Low Volume Vehicle Production Trend Focus of MBS Workshop

ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 5 -- The automotive industry is facing a trend in OEM strategy of targeting lower volume "niche" vehicles. Methods to achieve this vary widely from producing "halo" vehicles designed to spark interest in a company's entire line of vehicles to co-branding vehicles with a "lifestyle" partner company such as extreme sports, recreational activities and others. The challenges and opportunities presented by low volume vehicle production will be the focus of a Monday, Aug. 1 workshop at the 40th annual Management Briefing Seminars (MBS). The seminars, directed by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), take place Aug. 1-5 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near Traverse City, Mich.

"Producing vehicles at low volumes is not necessarily difficult -- the challenge is to make a profit at low volumes," said Jay Baron, CAR's president/CEO and co-chairman of the session. "It takes an entirely different manufacturing and marketing mindset to make it work."

The workshop is an extension of CAR's Low Volume Vehicle Production (LVVP) consortium. The LVVP has brought together companies from throughout the automotive value chain to identify technologies, strategize and develop roadmaps for the production of low volume vehicles. Panelists in the Low Volume Production workshop will identify strategies and technologies to make low volume vehicle production viable and profitable in North America. The unique mix of panelists' expertise will assure an informative and interesting exchange of ideas during the discussion. Session panelists include:

   *  John Basso, president, Diversified Tooling Group
   *  Richard Marando, director of advanced engineering, structural
      solutions group, Dana Corporation
   *  Jerry Mosingo, chief operating officer, ASC Inc.
   *  Asutosh Padhi, partner, McKinsey & Company
   *  Mark Reuss, executive director, Architectural Engineering and GM
      Performance Division, General Motors Corp.
   *  John Waraniak, strategic director, Automotive Center of Excellence,
      TATA Consulting Services

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2005, the Management Briefing Seminars are the not-to-be-missed gathering of more than 1,200 auto industry, academic and government leaders addressing critical issues and emerging trends within the automotive industry.

The week-long conference features targeted workshops, high-level executive panels and industry-renowned networking opportunities. Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 1-2) will include sessions highlighting manufacturing, low volume vehicle production and changing business dynamics in the automotive supplier sector. Other sessions will cover topics such as automotive suppliers' health care issues, the outlook for China and India, and advanced powertrains. The Wednesday and Thursday (Aug. 3-4) general automotive strategy sessions will focus on "Is There Calm After the Storm?" David Cole, CAR's chairman will moderate.

Media representatives may attend at no charge; to register visit http://www.cargroup.org/ .

The Management Briefing Seminars are directed by CAR, in cooperation with the University of Michigan's Center for Professional Development and the Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation. For more information regarding MBS registration, as well as exhibit and sponsorship opportunities, contact Lisa Hart at (734) 929-0465, lhart@cargroup.org or visit http://www.cargroup.org/ .

The purpose of CAR is to conduct research on significant issues related to the future direction of the global automotive industry, as well as organize and conduct forums of value to the automotive community.