Hobby / Industry News
- 001It was a VERY BUSY weekend 8/27-28, with several events going on EVERYWHERE, and 3 of them BIG ones too!
- 002THANK ALL the cars that made it out to the Cruisin for the Kids Car show
- 003Future of Ford Mustang plant in doubt as sales decline, Mazda bails
- 004Sir Stirling Moss retires from racing
- 005Producer Michael Mann tapped to develop and direct Go Like Hell movie
- 006Zagato TZ3 Stradale pays tribute to Alfa Romeo with Dodge
- 007Illinois Bill to Expand Use of Antique Vehicles Approved by House; Moves to Senate Transportation Committee
- 008Up in smoke: Smokey Yunick's garage burns
- 009Chevrolet rolls out high-performance tires and wheels for the 2012 Corvette
- 010Shoppers hit the mall, test-drive a Fiat
- 011Next Mustang to feature global design input, Ford says
- 012Alfa 4C will be a global car, will come to U.S.
It was a VERY BUSY weekend 8/27-28, with several events going on EVERYWHERE, and 3 of them BIG ones too!
Those three shows were the 13th Annual Milk Pail Car Show, the Cars for Kids Car Show in downtown Grayslake, IL. and the Raymond Chevy of Antioch Car Show.
I have to first thank ALL of the Streeters who attended and supported these events. Two of these events were for Charities, and we have a good number of Streeters that attended each one as "The Orange was EVERYWHERE!"
A small recap on the MILK PAIL CLASSIC CAR SHOW. Great weather and Great cars. About 307 cars showed up for Rudy the K, DJ and 4, 8 ft tables of door prizes plus Goodie bags. The Milk Pail served a great breakfast, lunch and beer garden. Thanks to the Streeters members as we had about 15 Club Cars, and along with the Milk Pail helpers, Jon Schultz, chairman, Larry Reisner, Bob Stock & Wayne Bastiaans who helped make this once again one of the Premiere Car Shows to be a part of! Getting ready for next year today!
Wayne Bastiaans
I also wish to thank those members that took some some of the workload and responsibility for me because I obviously couldn't be everywhere... So to begin, I would like to personally thank Streeters member, Doug Moscrip for stepping up as "Group Leader" for the Milk Pail Show in East Dundee. This is the show I have not yet received any info on, but I am guessing and hoping it was a GREAT SHOW as this one always is! I know we had about 10 or more club cars headed out there, so I am sure we were well represented there. I also want to that ALL the club members who Confirmed their attendance and attended the show.
Now thanks also must go out to Streeters member, Steve Cywnar.... And I TRULY HAVE TO GIVE HIM A HUGE AMOUNT OF STREETERS CRED as Steve took over the Club Gmails and simply "Ran with it" doing a simply PHENOMENAL JOB! Steve took a TON of Weight off of my back and kept the emails up and current for the Cars for Kids downtown Grayslake Show! Steve you can definitely be my "Wingman" anytime! Thanks to ALL 15 Streeters that showed up for this one, as we also took home two awards by way of Jim Thompson with his '63 Galaxie 500 and Craig Schaedel with his '00 Saleen Mustang
Moving onto our final BIG event this Sunday, the Raymond Chevrolet of Antioch Car Show.... The turnout for this show from Streeters was amazing... I mean while we had ONLY 8 Club Cars confirmed, we had 17 Club Cars show up at the Grouping location of the Burger King on Route 173 prior to the show. From that point on, we had a GRAND TOTAL of 31 Club Cars and 1 Custom Motorcycle, giving us 32 Club Vehicles! With that NICE turnout we also had a LOT of winners of awards. I have to thank Streeters member, Chuck Lehmann for helping with getting the Streeters set up, our reserved area, and more!
These were the Award Winners at the Raymond Chevy Car Show today!
Don DeBock / '56 Pontiac
Larry Eslick / '70 Chevelle SS
Arnie & Barb Boris / '68 Impala SS
Gil Volling / '64 Riviera GS
Kevin Lehnning / '08 Silverado
Joe Salzburg '72 El Camino SS
Club Member Tom O'Brien won the 50/50 and several Streeters took home some great Raffle Prizes, including Streeters Member, Chuck Lehmann won one of the Grand Prizes of two Wolves tickets!
We've been doing everything everywhere it seems lately, with a LOT going on recently it seems especially within the past few weeks... And it's no surprise that the Streeters have supported these events as well as enjoyed being part of them and at them supporting both the events and club members that put effort into them! What thrills me a TON is that more and more club members have stepped up when necessary to take the reigns of some of the duties necessary for some of the events. Even asking for club members to support an event by bringing their cars... Simply amazing! We've got an amazing club, I think... No, I KNOW... the best out there! That is simply because of the great members we have!
