Category: The Car Biz

Steve Wilhite leaves Hyundai Motor America Chief Operating Officer job. Where next? Ford? General Motors?

Incredible. Unbelievable. Jim Press, the top American at Toyota has left the Japanese firm he has been with for 37 years to join Chrysler as Vice Chairman and President responsible Sales, International Sales, Marketing, Product Strategy, Service and Parts.

Article on Ford's having Jaguar and Land Rover on the block appeared on August 30 on The Economist website and provides their typically British spin on the automotive industry in Britain sometimes to the exclusion of others.

We've been seeing the Jaguar C-XF in concept form at auto shows for a couple of years now. The concept car is a show-stopper. It is gorgeous from any angle and so sporty that it makes the Mercedes CLS 4-door coupe look like a taxi. And that was my initial problem with the XF concept. Looked like it was a car you couldn't live with for long. All the disadvantages of a coupe without the advantages of carrying around a couple of more doors.

Chrysler's Tom LaSorda gets a new boss as the New Chrysler is born.

Former Home Depot CEO becomes Chairman of The New Chrysler. Wolfgang Bernhard declines post for personal reasons (?). Eric Ridenour, Chrysler COO, leaves to explore "other opportunities". Present Chrysler CEO to become Vice Chairman and President (meaning COO?).

Detroit News anticipates dramatic changes at Chrysler as Cerberus takes over

Sale of Chrysler Group to Cerberus Capital Management Closes on August 3, 2007. DaimlerChrysler Press Release

This article on Ford's spin off of Premier Automotive Group appeared in the July 26th web-release by the British business magazine The Economist. VehicleVoice commentary is peppered throughout.

Beginning on July 26, 2007 Chrysler began offering a lifetime powertrain warranty for the initial owners on all 2006, 2007 and 2008 model year vehicles with the exception of diesels and high performance SRT models.