Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - (Page 22) 22 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2008 PAIN RELIEF. No cop-out; car designed for police use A totally different advertising approach for a struggling industry. Rick Kranz rkranz@crain.com 1-888-236-6328 CALL NOW - WE CAN HELP. A police car designed by cops? “Our motto is, ‘Designed by law enforcement for law enforcement,’ ” says William Santana Li, CEO of Carbon Motors Corp. Carbon Motors is preparing to show a prototype police sedan — a dieselpowered car taking aim at the market dominated for decades by Ford’s Police Interceptor sedan, essentially a souped-up Crown Victoria. Next month the Atlanta company plans to unveil a prototype that will be taken to large police departments across the country and to potential investors. The rear-drive sedan, Carbon Motors’ first product, has been in development since the company was founded in 2003. Production is targeted for 2012 at a site to be determined. Carbon Motors has worked with more than 800 law enforcement agencies to develop its prototype police sedan. Li said the company has worked with more than 800 law enforcement agencies, particularly the Chicago Police Department, to develop this vehicle. He said the law enforcement agencies came up with a list of 88 requirements, and today’s police cars were meeting fewer than 20 percent of them. The Crown Victoria, Chevrolet Impala and Dodge Charger are family sedans that have been turned into police cars. The Carbon’s prototype was developed from the ground up to be a police car and is the same length as an Impala. Among the areas of concern cited by law enforcement: ground clearance, approach and departure angles, storage capability, head and hip room, reliability, safety and fuel economy. “We will be pushing the clean-diesel agenda very hard, with its 40 percent fuel economy improvement,” Li said. Sales of police cars are lucrative — especially for Ford, which controls the bulk of the market. Li estimates the police-car market at about 75,000 units annually and the current police-vehicle population at about 425,000 vehicles. “We’re working on a viable business model in the 10,000- to 80,000unit range,” he said. Li has held several positions at Ford Motor Co., including vice president and COO of GreenLeaf LLC, a Ford Motor subsidiary that recycled automotive components. The production car will use an aluminum spaceframe to which composite panels will be attached. A thin colored film will be applied to the composite panels —the first industry application for a complete vehicle. Li would not disclose the suppliers for the diesel engine and transmission. c Do you need more profit? Then you need Picture this You and your industry colleagues have just hung out at a party, raised a truckload of cash for charity or fired your best rounds of golf. Share your snapshots with us. When the celebration is over, e-mail your high-resolution photos, IDs and a brief description of the event to autonews@crain.com. Joe Verde’s Online Training Your options include 10 Complete Courses plus 100s of “Lot Talk With Joe” Topics for your daily and ‘Targeted Training” sessions. The information is exactly what we teach in our workshops, but most chapters are 6-12 minute segments for maximum retention. Training, Testing, Reporting, Tracking, Sales Level Certification and Interactive Practicing process (Sales Games & Role Plays) for Sales, Service & Finance, plus Compliance, HR and Reception. You choose the volume of training you want to match your budget. From $195.00 Per Month Subscription Terms Vary – No Minimum Required J o e V e r d e S a l e s & M a n a g e m e n t Tr a i n i n g , I n c . j o e v e r d e . c o m . . . j v t n . c o m . . . 1 - 9 4 9 - 4 8 9 - 378 0 BOTTOM LINES, CSI, CUSTOMER TRAFFIC. WE IMPROVE ALL THREE. We do it by bringing the body shop to you, providing a cost-effective alternative for repairing minor cosmetic damage. Same-day service includes repairs to scratches, dings, and dents. Call today and find out how we can increase your service drive sales. MELONEY NEMETH ■ A trip to the bank What better place for financial services execs to donate their time than at a bank? But instead of monitoring markets and calculating gains, 30 Alphera Financial Services employees spent a day at the nonprofit Mid-Ohio Food Bank sorting products and filling boxes. Among the Alphera volunteers were, from left, Ed Grubbs, senior finance and risk analyst; Doug Kessler, business relationship manager; and Gabe Thompson, senior pricing analyst. This year Alphera employees have given nearly 200 volunteer hours, and the company has donated $5,000 to the food bank. Alphera, a division of BMW Group Financial Services, was formed two years ago to provide financing for dealerships that are not part of the BMW and Mini networks. RV sales drop 31.9% in June Wholesale shipments of towable recreation vehicles and motor homes dropped 31.9 percent in June, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. A total of 23,500 RVs and motor homes were shipped in June, compared with 34,500 in the same month last year. Shipments of towable RVs slipped 27.4 percent to 20,900 in June, while motor home deliveries plummeted to 2,600, a 54.4 percent drop from June 2007. For the first six months of 2008, de- RV wholesale deliveries, June & 6 months June 2008 June 2007 Percent change 6 months 2008 6 months 2007 Percent change Travel trailers 13,200 Travel trailers-fifth wheel 5,500 Folding camping trailers 1,800 Truck campers 400 Towable RV total 20,900 Conventional (Type A) 1,400 Van campers (Type B) 200 Mini (Type C) 1,000 Motorhome total 2,600 Shipments to RV retailers 23,500 Source: Recreation Vehicle Industry Association 17,400 7,700 3,000 700 28,800 3,200 300 2,200 5,700 34,500 –24.1 –28.6 –40.0 –42.9 –27.4 –56.3 –33.3 –54.5 –54.4 –31.9 86,800 38,700 13,500 3,200 142,200 10,300 1,300 8,700 20,300 162,500 99,700 44,600 17,200 4,100 165,600 17,900 1,800 10,700 30,400 196,000 –12.9 –13.2 –21.5 –22.0 –14.1 –42.5 –27.8 –18.7 –33.2 –17.1 866-756-4216 ProfitWithCOP.com liveries of these types of vehicles are down 17.1 percent compared with the same period of 2007. — Jennifer Vuong http://autonews.com http://www.joeverde.com http://www.joeverde.com http://www.jvtn.com http://www.ProfitWithCOP.com http://www.ProfitWithCOP.