Thanks again everyone for your participation and help where and when necessary! And thank you for supporting these events along with some of the club members involved with them! THANNNNK YOU ALL!
I have to first thank ALL of the Streeters who attended and supported these events. Two of these events were for Charities, and we have a good number of Streeters that attended each one as "The Orange was EVERYWHERE!"
A small recap on the MILK PAIL CLASSIC CAR SHOW. Great weather and Great cars. About 307 cars showed up for Rudy the K, DJ and 4, 8 ft tables of door prizes plus Goodie bags. The Milk Pail served a great breakfast, lunch and beer garden. Thanks to the Streeters members as we had about 15 Club Cars, and along with the Milk Pail helpers, Jon Schultz, chairman, Larry Reisner, Bob Stock & Wayne Bastiaans who helped make this once again one of the Premiere Car Shows to be a part of! Getting ready for next year today!
Wayne Bastiaans
I also wish to thank those members that took some some of the workload and responsibility for me because I obviously couldn't be everywhere... So to begin, I would like to personally thank Streeters member, Doug Moscrip for stepping up as "Group Leader" for the Milk Pail Show in East Dundee. This is the show I have not yet received any info on, but I am guessing and hoping it was a GREAT SHOW as this one always is! I know we had about 10 or more club cars headed out there, so I am sure we were well represented there. I also want to that ALL the club members who Confirmed their attendance and attended the show.
Now thanks also must go out to Streeters member, Steve Cywnar.... And I TRULY HAVE TO GIVE HIM A HUGE AMOUNT OF STREETERS CRED as Steve took over the Club Gmails and simply "Ran with it" doing a simply PHENOMENAL JOB! Steve took a TON of Weight off of my back and kept the emails up and current for the Cars for Kids downtown Grayslake Show! Steve you can definitely be my "Wingman" anytime! Thanks to ALL 15 Streeters that showed up for this one, as we also took home two awards by way of Jim Thompson with his '63 Galaxie 500 and Craig Schaedel with his '00 Saleen Mustang
Moving onto our final BIG event this Sunday, the Raymond Chevrolet of Antioch Car Show.... The turnout for this show from Streeters was amazing... I mean while we had ONLY 8 Club Cars confirmed, we had 17 Club Cars show up at the Grouping location of the Burger King on Route 173 prior to the show. From that point on, we had a GRAND TOTAL of 31 Club Cars and 1 Custom Motorcycle, giving us 32 Club Vehicles! With that NICE turnout we also had a LOT of winners of awards. I have to thank Streeters member, Chuck Lehmann for helping with getting the Streeters set up, our reserved area, and more!
These were the Award Winners at the Raymond Chevy Car Show today!
Don DeBock / '56 Pontiac
Larry Eslick / '70 Chevelle SS
Arnie & Barb Boris / '68 Impala SS
Gil Volling / '64 Riviera GS
Kevin Lehnning / '08 Silverado
Joe Salzburg '72 El Camino SS
Club Member Tom O'Brien won the 50/50 and several Streeters took home some great Raffle Prizes, including Streeters Member, Chuck Lehmann won one of the Grand Prizes of two Wolves tickets!
We've been doing everything everywhere it seems lately, with a LOT going on recently it seems especially within the past few weeks... And it's no surprise that the Streeters have supported these events as well as enjoyed being part of them and at them supporting both the events and club members that put effort into them! What thrills me a TON is that more and more club members have stepped up when necessary to take the reigns of some of the duties necessary for some of the events. Even asking for club members to support an event by bringing their cars... Simply amazing! We've got an amazing club, I think... No, I KNOW... the best out there! That is simply because of the great members we have!
Thanks again everyone for your participation and help where and when necessary! And thank you for supporting these events along with some of the club members involved with them! THANNNNK YOU ALL!
THANK ALL the cars that made it out to the Cruisin for the Kids Car show
STEVE here wanting to THANK ALL the cars that made it out to the Cruisin for the Kids Car show. We had a great time with a EVEN BETTER CLUB.. We ended up with 15 cars and took home 2 awards.. We were also mentioned by the show during awards and thanked for bringing out our group..
Awards
Jim Thompson with his '63 Galaxie 500
Craig Schaedel with his '00 Saleen Mustang
Link from the Grayslake Patch that talks about the show and also check out the pics.. Who can find the Streeters Vehicles??
THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE SUPPORT FOR THE OASIS AND REPRESENTING THE STREETERS AT A FANTASTIC SHOW!!!!
