Study: Parts Makers Prefer Japanese

Study: Parts Makers Prefer Japanese

American car companies treat their suppliers far worse than do Japanese carmakers — and that could spell danger for the Big Three, a new study claims. Planning Perspectives, a Michigan-based consulting firm, says that its new survey finds that parts makers prefer doing business with Toyota and Honda because their business methods are friendlier and more of a partnership. The Big Three, in contrast, hammer their suppliers for cost reductions and often are at odds with the companies that supply them the highest-technology pieces in cars and trucks. "U.S. automakers continue hammering their suppliers for price reductions and multimillion-dollar cash givebacks, and suppliers are responding by giving them less support," the study reported. "No one treats their suppliers as poorly as the U.S. automakers do," John Henke, author of the annual study, told Reuters.

Delphi Looks at Losing in Q3 by Joseph Szczesny (7/19/2004)
But with labor cost reductions coming, supplier sees black for the year.

Sierra Club Goes After Hummer, AgainEven though Hummer sales are flattening, environmental groups plan to keep up their attack on the General Motors extreme SUV brand. Only hours after GM announced last week it would roll out the mid-size Hummer H3 next year, the Sierra Club countered by unveiled an updated Web site, www.hummerdinger.com, critical of all Hummers. Sierra club representatives said the Web site is using humor and sarcasm to criticize the Bush administration's $100,000 SUV tax loophole, commonly referred to as the "Hummer Tax Loophole." "While GM is touting the H3 as a 'smaller,' more 'fuel efficient' Hummer, the H2 still weighs in well above the threshold of 6000 pounds, qualifying it for an enormous $100,000 tax deduction," the Sierra Club's attack noted.

Sierra Club Goes After Hummer Again (8/1/2004)
New Web pitch puts GM to task for new H3.

Kerry, Bush Hit Rust BeltJohn Kerry moved quickly onto the campaign trail after accepting the Democratic nomination inBoston Thursday and President George Bush raced to counter with campaigns stop in Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The campaign schedule of both candidates underscored the importance of the old industrial states from Pennsylvania and around the Great Lakes. The Democratic nominee was planning to spend the better part of two days early this week in traveling across Michigan, which is shaping up to be one of the most heavily contested battleground states in the old Rust Belt. Republicans hoping to use Kerry's record has an environmentalist to counter his appeal in the industrial heartland, which has been hit hard by the shift of manufacturing jobs to China and other low-wage countries. For all the talk about flip-flopping on various issues, Kerry has been a consistent champion of raising fuel economy rules.

Kerry, Bush Hit the Rust Belt (8/1/2004)
Stumping replaces conventioneering for the Dems, while Bush awaits New York minutes.

2005 Chevrolet Corvette

Enlarge Photo

TCC Drives: 2005 Chevy CorvetteFor much of its 51-year history, the Chevy Corvette has had more in common with the classic American muscle car than with true sports cars like the Porsche 911. That began to change with the debut of the fifth-generation Corvette, in 1997, which had lots more to offer than just a badass V-8. And you knew it, just by looking at the C5, clearly a car transformed, the dramatic changes in its appearance underscoring what had been done under the skin. While the C5 came temptingly close, it had not quite chinned the bar. And so, despite his disappointment at the delay, Corvette chief engineer Dave Hill relished the opportunity to put a little more effort into the C6. The Corvette team pored over virtually every detail of the car, addressing everything from interior refinement to off-the-line acceleration. How big does it pay off? Find out today inside TCC:

2005 Chevrolet Corvette (7/30/2004)
With the "C6," the little changes make a big difference

TCC Drives: '04 Porsche Carrera GT

Toronto is blessed with an excellent racetrack, but it's a little misleading to say that Mosport is part of the Greater Toronto Area. It sits about an hour outside of the city, so far you can't even see the CN Tower or even get the slightest whiff of imperialist America and its thousands of Starbucks looming in the distance. It's green all around Mosport, but today, the bucolic hills aren't quite enough to dispel a sense of imminent doom. Two things are threatening: ample, angry clouds are dragging a dark tarp over the track at midday, spitting thunderbolts in the distance and shutting down airports. Will we ever get track time - or make the last flight back to the U.S.? We stay, because the other menacing figure is Porsche's Carrera GT, a 605-hp, $440,00 supercar already in the hands of Porschephiles like Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, and Tim Allen. Shown in Paris in 2000 as a concept and now assembled in Leipzig next to the Cayenne SUV, the GT is a sort of Le Mans on the cheap. Buy one of these, rent a track for a day, and you're saving tens of millions versus mounting a real racing effort (or even a sham one).

