FEATURES BY DEPARTMENT
 |
| September 2004 |
|
Here’s how one of the most successful executives in the auto industry achieved success at a company where he once decided he’d never want to work. What he’s learned, may help you. |
|
|
It's been 10 years since there has been a full-model change for this popular compact pickup. And with the '05 Tacoma, Toyota is showing just how serious it is about getting a bigger piece of the light-truck market in the U.S. not only though vehicle design and engineering, but by adding manufacturing capacity, as well. |
|
|
The battle between all-wheel-drive and rear-drive has just begun. Adapting front-drive to propel both the front and rear wheels would seem to be the smart answer for many automakers, but it may not be enough to pull their luxury models even with the image leaders. |
|
|
Unlike the F-150, which has seemingly become more lifestyle accessory than workplace necessity, not too many of Ford’s Super Duty trucks (F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550) are bought for show.. |
|
|
Be true to your attributes. Embrace conflict. Be authentic. No, these are not chapter headings for the latest self-help book, but some of the guidelines Johnson Controls, Inc. is using to frame the future of automotive interiors.
|
|
|
When they’re not busy running nationwide “e-panels” with 16-year-old girls to see what they want in car interiors (a removable clothes closet and CD storage on the headliner, if you must know), investigating new materials....
|
|
|
Plenty of interior components are injection molded. But some companies—such as VW—are using a process for trim pieces that both mold a component and cover it in fabric in a single molding process. And it is coming to the U.S. in the not-too-distant future.
|
COLUMNS