Autoblog

Automotive News names its industry All-Stars

George Kennedy — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, China, Europe, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Fiat

Automotive News has announced its annual list of Industry All-Stars. This year, the theme is apparently "success in the face of economic uncertainty," or something of that liking. The list points to executives who have led their respective brands and automakers to positive sales in spite of the European financial crisis and slowing sales in China. See the list below, and you'll understand why:

Industry Leader of the Year and CEO, Europe - Martin Winterkorn, CEO, Volkswagen Group (above): The VW boss started with the German automaker in 2007, overseeing a staggering 12 brands. Under his leadership, sales of Volkswagens have gained in both China and America. VW has also expanded production to America and grown its operations in Brazil. Winterkorn is a very hands-on executive, traveling to America six times to test and tweak the American-built current-generation Passat. Volkswagen is aiming to be the largest and most profitable automaker in the wold by 2018, and Winterkorn will stay on through that time, making him accountable for those goals.
CEO, North America - Sergio Marchionne, CEO, Chrysler Group: How does 31 straight months of positive year-over-year sales sound? The Fiat and Chrysler chief has bestowed dealers with a wealth of new product, and the American automaker is expected to post $1.5 billion in profits this year, in spite of economic turmoil in Europe.
CEO, Asia - Takanobu Ito, President, Honda Motor Co.: In addition to leading the Japanese automaker through the aftermath and destruction of a tsunami, Takanobu Ito has overseen the revival of the NSX sportscar and the emergency facelift of the Honda Civic. He has also stated the company is looking to grow to six million in global sales in the next four years. Big plans, but he has also delivered up to this point.
US Exec, Asian Automaker - Jim Lentz, CEO Toyota Motor Sales USA: Lentz has endured as Toyota's US boss through the 2010 unintended acceleration issue, and the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Through all of this, the Toyota Camry is still America's best-selling car, and profits are on the rise. Success in the face of crisis, indeed.
US Exec, European Automaker - Jonathan Browning, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America: The 53-year-old Englishman came over to head up Volkswagen of America two years ago. Since then, VW sales have increased here at a rapid pace, and the brand has opened the Chattanooga plant to build the Passat. The plant is expected to expand to produce a mid-sized crossover (Tiguan perhaps?) for the US market.

To see the rest of the AN All-Stars, as well as previous year's winners, click through to the link below.

Automotive News names its industry All-Stars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW outsells GM in China for first time in 8 years

George Kennedy — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, China, GM, Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials, Skoda

In case you didn't know, Volkswagen is hell-bent on becoming the largest automaker in the world. The German carmaker has inched closer to that goal, having outsold General Motors in China last quarter for the first time in eight years.

Volkswagen's sales in China, its largest marker, increased by 21 percent last quarter to 704,991 units. Those numbers almost tripled GM's third-quarter growth, and were enough to beat out the American automaker's 664,765 sales. GM, however, still leads in year-to-date sales in China by a slim margin of around 77,000 units. The Asian nation also happens to be GM's largest market, and according to the report in Automotive News, China's car market may grow to be larger than the US, Japan and Germany combined in three years' time.

About the news his company was bested in China by VW last quarter, GM CEO Dan Akerson is quoted saying, "It's not whether you're the biggest car manufacturer. It's whether you want to be the most profitable." It should be noted of these figures that GM includes truck figures, yet excludes Hong Kong and Macau from its Chinese sales numbers, while VW does just the opposite. Through September of this year, Volkswagen had 5 of the 10 best selling vehicles in China. GM boasted three of the cars on that list.

One car not on China's Top 10 list is the Malibu. Though GM's second-best selling car in the US, it has been called a "disaster" by Lin Huaibin of IHS Global Insight. The roughly 29,000 units sold were apparently unable to hang with VW's Skoda competitor.

The Automotive News report cites anti-Japanese sentiments and older GM product as reasons for Volkswagen's third quarter rally. Other brands with increased sales included Hyundai, Kia and Ford, citing that the jump in sales for these brands helped their parent companies counter losses incurred in the beleaguered European car market.

