News By Topic: Automobile Manufacturers

Chrysler's Increase in Incentives Not Paying Off So Far

Feb 21, 2003

DETROIT February 20, 2003; Sharon Silke Carty writing for Dow Jones reported that hesitancy by DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler unit to jump feet first into the incentives game may have hurt its fourth-quarter results, as savings from cost cutting were offset by increased marketing expenses and lower volume. General Motor ... Continue reading

Topless Beetles Massing To Leave Mexico City Next Week - Bug Spray WILL NOT Help

Feb 20, 2003

MEXICO CITY February 20,2003; Dow Jones reported that German car maker Volkswagen AG said Thursday it will begin distributing its new Beetle Cabrio, which is manufactured in Mexico, next week. The convertible, an adaptation of the New Beetle that Volkswagen launched with much fanfare five years ago, will first head to ... Continue reading

2003 Volvo S60 T5 Sedan Review

Feb 20, 2003

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS Old Volvo: boxy and boring, safe and good for you. Solid, sensible, but not really fast or luxurious, Volvos of the 1970s through mid-1990s were kind of the automotive equivalent of those negative-heel Scandinavian shoes that were popular with the Volvo demographic in the 1970s. Ne ... Continue reading

Ford Credit Appoints David Cosper Chief Financial Officer

Feb 20, 2003

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 20 -- Greg Smith, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Credit Co., today announced that David Cosper, presently assistant treasurer of Ford Motor Company, will become Ford Credit's new chief financial officer, effective April 1, 2003. Cosper, who will also serve as executive vice president of Ford Credi ... Continue reading

First Quarter Auto Bonuses Expected to Create $126 Million For Michigan Economy, Comerica Reports

Feb 20, 2003

DETROIT, Feb. 20 -- During the first quarter of 2003, major automakers and suppliers announced payout bonuses totaling $178.0 million to 334,000 workers, which represents a significant turnaround from the zero-payout year 2002, said David L. Littmann, chief economist with Comerica Bank in Detroit. "Considering the savi ... Continue reading

U.S. Army's Leadership Role in Advancing Fuel Cell Technologies Showcased At SAE 2003 World Congress

Feb 20, 2003

Dual-Use Technologies for Commercial and Military Applications on Display WARREN, Mich., Feb. 20 -- The United States Army Tank- automotive and Armaments Command's National Automotive Center (NAC) will exhibit the Army's continuing role in developing fuel cells and a broad range of cutting-edge ground vehicle technolog ... Continue reading

Mercedes-Benz USA Confident Of Victory In Class Action Suit

Feb 20, 2003

MONTVALE, N.J.--Feb. 20, 2003--Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) pledged to fight an antitrust lawsuit that was certified as a class action by the U.S. District Court of Northern New Jersey. Company officials stated that the lawsuit - filed against MBUSA and independent Mercedes-Benz dealers in the New York region - is meritle ... Continue reading

How Are OEM - Supplier Relations Today?

Feb 20, 2003

Annual Study of Rocky OEM - Supplier Relationship Mailed to Supplier Executives BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Feb. 20 -- Are automakers living up to their public promises to improve relations with their suppliers, or is this merely OEM rhetoric to mollify suppliers and the news media? The industry will know for sure in a few week ... Continue reading

Collins & Aikman Announces Record Fourth Quarter Sales

Feb 20, 2003

TROY, Mich., Feb. 20 -- Collins & Aikman Corporation today announced sharply improved fourth-quarter performance, reflecting the impact of acquisitions, strong internal sales growth, new product launches and increased operating efficiency. Collins & Aikman (C&A) also reported a 370 percent climb in operating income for ... Continue reading

New Book Lists: GREENEST 2003 CARS AND SUVS

Feb 20, 2003

http://www.greenercars.com/bestof.html CLICK4 GreenerCars.com http://www.greenercars.com/12green.html CLICK4 Greenest Cars Of 2003 http://www.greenercars.com/12mean.html CLICK4 Meanest Cars Of 2003 http://www.greenercars.com/byclass.html CLICK4 The Best of 2003 - Top Rated Cars In Each Class WASHINGTON, D.C. February 1 ... Continue reading

Automobiles and the Environment

Feb 20, 2003

Courtesy www.greenercars.com Greenercars.com Automobiles affect the environment in many ways. Impacts begin when a vehicle is manufactured (including the production of all the parts and materials that go into the car) and end with its scrappage in a junkyard (which can recycle many parts but also involves the disposal ... Continue reading

DaimlerChrysler M-Class Vehicles' Steering Investigated By NHTSA

Feb 20, 2003

WASHINGTON February 20, 2003; Dan Hart writing for Bloomberg reported that DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes M-Class sport-utilities are being investigated by U.S. regulators because of reports of power-steering fluid leaks that might affect 133,000 of the vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said o ... Continue reading

VW's Pischetsrieder Plans New Models to Revive Sales

Feb 20, 2003

WOLFSBURG, Germany February 20, 2003;Bret Okeson writing for Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen AG Chief Executive Officer Bernd Pischetsrieder plans to invest 33.3 billion euros ($36 billion) over the next five years to broaden the range of new models and revive sales. Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, this year w ... Continue reading

DaimlerChrysler May Sell Extra Plants in New York and Roitsch

Feb 20, 2003

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. February 20, 2003; Jeff Green writing for Bloomberg reported that DaimlerChrysler AG, which is considering the sale of some of its 23 auto-parts plants to cut costs, may sell factories in New York and Germany that make parts for four-wheel-drive vehicles. Both plants were part of the company's New V ... Continue reading

DaimlerChrysler: No Current Plan to up Mitsubishi Stake

Feb 20, 2003

SINDELFINGEN, Germany, Feb 20, 2003; Reuters reported that carmaker DaimlerChrysler AG said today that it had no current plans to increase its stake in Japanese partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp. "An increase in our participation at Mitsubishi is not planned at present," DaimlerChrysler Chief Financial Officer Manfred Gen ... Continue reading