Category Archives: economy

US February Retail Vehicle Sales to Surpass a Million

 “Last year it took until September for the industry to reach the current spend levels,” King noted. “While the coronavirus has had no meaningful effect on production yet, it does have the potential to reduce overall inventory levels and lower the need for continued elevated incentives. If unhealthy inventory levels persist throughout the year, however, manufacturers may be faced with spend levels that are pacing towards $5,000 by next year.” Continue reading

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Aston Martin Valkyrie: Formula One Drivers Get First Laps

Each verification prototype – there will be eight built – is exposed to a variety of tests to develop and validate specific attributes that contribute to achieving the performance of what Aston boasts will be the world’s fastest ever road-going hypercar, with a price to match. Continue reading

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EU Passenger Car Registrations Decline in January 2020

ACEA claims that major taxation changes announced by some EU member states for 2020 pulled registrations forward into December 2019, explaining the January drop. Continue reading

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Auto Industry Sets Record for Transaction Prices, Incentive Spending in December 2019. However, US Sales Falling?

The combination of record prices with overall sales means that consumers will spend $462 billion on new vehicles in 2019. This is up $8.4 billion from last year and marks the first time that expenditures will exceed $460 billion. Continue reading

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Fasten Your Seat Belt – General Motors Files RICO Lawsuit Against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

In GM’s view FCA was the sponsor of “pervasive wrongdoing, paying millions of dollars in bribes to obtain benefits, concessions, and advantages in the negotiation, implementation, and administration of labor agreements over time.” Continue reading

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FCA + PSA = Massive Job Losses

For enthusiasts as well a workers there are other threats. How about a spin-off FCA’s expensive low-return Alfa Romeo/Maserati operations? Simple math here: It would provide funds for the new FCA-PSA group while improving its utilization rate. Continue reading

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UAW Members Okay Contract with GM. Ford Motor Next

The contract achieved most but not all of the demands, notably Lordstown will no longer be a GM plant. Ford Motor is the next company to agree with or slightly modify the pattern agreement, followed by FCA. Continue reading

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September New Passenger Car Registrations Up in European Union, But Trend is Downward

During the first nine months of 2019, EU new car registrations were down 1.6% compared to the same period the year before. Despite demand recovering across the European Union in September, Germany (+2.5%) was the only major market to post positive results so far this year. Spain (‐7.4%) saw the strongest drop, followed by the United Kingdom (‐2.5%), Italy (‐1.6%) and France (‐1.3%). Continue reading

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Global Light Vehicle Sales Fall Again in September

The selling rate drop in September seems partly the result of further changes to the WLTP** emissions testing in Europe, which may have pulled sales forward to August, at the expense of September. In China, LV sales dropped once again. Unfavorable calendar effects thwarted any chance of YoY growth in the US, even though the selling rate was good. Continue reading

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Western European Passenger Car Sales Weak

The introduction of WLTP in September 2018 distorted the market in August and September last year, with a high base effect in August and a low base effect for September as it became clear that diesels were dirty and not meeting emission standards. Continue reading

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US Medical Uninsured Rate and Number Up from 2017

Healthcare of course is one of the key issues in the ongoing UAW GM strike. Continue reading

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Weak Chinese Retail Sales in August Delay Recovery

Chinese passenger production improved in August, with a drop of  -0.7% to 1.66 mn units, recovering from the double-digit declines seen in recent months. LCV output fell by – 0.9% to 0.24 mn units. LV output was down by 0.8% YoY, on total build of 1.90 mn units. Now that vehicle stocks have been unwound, OEMs no longer are carrying bloated inventories and are preparing to resume normal production rhythms, says LMC. However, LMC decided to make a further cut to the passenger vehicle growth forecast for 2019, from -5.5% to -7.4%. This is bad news for the global economy in general and the Detroit Three. Continue reading

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GM Strike Gets Nasty as it Cancels UAW Healthcare Plan

The UAW activated the strike fund as soon as it became aware of GM’s strategic (ham-fisted?) decision to cut healthcare. Continue reading

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Teamsters to Honor Picket Lines of 50,000 UAW GM Workers

 “We laud the UAW for its work to ensure that its GM employees are treated with respect and dignity on the job. At a time when more and more companies are downsizing and shipping jobs out of the U.S., it is imperative that unions fight for their members. Workers should be rewarded for good work with fair wages and benefits. That’s what the UAW is demanding.” Continue reading

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General Motors Offers UAW $7 Billion in U.S. Investments, an $8000 “Signing Bonus” or is that Bribe?

In its latest statement – with perhaps a hint of desperation – GM said today that “We presented a strong offer that improves wages, benefits and grows U.S. jobs in substantive ways, and it is disappointing that the UAW leadership has chosen to strike at midnight tonight Continue reading

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