DAILY: Kia readies rear-wheel-drive sedan | Saab dealers rush to retool | Automotive patents in high gear | Fears of a glut in India

DAILY NEWSLETTER February 13, 2012

» Tell a colleague about this newsletter    » Open this newsletter in a web browser    » Home page » Webinars » Contact Us ShareThis

Kia plots rear-wheel-drive strategy Kia is going rear-wheel drive. The company's first-ever production rear-wheel sedan will launch in Korea in the first half of this year. It's code-named "KH," and it shares a platform with the Equus, Hyundai's top-of-the-line RWD sedan. >> story  Published: Feb 13 11:37 am U.S. Eastern time / Last changed: 2/13/12 2:25 p.m. ET Advertisement 11 Key Questions To Ask Any Live Chat Vendor Before You Buy Download your free Automotive Dealer Live Chat Buyers' Guide and save time and effort in your search for the right chat solution for your dealership. Click here to download your Buyers' Guide today. Saab dealers rush to retool as bankruptcy unfolds (Bloomberg) -- The bankruptcy of Saab Automobile has left the automaker's 900 dealers around the world scrambling to reinvent themselves, sometimes in creative ways. Tom Backes, general manager at Guilford Saab in Connecticut, is considering trading ... >> story  Published: Feb 13 11:15 am U.S. Eastern time Car-door fires on GM SUVs draw NHTSA scrutiny Study follows similar probe of Toyota models DETROIT (Reuters) -- U.S. safety regulators are investigating reports of driver-side door fires in some 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SUVs. The preliminary investigation covers more than 309,000 vehicles, made by General Motors, according to a ... >> story  Published: Feb 13 11:58 am U.S. Eastern time / Last changed: 2/13/12 4:24 p.m. ET Follow Automotive News

Subscribe to Automotive News today! You are receiving the free registrant version of our newsletter. If you would like a more comprehensive version, purchase a subscription to Automotive News. If you are already a subscriber, please contact subs@crain.com to get the full version of our newsletter.  MORE HEADLINES Average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in Jan. rebounds to 23 mpg, study says   Patent push shows automakers bring more technology in-house   Chrysler recalls police Chargers due to overheating   In India, fears of a glut as automakers storm market   BMW fights Mercedes with new fuel-efficient 3-series sedan   In Michigan, will Romney regret opposing auto bailout?   VW Group plans major hike in global output   VW to decide on North American Audi plant this summer   DuPont launches sale of car paint unit, sources say   Bentley names ex-Ford designer Hilton to lead exterior design   Laura Clark Geist, former Automotive News reporter, dies at 50     GREEN SHOOTS Retrofitters plug into EV fleet niche Automakers are having a hard time selling electric vehicles in volume. But retrofitters aiming for tiny niches are proliferating. With business models geared to selling small batches of electrified vehicles to utilities, governmental units and the like, you might say that retrofitters are playing small ball. But they see a steadily growing market of customers who are motivated to make their fleets green -- and who want to cut fuel costs for their fleets. They also avoid the heavy capital expense of developing their own vehicle. Alan Perriton, COO of Orem, Utah-based Via Motors, sees a niche in converting full- ... >> Read the column  Published: Feb 13 12:01 am U.S. Eastern time KEITH CRAIN Nobody has clout like NADA's Once again this year, the National Automobile Dealers Association put on a convention that was full of great things. Fiat and Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne opened the convention with some stirring thoughts on fuel economy, and former President George W. Bush closed it with a powerful message focusing on the importance of the auto bailouts. You couldn't ask for better speakers to open and close the convention. The No. 1 topic of conversation during the convention -- and one that will continue throughout the year -- was the challenge of dealership-improvement programs. It's a thorn in just about everybody's ... >> Read the column  Published: Feb 13 12:01 am U.S. Eastern time RICK KRANZ Acura: Seinfeld, Leno crashed the Web site 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. Mike Accavitti, American Honda's chief marketing officer, says the site was down for about 10 minutes because of a 3,000 percent increase in traffic. Accavitti said the commercial on Acura's Web site received 16 million views from Jan. 30, the day it was posted, to Feb. 6, the day after the Super Bowl. ... >> Read the column  Published: Feb 13 12:01 am U.S. Eastern time 90 Seconds With Mercedes-Benz's Steve Cannon Steve Cannon took over as Mercedes-Benz's U.S. chief in January, replacing Ernst Lieb. The former marketing V.P. is only the second American to lead Mercedes in the U.S. In this segment, he talks about his goals for 2012, a new generation of small cars, and his plans for the next 5 years. ...  View the video  Published: Feb 13 12:01 am U.S. Eastern time  OBITUARIES   Obituary Information about longtime Arizona car dealer Gerald Hatch. >> story  Published: Feb 13 12:01 am U.S. Eastern time Rick Kranz is product editor for Automotive News GM rediscovers the value of planned obsolescence GM's current managers view styling changes and product enhancements as a better bet to maintain sales than marketing dated vehicles with huge rebates. ...  Read the blog  Published: Feb 13 2:51 pm U.S. Eastern time Harald Hamprecht is Editor-in-Chief at Automotive News Europe. The rules according to Bob Lutz Bob Lutz has just turned 80. The Swiss-born U.S. citizen has been enjoying semi retirement since 2010. But Lutz is still managing to stay very busy, he told me. ...  Read the blog  Published: Feb 13 1:00 am U.S. Eastern time Dave Guilford is enterprise editor of Automotive News. Clint’s 'Halftime': A hit with just a hint of Chrysler As the furor over the Chrysler Group “Halftime in America” commercial tapers off -- it is tapering off, isn’t it? -- three thoughts stick with me about the annual Super Bowl advertising fest. ...  Read the blog  Published: Feb 11 10:27 am U.S. Eastern time

