Automotive News - May 19, 2008 - (Page 33)

MAY 19, 2008 • 33 U.S. medium- & heavy-truck sales, April & 4 mos. April 2008 April 2007 April percent change 4 mos. 2008 4 mos. 2007 4 mos. percent change Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Chevrolet* Dodge Class 5* Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Ford Class 3 & 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 Freightliner* Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 GMC* Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Hino* Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 International Class 3 & 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Isuzu* Class 5 Class 7 Class 8 Kenworth* Mack Class 8* Class 3 & 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Mitsubishi Fuso Class 3 & 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Nissan Diesel Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 Peterbilt* Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 Sterling* Volvo Class 8 Western Star Class 8* .. Other Class 8* 478 362 61 112 1,013 610 3,645 1,708 768 350 6,471 380 48 897 1,551 3,177 6,053 221 1,318 80 508 2,127 20 11 316 120 467 417 69 1,540 1,841 2,573 6,440 637 169 24 2 832 14 288 1,613 1,915 1,200 89 44 51 7 191 33 19 58 2 112 9 28 401 1,614 2,052 97 93 75 172 801 1,238 884 115 6 575 607 106 136 1,424 – 5,345 2,332 1,508 455 9,640 190 37 1,266 1,655 3,638 6,786 403 541 131 375 1,450 16 3 205 64 288 219 174 2,280 1,566 2,568 6,807 755 233 18 53 1,059 – 392 1,665 2,057 1,086 368 88 81 14 551 36 56 71 5 168 – – 448 1,633 2,081 26 7 89 221 1,417 1,760 1,059 237 70 7,933 4,078 5,755 5,384 13,373 36,523 693,180 729,703 –16.9 –40.4 –42.5 –17.6 –28.9 – –31.8 –26.8 –49.1 –23.1 –32.9 100.0 29.7 –29.1 –6.3 –12.7 –10.8 –45.2 143.6 –38.9 35.5 46.7 25.0 266.7 54.1 87.5 62.2 90.4 –60.3 –32.5 17.6 0.2 –5.4 –15.6 –27.5 33.3 –96.2 –21.4 #DIV/0! –26.5 –3.1 –6.9 10.5 –75.8 –50.0 –37.0 –50.0 –65.3 –8.3 –66.1 –18.3 –60.0 –33.3 – – –10.5 –1.2 –1.4 273.1 1228.6 –15.7 –22.2 –43.5 –29.7 –16.5 –51.5 –91.4 –24.2 9.7 –32.3 –0.6 –10.4 –13.1 –17.2 –17.0 1,574 1,553 193 381 3,701 2,067 12,687 6,656 3,951 1,212 24,506 952 116 3,947 6,089 10,605 21,709 903 2,076 245 1,253 4,477 86 72 1,597 439 2,194 1,651 343 5,526 6,006 9,909 23,435 2,232 709 108 20 3,069 49 1,180 5,289 6,518 3,575 428 160 232 31 851 111 98 208 10 427 57 71 1,231 5,300 6,659 225 261 217 645 2,403 3,751 4,689 393 68 20,849 14,217 16,295 18,497 42,231 112,089 2,356,134 2,468,223 1,762 –10.7 2,216 –29.9 355 –45.6 550 –30.7 4,883 –24.2 – – 16,606 –23.6 7,840 –15.1 4,213 –6.2 2,111 –42.6 30,770 –20.4 1,044 –8.8 326 –64.4 5,510 –28.4 8,978 –32.2 19,964 –46.9 35,822 –39.4 1,353 –33.3 1,974 5.2 473 –48.2 1,337 –6.3 5,137 –12.8 97 –11.3 68 5.9 1,479 8.0 469 –6.4 2,113 3.8 394 319.0 672 –49.0 7,805 –29.2 8,218 –26.9 11,421 –13.2 28,510 –17.8 2,820 –20.9 970 –26.9 75 44.0 217 –90.8 4,082 –24.8 – #DIV/0! 1,457 –19.0 7,451 –29.0 8,908 –26.8 5,220 –31.5 1,009 –57.6 338 –52.7 430 –46.0 42 –26.2 1,819 –53.2 126 –11.9 220 –55.5 251 –17.1 21 –52.4 618 –30.9 – – – – 1,777 –30.7 7,445 –28.8 9,222 –27.8 65 246.2 47 455.3 311 –30.2 1,067 –39.6 4,885 –50.8 6,375 –41.2 6,847 –31.5 982 –60.0 274 –75.2 25,276 14,671 20,902 26,244 64,489 151,582 2,720,674 2,872,256 –17.5 –3.1 –22.0 –29.5 –34.5 –26.1 –13.4 –14.1 Hayes Lemmerz plans to close Georgia factory DETROIT — Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. said it plans to close a plant in