Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover sponsor
Index: 2002 Geneva
Motor Show by TCC Team
(3/5/2002)
GENEVA SHOW OPENS WITH VW PHAETON

2003 Volkswagen D1
Stay tuned this week for more from the Geneva Motor Show:
VW Unveils D1 Luxury 4-Door by TCC Team (10/15/2001)
Geneva Show Preview, Part I (3/4/2002)
Geneva Show Preview, Part II (3/4/2002)
VW SETS UP BRAND STRATEGY BOARD
Volkswagen AG has set up a new
strategy committee that will have the final word on future products—with an eye
on better distinguishing the automaker’s numerous brands. “It will steer the
product plan of the whole group to ensure there is no unintentional overlap,”
explained new VW CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder during a dinner kicking off the Geneva
Motor Show. VW has come under increasing fire in recent months for the way it
has allowed the lines separating brands like SEAT, Skoda, VW and Audi to blur.
Some buyers have reportedly been opting for lower-image models--the VW Golf
instead of the Audi A4, for example—in order to save money. It is important,
added board member Ulrich Eichhorn, that VW offer, “the right products in the
right segments and not get in each others way…as we’ve done before.”
BOND BIG ON FORD

2002 Aston Martin Vanquish
Preview: Aston Martin V12 Vanquish by TCC Team (10/16/2000)
MAYBACH TAKES A BACK SEAT

2003 Maybach
BENZ GETS COUPE CLASS

2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK
BIG THREE OR NOT BIG THREE
The Chrysler Group would love to opt out
of the Big Three, said the DaimlerChrysler unit’s president, Dieter Zetsche
while in Geneva. Whether the automotive media stops using that dated designation
is uncertain, but Zetsche said that when it comes to setting quality benchmarks,
“We do not want to compete with the other two guys in town (a reference to Ford
and General Motors), but with the best.” The mustachioed German admitted past
quality problems will continue to hurt Chrysler’s image for some time to come,
even though its actual quality numbers have been sharply improving, according to
recent reports from market research firm J.D. Power and Associates.
ZETSCHE: NO CHRYSLER PLANT CLOSINGS
In separate news, Zetsche said
he does not see Chrysler closing any of its North American assembly plants, even
if it wins permission from the United Autoworkers Union. Many observers were
surprised when Chrysler’s January 2001 cost-cutting plan did not call for any
shutdowns in the U.S. or Canada. But others realized such a move would violate
the anti-plant-closing clause in the automaker’s contract with the UAW. Ford
recently announced plans to press the union for several closures and General
Motors has said it may do the same. But Zetsche said any plant closings would be
counterproductive. Since most Chrysler products are built in only a single
plant, it would force the company to eliminate whole model lines and that would
cut into Chrysler’s already declining market share. Zetsche said he believes his
company can “maintain or slightly improve” its share in 2002 when compared to
last year’s anemic and declining levels.
Feb. Sales Hurt Ford, DC (3/4/2002)
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