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Last week an unlikely 81-year-old emerged from the shadows into the glare of political controversy. Clint Eastwood sauntered out of a dark-toned Chrysler Group Super Bowl spot to growl out a tribute to the revival of domestic automakers.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Although his name was not mentioned once in official statements about last week's executive shuffle at Ford Motor Co., President of the Americas Mark Fields may have been the biggest beneficiary.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Martin NeSmith personifies the boiling point over manufacturer facility programs. NeSmith just built a Chevrolet-Buick-GMC store in Jesup, Ga., spending an extra $500,000 to comply with General Motors' Essential Brand Elements program.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE
Let us make one thing clear amid the sound and fury over Chrysler Group's "Halftime in America" Super Bowl commercial: Chrysler Group LLC, as it exists today, owes the U.S.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Volkswagen AG expects to choose a site for Audi's much-anticipated North American plant by the summer, and locations in Mexico and the United States are in the running, said Michael Macht, VW's head of manufacturing.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| HYUNDAI HALO ZONE?
Hyundai is looking at selling its rear-wheel-drive premium vehicles such as the Equus, Genesis sedan and Genesis Coupe under a new subbrand called Genesis.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| CARS & CONCEPTS
It may have been the most polarizing design at last month's Detroit auto show, but Chrysler hasn't given up on the idea of reinventing the minivan with something as controversial as the 700C concept.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| CARS & CONCEPTS
Jeep has yet to answer enthusiasts' request for a factory-made Wrangler-based pickup. But dealers soon will have an alternative.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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BMW's Mini brand will add a five-door station wagon, a van and possibly a notchback sedan to its lineup by 2020, a source told Automobilwoche, Automotive News' German sibling publication.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| CARS & CONCEPTS
Tesla Motors says the battery-powered crossover it showed last week -- two years before its scheduled sales debut -- can get off the line faster than a Porsche 911. The Model X will carry seven occupants and their luggage.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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CARS & CONCEPTS
Toyota Motor Corp. won't offer a strippo version of the Scion FR-S when the sporty car arrives in the United States this year.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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THE GREEN SCENE
Coda Automotive's electric Sedan hasn't arrived in showrooms yet, but industry sources told Automotive News that Coda is already working on its next model, a small SUV.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| GREEN SHOOTS
Automakers are having a hard time selling electric vehicles in volume. But retrofitters aiming for tiny niches are proliferating.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| THE GREEN SCENE
A shakeout of North America's electric vehicle battery suppliers is under way. In January, Ener1 Inc., the New York-based battery maker that owned a stake in bankrupt Norwegian EV producer Think Global, filed for Chapter 11 reorganization.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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The 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show is a five-door hatchback that replaces the Elantra Touring wagon. The car is powered by a 1.8-liter, 148-hp four-cylinder engine and is available with a six-speed automatic transmission.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Kia will use most of its expanded capacity in the United States to boost Optima production by as many as 60,000 units this year. The decision comes after U.S. sales of the Optima more than tripled last year from 2010.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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To bring more dealers into its new regional dealer advertising associations, Nissan Division will trim the amount of money it is giving nonmembers.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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A group of Saab dealers is asking General Motors to cover warranty repairs for 2010 and 2011 models. GM says it will only honor warranties through the 2009 model year, before its own bankruptcy and disposal of Saab.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Toyota is enlarging the Prius family by adding a vehicle that is smaller and lower-priced than the original Prius. The Prius C -- the C stands for "city" -- is based on the subcompact Yaris platform.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
With regard to Keith Crain's Jan. 23 column, "We need more incentives": We agree that if America is serious about fuel efficiency, federal encouragement for diesel vehicles should be considered.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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EDITORIAL
A byproduct of the recent changes to the TrueCar.com business model highlight how archaic and out-of-touch many state franchise laws have become in the age of the Internet.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| KEITH CRAIN
Once again this year, the National Automobile Dealers Association put on a convention that was full of great things. The No.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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EDITORIAL
Clint Eastwood's evocative Super Bowl commercial for a feisty Chrysler professed faith in Detroit and Americans. But that's not what some Republicans saw.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Regarding Keith Crain's Jan. 23 column: There should never have been any incentives for any kind of vehicle. If electric cars are so good, why not restrict government purchases, including police and military, to those vehicle types?