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - September 29, 2008 GM, Ford and Chrysler place new-product bets Credit freeze could mean cash crisis Mr. Big Volume reaches the end of the line Korea's revolving door Mazda quits Ford Credit for Chase Mitsubishi, UAW reach tentative agreement Volt could break feds' 100 mpg ceiling Chase cuts back on auto leasing Target for Traverse: No. 1 in large crossovers BMW's new 7 series: Timing may be all wrong Tucson revisited Can Ford light fire under Fiesta? Lithia puts brakes on used-car stores Revived Mercury will focus on 3 segments VW taps 'zealots' to promote diesels Farley, Leuliette will kick off World Congress The new Soul (and nose) of Kia Hyundai: Drivetrain key to more mpg Taxpayers at risk if firms get fed loans - then fail GM plans high-tech small engines for Volt and Cruze Buick looks upscale Denso says U.S. woes will cut its profits Denso: No plans to make hybrid parts in U.S. Bailouts are a bad idea Chic small cars? Check them out at the Paris show Credit's no problem, but a weak brand is Helping dealers helped GM Ford field rep didn't help at all Who knew? Electric cars are fun to drive Where is the power going to come from? Hyundai shifts its U.S. ad agency Hyundai, Kia mold separate identities Behind on hybrids, Hyundai sets high goals Dealers Flashes of genius, years of turmoil No cop-out; car designed for police use PICTURE THIS: A trip to the bank RV sales drop 31.9% in June Mexico sales off 4.8% in Aug., 1.2% for 8 mos. Suzuki to aim pickup at motorcycle owners Experts: Learn Korean hierarchies Readers' comments on Bill Heard's collapse Bill Ford sells some Ford stock CarMax net income falls ArvinMeritor raises forecast Toyota plans CNG concept Chrysler cuts 250-300 salaried workers Minority supplier drops stamping business Will Cerberus buy up Chrysler to wave bye-bye? Rioters kill supplier exec in India No pickup seen for pickups Piech's ploy was masterstroke in war with Porsche Honda's highway groove music: It sounded better on vinyl St. Louis dealer to paper that outsourced typesetters: 'Deal me out' Automotive News - September 29, 2008 Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - (Page Bellyband1) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - (Page Bellyband2) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Mr. Big Volume reaches the end of the line (Page 1) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Mr. Big Volume reaches the end of the line (Page 2) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Volt could break feds' 100 mpg ceiling (Page 3) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Tucson revisited (Page 4) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Tucson revisited (Page 5) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - The new Soul (and nose) of Kia (Page 6) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - The new Soul (and nose) of Kia (Page 7) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page 8) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G1) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G2) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G3) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G4) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G5) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G6) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G7) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G8) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G9) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G10) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G11) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Buick looks upscale (Page G12) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Flashes of genius, years of turmoil (Page 9) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Denso says U.S. woes will cut its profits (Page 10) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Denso says U.S. woes will cut its profits (Page 11) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Ford field rep didn't help at all (Page 12) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Ford field rep didn't help at all (Page 13) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Where is the power going to come from? (Page 14) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Where is the power going to come from? (Page 15) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Hyundai, Kia mold separate identities (Page 16) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Hyundai, Kia mold separate identities (Page 17) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Behind on hybrids, Hyundai sets high goals (Page 18) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Behind on hybrids, Hyundai sets high goals (Page 19) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Dealers (Page 20) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Dealers (Page 21) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - RV sales drop 31.9% in June (Page 22) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - RV sales drop 31.9% in June (Page 23) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - RV sales drop 31.9% in June (Page 24) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - RV sales drop 31.9% in June (Page 25) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - RV sales drop 31.9% in June (Page 26) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Mexico sales off 4.8% in Aug., 1.2% for 8 mos. (Page 27) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Suzuki to aim pickup at motorcycle owners (Page 28) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Experts: Learn Korean hierarchies (Page 29) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Readers' comments on Bill Heard's collapse (Page 30) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Chrysler cuts 250-300 salaried workers (Page 31) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Minority supplier drops stamping business (Page 32) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - Minority supplier drops stamping business (Page 33) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - St. Louis dealer to paper that outsourced typesetters: 'Deal me out' (Page 34) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - St. Louis dealer to paper that outsourced typesetters: 'Deal me out' (Page 35) Automotive News - September 29, 2008 - St. Louis dealer to paper that outsourced typesetters: 'Deal me out' (Page 36)
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