WEEKLY: Let the pickup wars begin | The Wild West of online | If chosen Ford COO, Fields' to-do list is challenging | Paris auto show preview

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Sept. 17, 2012

» Tell a colleague about this newsletter    » Open this newsletter in a web browser    » Home page » Webinars » Contact Us ShareThis Click here to view this week's digital edition EDITOR'S PICKS Let the pickup wars begin Big stocks push GM sell-down; rivals are countering General Motors has been cranking out pickups to stockpile them ahead of factory downtime this summer and fall, as it retools for the next-generation t ...  FULL STORY   The Wild West of online  New Ford Focus  Brothers run lean to survive in the big city  After 98 years on duty, White Group is eager for century No. 2  At American Honda, storytelling takes a front seat  Farley: Technology leadership is major element of Ford's identity  Deutsch's VW ads put agency in the spotlight  No quick fixes in Europe  How Scion's lessons will apply to Toyota Advertisement What's the best live chat solution for your car dealership? ActivEngage's latest eBook, In-House vs. Managed Chat, has everything you need to know about choosing the right live chat solution. Statistics, benchmarks, and analytics are included to help you choose the best fit for your dealership. Download your free eBook today! FINAL ASSEMBLY FINAL ASSEMBLY Scratch former exec Pelata from Opel race Well, we know who's not going to be running Opel: Patrick Pelata, the former Renault-Nissan executive who had been mentioned as a candidate for the GM ...  FULL STORY  FINAL ASSEMBLY : The sincerest form of car design? FINAL ASSEMBLY : Where are they now: Mark Fields and the Ford also-rans FINAL ASSEMBLY : Jay Leno gets out of control in Japan BACK TO TOP DEALERS GM reps to visit small dealers Change aims to improve retailers' customer service Starting in the first quarter of 2013, GM district managers will make regular visits to small, mostly rural, dealerships, which now have only call-cen ...  FULL STORY   Growing up with BMW  Kia takes aim at large metro markets  August sales increase was built on retail  Audi challenges BMW's long reign as luxury sales leader  Dealers BACK TO TOP AUTOMAKERS AND SUPPLIERS Chrysler, GM most at risk if CAW strikes Grand Caravan, Impala face tightest supplies A prolonged strike by the Canadian Auto Workers union could cause U.S. dealers to run out of Dodge Grand Caravans and Chevy Impalas within a month. ...  FULL STORY   Finding mpg in lost heat  For the new Accord, Honda's ads tell a story  Nissan gets squeezed for space  Virtual Realities  N.A. output: 8 build at record pace  Ah, the penalty of being first  Forget horsepower; tell us about torque  Outlander has 3 new safety items  Aluminum suppliers expand as demand soars BACK TO TOP MARKETING EDITORIAL It's time regulators deal with digital auto marketing When the National Association of Motor Vehicle Boards and Commissions meets this week in Alexandria, Va., the group must tackle the thorny issues invo ...  FULL STORY   Peck to head Chevy's U.S. advertising  New-style marketing bumps into old no-nos BACK TO TOP PEOPLE Suppliers praise GM's Socia Purchasing chief to lead China unit About 600 supplier executives who gathered last week for a meeting with General Motors brass got some news they hadn't bargained for: Global purchasin ...  FULL STORY   Mulally to give keynote speech at World Congress  Personnel  New CEO looks beyond SUV era at American Axle  Obituary BACK TO TOP AUTO SHOWS PARIS AUTO SHOW PREVIEW VW Golf is main event in Paris BMW also steps into the spotlight as it unveils front-wheel-drive concept car Volkswagen will take center stage at the Paris auto show with the launch of the latest Golf, overshadowing French rivals Renault and PSA Peugeot Citro ...  FULL STORY  BACK TO TOP CHINA Ford, Mazda will end their China partnership Another chapter is coming to a close in the long-standing Ford-Mazda partnership. And this time, it's good for both. The Chinese government has finall ...  FULL STORY  BACK TO TOP DESIGN CARS & CONCEPTS Ford considers low-cost subcompact, Mulally says Ford is considering adding a low-cost Fiesta-based subcompact to sell globally. ...  FULL STORY   A reprieve for Durango? Could be  Chrysler wows dealers with next-gen 200  Briefly: Bentley's new design boss is a VW veteran BACK TO TOP REMARKETING ALG sees used prices falling 4 to 5% Average used-vehicle prices will fall 4 to 5 percent over the next 12 months, ALG's Industry Report predicts. In two to three years, average used-vehi ...  