Category Archives: marketing

Judge Rules Against Dealers on Disclosure of Car Loan Terms

A federal judge in Washington has ruled that automobile dealers who engage in so-called three-party financing transactions must disclose information to consumers who take out car loans if they are offered less favorable terms, such as a higher interest rate, than the most favorable terms available to the majority of consumers. Continue reading

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Milestones – Toyota Motor Sells 4 Million Hybrid Vehicles

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan announced today that its global hybrid vehicle sales totaled four million vehicles through April 2012. of that 1.5 million Toyota hybrids have been sold in the United States where it dominates the advanced technology vehicle market by outselling all other hybrid and electric vehicles combined. Toyota in the U.S. now holds 65% of the hybrid market, with the Prius a line accounting for 1.2 million vehicles year-to-date. Continue reading

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How Long does the Shelby Brand Survive at Ford?

The challenge going forward for both Shelby International and Ford Motor Company is how to remain relevant with a marketing proposition that grows more backward looking as time passes. Continue reading

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Toyota to Increase V6 Engine Output in Alabama

In April, Toyota Motor Sales came within a rounding error of surpassing Ford Motor Company as the Number Two selling automotive group in the U.S. Ford Motor’s U.S. sales decreased 5% in April year-over-year to 179,660 vehicles in a market that was up 2.3%, in part because its plants were running flat out. Number Three Toyota Motor Sales reported April sales of 178,044, up 12%. Year-to-date, Toyota Motor trails Ford Motor by 52,000 cars and light trucks, a gap is decreasing each month. Continue reading

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Ford C-Max Hybrid Priced $1,000 Less than Prius V

Ford Motor Company said today that the 2013 Ford C-Max compact hybrid utility vehicle will be available this fall with a base price of $25,995 – more than $1,000 lower than the Toyota Prius v’s base price. Whether this makes any sales difference in the marketplace against the formidable Prius lineup remains to be seen. Continue reading

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Smart Escooter Coming in 2014

Daimler has confirmed that the Smart E-Scooter will go on sale in 2014 at an unspecified price. First introduced as a concept from its Chinese studios at the Paris Motor Show in 2010, the fully electric Escooter is part of a range of electric vehicles including the Smart Fourtwo and Smart Ebike that are targeted for the European Union, which wants to ban all internal combustion engines from inner cities. Continue reading

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Nissan Posts Operating Profit of ¥45.8 Billion For F.Y. 2011

The Nissan results with a net of $4.32 billion was in sharp contrast to Toyota Motor Corporation’s F.Y. net profit decline to ¥283.56 billion or $3.6 billion, a -31% decrease. Nissan also out performed Honda Motor whose net profit declined slightly at ¥211.4 ($2.627 billion) for a -3.5% drop. Continue reading

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Justice Department Seizes Chinese Counterfeit Sports Jerseys

Why the Obama Administration in general, and the State Department under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have not taken stronger actions against ongoing corrupt Chinese business practices is an unanswered issue here. Why Major League baseball and the National Football League, among other sports organizations, remain silent over the widespread counterfeiting of their apparel is a disgrace and mocks their hard-working, law-abiding U.S. fans. Will the multi-millionaire players living off law-abiding fans ever wake up and demand action or are they too rich to care? Continue reading

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Ford China Sales Rebound in April with 24% Gain

After three straight months of declining sales in China, Ford Motor said today that sales increased 24% year-over-year to 54,881 based on wholesale deliveries. Ford China has now sold 176,274 vehicles year-to-date in China. Market leader General Motors and its communist government required joint ventures in China set a domestic sales record for April of 227,217 vehicles. Demand was up 11.7% from the same month in 2011. Its performance in April took GM’s sales for the first four months of the year to 972,369 units, an increase of 9.4% on an annual basis. GM has now sold more than one million vehicles in China. Continue reading

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Milestones: Ten Years of Porsche Leipzig SUV and Sedan Plant

Porsche has marked the tenth anniversary of what was at the time a controversial expansion into the truck market. However, the Porsche factory opened in Leipzig during 2002 to build the Cayenne SUV has proved to be a successful investment that has since grown to produce another controversial – but just as profitable vehicle, the Panamera sedan. Continue reading

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BMW Group Posts Record Sales, Revenues, Earnings in Q1

The BMW Group recorded record sales, revenues and earning during Q1 2012, as the number of vehicles sold by the Group rose by 11.2% to 425,528 units from 382,758 during Q1 of 2011. The BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands all recorded new sales records. This included BMW brand motorcycles at 24,373, +5.5%, which was also the best Q1 sales performance in the company’s history. Continue reading

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Chevrolet Corvette Goes on Sale in Korea Tomorrow

Chevrolet Corvette, goes on sale for the first time on Friday 4 May in the heretofore government restricted auto market in South Korea. The Corvette Coupe is priced at KRW 86.4 million ($76,399) and a special leather interior package is available at KRW 3 million ($2,653) – a 50% premium over the U.S. price of $50,575. Corvette coupe models are powered by the 430-horsepower (321 kW) LS3 V8. Continue reading

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Chevrolet and Prince Fielder Give Kids a Pro Baseball Field

Prince, of course, benefited from the Tiger’s family-friendly policy of playing on the Tigers field and taking batting practice and coaching as a kid when his father, Cecil, was tearing the cover off the ball in Detroit. Sort of takes some of the fear out of it when a pitcher is trying to stare you down, if as a kid you’ve been in the cage in a big league park looking at fastballs curves, sliders and brushbacks. Continue reading

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Ford Motor U.S. Sales Drop 5% in April. Car Sales off 11%

Ford Motor U.S. sales decreased 5% in April to 180,350 vehicles, with car sales dropping 11% at 64,790. Fleet sales were 37% of the mix. Overall, Ford Motor Sales were buoyed by trucks and sport utilities, but Ford is now facing a strong challenge from Toyota Motor Sales, which is expected to be up almost 12% in April when Toyota reports later today. Toyota is closing in on Ford’s Number Two U.S. sales ranking. Continue reading

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Chrysler Execs to Move into Detroit for the First Time

Chrysler is leasing nearly 33,000 square feet of space and, after the space is refurbished, about 70 people will move in. It’s largely a symbolic gesture now, but it’s important for the city of Detroit and the comeback car company that many had left for dead. Continue reading

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