Diversity News - Dealer Candidate Development Program

Diversity News
NETWORK DIVERSITY & DEALER
DEVELOPMENT
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
TOP 10- Retail Sales
TOP 10- Marketing Invest.
In the Spotlight
Dealer Performance
Chrysler Group News
Mission - To develop a culturally diverse dealer
network that represents Chrysler’s customer base and
the communities that its dealers serve.
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3
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Created by: Marcus A. Foreman
Volume 1 Issue 17
CMDA 20 Group had a very successful launch
meeting in Atlanta, GA!
The CMDA 20 Group successfully held its first 20 Group
meeting in Atlanta, GA. This meeting was attended by
Minority Dealers from across the country. The dealers
met over a 2 ½ day period where they discussed and
analyzed the new car department, used car department,
Fixed Operations, F & I and Service and Parts.
This meeting allowed those participating to challenge
their current operations. In doing so, the dealers shared
best practices and even took a sit visit to a local minority
operated dealership. It was here where the dealers
were really able to roll up their sleeves and provide
positive feedback to the dealer.
Chrysler Group LLC employees and UAW Members
gathered this past weekend to assist the less fortunate
with meals at Forgotten Harvest. They packed 10,000
pounds of food. This inaugural high-impact service
project in Metropolitan Detroit is aimed at combating
hunger by working with Forgotten Harvest, a non-profit
organization that collects surplus prepared and
perishable food for donation to emergency food
providers. Forgotten Harvest helps to feed the
unprecedented numbers of people who are experiencing
hunger and poverty for the first time.
I look forward to the next meeting and to see where
each dealer is tracking against their objectives.
We’re on the Web! Come check us out!
www.minoritydealers.com
October 2010
2010
Diversity Dealer
1. Performance CJD (La Vista, NE)
2. Spring CJD (Spring, TX)
3. Greenway CJD (Orlando, FL)
4. Galeana’s Van Dyke Dodge (Warren, MI)
5. Tyson Motor Corp. (Shorewood, IL)
6. Olathe CJD (Olathe, KS)
7. Landers McLarty DCJ (Huntsville, AL)
8. Ancira Chrysler Jeep Dodge (San Antonio, TX)
9. Folsom Lake CJD (Folsom, CA)
10. Stevens Creek CJD (San Jose, CA)
Sales (MTD)
159
145
134
128
124
122
120
115
114
104
Diversity Dealer
1. Spring CJD (Spring, TX)
2. Performance CJD (La Vista, NE)
3. Landers McLarty CJD (Huntsville, AL)
4. Greenway CJD (Orlando, FL)
5. Galeana’s Van Dyke Dodge (Warren, MI)
6. Ancira CJD (San Antonio, TX)
7. Olathe CJD (Olathe, KS)
8. Folsom Lake DCJ (Folsom, CA)
9. Tyson Motor Corp. (Shorewood, IL)
10. Mission CJ (San Antonio, TX)
Sales (CYTD)
1,406
1,209
1,112
1,053
1,049
1,008
983
946
932
783
October 2010
Diversity Dealer
Sales (MTD)
1. DCJ of McKinney (McKinney, TX)
69
2. Gulfgate DCJ (Houston, TX)
68
3. Stateline CJD (Fort Mill, SC)
67
4. La Brea CJ (La Brea, CA)
46
5. Superstition Springs CJ (Mesa, AZ)
46
6. Stone Mountain CJD (Stone Mountain, GA)
30
7. Alhambra CJD (Alhambra, CA)
24
Diversity Dealer
1.
DCJ of McKinney (McKinney, TX)
Sales (CYTD)
641
2. Gulfgate DCJ (Houston, TX)
597
3. Stateline CJD (Fort Mill, SC)
560
4. La Brea CJ (La Brea, CA)
431
5. Superstition Springs CJD (Mesa, AZ)
364
6. Stone Mountain CJD (Stone Mountain, GA)
221
7. Alhambra CJD (Alhambra, CA)
191
Stateline has consistently improved their presence in the Charlotte Metro Market. Damian
Mills started in the auto business as a salesman at Crown Automotive Group in Greensboro, NC in
1992. He quickly learned the business and grew in the Crown organization and became a General
Manager at age 25. By age 29, Damian had been promoted to Pre-Owned Sales Director responsible
for 22 stores in 3 states.
Mr. Damian Mills has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and became a Ford dealer through
Ford’s Dealership Development Program in Raleigh, NC. He would go on to acquire more stores
including Stateline Chrysler Jeep Dodge in August of 2006. Mr. Mills is extremely proud to grow talent
within his organization grooming his General Managers to help him expand. His philosophy of Good
People and Good Processes has helped him deliver year after year.