Awards
Jim Thompson with his '63 Galaxie 500
Craig Schaedel with his '00 Saleen Mustang
Link from the Grayslake Patch that talks about the show and also check out the pics.. Who can find the Streeters Vehicles??
THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE SUPPORT FOR THE OASIS AND REPRESENTING THE STREETERS AT A FANTASTIC SHOW!!!!
Future of Ford Mustang plant in doubt as sales decline, Mazda bails
By MICHELLE KOUEITER on 6/16/2011
For Ford Mustang fans, it's tough enough getting beaten in the sales race by the car's long-term rival, the Chevrolet Camaro.
Now the future of the Michigan plant that builds the Mustang is in doubt.
Last week, Mazda Motor Corp. said it would pull out of the AutoAlliance International joint venture with Ford Motor Co. The AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, Mich., south of Detroit, builds the Mazda 6 and the Mustang.
Mazda is leaving AutoAlliance because sales of the Mazda 6 have plummeted. Through the end of May, Mazda 6 sales totaled 13,604, down 8.9 percent from the same period a year earlier.
In the first five months of this year, Mustang sales totaled 30,206 units, down 2.8 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, in the same period, Camaro sales totaled 40,275 units, up 3.7 percent, as the convertible body style joined the mix.
The problem is that the Mustang's sales, which totaled 73,716 units in 2010, aren't enough by themselves to make a huge factory such as AutoAlliance with its 1,700 workers a profitable operation.
What are Ford's options?
Read more...
Now the future of the Michigan plant that builds the Mustang is in doubt.
Last week, Mazda Motor Corp. said it would pull out of the AutoAlliance International joint venture with Ford Motor Co. The AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, Mich., south of Detroit, builds the Mazda 6 and the Mustang.
Mazda is leaving AutoAlliance because sales of the Mazda 6 have plummeted. Through the end of May, Mazda 6 sales totaled 13,604, down 8.9 percent from the same period a year earlier.
In the first five months of this year, Mustang sales totaled 30,206 units, down 2.8 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, in the same period, Camaro sales totaled 40,275 units, up 3.7 percent, as the convertible body style joined the mix.
The problem is that the Mustang's sales, which totaled 73,716 units in 2010, aren't enough by themselves to make a huge factory such as AutoAlliance with its 1,700 workers a profitable operation.
What are Ford's options?
- Try to boost Mustang sales to help fill the plant. That's a tall order. The Mustang just got a new powertrain lineup for the 2011 model year and had been restyled for the 2010 model year. Fans speculate that an independent rear suspension is in the works to replace the live rear axle, but that could be years away, if ever.
- Add another product to the Flat Rock plant to increase production. That could come via taking on another joint-venture partner and adding another Ford family product. Is there another use for the Mustang's rear-drive platform?
- Move Mustang production to another Ford plant. That's a possibility, as Ford pushes to make all of its assembly plants as efficient and profitable as possible. Over the course of its history, the Mustang has been built in plants in Michigan, New Jersey and California.
Read more...
Sir Stirling Moss retires from racing
Moss, one of grand prix history's most famous and successful racing drivers who became a household name after a career in Formula 1 that spanned ten years between 1951-'61, called time on his career on Thursday after admitting that he had been frightened to drive a Porsche RS61 in the Le Mans Legends event.
"I was frightened before I even got in the car," said Moss. "This afternoon I scared myself and I have always said that if I felt I was not up to it or that I was getting in the way of fellow competitors, then I would retire."
Moss is considered one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, and though he never won a World Championship, he finished runner-up four times and won 16 grands prix during his career.
Among his victories he counted three Monaco Grands Prix, as well as classic sports car events the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Sebring 12 Hours and Tourist Trophy. A massive accident at Goodwood in 1961 that left him hopitalized prompted him to decide to retire from the top echelons of the sport not long afterward.
Moss returned to the sport with Audi in 1980 in the British Touring Car Championship, but it was not a great success and he turned his attention to historic racing which he has done ever since.
Moss never won Le Mans, an event he claimed never enjoyed, but finished second twice in 1953 and '56. It's ironic then that La Sarthe was the venue at which he chose to finally hang up his hat.
The car he intended to drive in Sunday morning's race qualified 33rd after Moss pulled in early in the session. His co-driver Ian Nuthall will now drive both stints of the race. Posted June 09, 2011.
Producer Michael Mann tapped to develop and direct Go Like Hell movie
By JAKE LINGEMAN on 5/31/2011
Producer Michael Mann, best known for hits such as Heat, Ali and more recently, Public Enemies, is in talks with 20th Century Fox to develop and potentially direct a movie based on the A. J. Baime book Go Like Hell, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The book, a must-read for any car nut, chronicles the duel between the Ford and Ferrari race teams in the 1960s during the height of Le Mans fever.
