Materazzo Appointed Group Vice President, Toyota Marketing

Lisa Materazzo has been appointed group vice president, Toyota Marketing, replacing Ed Laukes, who is retiring after 32 years with the automaker. Materazzo, who currently serves as vice president of Lexus marketing, will run the entire gamut of Toyota division market planning, advertising, merchandising, sales promotions, incentives, NASCAR and motorsports, and all social and digital media. According to Statista, in 2019 Toyota spent $1.51 billion on advertising alone, behind General Motors and Ford.

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Mitsubishi Chairman Osamu Masuko Abruptly Resigns

A longtime presence at the top of Mitsubishi Motors departed his post Friday morning, marking the end of an era for the embattled Japanese automaker. Company Chairman Osamu Masuko, 71, resigned effective immediately today, following a six-year tenure at the top of a company he joined in 1972.

Masuko, who rose to become president of the company in 2005 and CEO in 2014, cited health reasons for his sudden departure.

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BREAKING: Ford CEO Jim Hackett to Retire; Farley Tapped As New Boss

A bombshell just landed from Ford, as the automaker announced the impending retirement of CEO Jim Hackett and his replacement by Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley, effective October 1st.

Ford said Tuesday that Hackett, 65, whose tenure has been the subject of much speculation and criticism as the company navigates wildly turbulent waters, “elected” to retire. He replaced the ousted Mark Fields in 2017. In his place rises Farley, who also joins the company’s board of directors.

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Report: Monday Meeting Could See Volkswagen's Diess Replaced

A report last week in a German publication stated that Volkswagen Group was looking for someone new to take charge of its namesake brand. The new blood would come in the form of Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, sources said.

We’re now hearing there’s an “extraordinary” supervisory board meeting being held at VW today, and that the result could be current brand chief Herbert Diess being bounced from his role.

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Department Heads Spin as Ford Swaps Management Roles

Ford is restructuring its upper management for the second time since former CEO Mark Fields took permanent leave of the company. Now in the top executive slot, Jim Hackett wants to continue tweaking staff in order to “improve efficiencies” and reshape the automaker in an image more appetizing to investors and potential buyers.

Hackett’s initial culling served to streamline the corporate hierarchy into something more manageable. The more recent shakeup, announced Tuesday, appears to be more of the same — leaving some with additional duties as Ford attempts to realign its global strategy.

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Report: Piech Basically Still Running Volkswagen Anyway

Reports out of Germany indicate that ousted chairman and current majority owner of Volkswagen’s parent group, Ferdinand Piech, may have tampered with the board nomination to replace him.

Piech may have prevented current VW CEO Martin Winterkorn from becoming chairman after the two’s public feud ultimately resulted with Piech’s abrupt resignation in April, Reuters reported.

If true, the backroom dealings would indicate that while Piech may not be overseeing VW anymore, he still wields significant influence on its operations and leadership.

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Honda Has Alarmingly Few Female Managers in Japan, and They Know It

Last month, Honda released its annual Sustainability Report outlining the company’s position and direction under its new CEO Takahiro Hachigo.

Outlined on Page 73 of its 104-page report, Honda admits its number of female managers in Japan is quite low.

Well, actually 0.5-percent low.

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Volkswagen Takes Silver In Quarterly Sales Amid Lingering Leadership Battle

While the dust-up between chairman Ferdinand Piëch and CEO Martin Winterkorn lingers on, Volkswagen looks to take silver on the global sales podium in 2015.

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VW Group Board Supporting Winterkorn In Leadership Conflict

VW Group CEO Martin Winterkorn gained a few key supporters in the leadership conflict between he and chairman Ferdinand Piëch.

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Ford Taurus: Oedipus Wrecks
ford taurus, design, aerodynamics, RIP, leadership, usa, american, gen iv, fomoco, 2007 ford taurus, road test, review, eulogy
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  • Kwik_Shift_Pro4X Just remember though, Leif Erikson and his vikings discovered the New World centuries before Columbus did.
  • Likescars Today is a paid day off in the US only for people who work for government. For most others it is a work day..
  • Ollicat Happy Columbus Day!
  • Bd2 In honor of our lost indigenous people, when you are considering your next automotive selection , not only are eATPs and SACDs to be considered with the utmost urgency, consider the exigency of the automaker's treatment of indigenous people. Toyota is, as I'm sure you are aware, Japanese. Japan has a long history of human rights abuses throughout the islands it now occupies. Even nazis condemn Japan's human rights record in China. Why you ask? It is becaue Japan is a godless society. Now, would you not prefer to purchase from a company with a sterling and platinum reputation in the space of human rights? We thought so. Please consider Hyundai, Kia and Genesis of South Korea. The country with the best human rights record is joined with an incredible selection of curated eATPs. Please visit your Hyundai Kia Genesis dealer today and experience the vehicles of God's Country: South Korea.
  • Aron9000 Always liked the 70's Nova better than the 1978 A body Malibu that effectively replaced them. The Novas felt a bit more substantial, not as tinny/floppy/rattly/cheap. And the rear windows rolled down on the 4 doors. And the two doors as well if you have a 1974 or older one. Also I dont think Chevy ever offered a 350 v8 on the downsized Malibu, a lame 305 was as good as it got.