Archives: June 2006

Chrysler Greenlights Challenger. Shows Chrysler is Getting Smart About Niche Cars

Posted by: David Kiley on June 30

Chrysler Corp. this Saturday is expected to announce that it will build the much ballyhooed Challenger muscle car concept car, which made its debut at last January’s North American...

DCX's Zetsche Plays The Mercedes Card

Posted by: David Kiley on June 29

Maybe DaimlerChrysler thinks its new ads featuring chairman Dieter Zetsche will convey the German blood running through the new Chrysler models because of his obvious German accent, and the...

Fixing Mercedes

Posted by: Gail Edmondson on June 28

DaimlerChrysler boss Dieter Zetsche has set the bar high for Mercedes. He aims to match the quality of Toyota's upmarket Lexus brand in the annual JD Power Initial Quality Study...

Trouble at Chrysler II: No Originality

Posted by: David Welch on June 21

Chrysler dealers are still saying that everyone is mum about whether top sales exec Gary Dilts left the company in frustration or was forced out. But they say it’s...

A contrarian on China's local branding strategy

Posted by: Dexter Roberts on June 21

With all the news coming out lately about China’s plans to build an indigenous brand vehicle (see BusinessWeek.com, 5/30/06, "China's Drive for Local Car Brands"), to compete with the likes...

Nothing Wrong With The Focus That Better Management Can't Solve

Posted by: David Kiley on June 20

Two weeks ago, I wrote a piece for the magazine about how Ford has botched the management of the Ford Focus and how it loses big money on each...

More talent splits Chrysler

Posted by: David Welch on June 13

Want another sign that Chrysler’s turnaround is on shaky ground? The company is losing marketing and sales execs as fast as President Bush loses cabinet members. The latest exec...

Suzuki and GM plan US hybrid?

Posted by: Ian Rowley on June 12

When GM sold most of its decades old stake in Suzuki Motor in March, it looked like the end of the road for joint projects undertaken by the two companies....

Michigan Lawmakers Want To Repeal Mandatory Motorcycle Helmet Law. Idiots Rejoice.

Posted by: David Kiley on June 07

Just when confidence in elected officials is falling. And just when people think governing has become the shallowest enterprise since Amway. We now have Michigan legislators draining a little...

Nissan brings fuel cells to the masses

Posted by: Ian Rowley on June 02

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn might not be a big fan of hybrids, but Nissan is doing its bit for fuel cells vehicles. This week, the company announced that, starting...