Headlines for Monday, March 11, 2013

Learn how to thrive in tough times

The head of Renault's entry-level models, Arnaud Deboeuf, will share insights on how Dacia has thrived during Europe's debt crisis at the 16th Automotive News Europe Congress on June 12 in Paris. Read More »

Behind the transformation of a Las Vegas dealership

When Jamaal McCoy took over as GM of a Findlay Automotive Group dealership in Las Vegas two years ago, he found a bickering staff that had produced a laggard in customer satisfaction. But that was then. Read More »

Infiniti will offer hybrid version of JX

Infiniti will launch a hybrid version of its seven-passenger JX crossover this summer as a 2014 model. Read More »

Service moves up front

Bill Underriner is building the dealership of the future. Underriner's new dealership reflects what architects and industry leaders say is a growing trend: dealerships putting the service department in the front of the building, next to the showroom. Read More »

Dealers' fraud suit against Mahindra can move ahead, U.S. judge rules

Five dealers who claim they were defrauded by Mahindra & Mahindra have won their first small legal victory in federal court against the Indian automaker -- the right to be heard. Read More »

GM considering Campbell Ewald for Cadillac ad work

Cadillac is considering naming a longtime General Motors partner, Campbell Ewald, to become its new advertising agency of record in a deal that could be worth about $244 million in media billings annually, sources have told Crain's Detroit Business, an affiliate of Automotive News. Read More »

U.S. sold $489.9 million in GM shares in February

The U.S. Treasury, which is exiting its ownership stake in GM, accelerated its sell-down of the automaker in February, saying it received $489.9 million in proceeds from the sale of common shares. Read More »

AutoNews Now: Nissan's Leaf relief plan

Amid disappointing sales, a top exec takes personal charge of electric efforts; seeking EV alternatives; Audi's superhero role. Read More »

Study: Dealerships respond better to Internet leads

Car dealerships are doing better at responding to Internet leads, but the quality of the responses still leaves something to be desired, according to a new study. Read More »

Toyota targets solid-state batteries in '20

Toyota Motor Corp. aims to commercialize solid-state batteries around 2020 and lithium air batteries several years later, as successors to today's lithium ion batteries. Read More »

Next Mustang must gallop on global stage

Ford's product development team is facing its toughest challenge yet in developing a global design language: creating a Mustang that works outside North America. Read More »

Chrysler slows minivan production at Canada plant

Chrysler Group has slowed production at its minivan plant in Windsor, Ontario, this week. The plant's three shifts will work four-hour shifts instead of eight-hour shifts for at least the next week making the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. Read More »

Obama nominees: EPA insider, MIT scientist

President Obama last week chose his nominees to lead agencies that regulate auto emissions and handle alternative energy programs. Read More »

Diamond program propels Capital One

Capital One Auto Finance booked a record $16 billion in auto loan originations last year. Much of that success, says President Trip Hall, stemmed from the lender's Diamond Dealer incentive program, which was launched in 2010. Read More »

First Shift: Porsche's 'mystery' fans

Sports-car maker rated best by online shoppers; Chrysler, VW score highest sales gains per franchise; Subaru recall probed. Read More »

Nexteer planning $500 million stock offering in Hong Kong, report says

Nexteer Automotive, the one-time GM and Delphi steering operation controlled by China’s biggest aerospace company, may seek as much as $500 million in an initial public offering in Hong Kong, two people with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg. Read More »

Marchionne bets billions on Alfa, Maserati

Sergio Marchionne is betting billions that Alfa Romeo and Maserati will help drive Fiat's money-losing European operations back into the black by 2015-16. Read More »

Why GM should go all out with hot spots

If General Motors wants to take the industry lead in installing Internet hot spots in its vehicles in coming years, then it should go all out. Read More »

XL1 coupe paves the way for VW plug-in hybrids

The debut of the Volkswagen XL1, touted by VW as the world's most fuel-efficient production car, marks VW's entry into the plug-in hybrid market. Read More »

Mpg improvements aid mid-sized sales

After several big years for small cars, larger sedans and trucks are returning to the forefront, even as gasoline prices remain high. Read More »

Bosch auto boss sees slight growth in car parts sales in 2013

Robert Bosch expects revenue from the sale of car parts to grow slightly this year as it grabs a bigger share of components built in each car. Read More »

Dealer Census - 2012

This is data compiled by the Automotive News Data Center and requires a Data Center subscription to access. Read More »

Jaguar Land Rover bullish on Europe

Jaguar Land Rover head of European operations Bernhard Kuhnt sees a positive 2013 for both UK brands in Europe because of strong demand for the recently launched new Range Rover and the early-summer arrival the Jaguar F-Type. Read More »