Enzo Ferrari owned the 24-hour race from 1960 to 1965, with all five wins going to some form of racer from the Italian Peninsula.
When Henry Ford II took over the family business, he made an effort to get back on the podium at one of the most important races in the world. With a lot of help from friend and driver Carroll Shelby, and a young man named Lee Iacocca, the legendary Ford GT40 was born.
The car won four years straight, cementing both Shelby's and Iacocca's place in motorsports history.
Jason Keller reportedly wrote the first draft of the script, and at one point, Brad Pitt was expected to star in the film.
The project is in the earliest of stages of development right now, and so far nothing has been confirmed. Producer/director Mann also has several other projects in the works including Agincourt, a movie about the 15th-century battle between the French and the English.
But none of that matters to us. Any chance to see old Ferrari racers and Ford GTs duking it out on the big screen at Circuit de la Sarthe sounds like a great night at the movies.
Zagato TZ3 Stradale pays tribute to Alfa Romeo with Dodge
By JULIE ALVIN on 4/28/2011
Styling house Zagato's tribute to the 100th anniversary of Alfa Romeo began with the release of its one-off TZ3 Corsa in 2009 and will end with the unveiling of its version of theTZ3 Stradale this year.
Less than a month after we learned that Zagato was working on its new TZ3 Stradale, the company has released the first photos and details of the car alongside its Corsa cousin.
While the TZ3 Corsa was more of a track car, the TZ3 Stradale is an avant-garde tribute to the Alfa Romeo and Zagato's street-legal heritage. The car is considered by Zagato to be the first American Alfa Romeo, with its mono-shell carbon-fiber mechanical chassis based on that of the Dodge Viper ACR. Those underpinnings are paired with a 4.2-liter V8 engine matched to a six-speed sequential transmission.
Only nine examples of the TZ3 Stradale will be made--the first goes to American collector Eric King and the second and third are going to buyers in Japan and Europe. If you want one of the remaining six, the line starts behind us.
Read more ...
Less than a month after we learned that Zagato was working on its new TZ3 Stradale, the company has released the first photos and details of the car alongside its Corsa cousin.
While the TZ3 Corsa was more of a track car, the TZ3 Stradale is an avant-garde tribute to the Alfa Romeo and Zagato's street-legal heritage. The car is considered by Zagato to be the first American Alfa Romeo, with its mono-shell carbon-fiber mechanical chassis based on that of the Dodge Viper ACR. Those underpinnings are paired with a 4.2-liter V8 engine matched to a six-speed sequential transmission.
Only nine examples of the TZ3 Stradale will be made--the first goes to American collector Eric King and the second and third are going to buyers in Japan and Europe. If you want one of the remaining six, the line starts behind us.
Read more ...
Illinois Bill to Expand Use of Antique Vehicles Approved by House; Moves to Senate Transportation Committee
Posted 5/1/11Illinois Bill to Expand Use of Antique Vehicles Approved by House; Moves to Senate Transportation Committee. Read more ...
Up in smoke: Smokey Yunick's garage burns
Legendary NASCAR mechanic Smokey Yunick closed the "Best Damn Garage In Town" long before he died in 2001. But the main concrete-block, tin-roofed building on Beach Street in Daytona Beach, Fla., remained a stop on the NASCAR history trail for visiting faithful until Monday night, when fire destroyed the building.
The building housed Yunick's office and a medium-size garage and more recently served as office space for Carbon Press, the publishing company that Yunick's daughter, Trish, operates and which produces products that include Yunick's salty 1,100-page autobiography and biographies of other racing personalities. The building has been completely vacant for several years, containing mostly some old tires.
The complex was sold in 2004 to condo developers, but not until the family held an auction of its contents that drew about 2,000 people.
The building caught fire at about dusk on Monday and within 90 minutes, it was a blackened shell. The Daytona Beach fire chief called the fire suspicious, especially since the building had no power, and witnesses reported seeing a man flee the scene shortly before the blaze began.
Yunick, an untrained engineer whose ideas literally revolutionized the sport, won the Daytona 500 in 1961 and 1963 with drivers Marvin Panch and Fireball Roberts. He was usually at odds with NASCAR's founding France family, especially Bill France Sr., whom Yunick called in his book a "holy roller draft dodger." Yunick accused France of selling "stolen government merchandise," specifically World War II-era tire- and gasoline-rationing stamps. (Posted 4/27/11)
Yunick's original garage was the last building standing of his conglomeration of block buildings and tin sheds that happened to back up to the Halifax River, making the property particularly valuable to developers. The asking price in 2004 was $4 million.
