DAILY EDITION: June 6, 2003

TCC'S DAILY EDITION: June 6, 2003  

 

Ford Re-Ups on Rebates, Incentives

Ford is extending the incentives it most recently offered on most of its cars and trucks through July 9. Reuters reports the company will continue to offer consumers a choice of $3000 in cash rebates or zero-percent financing on most of its vehicles; some lines, such as the F-150, Windstar, and Ranger offer no-interest loans for as many as five years, while the Taurus also has a down-payment matching offer of $1000 on top of a $2500 rebate. Ford’s sales dipped slightly in May, while rival GM saw its sales rise and Chrysler watched its numbers drop. Incentives show no sign of slowing down this summer as Chrysler is spending $100 million just to advertise its latest round of cash-back and financing offers.

May Sales Fare a Little Better by Joseph Szczesny (6/3/2003)
Off the April pace, but GM and others have something to hope for in the second half.

 

 

Ford Reinstalls Oval Atop Dearborn

The blue oval is back atop Ford’s world headquarters building in Dearborn, Mich., after a three-year hiatus. The company’s globally recognized symbol had been supplanted during the Nasser era by the script words “Ford Motor Company”; earlier this year Ford announced plans to revert to the potent blue-oval symbol as its corporate and Ford-brand identity mark. The new sign weighs 8950 pounds according to company, and can be seen five miles away. “Finally it’s back where God intended it to be,” said chairman William Clay Ford Jr. at a ceremony honoring the occasion. Ford kicks off its centennial celebration on the 12th with events culminating in the company’s 100th anniversary on June 16.

Ford Centennial Coverage by TCC Team (6/3/2003)

 

Ford History II: Young Henry

This week, TCC picks up our historical review of the Ford Motor Company during World War II. In August 1943, when Lt. Henry Ford II, USNR, was released from active duty to help save Ford Motor Company after his father Edsel Ford had died unexpectedly, the company was in shambles. The U.S. government was heavily dependent on war production from Ford plants — B-24 bombers, aircraft engines, gliders, trucks, tanks and tank destroyers, tank engines, armored cars, amphibians, and other components. And this output was threatened by the antiquated mismanagement of Young Henry’s 80-year-old grandfather Old Henry and his henchman, Harry Bennett. Young Henry was determined to right the wrongs done to his father by his tyrannical grandfather. He was also devoted to the family enterprise, Ford Motor Company. Which one would win out? Read more inside TCC today:

Ford History II: Young Henry by Mike Davis (6/2/2003)
Ford loses two generations and ends up reinventing itself.

 

Calif. Legislators Trying to Kick the SUV Habit

One of the biggest customers for sport-utility vehicles is trying to kick the habit. The state of California, home of some of the most cumbersome and some say, effective, environmental regulations in the country, may stop ordering SUVs for its state lawmakers because of pressure from some of the legislators. Reuters reports that the state’s Senate Rules Committee plans on choosing other types of vehicles for its internal use; today, about half of the committee’s 57 vehicles are sport-utes, which have been accused by environmentalists and gadflies for being irresponsible choices for personal transportation. The other half of the California legislature, the state Assembly, is offering its officials an additional $10,000 in expense money if they trade in their sport-utes for gas/electric hybrid vehicles, the news agency reports. Reuters adds that nearly half of the state’s legislators (54 of 120) drive SUVs.

Special Report: The SUV Wars by TCC Team (6/3/2003)

 

FROM THE SOURCE headlines from the latest press releases

PRNewswire

The 2003 Range Rover from Britain’s Land Rover has been recognized as the best luxury SUV by California-based consumer research company Strategic Vision. The 2003 “Total Quality Index” (TQI) award is a direct result of Strategic Vision’s consumer satisfaction measurement. In addition to quality and performance, the TQI concentrates on the consumer’s “complete ownership experience — including the emotions generated and gives automotive manufacturers the feedback necessary to design vehicles that will be in demand in a competitive marketplace,” said Daniel Gorrell, vice president, Strategic Vision.

THE TICKER

 

Name	Symbol	Last	Chg
AUTOLIV	ALV	25.83	+0.16
AUTONATION INC	AN	15.36	+1.20
ARVINMERITOR	ARM	20.03	+0.37
AMER AXLE & MANU	AXL	25.00	+0.39
BALLARD PWR SYS	BLDP	13.57	-0.14
BORG WARNER	BWA	60.59	+0.74
COLLINS AIKMAN	CKC	3.00	-0.15
CUMMINS INC	CUM	39.72	+0.94
DANA CORP	DCN	10.51	+0.63
DAIMLERCHRYSLER	DCX	30.80	+0.05
DELPHI CORP	DPH	9.51	+0.38
EATON CORP	ETN	83.28	+0.74
FORD MOTOR CO	F	10.60	+0.04
GENERAL MOTORS	GM	35.59	-0.26
GENTEX CORP	GNTX	33.16	+1.01
GOODYEAR TIRE	GT	7.12	+0.37
HONDA MOTOR CO	HMC	18.75	+0.25
JOHNSON CONTROLS	JCI	86.06	+1.14
LEAR CORP	LEA	42.52	+0.85
MAGNA INTL	MGA	69.27	+0.62
MOTOROLA INC	MOT	9.17	+0.21
NISSAN MOTORS	NSANY	16.02	+0.04
SONIC AUTOMOTIVE	SAH	20.38	+0.80
TOWER AUTO	TWR	3.47	+0.02
TOYOTA MOTOR	TM	50.22	+0.33
UNIT AUTO GRP	UAG	21.20	+1.25
VISTEON CORP	VC	6.96	+0.18

 

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