sales
Toyota on Track to Regain Title As World’s Largest Automaker
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Toyota has announced its sales figures for the first half of 2012, and the numbers look like Toyota will be able to beat out GM and Volkswagen in sales for 2012. In the first six months of this year the Japanese automaker sold 4.97 million vehicles.
Range Rover Evoque Production Boosted for US Demand
It’s no secret that the Range Rover Evoque is popular. As the 2012 North American Truck of the Year, its striking styling and relatively low starting price is proving to be a formula for success, but how much of a success is it?
Toyota Creation Station Tour Kicks Off July 4
Toyota is using Independence Day at the Fair St Louis to launch its new Creation Station Tour to offer a family-friendly introduction to the brand’s lineup through games and activities.
May 2012 Automotive Industry Sales Roundup
With May sales numbers rolling out today, there are some interesting stories developing around several automakers.
Baby Boomers Buy Lots of Cars, Millennials Don’t
While automakers are targeting younger demographics with flashy marketing campaigns, they ought to be appealing to more adult sensibilities because baby boomers make up more than half of the car buying market today.
2012 Chevrolet Corvette to Sell in South Korea
One of America’s oldest sports car mainstays, the Chevrolet Corvette, is headed for sale in South Korea according to the company.
Mercedes-Benz Might Overtake Audi by 2015: Report
Audi made headlines this year after overtaking Mercedes-Benz for the first time to become the world’s second-largest luxury automaker.
Prius c Sales Top 1,000 Units in First Three Days
Toyota is the brand to beat when it comes to hybrid vehicles, and the recently launched Prius c subcompact helps reinforce that trend. According to Toyota, the Prius c, which launched on March 12, has sold 1,201 in its first three days on the market, making it one of the company’s fastest selling vehicles. In…
Mazda “Considering Every Option” to Aid Financial Woes
After its fourth straight year resulting in a net loss, Mazda is now looking for partners to help bolster their capital. Mazda has had a net loss $1.29 billion this fiscal year, and is now actively seeking any way possible to help out with its uncertain financial future. This is the worst slide Mazda has been…
Hyundai Planning Major Push on VW Home Turf
Hyundai has made incredible gains in the global market, challenging larger automakers in markets they once dominated. While Volkswagen has globally sold a record number of vehicles in 2011, Hyundai Motors and its Kia affiliate have exceeded VW’s numbers in the United States. According to senior analyst of auto website Edmunds.com Jessica Caldwell, “Hyundai offers…
Consumers Do Not Find Hybrids Appealing
For the last number of years, automakers have been pushing gas-electric products at auto shows across the world. However, according to researcher LMC Automotive, hybrid sales in the United States have slowed last year to 2.2 percent compared to 2.4 percent in 2010. Mike Jackson, chief executive of auto retail chain AutoNation Inc., said that…
NADA Used Car Guide Expects Strong Sales In Both New And Used Car Market
Since the 2007-2009 economic recession, the automotive retail market displayed a drop in new car-sales and the increased demand for used vehicles. For 2012, data indicates that it will be more of the same. Jonathan Banks, Executive Auto Analyst for the NADA Used Car Guide, explained, “The average trade-in value of a 3-year-old used car…
2012 Nissan Cube Gets Mild Price Hike
The 2012 Nissan Cube is getting a little more expensive, though not by a significant margin. The company chose to raise the base price $260 to $15,760, which includes a $780 destination charge. The real news is that the decision to cut back from four to three versions of the box on wheels has been confirmed….
Acura Looks To New Year For Refreshed Lineup and Sales
Acura closed the year on a sour sales note with the new year resolution to move on with their brand despite most car companies being on the rebound. This year, Acura fans and new customers alike can look forward to a refreshed and redesigned Acura, less focused on competing with the luxury segment and more…
BMW and Audi Turn To China For Growth
German luxury titans Audi and BMW are migrating to a new battlefield in hopes of growing their brands despite domestic debt worries. According to Jenny Gu, a Shanghai- based analyst at research firm LMC Automotive, the number of luxury cars sold in China for 2011 may increase by 39 percent to 939,000, overtaking Germany by 25,000. That…
Audi CEO Expects Growth In 2012
Volkswagen AG isn’t afraid of the euro zone debt crisis. They expect Audi, their premium brand, to continue growing in 2012 according to Audi CEO Rupert Stadler. Stadler told WirtschaftsWoche “There’s a good chance for further growth next year… Therefore, we will keep investing and not start saving money.” He also confirmed Audi’s 1.3 million vehicle…
Porsche Sales Spike 25% in 2011
The tumultuous world economy doesn’t seem to be having an affect on Porsche, their sales are up 25 percent over last year at this time. “In the current year, we have already set new customer delivery and order book records,” said Bernhard Maier, Porsche AG board of management member for sales and marketing. The company…
Audi Surpasses Mercedes-Benz Sales For First Time
Unless there’s some sort of Christmas miracle in Mercedes showrooms, Audi is set to pass their competitor for the first time to take the number 2 spot for global luxury car sales. The company’s sales volume grew by 18 percent this year, compared to Mercedes’ seven. Though the numbers aren’t final until the ball drops…
Fiat 500 Gets Three Star Crash Test Rating, Lowest Of All New Cars
The slow-selling Fiat 500 hit another snag after NHTSA gave the compact car a three-star crash test rating, a dismal score in an era where five-star ratings are practically ubiquitous. While the 500 got four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests, the side impact result was a poor two stars. Only the now-dead…
U.S. Buyers Now Prefer Compacts Over Mid-Size Cars
The current state of economy and the ever rising price of fuel is changing car buying habits in American households. Where once mid-size sedans like the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry ruled, those spots are now being replaced by smaller cars like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra (above). Consumer survey specialists…
Honda Ridgeline Will Remain In Production
The Ridgeline is a slow seller, but Honda isn’t ready to give up their only truck bed-bearing model just yet. The 2012 model will be getting a slight facelift along with a lower-cost sport (pictured above) model. The four-door pickup hasn’t managed to take hold since 2006 when it was first released. Those slow sales…
Honda Civic’s U.S. Failure Is CEO’s Responsibility
Honda CEO Takanobu Ito stepped up and assumed responsibility for the Honda Civic’s miserable start in the United States, telling Automotive News that “The ultimate responsibility rests with me.” The Civic was left off the Consumer Reports list of recommended vehicles, a rarity for any Honda product. Cheap interior materials were blamed, and many reviewers reported…
Nissan Leaf Meeting Sales Goals, On Pace For 10,000 Units In America
While the Chevrolet Volt has struggled a bit to get traction in the marketplace, Nissan‘s all-electric Leaf is well on pace to sell 10,000 units in the United States, meeting its initial sales targets. 60 percent of all Leafs sold are in California (no surprise there), but we’ll get a better regional breakdown sometime later…
Fiat-Chrysler Aiming For Sales Of 6 Million Units In 2014: Marchionne
Sergio Marchionne, head of Fiat, told reports that he expects combined sales of Fiat and Chrysler vehicles to hit 6 million units by 2014. Marchionne’s remarks come even in the face of declining auto sales in Europe, as well as an overall shaky economic climate. Marchionne said that he was reviewing Fiat’s 2012 European targets,…