VW outsells GM in China for first time in 8 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama calls for trade case against China

George Kennedy — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: China, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing

According to an Automotive News report, the U.S. government has launched a trade case that focuses on ending Chinese subsidies of its automotive industry, which threaten American auto industry jobs.

The case claims that the Chinese government has subsidized its automotive export industry in a way that is not allowed under World Trade Organization rules. The U.S. Trade Representative's office is also pushing ahead in a separate WTO case against Chinese duties on exports from the U.S. to China.

As a result of the move, China filed a complaint with the WTO against a new U.S. law aimed at combating China's subsidies. The move is called "Countervailing duties" and includes tariffs on tires and steel.

The launching of this case comes at a time when President Obama is looking for an edge in key battleground states like Ohio, where jobs are put at risk by China's subsidies. The case allows Obama to take a strong stance one the issue; presidential challenger Mitt Romney has criticized the White House for being too soft with China as it regards defending American jobs.

The Ohio auto parts industry directly employs over 50,000 people, and China's undervaluation of its yuan currency has made for cheap Chinese products, which undercut U.S. products. Romney has vowed to declare China a currency manipulator on his first day in office, while current administration officials say much progress has been made without turning up tensions.

Due to WTO rules, China's counter-claim has enacted a 60-day period, in which the U.S. and China can talk things out. After that periods is up, China could ask the WTO to make a ruling on the matter.

Obama calls for trade case against China originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carroll Shelby to get lifetime achievement award

Noah Joseph — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Between his motorsport successes and his varied creations, Carroll Shelby has no shortage of accolades. But he's about to get one more, as industry publication Automotive News announces that they'll be honoring the American motoring icon later this month at the Washington Auto Show.

At the show, Shelby will be decorated with the 2011 Keith Crain/Automotive News Lifetime Achievement Award. Previous recipients have included Ralph Nader and Congressman John Dingell (D-Mich).

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. | Image: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com]

Carroll Shelby to get lifetime achievement award originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Jaguar XJ to hit U.S. dealers next month, company looking for 50% growth

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Jaguar, Luxury

2011 Jaguar XJ - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 Jaguar XJ is certainly a drastic departure from Ye Olde Saloon that went out of production last summer. The new car adds some much needed sex appeal to the flagship Jag, and as we found out in our first drive, it's a pretty good steer, as well. Jaguar is hoping that consumers will appreciate the reworked sedan, too - the automaker is hoping to boost overall sales by 50 percent when the 2011 XJ hits dealerships around the world next month.

According to Automotive News, Jaguar sales dropped 21 percent last year - only 51,885 units being moved worldwide (11,955 of which were in the United States). The automaker is counting on the XJ to increase overall sales numbers to around 75,000 units, with one Jaguar spokesperson saying that the XJ will reignite interest in the brand, though the less expensive XK and XF ranges will still continue to be the lead sellers.

The 2011 XJ is certainly priced and equipped to compete with the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz S Class, but can it seriously boost Jaguar's sales numbers? We certainly hope so, and be sure to give us your opinion in the comments below.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Jaguar XJ

Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

2011 Jaguar XJ to hit U.S. dealers next month, company looking for 50% growth originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Craziest Damn Thing You'll Hear Today: 80% of BMW 1 Series owners think their car is FWD

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Coupe, Etc., BMW, Humor, Luxury

2010 BMW 135i - Click above for high-res image gallery

No, this isn't a joke. Really. Automotive News reports that BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer shared this statistic during a call with analysts last week. It is unclear where this information came from within BMW, but it still comes as a staggering surprise that 80 (eighty!) percent of 1 Series owners believe that they are living with front-wheel drive.

As we reported earlier, BMW is planning to bring front-wheel-drive vehicles to market in the near future, and the automaker is worried that it might confuse customers by adding these new products to the rear-drive-only lineup.

Guess not.

We firmly believe that all current 1 Series owners who think their car is front-wheel drive should hand over their keys immediately... to us.

