Archives: November 2006

VW Tiguan A Year Away

Posted by: David Kiley on November 29, Categories: Design

Volkswagen showed a close-to-production concept car of its Tiguan SUV, due in showrooms a year from now. The show Tiguan is powered by a diesel engine that uses Bluetec...

When It Comes To Cars: Color Is Everything.

Posted by: David Kiley on November 29, Categories: Ravings

I didn’t used to think too much about paint color with cars. But it’s been on my mind more these days. Perhaps as vehicles get more expressive in their...

Silverado Ads Getting Better

Posted by: David Kiley on November 28, Categories: marketing

I hated...HATED....the opening ad for the 2007 Chevy Silverado--the one that showed images of Rosa Parks, Ground Zero, Vietnam soldiers, Richard Nixon's farewell and California forests ablaze. The subsequent...

Dongfeng Motor eyes Japan

Posted by: Ian Rowley on November 27, Categories: New Models

Dongfeng Motors cannot be accused of lacking ambition. According to reports in Japan over the weekend, the Chinese automaker is planning to enter the Japanese market next year with a...

Why VW's Berhnard Didn't Resign

Posted by: Gail Edmondson on November 20, Categories: Markets and Management

So what happened? Turnaround ace Wolfgang Bernhard hasn't resigned at Volkswagen. His departure was widely expected last week in the wake of CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder's ouster and the appointment of...

MKZ on Amazon a Perfectly Good Publicity Ploy

Posted by: David Kiley on November 17, Categories: marketing

Ford Motor Co. is about to start offering its Lincoln vehicles on amazon.com. Search, click, and it takes you to a pagte where you can start optioning. The car...

Ghosn is still shopping in the U.S.

Posted by: David Welch on November 16, Categories: Markets and Management

Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn made an appearance in Detroit for the first time since General Motors Corp. gave him what must have been a stinging rejection of a plan...

A Few More for the Road

Posted by: Matt Vella on November 16, Categories: BW Features

For the speed freaks in the crowd, BusinessWeek.com has put together a sizeable supercar special report that focuses exclusively on the automotive superlative. Of course, we’ve touched on small, indie...

Porsche Tightens Grip on VW's Wheel

Posted by: Gail Edmondson on November 15, Categories: Markets and Management

Since the surprise resignation of Volkswagen CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder Nov. 7, Supervisory Board Chairman Ferdinand Piech has tightened his control over VW almost daily. Porsche, which is controlled by Piech...

Mitsubishi's award winning minicar

Posted by: Ian Rowley on November 14, Categories: Brands Under Fire

It's been a rough few years for employees at Mitsubishi Motors. They've endured a huge recall cover-up scandal, a failed alliance with DaimlerChrysler and, for a car company of...

Those Other Red Dot Awards

Posted by: Matt Vella on November 13, Categories: Rankings and Spankings

The red dot awards may be one of the most coveted set of trophies in design. But, auto manufacturers obsessed with their reputations and bottom lines are much more interested...

Can Europeans Out-maneuver Toyota?

Posted by: Gail Edmondson on November 10, Categories: Markets and Management

European auto managers have set the bar high. Every one of them has vowed to match Toyota's manufacturing excellence. And the chorus is growing louder and more urgent every day....

What's In A Name For Ford?

Posted by: David Kiley on November 09, Categories: marketing

Ford executives have apparently decided to come up with a different name for the Fairlane concept when the final vehicle comes to market. This is the same braintrust, mind...

Renault, Nissan and Mahindra to invest big in India?

Posted by: Ian Rowley on November 09, Categories: Markets and Management

Nissan-Renault chief Carlos Ghosn might have failed to nail an alliance with GM, but he looks like having more luck in India. According to reports, later today in Paris, Ghosn...

The bad drama at VW

Posted by: David Welch on November 07, Categories:

Whenever a company’s board gives the top executive a vote of approval, look out. He’s sure to be packing his bags. Witness Volkswagen AG. The company’s supervisory board had just...

Edmunds Most Wanted List A Blow To Detroit

Posted by: David Kiley on November 07, Categories: Rankings and Spankings

When Edmunds.com came out with its list of Most Wanted cars and trucks for 2007, Detroit was brutalized. The Big Three scored only two out of a possible 32...

Measuring Mercedes' Quality

Posted by: Gail Edmondson on November 03, Categories: New Models

So far so good. Since the Sept. 2005 launch of the S-Class, Mercedes has brought several new models to market with no bad news about quality or recalls. The company...

Japan's mini car boom sends Suzuki past Honda

Posted by: Ian Rowley on November 01, Categories:

Strange things are happening in Japan's domestic auto market. Despite a glut of models and Japan’s economic recovery, regular car sales are still slumping—down 6.2% in October, the sixteenth consecutive...

Auto Industry Caught Up In The Silly Season in Michigan

Posted by: David Kiley on November 01, Categories:

As Election day draws near, the stumping and political ads grow fiercer in Michigan. And so much of what I hear is utter crap. The high stakes in Michigan...