Gainesville, Ga., as global overcapacity for aluminum wheels has led to cheaper imports coming into North America. Some production at the plant will move to Hayes’ aluminum-wheel plant in Mexico. Gainesville, which employs about 290 workers, will close by year end. Hayes Lemmerz, of suburban Detroit, makes wheels for the automotive industry. safety systems for the automotive industry. Modine sells Thermacore unit RACINE, Wis. — Modine Manufacturing Co. has sold its Thermacore Inc. subsidiary. Modine sold $13.25 million of assets in the Lancaster, Pa., electronics cooling subsidiary. The purchaser, FSBO Ventures, is owned by current and former members of Thermacore management. Modine makes heat transfer products for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Toyoda Gosei expands in Mexico DETROIT — Toyoda Gosei North America Corp. plans to build a sealing components plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, that will begin production in October. The supplier said it will pay $12.5 million for the property, plant and equipment. The plant will employ about 500 workers by 2010. Toyota owns 43 percent of Toyoda Gosei, of suburban Detroit, and is its largest customer. The supplier produces sealing, interior and safety systems, as well as exterior trim and rubber and plastic fuel systems. ® Alcoa to close Mexico plant PITTSBURGH — Alcoa Inc. will close its electrical and electronic systems plant in Puebla, Mexico, and warehouse in Del Rio, Texas, during the third quarter, citing dwindling demand. Alcoa Electrical and Electronics Solutions employs about 14,000 workers in Mexico and 1,350 in the United States. Alcoa, of Pittsburgh, also makes wheels and exterior and SM ACTION INTEGRATED MARKETING PROVIDES FULL-SERVICE & EVENT MARKETING SOLUTIONS FOR DEALERSHIPS NATIONWIDE ® Class 4† 6,017 Class 5 4,474 Class 6 3,898 Class 7 5,354 Class 8 11,983 Total Class 4-8 31,726 Total Class 1-3 TOTAL TRUCK SALES 573,767 605,493 *Reported by Ward’s Communications Source: Automotive News Data Center and company sources †Includes Class 3 trucks for Freightliner, Isuzu, Mitsubishi-Fuso and Nissan Diesel Truck sales fall 13% in April Biggest or smallest didn’t matter. Sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks slid again in April. Sales of trucks in classes 4 through 8 totaled 31,726 units for April, down 13.1 percent from a year earlier. Sales of both Class 4 and 8 trucks dropped at a double-digit pace. Class 4s dropped 24.2 percent to 6,017 units. Class 8 sales fell 10.4 percent to 11,983. Sales of Class 6 trucks were gouged the worst, dropping 32.3 percent to 3,898 units. Class 5 trucks sales were the only bright spot, up 9.7 percent to 4,474. Through the first four months of 2008, sales in classes 4 through 8 fell 26.1 percent from the year-earlier period, to 112,089. Despite the difficult market, GMC posted a 46.7 percent increase over April 2007, selling 2,127 trucks. GMC’s sales of 4,477 medium- and heavy-duty trucks through April were still 12.8 percent short of its sales pace over the first four months of 2007. Ford Motor Co. retained its market leadership by a nose. Its April sales skidded 32.9 percent to 6,471, putting Ford just ahead of International’s 6,440, down 5.4 percent from a year earlier. — Craig Trudell PurigeN98 tire inflation pumps 98% pure nitrogen into your customers’ tires while pumping more profits into your business. Everything else is just hot air. The likeness of Jeff Gordon and other related trademarks and copyrights are used with the permission of Jeff Gordon, Inc. http://www.automaxtraining.com http://www.actionim.com http://www.actionim.com http://www.purigen98.com http://www.purigen98.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - May 19, 2008