Gallery: 2010 BMW 135i

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

The Craziest Damn Thing You'll Hear Today: 80% of BMW 1 Series owners think their car is FWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Customer satisfaction study puts Big 3 in top five, Cadillac tied for No. 1 with Lexus

Chris Tutor — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Lexus, Toyota, Volkswagen

2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon - Click above for high-res image gallery

The American Customer Satisfaction Index for automakers from the University of Michigan is being released today, and sitting at the very top are Cadillac and Lexus in a two-way tie for first place. The study continues its Detroit lovefest by giving the third spot to a tie-up of Lincoln-Mercury, Buick and Honda. And that moves us into spot No. 7, where Toyota shows up in a tie with Volkswagen.

Great news for American automakers? Great fodder for the marketing departments at least. Automotive News (sub. req.) quotes Claes Fornell, the director of the MSU's National Quality Research Center as saying the great leap in customer satisfaction is, oddly enough, at least partially due to a huge drop in sales. Fornell says that the few people buying American cars are hardcore American car drivers, and are more likely to respond as satisfied to a survey.

The good news, Fornell says, is that a smaller, more devoted group of buyers is more likely to be repeat buyers. In a New York Times story, Fornell says, "In most cases that's not a good thing, to increase the satisfaction of their customers by losing them. But in Detroit's case, it's probably not that bad. It leaves them with a smaller, more satisfied customer base that they might be able to manage better and build from."

In the study, Volkswagen was the most improved, bettering its placement by 6.2% from last year, and Ford jumped 5%.

A table of scores since 1996 is available here and should be updated sometime today with 2009 numbers.

Gallery: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

[Sources: Automotive News and The New York Times]

Customer satisfaction study puts Big 3 in top five, Cadillac tied for No. 1 with Lexus originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mercedes-Benz expected to expand Alabama plant

Chris Paukert — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Daimler, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill

Last week, we told you how despite the downturn, Daimler is upping its investment in the state of Michigan, coming to terms with the city of Ann Arbor to build a new hybrid and electric R&D facility. Now, Automotive News is reporting that the automaker is expected to actually expand its Vance, Alabama production plant.

If the rumors are true, the Mercedes-Benz plant (which currently builds GL, M, and R class vehicles) will benefit from a $290 million investment that is to begin within 60 days. The news evidently leaked out after company officials contacted the Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority about property and sales tax breaks (which it apparently received).

The expansion news comes at an odd time, as not only has the automaker's sales been flagging in the U.S. (down 20 percent in February year-over-year, admittedly much better than the market plunge of 41.4 percent), but sales of Vance-built SUVs in particular have fallen off, with Benz responding by reducing the plant's workforce.

Automotive News says the expansion effort won't be completed until 2011, but word yet on how much capacity this will give the plant (and what it will be used for) is not yet known.

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]

Rumormill: Mercedes-Benz expected to expand Alabama plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auf Wiedersehen! Automotive News Europe ceases print publication

Noah Joseph — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Earnings/Financials

If there was ever an indicator that the tough automotive economy is taking effect on the industry that covers it, this is it. Crain Communications, publishers of Automotive News and all its various editions, has announced that it is canceling the print edition of its Euro-focused edition.

Like Automotive News, Automotive News China and AutoWeek, Automotive News Europe has been printed twice a month (every other week), but now its thirteen years of ink-on-the-fingers publication are coming to an end. It is not clear if any layoffs have resulted from the move, or if those associated with the print edition itself have been given other responsibilities.

Thankfully, the online version will continue on, and Crain affirms that the decision bears no effect on Automobilwoche, the German-language edition published alongside ANE in Munich, or on its upcoming European Congress in Brussels this summer.

The decision to make ANE an online-only publication came as part of a paring-down move that also resulted reportedly in the shuttering of FinancialWeek.com (which went online-only just this last December) and Business Insurance Europe.

