This Week:

• Supervisory Board Approves New Management For Chrysler Group
  .
• Senior Management Changes Announced at Chrysler Group 

• Massive increase in Porsche profits

• BMW X5 Achieves Best Performance Of Any SUV In Insurance Institute For Highway Safety Offset Crash Test
  .

• "Audi Forum Ingolstadt" almost completed / Official inauguration of the complete area in December / "museum mobile" as the focal point

• DaimlerChrysler, Ford And General Motors Partner To Develop Dealer Infrastructure Guidelines
  .

• GM Argentina Celebrates Production Of 100, 000th Vehicle

• Renault returns to Australia with strong Nissan support
  .

• Hayes Lemmerz International to Supply Crossmembers To Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing 
  .
• Volkswagen of America, Inc. to Break Ground on New Multi-Million Dollar Parts Distribution Facility in Hazlett, Texas

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News of  November 21, 2000

DaimlerChrysler, Ford And General Motors Partner To Develop Dealer Infrastructure Guidelines

Detroit - DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company and General Motors announced a dealer infrastructure standard for all of their respective dealers that will provide common guidelines for dealer network connectivity. The three OEMs agreed to the common guidelines in order to prepare dealers to operate in the e-world to better service their customers.

Christine MacKenzie, DaimlerChrysler vice president of Retail Strategies, said, "We have been working together to establish a framework for growth and systems capability that will enhance dealership communications and management systems in an efficient and coordinated manner. This standard benefits the dealer, the automotive companies and the customer."

For dealers with more than one franchise, the implementation of standardized guidelines will promote the sharing of network equipment, offer dealers additional functionalities not currently available through proprietary networks, and improve support. The Dealer Council representatives from each of the automotive companies, who helped shape and support the development of the standards, have endorsed the plan.

Jim Yost, Ford vice president and chief information officer, endorsed the plan saying, "Dealers have been requesting system standards for quite some time. These technical guidelines will benefit dealers by providing a road map to build an Internet-ready dealership."

As most applications will be migrated to the web in the next three years, this effort lays the foundation for all web-based applications, which will enable direct dealer to consumer interaction.

Bill Lovejoy, GM Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing Group vice president, added, "There is some confusion among dealers as to which technology is the best for their dealerships in view of the many e-initiatives facing them. This is definitely a step in the right direction."

(Nov. 16, 2000)

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