WEBINARS MARKETPLACE JOB LISTINGS F&I WEEK June 19-21 Regulation Workshop, Strategies That Drive Top F&I Performance, How To Wow Lenders & Much More! Master Google To Sell More Cars Available On-demand Drive more traffic to your website, increase your online customer service score, and much more! Complimentary - Dealer 2 Dealer: Boost Accessory Sales Today! Available On-demand How to develop and implement a profitable accessories sales program. Complimentary Webinar - Driving Performance and Agility with Operations Intelligence Available On-demand Learn how Best-in-Class automotive companies develop and implement an Operational Intelligence strategy. Complimentary - Dealer 2 Dealer: Master Extended Warranty Sales Available On-demand Learn to successfully sell extended warranties and generate revenue in the service drive. Dealership Buy/Sell: What You Need To Know To Understand A Market In Turmoil Available On-demand The landscape for buying and selling automotive dealerships is changing rapidly. Learn what it takes to push through the sale of a poorly performing dealership...and how the lack of proper documentation can trip up a sale. Complimentary Webinar: Redefining The Car Shopping Process and Cross-Shopping Behavior Sponsored by: AutoTrader.com Available On-demand In this webinar, AutoTrader.com will provide new information about the way consumers are cross-shopping New and Used Cars on its consumer site and how to capture fence-sitters.   OEM Parts Locator and Marketing Service PartsVoice   FandI Education and Compliance Leader. AFIP - Assoc. of Finance and Insurance Professionals   Relieve unnecessary clerical work, increase claim Warranty Processing, Inc.   Service is more than our name. Service Group Insurance and Financial Services   Increase your customer paid labor and parts sales Service Advisor Training   A premier auto finance provider Ally   One Call Closer Automotive One Call Closer/ Outside Sales Rep   Aviation Grade Automotive Sealant   ll Auto Auction Services Corporation   Discover the secret to a great looking vehicle. CAP Final Coat   A software company dedicated to help manufacturers Apriso Corporation Sales Manager: Unknown Location: Mid-Atlantic, NA, United States Inventory manager: Confidential Location: Arkansas, United States Audi Sales Manager & Audi Brand Specialists: THE COLLECTION Location: Miami, FL, United States Service Manager: Mac Haik Automotive Group Location: Unknown, TX, United States Preowned Sales Manager: Crown Chattanooga Location: Chattanooga, TN, United States Various Positions: Mazda Location: Bridgewater, NJ, United States District Parts & Service Managers: American Honda Location: San Jose, CA, United States Fixed Operations Director: Cavender Toyota Location: San Antonio, TX, United States PARTS DISTRIBUTION CENTER DIRECTOR: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC Location: Jacksonville, FL, United States General Sales Manager: Razzari Ford/Mazda Location: Merced, CA, United States

Copyright © Automotive News                        Designed by Templatesbox.com

Automotive News is located at 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, Michigan, 48207 If you wish to cancel your subscription to this newsletter click here