Automotive News - May 19, 2008 - (Page N14)

N14 • MAY 19, 2008 NISSAN’S 50 Years in America In the early 1970s, buy-American sentiment rattled Japanese automakers. No matter. Bob Link made Datsun the No. 1 import brand. T oday, it seems odd that leaving Triumph to work for Datsun would be considered a long-shot career move. But for Bob Link, it paid off. Link was leery of jumping ship from Triumph to the upstart Japanese brand. But the two automakers’ Los Angeles offices were near each other, and Link often ran into Yutaka Katayama and lieutenant Ray Hoen at the same lunch spots. Link joined Datsun in 1965 as assistant sales manager for the West Coast. In time, he became Katayama’s sales chief. Link whipped dealers into shape, nearly quadrupled sales and pushed Datsun to become the No. 1 import brand in America in 1975. When Hoen died suddenly from an aneurysm in 1968, Link stepped in as national sales manager. Link immediately embarked on a five-year plan. In 1969, Datsun sold 85,894 cars and trucks through 640 dealerships. By 1973, those numbers had soared to 319,007 units through 948 showrooms. With the 240Z and 510 in showrooms, Datsun in 1975 passed Volkswagen and Toyota to become No. 1. “We were always short of vehicles,” Link recalled. BOB LINK Earliest Nissan involvement: 1965 Role: National sales manager Key influence: Nearly quadrupled Datsun sales despite shaky dealers and antiimport anger Improving dealers’ business operations was a prime goal. Katayama had wanted dealers who didn’t have ties to Detroit’s buy-American sentiment. That meant Datsun signed lots of used-car dealers and service station owners. But “these garages were not familiar with financial statements,” Link said in an interview in San Diego this year, just shy of his 90th birthday. San Diego dealer Ray Lemke “would pay for his cars in cash. Getting that business management into the dealer body helped strengthen the organization.” Link left Datsun in 1981, just as President Takashi Mr. K, left, hired Link from Triumph. Ishihara announced that the Datsun brand would change its name to Nissan. Link recalls that move as “the biggest mistake Datsun ever made.” — Mark Rechtin Goto helped Nissan establish its first U.S. factory in Smyrna, Tenn. Along the way, he met 35 governors. L 4 For sports ca r enthusiasts, the Datsun 24 E-Type, but fo 0Z rivaled th r about $2,0 e Chevrolet Co 00 less. rvette 1970-73 240 Z and Jaguar ike a scout guiding a wagon train across the frontier, Mitsuya Goto helped Nissan Motor Co. find Smyrna, Tenn., for the company’s first U.S. assembly plant. During the six-year site search, Goto says, he had “the personal pleasure of meeting over 35 governors, some former governors and a number of mayors.” Unlike many of his generation, Goto was comfortable around Americans. In 1955, he graduated from Wabash College in Indiana with a degree in speech, after giving more than 200 speeches during his college years. Just 10 years earlier, though, Goto had watched American B-29 bombers fly away after leveling his hometown of Nagoya, Japan. He recalls staring at the bombers and thinking, “My God, what have we done?” In the early 1980s, amid tense U.S.-Japan auto trade talks, he wryly adopted the nickname “Scape,” as in “Scapegoat.” Nissan wanted its first plant in the United States near parts suppliers in the Midwest. The governors of Illinois, Michigan and Ohio each flew Goto to sites in their states. Ohio Gov. James Rhodes once met him at the Columbus airport with a car — and a bag of fresh popcorn. Marvin Runyon, the plant manager, wanted to be in the South. The search turned into a race between Tennessee and a site near Atlanta and Macon, Ga. Smyrna’s superior rail links prevailed. After the decision, Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander hosted a reception in Tokyo. He pulled out a picture of Dolly Parton and told Goto that maybe she could be part of the festivities when the first pickup came off the line. Goto replied, “This half-ton pickup couldn’t take the weight.” — James B. Treece MITSUYA GOTO, left Earliest Nissan involvement: 1969 Role: Manager in international department Key influence: Goto, a gifted networker, guided Nissan to Smyrna, Tenn., for its first U.S. assembly plant.

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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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