Category Archives: marketing

2013 Honda Civic to Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show

Posted on 14 November 2012 by Ken Zino

Honda has released the first photos of 2013 Civic Sedan, ahead of its debut at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show on 29 November. Mild styling tweaks are evident on the best selling compact-class car that goes on sale at Honda dealerships the same day.

The previous Civic was justly criticized for being too cheap as Honda removed content and substituted less expensive materials, but it went on to be best seller in the class in spite of tepid media reviews. Continue reading →

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Ford China Sales Grow in October as Focus Dominates Results

Posted on 13 November 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor and its communist government dictated partners set a sales record during October in China as the firms sold 60,518 cars and light trucks. Market leader General Motors sold more than 250,000 vehicles during the same period in the world’s largest car market. Continue reading →

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Offshore Brands Hold Share in U.S. Auto Sales During Stormy October

Posted on 6 November 2012 by Ken Zino

If there is any weakness in the Detroit Three, it remains passenger cars. Not one Chrysler, Ford or GM car occupied a spot on the Top Ten Selling list. This, once again, shows how entrenched Japanese automakers are in the small- and mid-size car segments, which now comprise 73% of the car market, good for total sales of more than 402,000 cars in October of 2012. Continue reading →

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GM Sells More Than 250,000 Vehicles in China – an October Record

Posted on 5 November 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors and its communist government required joint ventures sold 251,812 vehicles in China, a record for the month of October. Sales were up 14% on an annual basis, as GM’s major brands in China reached new highs for the month in the world’s largest auto market. GM is the largest automaker in the Chinese market. Continue reading →

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Hyundai Cancels Media Event in Wake of EPA MPG Fraud

Posted on 5 November 2012 by Ken Zino

Hyundai has just canceled a media event in Michigan after the revelation last Friday that 600,000 of its 2010-2012 models had fraudulent EPA stickers that overstated mileage ratings by as much as 3 mpg. Continue reading →

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October U.S. Sales Forecast Sunny at more than 12 million SAAR

Posted on 26 October 2012 by Ken Zino

New-vehicle retail sales in October are forecast at 943,200 units, a 13% increase in volume compared with October 2011. This works out to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate or SAAR of 12 million new cars and light trucks. If true, October will be the second consecutive month above 12 million units, the first time since April and May 2008 before the Great Recession set in. Continue reading →

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Presidential Run Gets Uglier – Labor Ads “Romney a Traitor”

Posted on 25 October 2012 by Ken Zino

The United Auto Workers Union among other labor groups is applauding and promoting new advertisements that call presidential candidate Mitt Romney an economic traitor who desecrated teh American flag. The ads – both television and online were unveiled today by a front group called Workers’ Voice and Patriot Majority Continue reading →

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NADA Chairman Says Automakers Use Unfair Business Practices

Posted on 23 October 2012 by Ken Zino

The new chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, Bill Underriner, said today that automakers need to stop intruding into dealerships. After noting the Tigers are back in the World Series at the Automotive Press Association in Detroit, he said there’s “good energy here. The auto industry is doing its part to lead the economic recovery. But we still have a long way to go – not just here but all around the country. Auto sales are up, but financial pressures are too…especially on dealerships.” Continue reading →

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VW Taigun, Nissan Extrem Mini SUVs Unveiled in São Paulo following the Intro of the Production Chevrolet Trax at the Paris Motor Show

Posted on 22 October 2012 by Ken Zino

Volkswagen has shown a Taigun concept that looks to be the final design for its new family of VW, Seat and Skoda mini SUVs or crossover vehicles ahead of the 2012 São Paulo International Motor Show in Brazil alter this week. Nissan, too, is showing a mini SUV, Extrem, in Brazil. Both introductions follow the debut of the Chevrolet Trax at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Mini SUVs are predicted to be one of the fastest growing segments in the global market. Whether that applies to the U.S. will be explored next year by Buick with its tiny Encore crossover – 166 inches or 4216 mm in overall length – Buick’s second foray into crossover land. Continue reading →

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September EU Vehicle Sales Drop 11%. Eurozone Crisis Unabated

Posted on 16 October 2012 by Ken Zino

EU new vehicle registrations continued their downward slump in September declining 11% from September 2011. It was the twelfth straight month of sales declines across the economically embattled Eurozone as the trade bloc comprised of 27 bickering nations or tribes heads for its fifth straight year of declining sales. Continue reading →

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Gibbs High Speed Amphibian Unveiled – Quadski, a $200 Million Bet on an Unknown Market. Faster Horse or an Incipient Model T?

Posted on 15 October 2012 by Ken Zino

“Most people wouldn’t be doing what we are doing,” says Alan Gibbs, “because you can’t research the market.” The entrepreneur and multi-multi millionaire Gibbs along with his engineering partner Neil Jenkins are placing a $200 million bet against unknown odds that their jointly-held private company can become a force in what they call the high speed amphibian market. It’s a new form of transportation according to proponents, but a trifle according to critics. Continue reading →

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Ford and GM Set China Vehicle Sales Records in September

Posted on 15 October 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors Company and Ford Motor Company have set September sales records in China, the world’s largest automarket. The results were in keeping with the disparate positions of the Number One and Number Two U.S. automakers in the communist country. Continue reading →

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Driving the 2013 Lexus LS 460, F Sport and 600hL Flagship Sedans

Posted on 10 October 2012 by Ken Zino

Lexus after decades of understated luxury has turned to relying on a “bold new grilles” and German-like performance models across the lineup to attract younger buyers. The latest example comes from its flagship LS sedan, which once upon a time (1989) catapulted Lexus to luxury car fame by being anti-German with its compliant ride without harshness and nosie, anti-German with a simple interior, anti-German with its limited maintenance requirements, anti-German with its much higher quality and durability, and decidedly anti-German with its much lower – by thousands and thousands of dollars lower – sticker prices. This formula has Lexus on track to sell 250,000 luxury vehicles in the U.S. this year, where it has dominated luxury sales for decades, except for natural disaster induced production losses that curbed sales during 2011. Continue reading →

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GM Ren Cen Honors Triple Crown of Tiger Miguel Cabrera

Posted on 5 October 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors is adding three panels to its changing LED sign atop its Renaissance Center headquarters this weekend to celebrate Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera’s winning the American League Triple Crown. Cabrera led the league during the 2012 regular season in the batting average (.330), runs batted in (139) and home runs (44), and if there’s any justice in the baseball world should be the most valuable player when the votes are tallied, unless something, well, fishy occurs.. Continue reading →

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Most Buyers Shopping for New Vehicles use Personal Computers

Posted on 3 October 2012 by Ken Zino

While the buzz in the computer world is all about the growth of mobile devices to access the Internet, so-called tablets and smartphones are only being used by one in five new-vehicle buyers. This compares to nearly all (99%) buyers who use a desktop or laptop computer at some point when shopping for new wheels. Continue reading →

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