The complex was sold in 2004 to condo developers, but not until the family held an auction of its contents that drew about 2,000 people.
The building caught fire at about dusk on Monday and within 90 minutes, it was a blackened shell. The Daytona Beach fire chief called the fire suspicious, especially since the building had no power, and witnesses reported seeing a man flee the scene shortly before the blaze began.
Yunick, an untrained engineer whose ideas literally revolutionized the sport, won the Daytona 500 in 1961 and 1963 with drivers Marvin Panch and Fireball Roberts. He was usually at odds with NASCAR's founding France family, especially Bill France Sr., whom Yunick called in his book a "holy roller draft dodger." Yunick accused France of selling "stolen government merchandise," specifically World War II-era tire- and gasoline-rationing stamps. (Posted 4/27/11)
Yunick's original garage was the last building standing of his conglomeration of block buildings and tin sheds that happened to back up to the Halifax River, making the property particularly valuable to developers. The asking price in 2004 was $4 million.
Chevrolet rolls out high-performance tires and wheels for the 2012 Corvette
By DALE JEWETT on 4/26/2011
The introduction of high-performance tires and racing-style wheels for the Z06 and ZR1 models is the major change to the Chevrolet Corvette for the 2012 model year, according to information being posted at Corvette fan sites on the Internet.
Info is leaking out as Chevy is set to officially talk about the 2012 Vette during the annual C5/C6 Bash fan event at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., this weekend. Look for some official news on April 28.
Chevrolet has disclosed that there will be a Centennial Edition package for the 2012 Vette, available on all trim levels of the sports car. That car will be available only with a black exterior. And it appears that's the only black on the Corvette color palate for 2012, according to some ordering information posted by Montana Chevy dealer Ken Fitchner at www.corvetteforum.com.
Based on that information, Chevrolet is making it easy for Corvette buyers to equip their Z06 and ZR1 Vettes for use at track day and club events.
The key option is for high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. This is a high-grip, racing-style summer tire that has been an original equipment tire for cars such as the Porsche GT3 RS and the BMW M3. The Michelin tires will be fitted to lightweight racing-style wheels. Getting the wheel-and-tire package will require you to take the optional handling package for either the Z06 or the ZR1.
Other changes for 2012 include:
Info is leaking out as Chevy is set to officially talk about the 2012 Vette during the annual C5/C6 Bash fan event at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., this weekend. Look for some official news on April 28.
Chevrolet has disclosed that there will be a Centennial Edition package for the 2012 Vette, available on all trim levels of the sports car. That car will be available only with a black exterior. And it appears that's the only black on the Corvette color palate for 2012, according to some ordering information posted by Montana Chevy dealer Ken Fitchner at www.corvetteforum.com.
Based on that information, Chevrolet is making it easy for Corvette buyers to equip their Z06 and ZR1 Vettes for use at track day and club events.
The key option is for high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. This is a high-grip, racing-style summer tire that has been an original equipment tire for cars such as the Porsche GT3 RS and the BMW M3. The Michelin tires will be fitted to lightweight racing-style wheels. Getting the wheel-and-tire package will require you to take the optional handling package for either the Z06 or the ZR1.
Other changes for 2012 include:
- A color palate for Corvette brake calipers. The choices are red, silver, yellow or dark gray.
- A carbon-fiber hood available for Z06 models.
- A technology package for the 2LT trim level that adds Bluetooth, USB ports, navigation and an upgraded Bose audio system.
- In the color department, Jetstream Blue Metallic is replaced with Carlisle Blue Metallic. And a blue-colored convertible top will be available later in the model year.
Shoppers hit the mall, test-drive a Fiat
By BRADFORD WERNLE, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS on 3/22/2011
The showroom for Indiana's first Fiat dealership sits next to a Johnny Rockets restaurant and across from the children's play area in the Greenwood Park Mall in Reenwood, Ind.
O'Brien Fiat's indoor Fiat Studio surprised passer-by Kyle Roberts of Franklin, Ind.: "I haven't really seen a car dealership in a mall before," says Roberts, who went into the store with his wife, Mandy, to look at the four Fiat 500s on display.
Would Roberts consider buying one of the cars? "My wife likes 'em," he says. "You don't really see new cars around that price range"--$15,995, including shipping, for an entry-level Pop version.
Mandy Roberts thinks the 500 "looks neat." Neither Kyle nor Mandy Roberts had heard of Fiat before noticing the mall store.
