Category Archives: results

Camaro Sales Top Mustang for First Time Since 1991!

With a sales growth rate in 2010 of three times that of the Ford Mustang, the Chevy Camaro took the annual sales leadership for the first time since 1991. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Company U.S. Vehicle Sales Up 19% in 2010

Ford Motor Company full-year sales in the U.S. totaled 1.935 million, up 19% compared to a year ago, the largest in any year since 1984. Ford claimed it was the largest increase of any full-line manufacturer last year. When Toyota … Continue reading

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U.S. Sales to Jump to 13 Million in 2011, GM Predicts

GM predicts that the total U.S. vehicle market in 2011 will be in the 13-13.5 million range, including medium and heavy duty trucks, up from a projected 11.8 million in 2010. Don Johnson, vice president of U.S. sales operations provided … Continue reading

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General Motors Sets China Sales Record. U.S. also up in 2010

General Motors vehicle sales in China rose 28.8% to a record 2,351,610 units in 2010. GM’s manufacturing joint ventures and major brands all set new annual sales marks, allowing GM to remain the leader among global automakers in the world’s … Continue reading

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Significant Auto Industry Stories of 2010

As 2010 dwindles it’s time to reflect on the significant automotive stories of the year from a perspective that attempts to ignore the daily hysteria of the “gotcha” playing media. The longer term effects and significance of the following stories … Continue reading

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Toyota Predicts Another Sales Gain in 2011 on Asian Boom

Toyota Motor Corp. said in Japan today that it expected strong sales in Asia to cause Toyota’s second straight year of sales growth in 2011, tallying 7.7 million vehicles, up 3% from 2010.

The leading Japanese automaker also said that in 2010 its Asian sales would exceed U.S. sales for the first time. Continue reading

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Honda Passport SUVs Recalled for Wheels Falling Off

Honda will recall 35,984 Passport SUVs sold in the United States from model years 1998-2002 to inspect the rear suspension lower trailing links. The forward mounting bracket for the left or right rear suspension lower link may suffer excessive corrosion leading to a failure of the suspension, increasing the risk of a crash.

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Merry Christmas as U.S. December Auto Sales Trend Upward!

It could be a wild sleigh ride later this month, but preliminary data show that the U.S. December new-vehicle retail sales trend is significantly higher than two-handed economists predicted, setting the stage for a 2011 comeback for the U.S. auto industry.

December new-vehicle retail sales are expected to come in at 936,300 units, which means seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 10.8 million units, the highest of the year. December retail sales are expected to be up 19 % from one year ago. Continue reading

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Fuel Economy Regulations Risk Huge Job Losses, While Increasing Environmental Damage, CAR Study Predicts

This comes as the U.S. national unemployment rate hovers at an official 9.8%, which is an understated number since it doesn’t include under-employed, forced retirees or beaten down job seekers who are the victims of Republican ‘socialism and tax cuts for the rich’ policies.  Continue reading

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Redesigned Models Offer Automakers the Best Chance to Increase Buyer Consideration

A redesigned new model is an automaker’s best opportunity to change the perceptions of the past, according to a new study released today that analyzes the reasons auto buyers fail to consider – or avoid – particular models when shopping for a new vehicle. Continue reading

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World Car – 2011 Buick Regal

Buick Regal sales since a late summer U.S. introduction – 9,000 to date- and 2,000 sales in November are a start, but honestly more time is needed to see if the sedan is an enduring success at the GM division that U.S. Treasury Department officials wanted to kill during GM’s forced and well earned bankruptcy. Continue reading

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Kia Recalling Alabama Built Sorento SUVs for Bad Brakes

Kia is recalling all 2011 Sorento models built at a Kia plant in Alabama because defective rear brake calipers can leak and diminish braking performance. Drivers of the affected 2011 Sorento models should see a brake warning light come on and feel a soft pedal if the Sorento’s brakes are leaking. Continue reading

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Ford Reduces Debt With Successful Conversion Offers

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) announced today the results of conversion offers of bonds for stock that will reduce the company’s Automotive debt by more than $1.9 billion, lowering annualized interest costs by about $180 million. “These successful conversion offers represent another significant step toward our goal of reducing our Automotive debt and improving our balance sheet,” said Lewis Booth, Ford executive vice president and chief financial officer.

However, Ford is still listed as below investment grade by the rating agencies such as Moody’s Investors Service (Ba2) and Standard & Poor’s B+. Both junk ratings raise borrowing costs and limit large funds from buying Ford bonds. Ford lost its investment grade rating in 2005. Continue reading

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Driving Impression – Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet is finally replacing its aging Cobalt with the Cruze sedan, which is already on sale in more than 60 countries in Asia and Europe since 2009. The new Cruze is a design hybrid since its engineering was done at Opel in Germany and Daewoo in Korea. North American versions went into production at Lordstown, Ohio this summer. Continue reading

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Just How Bad is GM’s Accounting?

GM says that it doesn’t have the financial controls in place to know if its published results are real or if there are potential material changes lurking. Continue reading

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