Automotive News - May 26, 2008 - (Page 38)

38 • MAY 26, 2008 RV shipments fall in March Wholesale deliveries of towable RVs and motor homes dropped 18.9 percent in March from last year to 30,100, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. Towable RV sales fell 17.3 percent to 25,900, while motor home sales slid 27.6 percent to 4,200. Among towable RVs, sales of travel trailers, which make up about half of all RVs sold in the United States, fell 15.0 percent from March of last year. Sales of folding camping trailers saw the steepest drop, falling 41.2 percent. RV sales for the three months 12p RV wholesale deliveries, March & 3 months March 2008 March 2007 Percent change 3 months 2008 3 months 2007 Percent change M-B will buy Chrysler studio Mercedes-Benz is giving second life to the former Chrysler Pacifica Advance Design Center in Carlsbad, Calif., and plans to buy the building. The companies have signed a purchase agreement for the sale, but the deal has not closed. Terms weren’t disclosed, but the nearly 35,000square-foot building listed for $7.3 million. Spokespeople for each company confirmed the pending sale. Chrysler closed the site this year to streamline operations. The 20 people on the Pacifica design team have moved or left the company. Mercedes’ plans for its existing studio, 51 miles north in Irvine, Calif., remain unclear. That studio opened in 1990 and employs about 18 people, according to company materials. The studio is less than half the size of the Chrysler studio. The West Coast has been a hotbed of design for both automakers. The Chrysler Pacifica studio opened in 1983 and created the Dodge Challenger concept in 2006. It also was responsible for the concepts that led to production versions of the Dodge Intrepid, Plymouth Prowler and Jeep Compass, as well as a number of influential concepts that were not produced, including the Chrysler Millenium and Atlantic. — Greg Migliore Travel trailers 15,900 Travel trailers-fifth wheel 7,400 Folding camping trailers 2,000 Truck campers 600 Towable RV total 25,900 Conventional (Type A) 2,300 Van campers (Type B) 200 Mini (Type C) 1,700 Motor home total 4,200 Shipments to RV retailers 30,100 Source: Recreation Vehicle Industry Association 18,700 8,500 3,400 700 31,300 3,600 300 1,900 5,800 37,100 –15.0 –12.9 –41.2 –14.3 –17.3 –36.1 –33.3 –10.5 –27.6 –18.9 43,500 20,100 6,300 1,700 71,600 5,900 600 4,500 11,000 82,600 46,900 22,300 7,800 2,000 79,000 9,000 1,000 4,600 14,600 93,600 –7.2 –9.9 –19.2 –15.0 –9.4 –34.4 –40.0 –2.2 –24.7 –11.8 through March slipped 11.8 percent from the year-earlier period to 82,600. Totals do not include conversion vehicles. The RV association stopped including those in its monthly shipment totals in October. Manufacturers of conversion vehicles have cut ties with the association. — Andrew Grossman JM&A GROUP — Mike Pritchard, 42, to vice president of business process integration. He had been assistant vice president of business process re-engineering. JM&A Group, of Deerfield Beach, Fla., is an Pritchard independent provider of insurance and extended warranties. Its products include service contracts, used-vehicle certification programs, prepaid maintenance plans, guaranteed automotive protection plans, and finance and insurance training programs. It is a subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises Inc. SMARTDRIVE SYSTEMS INC. — Kenneth Colby to senior vice president of global operations. He had been president and general manager of @Road, a provider of products to manage workers and vehicles in the field. John Garner to vice president of North American sales. He had been vice president of client development at Tellme Networks, a unit of Microsoft Corp. that provides speech recognition services. SmartDrive Systems, of San Diego, provides driver safety products and services for vehicle fleets. Fleeger Green SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS LLC — Kevin Fleeger, 48, to vice president of parts and service support. He had been assistant vice president of parts and service support. Al Green, 49, to vice president of marketing. He had been assistant vice president of marketing. Southeast Toyota Distributors, of Deerfield Beach, Fla., distributes Toyota and Scion vehicles to more than 170 Toyota dealerships in five states. It is a unit of JM Family Enterprises Inc. http://www.autonews.com/GM100

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Automotive News - May 26, 2008 Bad times? Not for CEO paychecks GM seeks Volt tax break to avoid $40k sticker Ford's big cuts aim for a Honda-sized lineup Automotive News gets new marketing communications director Toyota pushes N.A. suppliers to match offshore prices VW predicts 5% U.S. sales gain Toyota plans 3 plants for hybrid batteries GM's American Axle strike tab: $2.82 billion Lawsuit in Florida targets congressman's dealership Orbiting the blogosphere Kia to build small cars in U.S. plant VW Mexico exec will run North American purchasing Fiat mulls 500 minicar for U.S. GM scraps big rwd sedans for Chevrolet and Buick Hyundai spends like never before to launch Genesis luxury sedan Surprise: Suzuki slides as fuel prices rise GM paid Walter Chrysler a whopping $600,000 a year Chrysler sends mystery shoppers to dealerships Toyota owes royalties on some hybrids GM, American Axle to resume output Ford predicts bigger demand for smaller engines in Escape This is Volvo? Ads sell chic, not just safety An overnight success in 50 years Obama's comments were out of line Japan does it; why shouldn't we? 25% is high, but Chrysler is wise to revisit SCORE Safety efforts must focus on the driver Blame the dealer for poor service Don't judge Ford quality by just one car Ford quality is best in many years Mitsubishi considers piggybacking with Caterpillar suppliers to cut costs Nissan to make lithium ion batteries 'Boss Ket,' Connery inspire Tim Jackson Germany leads rise in Europe sales Court: Buyers must act in good faith to win lemon law damages Nissan wants suppliers to reduce utility bills Bajaj: From scooters to autos The next $2,500 car? Infiniti will look different, add engine power in Europe Lamborghini boss wants to keep the big engines Lamborghini ups ante in 'entry' supercars Continental exec: We're done selling VDO assets Honda plans Fit hybrid Outgoing Visteon CEO to receive $2.5 million Audi production chief: Cooperation with Porsche will grow Picture this RV shipments fall in March M-B will buy Chrysler studio Supplier personnel VW expects to reap big share of U.S. diesel market Valeo CEO Morin: Pass rising costs to consumers Suppliers to the 2008 Nissan Altima Dealers Auction workshops demystify Web buying April used-vehicle prices: Light trucks fall and cars rise Volvo certified plan offers free satellite radio Mulally: Full speed toward smaller Toyota plans credit card Sanfilippo switches agencies International idles plant Honda Pilot starts at $28,230 Plastech plans assets auction What counts GM's 2-pronged strategy for Calif. rules: If you can't beat 'em . . . meet 'em New wheels for the cop shop The cost of luxury? For Hyundai, it would have been $2.5 billion New tools allow early design input from consumers Lexus in the sky with carbon: How ex-Beatle's PR effort tanked Buy an '08 . . . get a .44 $4 gasoline gives new cachet to aging econo-beaters Time tips its hat to Tata Car marketers: Magazines must widen ad reach Automakers seek 'one-to-one' approach to magazine ads Auto ads go to the movies Here's the next big thing: Ads tailored to you GMC courts women with Acadia

Automotive News - May 26, 2008

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