Damian is married to his wife Beverly for 15 years. They have three children (twin girls and a
son) and they are active in a number of school activities and charitable events such as the scholarship
fund he and his family support. When he isn’t working at one of his dealerships, he and the family
might be found attending a sporting event in the Charlotte or Raleigh, NC area. He is also an avid
reader and is currently reading Tony Dungy’s new book, “The Mentor Leader”.
We wish Damian Mills and his team continued success!
Marcus Foreman
Manager, Network Diversity & Dealer Development
Average Diversity Dealer - Same Store Performance
(August 2010 YTD vs. August 2009 YTD)
Key Performance
Indicators
August
2010
August
2009
Change
Net Earnings
$451,013
$331,616
36%
% Profitable
80%
77%
3 Pts.
1.89%
1.43%
.46 Pts.
New Vehicle Net Profit
$292,399
$260,216
12%
Used Vehicle Net Profit
$408,941
$381,811
7%
Mechanical Net Profit
$430,977
$963,028
9%
Parts Net Profit
$406,495
$364,111
12%
76.94%
72.34%
4.6Pts.
Return on Sales
Service Absorption
All Dealer counts listed below are as of September 30, 2010:
111 Minority Owned Dealerships
4.8% of Chrysler’s Dealer Network
7.0% of Chrysler’s Retail Sales Volume
83% of Minority Dealerships have Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram
50% of Minority Dealers are located in Metro Areas
Oct. 1, 2010
Mobile showroom on 10-week U.S. trek
Laramie gets luxe
The Ram Truck Laramie
Longhorn edition - the luxurious
addition to the Ram lineup
announced last week continued to hold the attention
of the media. "Ram is debuting
its most expensive and
luxurious full-size truck yet,"
said a report in Motor Trend and
Automobile magazines.
" T h e 2 0 11 L a r a m i e
Longhorn Edition is expected to
reach some very high-end
neighborhoods," the article said,
going on to detail some of the
fine points of the vehicle,
including standard two-tone
paint and "the most premium
leather we've ever offered,"
according to Ryan Nagode, the
design lead for the vehicle.
"No gritty work truck, the
Laramie Longhorn is packed
with luxury accessories -– from
the dazzling chrome badge on
its tailgate to the dazzling
chrome badge on its grille," The
New York Times said. But,
noted Fleet Owner magazine,
"The Longhorn’s exterior and
interior 'refinements' don’t come
at the expense of overall vehicle
capability, the magazine said,
quoting Fred Diaz, Ram Truck
CEO and President.
The Ram brand says 25
percent of the pickup trucks it
sells are the top-of-the-line
Laramie models, which have
luxurious interiors and more
electronic gadgets," noted The
Wall Street Journal.
Chrysler is taking its act on the road – 10 vehicles, 10 weeks, 50
stops, CNET.com reported.
The marketing tour is to reach out to the 22,000 employees who
work for Chrysler Group affiliate companies and suppliers such as
Case New Holland, Comau, 3M, Union Pacific Railroad and Mohawk
Industries, CNET.com said.
The mobile showroom includes the 2011 models of Jeep® Grand
Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Dodge Caliber, Ram 1500, and
Ram 2500, CNET.com said. The tour also includes the 2010 Chrysler
300S, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Journey, Dodge Challenger,
and Dodge Viper ACR, the report said.
Three trailers full of Chrysler Group vehicles are making the
12,000-mile trip that will include stops at 50 companies with a total of
22,000 employees, Allpar.com reported.
The Allpar.com story quoted Fred Diaz, President and Chief
Executive Officer of the Ram Truck Brand and Lead Executive for U.S.
Sales: “We’re taking the showroom directly to our affiliate and supplier
employees, where they can check out our 2011 models and talk to our
product specialists in a fun and relaxed environment right at work.”
For the people living in the areas through which the caravan of
trailers will pass, the sight of a Dodge Viper ACR, visible through a
display window, will be the main treat, Autoevolution.com reported. For
the employees of Chrysler’s partners, the tour also comes with a
discount on their next vehicle purchase or lease, Autoevolution.com
said.
Men’s magazine, Esquire, named the
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee the Best
Domestic Comeback in its 2010 Esquire
Car Awards.
“The Grand Cherokee is a welcome
sight, the kind of SUV that the brand,
and America, deserve,” Esquire said.
Chrysler Group News Update is published by Chrysler Group
Communications for dealership employees to highlight company and industry
news. It includes third-party news sources that do not necessarily reflect
company views.
Company moving at
“blistering pace”
The staff at Consumer
Reports recently previewed
some of Chrysler Group’s new
2011 vehicles and noted the
vehicles are “notably improved”
at first blush.
In a blog posted on the
magazine’s website, titled
“Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, and
Jeep® vehicles are updated and
show promise,” writer Jeff
Bartlett said that the company
has been moving along at a
“blistering pace” since its
bankruptcy last year.
“You wouldn’t know it from
the low-profile the company has
kept the past 12 months, but
there has been a bustle of
engineering work going on
behind the scenes. . .what
(Chrysler Group) has
accomplished in so short a time
is laudable.”
Last year, Bartlett said,
Chrysler spelled out its 2011
product plans, with freshened
interiors and a new Pentastar
V-6 engine revitalizing many
models, plus a redesigned
Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango,
and Dodge Charger. “On paper,
such promises feel flat,” Bartlett
said. “But from behind the
wheel, it is clear that this is a
new Chrysler.”
Consumer Reports noted
they will not be able to provide a
complete report until they
anonymously purchase their
own test vehicles and that is
something they “look forward to
doing.”
Rugged Jeep Wrangler adds sophistication
A recent review from
TFLcar.com notes that the
consistent formula for the
Jeep® Wrangler relies on
a simple inside, rugged
outside and unstoppable
off-road prowess.
“Things have changed
recently and folks who
wanted all of the utility of
the Wrangler with a hint of
sophistication can
rejoice,” the website said.
The review highlights
the Sahara model’s colormatched hard top that appears
like an integral part of the
vehicle, while still being
removable.
TFLcar.com says the real
changes can be felt on the
interior with “surprising plush”
optional leather seats. The story
notes that more people can now”
consolidate their weekend Jeep
and daily driver into one, more
comfortable option.”
After a recent test with the
Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon,
Autonet declared it the
“unstoppable Terminator of offroaders.”
The ability to carry three
passengers during an afternoon
exploring a rugged gravel pit was
greatly appreciated by the
Autonet reviewer.
New tracking system provides peace of mind
Ve h i c l e t r a c k i n g
systems are nothing
new, but Chrysler
Group’s new system,
available through
dealers nationwide, offers several
additional features designed to
console nervous owners,
concerned parents, or cautious
fleet operators, Automobile
magazine reported.
Mopar's Electronic Vehicle
Tracking System (EVTS) is based
upon the GPS-based
transponders engineered by
Guidepoint Systems, and simply
plugs into the OBD-II diagnostic
port found underneath the
dashboard on all modern Dodge,
C h r y s l e r, J e e p ® , a n d R a m
vehicles, the magazine said.
Mopar says this package is
transferable to other vehicles, and
doesn't require a yearly
subscription, Automobile said.
The Detroit News said the
new system will help owners of
Chrysler Group vehicles locate
stolen vehicles and can alert
parents if the teen who borrowed
the car was speeding. The $459
device, which fits in the palm of
your hand, is mounted behind
the dash so it is hidden, The
News noted. Once installed
(which costs extra) it acts as a
GPS-enabled stolen vehicle
recovery system that offers
nationwide tracking, the paper
said.
The system allows vehicle
tracking without a subscription,
USA Today said. Base users get
to use the system if their car is
stolen, plus they get a $1,000
theft-protection warranty, the
paper said. Silver and Gold
users get added protection,
which costs $149 a year and is
currently available as a Mopar
accessory at Chrysler, Dodge,
Jeep and Ram dealers, USA
Today said.
Oct. 8, 2010
Txt U L8r keeps
hands on wheels
Car and Driver launched a
new mobile application for
handheld devices, Txt U L8r, to
address the dangers of texting
while driving.
The free app is sponsored
by the Chrysler brand and was
developed by Newark, N.J.based iSpeech. According to
WWJ-AM radio, Txt U L8r automatically responds to incoming
text messages to let the sender
know that the driver is unavailable—all without the driver taking their hands off the wheel.
At the same
time, the received message is read
aloud to the
driver, ensuring he or she
doesn‟t miss
an
urgent
message,
Autotalk.com
reported. The
website said
a paid upgrade to the
app will allow the driver to use
voice commands to send a reply message while keeping his
or her hands on the wheel.
The development of Txt U
L8r was prompted by a Car and
Driver Texting While Driving
Study that showed driver reaction times while texting were
much worse compared to drunk
driver reaction times.
Interested? Then search “Txt
U L8r” in the Android Market or
Blackberry Appworld to find
and download the free app.
2011 Dodge Charger reveals its world-class
precision, performance
After a few weeks of teasing,
Dodge has revealed the design
changes to the 2011 Dodge
Charger, AutoWeek reported.
Charger gets a new front end
that includes a sculpted aluminum hood, redesigned front
fascia with a new look to the
crosshair grille and new headlamps, AutoWeek said.
Out back is a new taillamp
setup that stretches across the
rear and uses 164 light-emitting
diodes, the magazine added.
From the side, the eye is immediately drawn to a scallop
that recalls the late-‟60s
Charger, Car and Driver reported. The line‟s execution is very
striking, creating a natural
shoulder that looks much less
forced than on the previous car,
the magazine said.
Consumer Reports noted
that the muscle car has received “an evolutionary update”
C
that gives it a lower, more aggressive profile, accented by
side body coves and a heritageinspired rear treatment. Changes go beyond appearance as
attention has been paid to
sound damping, by isolating
powertrain, road, and wind
noise, the story said.
Beneath the Charger‟s expansive hood, the main news is
the arrival of the corporate 3.6liter Pentastar V-6 for the base
SE and mid-level Rallye trims,
Motor Trend reported. The 5.7liter Hemi® V-8 returns to the
R/T model with FuelSaver
Technology, the trade name for
the Hemi‟s cylinder-deactivation
feature, Motor Trend added.
A thick three-spoke steering
wheel was specially tailored for
the Dodge enthusiast to inspire
confidence and relay the necessary feedback to the driver, Motor Trend said.
hrysler Group News Update is published by Chrysler Group Communications and intended for distribution to dealership employees to highlight
company and industry news. It includes third-party news sources that do not
reflect Chrysler Group views or policies.
Limited edition Mopar® Drag Pak available
Even though it‟s not street
legal, the 2011 Mopar® Challenger Drag Pak hits all the
gearhead buttons and its limited production run of 70 vehicles will make this vehicle
“legendary,” Inside Muscle
Cars reported.
As the 2009 and 2010 versions sold out, Edmunds Inside
Line advises interested buyers
not to let that 85
grand burn a hole
in your pocket.
Car and Driver
said the car is designed to be a turnkey option for National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Stock and
Super Stock race classes.
The main feature is the 8.4liter Dodge Viper V-10 engine,
USA Today said. The engine
routes power to a two-speed
automatic transmission. “Two
speeds are plenty for drag racing; let‟s just call them „Fast‟
and „Faster,‟” Car and Driver
said.
Detroit automakers continue comeback
In a U.S. News and World
Report story titled “Why Detroit‟s Cars are Outshining
Japan‟s,” author Rick Newman
makes the case that the Detroit
automakers, including Chrysler
Group, are gaining significant
ground verses Japanese automakers.
“Just a couple years ago, the
Japanese automakers could do
no wrong,” Newman writes.
Now Detroit is starting to gain
some ground and the revival of
Detroit‟s automakers “seems
real because it‟s fueled by cars
that people actually want to
buy. . . meanwhile (the Japanese automakers) have been
struggling with lukewarm product,” according to the story.
The domestic automakers
also targeted a “particular vulnerability” of Toyota and Honda, the story said, as their cars
are “considered boring.” Standout designs, including that of
the Dodge Challenger, are
bringing “muscle car bravado
back to automakers that never
should have given it up,” U.S.
News and World Report said.
Jeep®, Fiat cars help fuel the revival
U.S. News and World Report named the Fiat 500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee to its
list of vehicles that are “fueling Detroit’s revival.” The story notes that Detroitbased automakers are winning customers with must-have cars that emphasize
style, fun and even fuel economy.
Chrysler Group
sales surge 61%
A September sales gain of
61 percent has marked Chrysler Group‟s sixth consecutive
month of year-over-year sales
gains in 2010, Automobile
Magazine reported.
Chrysler Group sales increased to 100,077, enough to
put it ahead of Honda for the
industry‟s No. 4 sales spot last
month, Automotive News reported
Each of its four core brands
delivered sales gains in September versus the same
month in 2009, with the Chrysler brand leading the way with
a 92-percent year-over-year
gain, Automobile Magazine
reported.
“We will continue to build
sales momentum this fall as a
slate of new products begin
arriving in our dealerships,”
said sales executive Fred Diaz, the Dow Jones Newswires
reported.
Sales of the Chrysler Town
& Country minivan more than
doubled in September, Dodge
Challenger sales were up 76
percent to 3,138 units, and
sales of the all-new 2011
Jeep® Grand Cherokee nearly
doubled compared with August, the Associated Press
reported.
The automaker is gaining
more buzz with 16 all-new or
refreshed vehicles to be introduced by year-end, The Detroit News reported. The first
one out, the new Grand Cherokee, has received positive
reviews, and its sales were up
98 percent from August, up 95
percent compared with September 2009 and are up 21
percent for the first nine
months, the newspaper said.