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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General Motors North America President Mark Reuss has the ambitious goal of making GM the industry leader in customer service and satisfaction. That means Alicia Boler-Davis has a big job.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Toyota Motor Corp. sees North American sales surging in the January-March quarter as it recovers from last year's earthquake and aims for record volume in 2012.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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Last year automotive advertisers emerged from their recession bunkers and flocked back to the Super Bowl. This year, automakers unleashed another flood of commercials -- and another bold effort from Chrysler stood out.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Most Januarys, fleet is a welcome supplement to weather-battered retail sales. This January, fleet volume turned a fair month into a strong one.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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Nissan Motor Co., Japan's second-biggest automaker, reported third-quarter profit that rose 3 percent and beat analysts' estimates as the carmaker reached record sales in China. Net income was ¥82.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA CONVENTION
Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne struck a conciliatory tone with dealers here last week. He thanked them for Chrysler Group's success and acknowledged that automakers no longer had the power to dictate terms to their retailing partners.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA CONVENTION
The proposal to increase federal fuel economy standards to 54.5 mpg by 2025 threatens to price millions of consumers out of the market, the 2012 chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association said.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
General Motors wants Buick-GMC dealers to offer courtesy loaner vehicles and is considering new advertising standards as ways to move the brands up the premium scale, executives told dealers at the make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Ford brand unveiled its Facilities of the Future program to dealers at the make meeting. Ford will offer dealers financial help to improve their stores in line with Ford's Trustmark Design standard.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
After months of inventory shortages triggered by last year's earthquake, Toyota dealers should return to full volumes within a few weeks.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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After a year in which their sales were limited by a devastating earthquake in Japan, Acura dealers were told here that production of Acura vehicles is back to normal and the distribution pipeline should be full by March.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
General Motors, seeking to gain market share this year, is gunning for a 13 percent U.S. sales increase for Chevrolet. GM expects Chevrolet to increase its market share in 2012, executives told dealers at the make meeting. Last year Chevrolet's U.S.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
General Motors is seeking to increase Cadillac's retail sales about 13 percent this year as it prepares for its busiest product-launch schedule in many years. Cadillac executives have set a 156,000-unit U.S.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Kia pledged to get its U.S. dealers 100,000 more units this year than last year to keep up the brand's momentum. An extra 100,000 sales would be about a 20 percent gain for Kia in 2012.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Mercedes-Benz USA executives didn't attend the make meeting, leaving their top manager in the western region to field dealer questions.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Mazda North American Operations will use the launch of its Skyactiv powertrain technology and the arrival of the new CX-5 crossover as the impetus to boost its marketing spending by 25 percent this year, executives told dealers at the make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Nissan was the only major Japanese automaker whose U.S. sales were not hurt significantly by the March 11 earthquake. Now it is looking to add to its 2011 momentum with a 16 percent increase to 1.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
For dealers attending the BMW make meeting, it was all about listening to the new CEO talk about improving communications -- and assuring them no bonus programs will be cut.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Suzuki dealers need a refreshed product lineup and consistent supplies if they are to hit the automaker's goals of increasing sales in the United States by 20 percent in 2012, dealers were told during their make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Audi of America COO Mark Del Rosso challenged dealers here to keep making store and process improvements to raise Audi's customer satisfaction scores into the top three among luxury brands. Audi placed 10th last year among luxury carmakers on J.D.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Chrysler Group dealers received a special early preview of the automaker's two-minute "Halftime in America" Super Bowl commercial during their make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Infiniti will spend more on advertising and give dealers a new menu of TV commercials for local markets, dealers were told at the make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Dealers at the Land Rover meeting said vehicle allocation and balanced supply throughout the year are their biggest concerns, prompted in part by shortages of the new Range Rover Evoque compact SUV.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Lincoln will invite all its dealers to a Lincoln product show in Detroit in November, executives told dealers at the make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Tim Colbeck, president of Saab Cars North America, told about 25 dealers at the make meeting that the automaker will not contest a move by dealers to force it into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. "We're not going to fight the bankruptcy," Colbeck said.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Porsche Cars North America starts a four-city tour this month to talk with dealers about how they'll handle the coming wave of new products and whether they need to expand and modernize. Beginning Feb.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Volvo Cars of North America delighted dealers by announcing at the make meeting the launch of a captive finance arm with services beginning this year.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Honda will bring out a significant midcycle change to the Civic compact this fall, just 18 months after it was launched, executives said at the make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Volkswagen plans to crank up production specifically for the United States 50 percent this year, executives told dealers at the make meeting. VW brand aims to boost U.S.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Jaguar's new marketing campaign and U.S. Web site are driving more customers into showrooms, dealers said after their meeting. "Everybody recognizes that over the years there has been a lack of attention to the brand.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Mitsubishi Motors North America executives laid out plans to increase sales to 100,000 by 2014, said dealers who attended the make meeting.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Three factors could bring more vehicles to hungry U.S. Hyundai dealers in 2012: new and redesigned models, manufacturing efficiency and a soft European market.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| NADA MAKE MEETINGS