FULL STORY  BACK TO TOP FIXED OPERATIONS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Give hard-working technicians a break Regarding "Phone photos help sell needed repairs" (Sept. 3): Why did you feel you had to add that last paragraph? It's hard enough to boost the morale ...  FULL STORY  BACK TO TOP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GM keeps Siemens as IT moves in-house General Motors intends to stick with its global supplier of product-design software and support services even as it moves aggressively to bring 90 per ...  FULL STORY  BACK TO TOP WEBINARS MARKETPLACE JOB LISTINGS New Research in Best Practices for Increasing Customer-Pay Service Dollars September 18, 2 p.m. EDT Increasing coveted customer-pay service revenue is critical to the success of your dealership. But what's the best way to make it happen? Learn best practices for driving customer pay service revenue through “bread-and-butter” services like brake, tire and battery sales, and techniques to use to attract customer whose need these services. Cost: FREE Driving Traffic… When Traffic Is Online September 20, 2 p.m. EDT 88% of car buyers research their new vehicle on the Internet, spending an average of 6 1/2 hours online before making their purchase. In fact, the “amateur” customer often knows more than the “pro” in the dealership. Get cutting edge insights on online auto shopper habits, including how they choose where to buy and decide how much they're willing to pay. Cost: FREE Global Technology Outlook - Shaping Up Innovation September 25, 11 a.m. EDT The Global Technology Outlook (GTO) is an annual study conducted by IBM Research to investigate the future of information technology. Attend to learn the current global and automotive technology trends, and high impact disruptive technologies that will lead to game-changing products and services over the next decade. Plus, find out where cyber security is headed in the automotive industry. Cost: FREE Managing the Sky-Rocketing Complexity of Automotive Systems Engineering October 2, 2 p.m. EDT As cars become smarter and smarter, overall automotive systems complexity sky-rockets, with software a larger and larger driver of this complexity. To ensure successful management, car and subsystem manufacturers must rethink their software systems engineering approach. Jim Brown of Tech-Clarity and Matt Klassen of PTC will present challenges organizations face and examples of companies which have adopted a holistic approach. Cost: FREE Webinar Archives Library   ll Auto Auction Services Corporation   Increase your customer paid labor and parts sales Service Advisor Training   Integrated perspectives into info. and insights. Experian Automotive   Flexible Solutions to Meet Your Needs. QBE FIRST   Auto Owner Email Postal and Phone Data-All Verified Media One   Largest provider of retail auto data in N. America Digital Motorworks, Inc.   A software company dedicated to help manufacturers Apriso Corporation   OEM Parts Locator and Marketing Service PartsVoice   Electronic and no wires to test, tap or cut. The Widget   One Call Closer Automotive One Call Closer/ Outside Sales Rep   LED is repositioning LA for economic success. Louisiana Economic Development Used Car Manager and a Finance Manager: Honda of Bay County / Group1 Automotive Location: Panama City, FL, United States Service manager & writer: Confidential Paso Robles, CA, United States Accounting Clerk/Administrative/Customer Service/Data Entry: GM Location: TX, United States Fixed-Operations Consultant for a Tier-1 luxury make: J.D. Power & Associates Los Angeles/Orange County, CA, United States Various Positions: vAuto Location: NA, United States TECHS: NEED TECHS NA, United States Collision Repair Assistant Manager: Large multi franchise, family operated dealership Location: FL, United States General Sales Manager: **Virginia Beach Ford Dealer** VA, United States Director of Digital Media: Performance Automotive Group Location: Omaha, NE, United States Various Positions: Plattner Automotive Group Sarasota, FL, United States To view other breaking news stories throughout the day, visit autonews.com To unsubscribe from this email newsletter, or to sign up for more email products, please click here. Automotive News is located at 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, Michigan, 48207