Il Diretore

" to automotive editor foxnews.com. And this is fox. -- reports live -- live this week. Check this out on the street here that's not sixth avenue outside fox fox news headquarters in this park avenue because we're comity of from the miles or Audi dealership. Here in New York City for the US debut this beautiful -- here this is the -- Caprio. You convertible version of the great answer his move to. This is introduced over the Frankfurt Auto Show a couple weeks ago. -- the first time it's been in the United States. To be taken very close look at this car later on today. Later on in the show go through the whole thing for the very exciting car can become an assurance level reassurance night of violent now -- it -- some time. In the spring of next year. -- the first we've got a very special guest today. Mark McNabb he is the newly minted president and CEO. Of miles or body how you do it good. Great to have you come by the -- here actually it's -- we. Get a look at the car while we're talking here. Posse better job since such junior took out. Comment may actually OK I'll ask you though. You sort Cadillac. Detroit auto maker you know they were from Gaza riding an Italian auto maker owned by fiat a bigger Italian automaker who just bought Chrysler. A Detroit auto maker pretty -- year for the car industry that you've been in for the past thirty years it's pretty crazy I I. Actually think that's probably a little bit more ago so. A little bit more interaction between the -- I think -- and I think you know when you see the industry go from seventy million pace down to you know ten million -- will be consolidation somewhere along the line. Had become a -- on his first time in with a brand with it's a favorite for that matter are very different. -- market I guess when -- used to working in the sort. And where where we're rejects a call this part of the -- I called the ultra luxury market. It is that it is different in life I've worked in the mass luxury market so to speak but. -- this very different for me and spend big learning experience and and actually been really enjoyable so far. It's challenging year. For any auto maker Mars -- body hasn't been immunity cells are down about half this year so far about 40% but when you see that number 40%. Do you think. That's some that we need to fix or do you think. It's a tough year that's a storm we have to weather and we'll get through -- when the broader economy comes back or can you fix that you know regardless of what happens in the bigger picture that's it it's a great question."

" Actually. I would tell -- you look at where you are relatively competitors so. You know the segments -- about 40% we're down about 40% so we're kind of hold our own sort of decide -- there. But yet you do wanna claw back you wanna get some of that back so we are doing some things we we have. On the market with some small incentives and try to work out way to trying to back to share. But the other thing that what you don't see is usually when you see kind of a massive downfall on demand. You know realigning your inventories this is also very important so we've really spent the last 45 months of realignment -- at the dealer. And our ports to make sure that we have a problem on the stock. Ready. For the consumers and not too much stock because that's when you get into that happens that's when you deeply discount these things you don't wanna do. With a luxury when it comes to matters of production in stock and those sorts of things you've worked very large companies Nissan and Cadillac. Is it the same company like this just on the smaller scale for different challenges as far as keeping that now yeah a lot lot different challenges I mean certainly you know suppliers. You know ten units can mean the difference in cost versus a thousand units at a mass supplier so. You know certainly -- cost pressure when you take production now because obviously proponents -- more expensive. With the Washington amortize the cost across all the cars -- Yeah I would say that's very different because the numbers are so small. I'd also say really what you do suppliers in terms of trying to get engines Stockton I mean when they're already produced. And he's a big engines and and it's our sister company for arguing Angeles. It's much harder to go back pricing wolf thanks for producing them now we can't -- so yeah we actually have to if we produce and we got us. You come from the market size -- I come from all the sales marketing production I mean I've done up. Just about everything in auto industry how much different is it selling this kind of car they're selling a -- It's very it's very different you know the biggest thing I would tell you it's different is the amount of time people spend. Making the decision -- on a Cadillac you can get people make any decision within ten days. You know they going -- what they do the research and go into the dealership and they stereo camera to negotiate let's find. This thing usually takes not correlate this to 45 days to sixty days is the buying cycles so. People going and they look at -- they wanna make sure the wife is happy with it or others that this files the husband. We'll go back and back again the dual but more research so the buying cycle tends to be about 45 to sixty days so. You know what we do is we try and evaluate -- the dealers are in terms of the -- OK how many leads do you have. When did you get them and then we trying to space out to forecast for sales looks like based on their leads. Big dance. Big dance do you find the fire actually enjoys that that's part of the experience of buying a car in this class yet. It's an interesting thing you know the guys the people that client I was in I was in the showroom in New Jersey not too long known the guy came in and sentinel. This was about right when I first joined the company came -- you know I don't know I gotta go back I'm gonna buy one but I don't know right now. I was back in that showroom about two weeks ago guy came and I recognize and he recognized me came right over so CIA tournament by. So it just took a little while so but he looks like feel better about the market feel better about where the economy's going. I'm ready to do it for -- more people better feel better about things yeah you could see it last couple months for sure to -- and picked up. So not no doubt about that all all the way through the high -- You are a smaller."