Nissan promotes purchasing exec Saikawa to chief competitive officer

Nissan Motor is elevating Executive Vice President Hiroto Saikawa to a newly created position of chief competitive officer that encompasses oversight of global manufacturing, supply chain management, r&d and customer satisfaction. Read More »

Toyoda shake-up empowers non-Japanese execs

After four tumultuous years of natural disasters, recalls and record losses, President Akio Toyoda is restructuring Toyota Motor Corp. to empower regional CEOs to anticipate problems and respond quickly. The new structure is less insular and more international. Read More »

LaFerrari and Golf were Geneva Web winners

Ferrari's new supercar and Volkswagen's award-winning top seller were the big Web winners from this year's Geneva auto show, according to a study. Read More »

Russian car sales growth slows to 2% in February

Russian car sales grew 2 percent year-on-year in February to 210,666 units, slowing from a 5 percent increase in the previous month, the Association of European Businesses (AEB) said on Monday. Read More »

European auto execs see rebound next year at the earliest

The struggling European auto industry will bounce back next year. Or maybe in 2016. Or maybe later. It depends on whom you talk to among the executives here coping with depressed sales and the uncertain government response to Europe's economic crisis. Read More »

VW brand sales flat in February, hit by weak Europe

Volkswagen said sales of its main namesake brand edged up 0.4 percent in February, the smallest gain in 13 months. Read More »

PSA, Renault woo younger drivers with new small SUVs

French automakers aim to win customers in the growing small SUV/crossover segment with the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur. Peugeot says the first reaction to the 2008 has been positive. Read More »

Fiat aims 500L at families

Fiat added the 500L to provide a car for customers who have grown out of three-door 500, specifically at couples who have started families. The 500L – the L stands for large – is a five-door small minivan that is 602mm longer than the 500. Read More »

Europe: Just how bad is it?

The struggling European auto industry will bounce back next year. Or maybe in 2016. Or maybe later. It depends on whom you talk to among the executives here coping with depressed sales and the uncertain government response to Europe's economic crisis. Read More »

Sales disaster is deja vu for Docherty

Susan Docherty, head of Chevrolet and Cadillac in Europe, is girding for an industry sales slide of 6 percent this year atop last year's 8 percent drop. But there's a bright side: She has seen this play before. Read More »

Toyoda shake-up empowers non-Japanese execs

After four tumultuous years of natural disasters, recalls and record losses, President Akio Toyoda is restructuring Toyota Motor Corp. to empower regional CEOs to anticipate problems and respond quickly. The new structure is less insular and more international. Read More »

Chrysler, VW sales per store soar

The Chrysler and Volkswagen brands increased sales and raised their average sales per franchise last year by about a third, even as they added franchises. Read More »

Learn how to thrive in tough times

The head of Renault's entry-level models, Arnaud Deboeuf, will share insights on how Dacia has thrived during Europe's debt crisis at the 16th Automotive News Europe Congress on June 12 in Paris. Read More »

Volvo may add models to aid struggling dealers

Volvo says it will come to the aid of struggling U.S. dealers by bolstering its lineup, increasing margins and spending more on marketing. The company will decide in the next quarter whether to reverse a decision not to sell the V60 station wagon in the United States. Read More »

GM puts cars on strict diet

When General Motors CEO Dan Akerson vowed last week to cut the weight of new models 15 percent by the 2016 model year, he put his engineers on a rigorous schedule. Is it doable? Yes, but it's a stretch, says one knowledgeable industry consultant. Read More »

Side-by-side Civics: The chaotic Honda sell-off

A proper sell-down of an aging nameplate is almost seamless on the showroom floor. But reality gets in the way sometimes. Take the Honda Civic. Read More »

U.S. execs lead VW's quality quest in N.A.

This winter, when Volkswagen Group of America discovered that diesel versions of the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat were having trouble in Canada's cold climate, executives in the United States didn't need permission from Germany to fix the problem. Read More »

BMW will field 'more usable' GT

U.S. buyers haven't warmed to hatchbacks, BMW executives say -- so the execs expect the 3-series Gran Turismo to be a niche vehicle when it debuts in the United States this fall. Read More »

Launch woes make Ford get tough on prototypes

After recent launch problems, Ford Motor Co. is tightening the build quality of prototype vehicles, says Barb Samardzich, vice president for product development at Ford of Europe. Read More »

Flying Spur is lighter, quieter

The 2014 Flying Spur sedan has a carryover platform, but changes were made to the body, chassis and interior, says Bentley CEO Wolfgang Schreiber. Read More »