Automotive News - May 19, 2008 Ford eyes smaller F-150 cousin Sonic: Mercedes tries to 'extort' store upgrades Chrysler seeks 25% slash in parts prices Dealership managers pushed Chrysler's latest incentive Crain names 4 new VPs Automotive News staffers win Wheel Awards GM will keep cutting sales to fleets GM studies the future of full-sized trucks American Axle plans to expand in Asia At Lexus, the sales laggards are cars VW positions Tiguan as 'GTI' of small SUVs Tata enters race for 100-mpg car Harley Earl was the daddy of auto design Focus will follow Fiesta as a global vehicle Lexus shows how it sweats details Industry slows tide of state CO2 rules Chevy tweaks Cobalt to add fuel economy Be careful; don't do anything dumb Looking ahead to different industry They thought they knew everything Cerberus doesn't belong in autos Dealers as scapegoats Smart, steady growth works best for suppliers Farley's smart to value Ford's heritage Absurd logic in the U.S., cowardice in Germany BMW, Daimler keep a wary eye on U.S. economy James Franey Dealers' approach can lessen pain of staff cuts GM plans to distinguish Opel with image makeover Make or buy? Software can estimate costs for company Honda, Toyota see robots in their futures Bosch aims to lead in hybrids technology King of hearts Clarke aims to get GM back on track in N.A. Fields navigates Ford through 'white water' LaSorda steers Chrysler's global ventures Toyota's Lentz: A crash course in hard times Truck sales fall 13% in April Modine sells Thermacore unit Alcoa to close Mexico plant Toyoda Gosei expands in Mexico Hayes Lemmerz plans to close Georgia factory Japan's sales slide 2% in 1st quarter; output climbs Dealers Hyundai let U.S. direct Sonata freshening After .com and .edu, is it time for .car? Panoramic sunroof of Lincoln MKS boosts Inalfa sales Chrysler hedged gas price bet Smart phones help dealerships retain customers CAW completes pacts with GM, Chrysler early GM, UAW resolve 2 disputes New media buyer for Chrysler Visteon names Stebbins CEO Convertible registrations drop Ferrari: From denial to debut Buildings Porsches in U.S.? Depends whom you ask Toyota will go slow in Tupelo Ghosn is glum on prices, U.S. sales prospects Pischetsrieder has earned a celebratory cigar NHTSA spins VINs, averts meltdown F_RD GU_S WI_ BUI-_KS 50 PEOPLE FOR 50 YEARS Yutaka Katayama Clarence Talley Jim Morton Pete Brock Marvin Runyon Yoshikazu Hanawa Bill Bruce Shin Maki Jack Collins Mitsuya "Scape" Goto Bob Link Soichi Kawazoe Jerry Hirshberg Takashi Ishihara Roy Rogers John Parker Bob Thomas Teruo Uchino Morrie Sage Bob Thomas Nobe Wakatsuki Earl Hesterberg Carlos Ghosn Lee Clow Jerry Benefield Yutaka Kume Doug Betts Tim McCarthy Jed Connelly Atsushi Nakatsuji Dave Hubbard Joe Opre Patrick Pelata Yoshiyuki Kimura Diane Allen Mad Mike Taylor Chuck King Larry Dominique Mark Igo Mitsuhiko Yamashita Shiro Nakamura Tom Mignanelli Dick Roberts William Cushing Emil Hassan Chester Luby Jane Nakagawa Louis Schweitzer MR. K Ray Lemke Richard McCutcheon

Automotive News - May 19, 2008

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