2004 Porsche Carrera GT (7/30/2004)
The cheapest Le Mans substitute Porsche has to offer.

Meadow Brook: TCC Takes The Day

Along with thousands of other car lovers, the 26th Annual Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance was TheCarConnection's day. TCC publisher TCC Team presented the trophy for European Classics 1942-1969 to Chuck Swimmer of San Diego, California, for his delicious red '47 Delahaye 135 MS roadster. These teardrop-shaped European custom-bodied jobs of the immediate pre- and post-war period unquestionably are among the world's most beautiful motorcars. Choosing Swimmer's winning entry was, frankly, a slam dunk for the class's judges. Unlike some past Meadow Brooks when wet weather had Concours entries threatened with being mired in the golf course and grounds of the Dodge widow's mansion, this August 1 in southeastern Michigan was bright and sunny. Though 80-degree hot, a fresh breeze cooled if you were lucky enough to find shade. Some convertibles came through the trophy line, therefore, with tops up to protect the lids of their well-heeled owners.

Meadow Brook: TCC Takes The Day (8/1/2004)
TCC trophy goes to Delahaye as car event celebrates 26th gathering.

FROM THE SOURCE headlines from the latest press releases

PRNewswire

Subaru of America, Inc., the only car company that features Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as standard equipment on every vehicle in its product line, today announced the extension and expansion of its partnership with Nordica USA . Under the terms of the new agreement, Subaru will remain the official vehicle of Nordica USA, while Nordica USA , in turn, will remain the official ski and boot of Subaru of America, Inc. In addition to this extension of the agreement, the companies have expanded their relationship by establishing the Subaru-Nordica Service Team (SNST), a co-sponsored event service initiative.

Name	Symbol	Last	Change
Autobytel, Inc.	ABTL	6.81	-0.02 (-0.29%)
Autoliv Inc.	ALV	42.09	+0.29 (+0.69%)
AutoNation Inc.	AN	16.12	+0.26 (+1.64%)
ArvinMeritor Inc.	ARM	19.87	+0.10 (+0.51%)
American Axle & Mfr. Holdings Inc.	AXL	34.35	+0.27 (+0.79%)
Ballard Power Systems Inc.	BLDP	7.07	+0.24 (+3.51%)
BorgWarner Inc.	BWA	47.19	+0.62 (+1.33%)
Collins & Aikman Corporation	CKC	5.10	+0.01 (+0.20%)
Cummins Inc.	CMI	69.43	-0.76 (-1.08%)
Dana Corporation	DCN	19.29	-0.13 (-0.67%)
DaimlerChrysler AG (ADR)	DCX	44.89	-0.02 (-0.04%)
Delphi Corporation	DPH	9.51	-0.01 (-0.11%)
Dura Automotive Systems	DRRA	9.15	+0.39 (+4.45%)
Eaton Corporation	ETN	64.64	-0.34 (-0.52%)
Ford Motor Company	F	14.72	-0.23 (-1.54%)
General Motors Corporation	GM	43.14	+0.39 (+0.91%)
Gentex Corporation	GNTX	35.80	-0.05 (-0.14%)
Goodyear Tire & Rubber	GT	10.95	-0.13 (-1.17%)
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	HMC	24.27	+0.32 (+1.34%)
Johnson Controls Inc.	JCI	56.45	-0.26 (-0.46%)
Lear Corporation	LEA	55.13	-0.67 (-1.20%)
Magna International Inc.	MGA	80.50	+0.25 (+0.31%)
Motorola Inc.	MOT	15.93	-0.08 (-0.50%)
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	NSANY	21.44	-0.06 (-0.28%)
Sonic Automotive Inc.	SAH	22.35	+0.35 (+1.59%)
Sirius Satellite Radio	SIRI	2.51	+0.01 (+0.40%)
Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR)	TM	80.00	+1.07 (+1.36%)
TRW Automotive Holdings	TRW	20.80	+0.69 (+3.43%)
Tower Automotive Inc.	TWR	3.15	-0.01 (-0.32%)
United Auto Group Inc.	UAG	27.44	+0.06 (+0.22%)
Visteon Corporation	VC	10.28	+0.17 (+1.68%)
XM Satellite Radio Hold.	XMSR	26.37	+0.83 (+3.25%)