Category Archives: results

Hyundai, Subaru and Lexus Lead in NADA Satisfaction Survey

The survey, conducted twice a year by the National Automobile Dealers Association, rates dealer sentiment in three areas: franchise value, automaker policy decisions that affect the dealership and the automaker’s field staff who visit dealerships. Continue reading

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BMW Conducts Second Smallest Recall in NHTSA History

In third place with a Bronze medal resides Toyota, the reason for the renewed emphasis on following recall regulations to the letter, after Toyota was fined in 2010 millions of dollars for covering up safety effects. Continue reading

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PBGC Says American Airlines Workers Should Worry About Pensions and Medical Care – So Should Taxpayers

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has called out what it says is misleading statements to American Airlines employees by its management about their pension plans under a bankruptcy reorganization. “American Airlines is telling their workers and retirees not to worry, … Continue reading

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Ford Motor Company Posts 2011 Profit of $8.8 Billion

As a result of Ford’s 2011 financial performance, profit sharing payments will go to 41,600 eligible U.S. hourly employees. Under the UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement, Ford’s North American pre-tax profits of $6.2 billion will generate approximately $6,200 on a full year basis. Based on first-half 2011 results, about $3,750 was paid per employee, which was distributed in December 2011. For the second half of 2011, about $2,450 per employee will be paid in March. Continue reading

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Honda at 800,000 Hybrids as Toyota Reaches 400,000 in Europe

In the U.S. alone Toyota has 1,000,000 Prius owners. Moreover Toyota has built a substantial environmental reputation as the global leader in hybrid vehicles with sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids now well over 3,000,000 vehicles.

In spite of clear fuel economy benefits and high U.S. fuel prices, hybrids remain a tiny portion of the U.S. auto market – a little over 2% of sales because mainstream buyers refuse to pay a premium amounting to several thousand dollars over a comparable gasoline-fueled car. Plug in hybrids with expensive lithium ion battery packs will compound the problem. The Prius plug-in coming this year adds another $4,000 to the cost of the standard Prius hybrid. Continue reading

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Nissan to Build $2 Billion Plant In Aguascalientes Mexico

The announcement comes as the United Auto Workers union is developing plans to once again try to organize transplants in the United States, where Nissan has two other plants. The UAW has been unsuccessful in previous organizing attempts, and its lack of international alliances with other unions is a decided disadvantage.The lack of exports from UAW organized Detroit Three plants is preventing the creation of middle class jobs in the U.S. – now clearly the issue in the upcoming presidential election. Continue reading

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U.S. New Auto Sales to Drop in January for Third Month

Retail transactions are thought to be the most accurate measurement of underlying consumer demand for new vehicles, so the New Year starts for automakers with mixed results. A weak recovery of some sorts is underway, but auto sales are nowhere near their pre Great Recession levels where the retail SAAR was routinely above 14 million units. Continue reading

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Hewlett-Packard Fined $425,000 for Not Reporting Defective Lithium Ion Batteries that Seriously Injured Consumers

The controversy is of interest to the auto industry since its use of lithium ion batteries in electrical vehicles and hybrids is growing at exponential rate, with millions of battery packs soon to be on U.S. roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed its investigation of fires in Chevrolet Volt EVs last week. Nevertheless many consumers remain wary of the emerging technology and it remains to be seen if the Volt brand is damaged. Continue reading

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Toyota Leads Auto Brands in New Consumer Perception Study

What this really means to auto marketers is unclear as automakers are facing another tough year in the U.S. as the economy languishes and long-term unemployment remains at record highs not seen since the Great Depression. Preliminary sales data for January indicate another weak month for automakers who are now watching brand reputations level out. Continue reading

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Tougher DOT Airline Regulations Take Effect This Week

In addition, airlines will be required to promptly notify passengers of flight delays of over 30 minutes, as well as flight cancellations and diversions, and they will generally be prohibited from increasing the price of passengers’ ticket after it is bought. Continue reading

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Beware of Super Bowl Air Travel Ticket Scams DOT Warns

DOT’s rules state that if a tour was described as including a game ticket and you do not receive one, you are entitled to a full refund of the entire package price upon your return. Continue reading

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GM is World’s Largest Automaker Led by Chevrolet Sales

This makes GM the global sales leader once again. In 2011, the Volkswagen Group sold more than eight million vehicles for the first time in a twelve-month period, a total of 8.16 million vehicles (2010: 7.14; +14.3%). Natural disaster impeded Toyota has not reported final numbers yet but will move from first where it has been since 2008 to third. Continue reading

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Average Age of U.S. Vehicles Reaches Record High

Perhaps more significantly for automakers, 2011 ended the U.S. vehicle population decline that has occurred annually since 2008. This worrisome trend meant households were decreasing the number of vehicles. According to Polk, the total vehicles in operation – VIO – in July 2011 was just over 240.5 million, an increase of 500,000 units over July in the previous year, and nearly equal to 2009 VIO. The highest VIO on record was achieved in July 2008, when more than 242 million passenger cars and light trucks were on America’s roads. The financial markets collapsed that fall. Continue reading

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Pickups, Compacts and Crossovers Lead Top Ten U.S. Sales

Three of the models, including the Ford F-Series – the top-volume model in the U.S. for the 30th straight year – were Ford products, while General Motors and Toyota Group each produced two of the 10 models with the highest sales volumes in the US market last year. Renault-Nissan Group and Fiat-Chrysler’s Ram each built one of the best-sellers. Continue reading

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UK Starts Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Project with Automakers, Utilities and Gas Suppliers – Cars on Road Promised by 2014

The allure of fuel cells remains efficiency, roughly 50-60% compared to an internal combustion engine’s ~20%. Emissions are also attractive – no pollutants at the tailpipe and some studies indicate a drastically reduced overall well-to-wheel emissions when compared with today’s fossil fuel engines. Continue reading

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