O'Brien Fiat staff members hand the twenty-something couple brochures and get e-mail addresses as music of the British band Oasis plays over the in-store sound system. It's all part of building a customer base for a new product in a new kind of shopping environment.
O'Brien Fiat is one of just 17 Fiat dealerships open in the United States. The 130-store network is to be operating by year end.
Owner Tom Miller, 58, is happy to be on the leading edge of what he sees as an exciting opportunity.
"That was our objective, to be one of the first in Indiana and one of the first in the country," says Miller, who also is president of Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram just down the road.
Fiat wanted to have as many U.S. dealerships open by March 1 as possible, Miller says, and "we worked hard to make that happen.
"Being one of the first in the country, we were on the fast track," says Miller.
Being one of the first U.S. Fiat dealerships to open gives Miller one of the first cracks at 500s now being built at Chrysler's factory in Toluca, Mexico. O'Brien Fiat took its initial delivery of 10 cars on March 10 and has 24 more on the way. The store opened March 1.
Fiat sales consultants Kelly Anderson, left, and Jennifer Hayman stand by a merchandise case.
O'Brien Fiat spent $300,000 to set up the 2,200-square-foot showroom, which has enough space for four of the small cars along with merchandise cases containing model cars, jackets and other Fiat paraphernalia.
Miller is the third generation of an Indianapolis family that has sold Chrysler products since 1933. But selling Fiats is something new for the family. So is selling cars in a mall.
For Miller, it's a great chance to get three of his sons--Brian, 32 ; Tim, 31; and Kevin, 27--in on the ground floor of something exciting: a new European brand and a new way of selling cars.
Tim's title is studio director, the equivalent of general manager. Kevin is the studio lead, the equivalent of general sales manager. Brian is general manager of Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram.
Says Tom Miller: "This mall is perfect. They have 12 million visitors a year, and it's the only mall on the south side of Indianapolis."
The 1.3-million-square-foot Greenwood Park Mall, the second-largest in greater Indianapolis, is owned by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. Brian Nelson, the mall's general manager, says the mall gives the O'Brien group a chance to convert customers who might not have been thinking about buying a car.
"I saw it firsthand," Nelson says. "There was a couple standing at the entrance to the store looking at the dealership. When I passed by, I heard the husband say, 'Let's go in and take a look.' "
On March 12, the first day the store had cars to display, about 100 people visited, Tom Miller says. That's about three times the number of customers Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram sees on a typical Saturday. Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram normally sells 600 new and 500 used vehicles a year.
As of late last week, O'Brien Fiat had sold five vehicles.
Jennifer Hayman, an O'Brien Fiat sales consultant, says, "A lot of people adapted instantly" to the idea of seeing cars for sale in a mall: "A lot of people liked the car. They were excited to see it."
Read more ...
O'Brien Fiat's indoor Fiat Studio surprised passer-by Kyle Roberts of Franklin, Ind.: "I haven't really seen a car dealership in a mall before," says Roberts, who went into the store with his wife, Mandy, to look at the four Fiat 500s on display.
Would Roberts consider buying one of the cars? "My wife likes 'em," he says. "You don't really see new cars around that price range"--$15,995, including shipping, for an entry-level Pop version.
Mandy Roberts thinks the 500 "looks neat." Neither Kyle nor Mandy Roberts had heard of Fiat before noticing the mall store.
O'Brien Fiat staff members hand the twenty-something couple brochures and get e-mail addresses as music of the British band Oasis plays over the in-store sound system. It's all part of building a customer base for a new product in a new kind of shopping environment.
O'Brien Fiat is one of just 17 Fiat dealerships open in the United States. The 130-store network is to be operating by year end.
Owner Tom Miller, 58, is happy to be on the leading edge of what he sees as an exciting opportunity.
"That was our objective, to be one of the first in Indiana and one of the first in the country," says Miller, who also is president of Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram just down the road.
Fiat wanted to have as many U.S. dealerships open by March 1 as possible, Miller says, and "we worked hard to make that happen.
"Being one of the first in the country, we were on the fast track," says Miller.
Being one of the first U.S. Fiat dealerships to open gives Miller one of the first cracks at 500s now being built at Chrysler's factory in Toluca, Mexico. O'Brien Fiat took its initial delivery of 10 cars on March 10 and has 24 more on the way. The store opened March 1.
Fiat sales consultants Kelly Anderson, left, and Jennifer Hayman stand by a merchandise case.
Miller is the third generation of an Indianapolis family that has sold Chrysler products since 1933. But selling Fiats is something new for the family. So is selling cars in a mall.
