. ``It's pretty near impossible for dealers to base the value of ...
Mississippi Nissans.(Nissan North America Inc. builds plant)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Facts on Nissan North America Inc.'s new plant Where: Canton, Miss. Scheduled plant opening: May 2003 ...
Southern snarls.(Canton, Mississippi automobile plant)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Apr 01, 2002 ... Despite moving at a fast pace, Nissan's Canton project has had to negotiate a few bumps in the road. * Bad weather: Heavy rains cost contractors a delay of nearly a month. * Odd soil: The state ...