" Auto maker currently have two model lines couple different versions -- make it three. You're part of a bigger brand Ferrari's when your sister companies -- for a -- can becoming United States like -- underneath you to a certain extent they've got the 250000 dollar HCB that's a very limited edition car that's on cellular. How what. It's Basra -- do you say is this small three mile line brand or is there movement up or down in the future of expanding you know it's great question."

" I don't I don't know yet I think a lot depends on really. You know you look at the business like any business how to make it profitable. If we can remain profitable staying in at this level volume in this level of pricing. And I say you know you might decide to stay there if you can't. Then you look at okay we're going to join me to move up doing need to move down you look at all different directions and all different alternatives. You know we have really gotten to that point yet we are still I think you heard mr. -- in Frankfurt say you know we've -- you breakeven. For the year. You know. We're we're still right where we are even in and a pretty tough industry worthless to them okay so. We really haven't looked at what the experience is gonna be so I think right now this is what -- look at this in street cars in this general price range. Get half minute of by being a part of this larger group bird or do you have a little more freedom of movement than you might like I -- definitely -- in the fact that you know it's all gonna be about component chairing a components and and technology in the future. On because -- a little brains can't just amortized cost so you off a lot of times you -- in all should what should I don't play how come I don't have. You know the latest applications because those -- uses seven or eight your life cycles so it sometimes falls behind. But being partnered with a a bigger Brandon Bass brands I give you the ability to have the latest technology faster. And intuitive and a much more cost effective way so. I would say were hemmed in I I would say you know you fight like every -- that you fight for resources just like any company any place. But you have a lot more options available to be."