For Miller, it's a great chance to get three of his sons--Brian, 32 ; Tim, 31; and Kevin, 27--in on the ground floor of something exciting: a new European brand and a new way of selling cars.
Tim's title is studio director, the equivalent of general manager. Kevin is the studio lead, the equivalent of general sales manager. Brian is general manager of Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram.
Says Tom Miller: "This mall is perfect. They have 12 million visitors a year, and it's the only mall on the south side of Indianapolis."
The 1.3-million-square-foot Greenwood Park Mall, the second-largest in greater Indianapolis, is owned by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group. Brian Nelson, the mall's general manager, says the mall gives the O'Brien group a chance to convert customers who might not have been thinking about buying a car.
"I saw it firsthand," Nelson says. "There was a couple standing at the entrance to the store looking at the dealership. When I passed by, I heard the husband say, 'Let's go in and take a look.' "
On March 12, the first day the store had cars to display, about 100 people visited, Tom Miller says. That's about three times the number of customers Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram sees on a typical Saturday. Tom O'Brien Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram normally sells 600 new and 500 used vehicles a year.
As of late last week, O'Brien Fiat had sold five vehicles.
Jennifer Hayman, an O'Brien Fiat sales consultant, says, "A lot of people adapted instantly" to the idea of seeing cars for sale in a mall: "A lot of people liked the car. They were excited to see it."
Read more ...
Next Mustang to feature global design input, Ford says
By RICK KRANZ, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS on 3/02/2011
Ford's next-generation Mustang will be the first with styling themes proposed by studios in Europe, Australia and other regions. Previously, Ford's U.S. studio was solely responsible for Mustang design.
Ford Motor Co.'s design studios worldwide will provide styling ideas for an American icon: the next generation Mustang.
"It is a common process we [now] use on every vehicle," Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president for global product development, said Tuesday at the Geneva auto show.
Ford's next-generation pony car will be the first Mustang with styling themes proposed by studios in Europe, Australia and other regions. Previously, Ford's U.S. studio was solely responsible for Mustang design.
"When we embark on a new product, particularly one that is all new, it involves all of the studios. Then J [Mays] and the design team pick the best of those themes," Kuzak told Automotive News. Mays is Ford's global design chief. Ford adopted the global design approach three years ago.
Kuzak did not say when the redesigned Mustang is due. However, industry sources say the new sports coupe will debut in the 2014 or 2015 model year.
While the final styling theme might come from outside the United States, he said, Ford's Dearborn, Mich., studio will have responsibility to turn the selected styling theme into a production vehicle.
Kuzak said the new Ranger pickup is the latest example of product cooperation undertaken by Ford's studios.
"The Ranger was done by the Australian studio with input from the European studio," Kuzak said during an interview at the show. The Ranger is the first global Ford vehicle designed by the Australian subsidiary.
The Ranger pickup was introduced last year and will be sold outside North America beginning later this year.
Kuzak said the Mustang "is not just an icon in North America, it is an icon globally."
Ford has conducted Mustang clinics in Asia and Europe. He said men and women within a wide range of ages were shown photographs of celebrities and asked, which person represents the Mustang?
The No. 1 person selected was Steve McQueen.
McQueen appeared in the 1968 movie "Bullitt," which included a high-speed chase sequence involving a Mustang driven by McQueen on the hilly streets of San Francisco.
Ford Motor Co.'s design studios worldwide will provide styling ideas for an American icon: the next generation Mustang.
"It is a common process we [now] use on every vehicle," Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president for global product development, said Tuesday at the Geneva auto show.
Ford's next-generation pony car will be the first Mustang with styling themes proposed by studios in Europe, Australia and other regions. Previously, Ford's U.S. studio was solely responsible for Mustang design.
"When we embark on a new product, particularly one that is all new, it involves all of the studios. Then J [Mays] and the design team pick the best of those themes," Kuzak told Automotive News. Mays is Ford's global design chief. Ford adopted the global design approach three years ago.
Kuzak did not say when the redesigned Mustang is due. However, industry sources say the new sports coupe will debut in the 2014 or 2015 model year.
While the final styling theme might come from outside the United States, he said, Ford's Dearborn, Mich., studio will have responsibility to turn the selected styling theme into a production vehicle.
Kuzak said the new Ranger pickup is the latest example of product cooperation undertaken by Ford's studios.
"The Ranger was done by the Australian studio with input from the European studio," Kuzak said during an interview at the show. The Ranger is the first global Ford vehicle designed by the Australian subsidiary.
The Ranger pickup was introduced last year and will be sold outside North America beginning later this year.