[Sources: Automotive News - subs. req'd; PaidContent.org via Washington Post]

Auf Wiedersehen! Automotive News Europe ceases print publication originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM to taxpayers: Sorry we had to ask, but thanks for the money

Chris Shunk — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:56:00 EST

Filed under: GM

The last few weeks may have been some of the worst in GM's 100-year history. Sales have tanked, CEO Rick Wagoner faced a firing squad in Washington -- twice -- and a CNN poll showed that 61% of Americans didn't want the automakers to get federal loans. It appears Congress is on the verge of approving up to $18 billion dollars to keep GM and Chrysler in business, and the General is thankful for the chance to keep the lights on. GM crafted a letter expressing its gratitude, and published it in today's Automotive News.

In the two-page letter, available on the GM Facts and Fiction, GM admits that it has made mistakes. Among the list of items the General is asking forgiveness for are slips in quality, over-reliance on trucks and SUVs, and lackluster designs. GM also pointed out several steps to return to profitability, including streamlining its dealer network, advancing automotive technology, focus on core brands, and perhaps most importantly, build cars that Americans want to buy. Read the letter for yourself after the jump and let us know what you think in the comments.

[Source: GM Facts]

Continue reading GM to taxpayers: Sorry we had to ask, but thanks for the money

GM to taxpayers: Sorry we had to ask, but thanks for the money originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UAW Chief Ron Gettelfinger named Person of the Year

John Neff — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: UAW/Unions

Rick Wagoner may be Motor Trend's most powerful person of the year, but Ron Gettelfinger deserves significant props for what he achieved over the course of the last 365 days. Automotive News has named the president of the UAW its Person of the Year, which is a fitting choice considering that Gettelfinger somehow managed to broker a compromise between domestic automakers and his union workers that satisfied both parties.

On one side of the equation, you had armchair analysts claiming that the UAW would force the domestic automakers into bankruptcy with its high legacy costs that add thousands of dollars to the bottom line of each vehicle sold. On the other, there are thousands of currently employed and retired union workers who don't want to pay an arm and a leg to get their arms and legs fixed. It wasn't easy, as strikes against both General Motors and Chrysler were required to get the deals done. But as 2007 came to a close, new four-year contracts with each of the Big 3 were in the books that would see most of the financial responsibility for retiree health care transferred from the automakers to the union itself, with significant concessions granted that will also reduce labor costs in the short term. The automakers got what they wanted, and in turn the union will keep many of its workers employed who would have otherwise been lost to plant closings and outsourcing. Good job, Ron.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd, Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty]

UAW Chief Ron Gettelfinger named Person of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automotive News Open House: Subscription NOT needed

Chris Tutor — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:06:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

We know how annoying it must be for readers to see an interesting Automotive News link in one of our posts only to be stopped by the "subscription required" notation. It's irritating, we know. And at $155 a year, there probably aren't many Autoblog readers on their subscription list.

But for six days beginning April 16, Automotive News is opening its online doors to any and all for the price of a free lunch. Of course, they're hoping you'll take advantage of a special subscription price of $105 at the end of the week, but if you don't, we'll still bring you the highlights -- followed by "subscription required", of course.

[Source: The Auto Channel]

Automotive News Open House: Subscription NOT needed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automotive News insists GM and DCX talking buyout

John Neff — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Daimler, GM

Automotive News has filed yet another report that insists DaimlerChrysler is in talks with General Motors about the latter purchasing the Chrysler Group. This time the trade pub claims that sources from Germany, where the rumor originated, and the United States have confirmed that GM is interested in picking up the struggling U.S. division of DCX. The New York Times has already confirmed from inside sources that the two companies are talking, but the topic of conversation is sharing the GMT900 full-size SUV platform.

We've already talked about why GM purchasing the Chrysler Group would be the biggest bone-head move of all time. To recap, the two automakers have many products that compete directly with each other, the Chrysler Group's product portfolio is farther behind GM's with less to be optimistic about in the pipeline, the last thing GM needs is more production capacity in the U.S., and absorbing legacy costs and additional UAW workers would be a nightmare. As a point of fact, automakers talk to each other all the time. It's time media outlets quit screaming "Buy out!" every time Rick Wagoner says hello to someone.

[Source: Automotive News]

Automotive News insists GM and DCX talking buyout originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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