Subaru inventories will be high enough to meet or exceed the brand's U.S. sales goal of 320,000 vehicles, executives told dealers at the make meeting. Subaru is increasing production.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA CONVENTION
Chevrolet is bringing in younger customers and luring buyers from non-General Motors brands, says Alan Batey, 49, vice president of sales and service. He says that will help dealers overcome a dearth of leasees coming back into the market.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA CONVENTION
NADA is bullish on 2012, forecasting that U.S. light-vehicle sales could hit 13.95 million this year.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA CONVENTION
Craig Monaghan smiles a lot these days. The CEO of Duluth, Ga.'s Asbury Automotive Group Inc., the sixth-largest dealership group in the country, sees rising auto sales, a recovering economy and growing profits for dealers.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA CONVENTION
AIADA Chairman Ray Mungenast isn't as confident as others that 2012 will be a smooth year for manufacturers.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| NADA CONVENTION
AutoTrader.com Inc. CEO Chip Perry has rapidly created a car-shopping behemoth. It helps 30 million consumers research vehicles every month and helps dealers sell to those consumers.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| Q&A: MICHAEL MACHT, VW GROUP
Volkswagen Group's 10 brands produced more than 8 million light vehicles last year, and VW aims to surpass 10 million by 2018 or sooner to become the world's largest automaker.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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As dealers digested the results of the National Automobile Dealers Association's facilities study last week, they found common ground with challenge after challenge presented by author Glenn Mercer.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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The Missouri Automobile Dealers Association has new officers for 2012.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| FINANCE & INSURANCE
Dealership Finance Director Loe Hornbuckle sells an F&I product that many stores won't touch. And he's getting impressive results. Last year, Hornbuckle and four other F&I officers at Holmes Motors in Shreveport, La.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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Ron Redfern attended the NADA convention to spend money -- lots of it. His company, Summit Automotive Partners of Centennial, Colo., is spending $25 million during the next year to build or renovate eight dealerships.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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With the retirements of CFO Lewis Booth and product development chief Derrick Kuzak, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally loses two lieutenants who played critical roles in the company's comeback.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
Chrysler Group will expand its line of Mopar-branded models to take advantage of what it sees as a growing demand for vehicle individualization.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
Ford Motor Co.'s new 650-hp Shelby GT500 Mustang convertible is the sort of expensive, roaring beast that American motor enthusiasts love. But Ford planners are now contemplating letting other markets around the world show some Mustang love.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
The GMC Acadia gets its first major changes since the vehicle debuted in 2007.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
Kia may adopt Mini's product formula for the next-generation Soul crossover by offering several variations of the vehicle. "I think there is an opportunity to produce a family of Souls," says Tom Kearns, Kia Motors America's chief designer.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
Nissan North America will square off against Ford Motor Co. for a piece of the small cargo van market this year when it begins production of its NV200 in Mexico. Ford now has a monopoly on the small segment with its Transit Connect.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. and American Honda Motor boosted sales in January, but both are still working on restocking dealerships.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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Brembo S.p.A., Italy's designer brake maker for high-end cars, has barely gotten off the ground in U.S. manufacturing. But Brembo North America CEO Dan Sandberg says the company already is looking to grow.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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PRODUCTION
North American car and truck production in January rose 23 percent from January 2011 levels to 1,255,775 units. That was the most vehicles produced in a January since 1.3 million were built in 2006.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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Information about longtime Arizona car dealer Gerald Hatch.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| RICK KRANZ
Is Acura happy with the response to the Super Bowl commercial featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno vying for the upcoming NSX sports car? You betcha. Moments after the Super Bowl ended, Acura's Web site crashed.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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| FINAL ASSEMBLY
Call it the battle of the backside: There's a big debate within Chrysler about whether a snazzy full-width panel of LEDs should be standard on all Dodge Darts or just high-end models.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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FINAL ASSEMBLY
A production delay last week at Fisker Automotive had foes of the Obama administration snarling about Solyndra, the solar panel maker that went bankrupt after receiving a loan from the U.S. Department of Energy and became a political hand grenade.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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FINAL ASSEMBLY
With its financial outlook increasingly bleak and the embers cooled from its former fling with Ford, Mazda approaches this Valentine's Day looking for some corporate romance.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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FINAL ASSEMBLY
Compact commercial vans such as the Ford Transit Connect are big sellers in Europe, accounting for 700,000 units annually.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012
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| FINAL ASSEMBLY
Mauro Pino, a burly, 6-foot-4 Sicilian with a sonorous baritone voice, stood out immediately when he arrived in Toledo as manager of Chrysler's assembly complex there in April 2010. It now appears Pino's fame will spread further.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2012 |
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