Kuzak said the Mustang "is not just an icon in North America, it is an icon globally."
Ford has conducted Mustang clinics in Asia and Europe. He said men and women within a wide range of ages were shown photographs of celebrities and asked, which person represents the Mustang?
The No. 1 person selected was Steve McQueen.
McQueen appeared in the 1968 movie "Bullitt," which included a high-speed chase sequence involving a Mustang driven by McQueen on the hilly streets of San Francisco.
Alfa 4C will be a global car, will come to U.S.
By LUCA CIFERRI, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE on 3/01/2011
Alfa Romeo says the production version of the 4C rear-wheel-drive coupe will be a sold around the world, including the United States.
The halo car will bring us back into markets such as the United States, where we are not present today," Alfa CEO Harald Wester said Tuesday, adding that the 4C will go into production in late 2012.
The automaker plans to build 15,000 to 20,000 units of the 4C coupe over five years, two people familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe. Another 5,000 to 10,000 units of a roadster version of the 4C will be built for Abarth, the sources said. Abarth is Fiat's sporty sub-brand that markets high-performance versions of the Fiat 500 minicar and Punto Evo subcompact.
Fiat's struggling Alfa brand is set to price the production 4C at about 45,000 euros (about $62,000) in Europe, company sources say.
Alfa enthusiasts have dreamed for almost two decades of the return of an affordable rear-drive model after the Duetto Spider was discontinued in 1994.
Alfa's 8C Competizione, which was built from 2007-2008, was too expensive for most Alfa buyers. The spider version of the 8C cost up to 213,000 euros and the car's production run was limited to 1,000 units.The 157.5-inch-long, 200-hp mid-engine 4C concept took design cues from the legendary 33 Stradale, company sources say. Launched in 1967, the 33 Stradale was a rear-engine, rear-drive two-seat coupe powered by a 230-hp 2.0-liter V8 derived from Alfa's 33 race car. Alfa built just 18 units of the 33 Stradale.
The 4C concept was styled by the Fiat Group subsidiary's design center in Turin. The car is rakish, very compact and extremely low to the ground.
The 4C will go on sale at a crucial time for Alfa because by the final quarter of 2012 the company also plans to introduce the Giulia mid-sized sedan to replace the slow-selling 159 and launch the brand's first ever SUV, a sister model to the Jeep Compass/Patriot replacement.
Fiat S.p.A. CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to lift Alfa sales to 500,000 units by 2014. Alfa's global sales last year increased a modest 10.2 percent to 112,000 units.
Thanks to an innovative construction method, which combines carbon fiber and aluminum, the 4C will weigh less than 850kg (1,784 pounds).
The halo car will bring us back into markets such as the United States, where we are not present today," Alfa CEO Harald Wester said Tuesday, adding that the 4C will go into production in late 2012.
The automaker plans to build 15,000 to 20,000 units of the 4C coupe over five years, two people familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe. Another 5,000 to 10,000 units of a roadster version of the 4C will be built for Abarth, the sources said. Abarth is Fiat's sporty sub-brand that markets high-performance versions of the Fiat 500 minicar and Punto Evo subcompact.
Fiat's struggling Alfa brand is set to price the production 4C at about 45,000 euros (about $62,000) in Europe, company sources say.
Alfa enthusiasts have dreamed for almost two decades of the return of an affordable rear-drive model after the Duetto Spider was discontinued in 1994.
Alfa's 8C Competizione, which was built from 2007-2008, was too expensive for most Alfa buyers. The spider version of the 8C cost up to 213,000 euros and the car's production run was limited to 1,000 units.The 157.5-inch-long, 200-hp mid-engine 4C concept took design cues from the legendary 33 Stradale, company sources say. Launched in 1967, the 33 Stradale was a rear-engine, rear-drive two-seat coupe powered by a 230-hp 2.0-liter V8 derived from Alfa's 33 race car. Alfa built just 18 units of the 33 Stradale.
The 4C concept was styled by the Fiat Group subsidiary's design center in Turin. The car is rakish, very compact and extremely low to the ground.
The 4C will go on sale at a crucial time for Alfa because by the final quarter of 2012 the company also plans to introduce the Giulia mid-sized sedan to replace the slow-selling 159 and launch the brand's first ever SUV, a sister model to the Jeep Compass/Patriot replacement.
Fiat S.p.A. CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to lift Alfa sales to 500,000 units by 2014. Alfa's global sales last year increased a modest 10.2 percent to 112,000 units.
Thanks to an innovative construction method, which combines carbon fiber and aluminum, the 4C will weigh less than 850kg (1,784 pounds).