Monthly Archives: November 2011

Milestones – Chevrolet Officially Celebrates 100 Years

Chevrolet is officially recognizing its 100th birthday today by offering deals across the United States. The latest birthday or rather marketing activity ends a year-long Chevy Centennial celebration that began last January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Chevrolet’s history is tangled, and its beginnings were subject to Wall Street maneuverings that are wearily similar to recent financial history. Continue reading

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Ford Taking Orders for 2012 Focus Electric at $39,995

No lease is available, so a typical payment to buy – with $4,000 down for 48 months – is almost $800 per month at Ford’s 7% interest rate. The gasoline Focus starts at just over $17,000. This means that the sales volume of the EV will likely be limited to a few enthusiasts. And Focus Electric also faces tough competition from the Nissan Leaf, which can be leased for about $400 a month. Continue reading

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Toyota to Export U.S.-Built Sienna to South Korea. FTA that UAW Supported, Also Helps Non-Union Plant Exports

The Korea FTA is opposed by all organized labor groups, except the United Auto Workers Union, which in the view of critics sold out organized labor for the promise that 75,000 UAW-built vehicles would be exported to Korea. Thus far Ford and General Motors, all with new four-year UAW contracts, have not announced plans to export to Korea. Continue reading

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Mixed U.S. October Sales Results for Japanese Three. Toyota Sales Down 8%. Honda Sales +3%. Nissan October Sales +18%

Acura, Honda’s luxury label, posted sales of 11,115, an increase of 4.8% versus October 2010, with year-to-date sales of 100,261, compared to Infiniti’s 79,000. This means that natural disaster battered Lexus with ytd sales of 153,739 of cars and light trucks – virtually all of which are made in Japan – easily retains the Japanese luxury vehicle sales crown, but it will displaced from luxury sales leadership for the first time in more than a decade by BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Company October Sales up 6% from Trucks, SUVs

Ford is now emphasizing truck sales and adding crossover sales with them. This is because Ford Motor Company car and retail sales are down in October compared to last year, hurt by bad results at Lincoln (-11% at 6,100 units), and the absence of 7,500 units from now defunct Mercury. With the strength of trucks, though, overall Ford Motor sales of 1,771,801 units is up 10.9%. Fleet sales are 33% of the total, which based on early numbers, appears to be leading the industry, ahead of GM’s 23% of October sales. Continue reading

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Chrysler Group October Sales Up 27%. Comeback Continues

Chrysler Group today reported U.S. sales of 114,512, a 27% increase compared with sales in October 2010. It was the Number Three Detroit automaker’s best October since 2007. This wasn’t good enough to defend its recent Number Three U.S. sales position, as Toyota’s return to the market with better inventories moved it back into the Number Three spot by 20,000 units. Continue reading

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GM October Sales Up 2%. Three of Four Brands Down

Chevrolet was actually the only GM brand to increase sales year-over-year. Buick at -7%, Cadillac at -12% and GMC at -5% all posted sales declines during the model year changeover, which also saw Japanese makers return post earthquake with rebuilt inventories of news cars and trucks. Continue reading

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