" Part of a bigger group. Now three cars you've got to bring the average hardtop version four in -- of the right now the convertible. -- Spencer is and then of course the partial forte sedan. Three different cars but also playing that same price range. So again you know as far as that's entered. You cross your -- people cross shopping the cars are you finding much support the owners are looking for something like this is well. Yeah -- great great question. Typically what we find with the fires that they have more than three times I mean these guys usually have a stable of cars and in many cases. They usually. The Ford or is kind of an everyday car. So little the look at The Fox Report is an everyday car. And a look at a grand for his -- grants original convertible was as kind of supplemental. Okay you know on -- and on weekends like go have some fun. Especially convertible and and they certainly. A very different fires the other thing I'll tell -- to with a convertible is. You know demographically. You know you're attracting. More female box which you know you don't see hardtop -- as much so. We're actually opening that up to gender you know the female gender which is right youngsters were primarily -- fire right now so it does widen the scope. In addition Ferrari just came out the California also sort of targeted and more of -- female audience than a lot of the other cars is the rich. Female American in a market segment that's been underserved all these years yeah I think so I and I I don't know it's been underserved but I -- I think that. You know they certainly look for style and craftsmanship. And they look for value to me and when you look at it you look at the card certainly great value for for what it presents. But I yeah I think it's phenomenal underserved I think that's why you've seen more people move into over the years you start. The most beautiful cars on the road that he finds the biggest selling point is the style. Is that the performance the lingering inside with what's what's sells the most of these stories I really think in my mind and and probably the PR guys are shooting for saying this but I really think it's a craftsmanship and the style. Mean when you look at the exterior style and inferring is designed. I mean it's just I mean the lines are fantastic but really on the interior you start going to enter the craftsmanship you get inside go. Oh my god and you know I've I've been around some pretty good cars in my career and I mean you get into one of these cars it's it's really you know pretty special this particular one here is literally one of a kind it is the prototype for the we want for the convertible version that's -- you haven't announced pricing yet what what is going to be the ballpark -- I think we'll be in the range of 135 to 140 in the in the ballpark. So. -- Before destination and handling gas guzzlers things like out of will be -- that 135 California. Go into little more detail with brought down a little bit later bureau director of product. We just overview you know what's what's the highlight of this car I think the highlight to me this car in particular is it maintains the lines of the printer is also. In the printer has most been really accepted for its style. Because we decided go to a soft top design we're able to maintain exactly the same lines as as a -- to his special style wise it's highly stylish. And I gotta say you know interior having four seats. If you look in this category. There's really not for legitimate seats in this category so I think that's going to be big selling feature. Actually David to keep the same wheelbase from the from group to coupe version yup exactly saying well -- don't -- so. Really without sacrificing any space trunk space is the same I mean it's really well packaged -- This car doesn't pretend to be is green person -- But a company like -- around a are you certain immune from having to worry about that because you are part of the larger Fiat family or is that something you're gonna have to address alternative fuels. Greater fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions over your particular. I think that as we keep going. Well we haven't seen it so far in the past I mean not I'll probably speak maybe. Little -- from a previous career but. We have not seen the shift over to you know green yet however I do think it is coming and I do think that at some point in time want to discuss. How to become more efficient but you do. You know the interesting thing about cars like this is you know do the metals that you use certainly the life you know lightweight components. A lot of that stuff goes in to light the way to the car to make it more efficient. But also you start seeing direct injections start getting into the cars more. You know you'll start seeing. Probably more turtles in the future. Which you basically are more efficient but you know higher power so. They've been able to have efficiency with power I think is probably where it's known in the future. Of course use the four point seven liter V gate. Related to the one found in the Ferrari -- there track same. There was bigger ball and but. Again we're gonna get into the storm Ortiz I was -- Later booked up protester to -- hundreds of miles an hour now 176 Macs he's so pretty pretty fun. And America's a restaurant you probably rather drive is over in Italy I might find a place. -- So you got the -- a couple of months what's your company car its I I drive a grand drizzle four point seven automatic. I will tell you when the start from Donald drive this -- very quickly. You'd be first on the last group of people had the Illini got a -- probably some Gaza -- Some are big -- around buyers that you have to service before you get the -- customer comes first. Absolutely but we've actually had a pretty good job. Even though we really haven't officially -- the current US which today is really kind of what we're doing. We've had a significant number of pre sold since Frankfurt so. Yeah we're gonna have to take care of our customers for us what is your customer loyalty like. -- we run anywhere from fifteen to 20% which is about average for the segment yell at this level. It's really hard to tell -- actually what's your loyalty is number one. The numbers are so small a lot of the third party services don't measure real while. And number two a lot of these people are buying an additional -- not just buying you know replacing your car so. Really hard to tell on the loyalty but if you look at a 100000 plus they choosy about fifteen to 20% in the whole site. And we're right there can you think of the worst days to beat. This announcement to be driving a real real drive convertible Italians -- regard. Well -- will drive doesn't bother me because it does have a lot of limited slip and everything else but huh convertible in the rain. Probably not the best thing for sure that's gonna go to waste in -- I really would wanna room that I. No absolutely. Mark McKinnon president and CEO miles around North America thanks reverence by."