Category Archives: new vehicle

Chevrolet Volt Price Cut? Fully Loaded 2012 Now $46,265

Chevrolet has announced that the base price for the 2012 Volt will be $1,000 lower when it goes on sale later this year. Suggested retail asking price is $39,995. The price includes an $850 freight charge but excludes tax, title and license fees. A loaded Volt, with leather appointments, backup camera, navigation system and premium paint and wheels is now priced at $46,265 including delivery. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, prices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford Kills U.S. Gas C-Max Van. Smaller Hybrids Now Due in 2012

The C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and C-MAX Hybrid will be followed by another next-generation hybrid in 2012, presumably an updated hybrid version of the Ford Fusion, which in its gasoline form remains the best selling car at the Number Two U.S. automaker. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, energy, new vehicle, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BMW Group to Invest $811 Million in UK to Make Next Mini

The UK is the BMW Group’s fourth-largest single market in the world for sales, behind Germany, the U.S. and China, with sales in 2010 of 154,750. BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, manufacturing, new vehicle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volkswagen Holds Base Price of New Beetle to $19,765

Transaction prices of the Beetle will be much higher of course than the $19,765 starting point. The sportiest model the 2.0L TSI will start at more than $24,000 with a 2-liter in-line four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, new vehicle, news analysis, prices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AutoNation May Sales Down 15% Due to Japanese Shortages

AutoNation, Inc. today announced that its retail new vehicle unit sales in May 2011 totaled 16,347, a decrease of 15% as compared to May 2010. Toward the end of May, AutoNation delivered its eight millionth vehicle, an automotive retail industry first, at the grand opening of Honda of Dulles. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, new vehicle, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Automakers Cut Incentives on Small Cars as Fuel Prices Rise

U.S. consumers already embattled by a weak economy and record high fuel prices for the month of May can add another worry to the list – automakers have drastically cut incentives on small, fuel efficient cars. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Renault Tries Humor in New Electric Vehicle Ad Campaign

Renault has kicked off a new series of electric vehicle advertisements in Europe where it is in the process of introducing four EVs. By taking a humorous approach that shows that a car is the only non-electric device in common use, the French automaker is hoping to makes EVs more acceptable. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. Built Volkswagen Passat Priced from $20,765 to $33,720

Passat normally would face fierce competition from the entrenched Japanese Big Three – Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and Honda Accord – but its not clear if production disruptions at those makers will continue into the late summer when it will appear in dealer showrooms. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volkswagen Opens New Passat Plant in Tennessee

VW’s ambitious plans promise that one million new generation U.S. built Passat models will be sold during next seven years after cars arrive in dealerships late this summer. The plant also appears to be a logical choice for building a new Audi model. Since 1987, more than 700,000 Passat sedans have been sold in the U.S. The Japanese Big Three sell that many of their similarly sized family cars – Camry, Altima, and Accord – each year. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, marketing, new vehicle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NASCAR’s Rick Hendrick Builds Own Engine for Corvette Z06

The so called Engine Build Experience is a $5,800 option when a customer purchases a new Corvette Z06 or ZR1. Yes, you pay more to get your hands dirty by helping to assemble your $100,000 Corvette – as there’s marketing genius here. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, marketing, new vehicle, performance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chrysler Group Reports U.S. April Sales Increased 22%

Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 117,225 vehicles, a 22% increase compared with sales in April 2010 at 95,703 units. It was Chrysler’s best April sales since 2008 before the global financial markets collapsed. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota April U.S. Sales Remain Flat as Auto Industry Grows 18%

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. today reported April sales results of 159,540 units, a decrease of 2.4% compared to the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw volume basis, unadjusted for 27 selling days in April 2011 compared to 26 selling days in April 2010, TMS sales were up 1.3% over the year ago month. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

General Motors to Build New Chevrolet Malibu in Korea

Korea ranks at the very bottom — 30 out of 30 among the largest automotive markets — for auto import market access. The average among major developed economies is approximately 40% market penetration by imported automobiles, but in 2006 in Korea, the total of import vehicles from all global manufacturers in all countries entering the Korean market was around 3.6%. This is about 40,000 vehicles in a market that buys roughly one million vehicles annually. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, new vehicle, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2012 Corvettes at More than 1.1g Lateral Acceleration!

Chevrolet announced today that its high-performance 2012 Corvette Z06 and ZR1 models will debut this July with optional Michelin tires that are capable of more than 1.1g in lateral acceleration, the highest ever for the sports car. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, performance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hyundai Adds Guaranteed Trade-In Value to Assurance Plan

This latest marketing push is made possible by newly found strength in Hyundai residual values, now among the highest in the auto industry, as Hyundai newest generation of vehicles have increased in sophistication and quality compared to previous models. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment