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The US daily volume average of light vehicle sales dropped to the lowest level so far in 2021 due to extremely lean inventories, according to LMC Automotive, an independent global forecasting and market intelligence consultancy. Sales totaled 1.05 mn light vehicles, down -23% YoY. Ford led the market, but Toyota outsold GM once again and is now the only OEM that has sold more than 2 million units in the year to date. Several brands, including Hyundai, Kia and Tesla, have already surpassed their 2020 total sales.
Overall vehicle sales were, however, 5% higher than September with the 2 extra selling days in October. The annualized rate grew to 13.1 million units from 12.1 million in the previous month and back to the level registered in August. “However, OEMs sold just 39,000 vehicles per selling day, compared to 40,000 units last month, way down from a peak of 62,000 vehicles in March,” said LMC. Continue reading
First Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar Completed
Technicians are hand-building 150 cars, with each Valkyrie taking more than 2000 hours to create.
Aston Martin said today today that the Valkyrie coupe has finally entered full production. The first customer car is now complete, with deliveries planned in the coming weeks. Only 150 of the oft-hyped Valkyrie Hypercar are scheduled to built at ~£2.5 million each. How many owners of what is essentially a Formula One race car with a sports car wrapper will use them on a track is unknown. Many, no doubt, like the McLaren F1 hyper car will be put in storage awaiting unknowable appreciation before they change hands again. (Aston Martin Valkyrie: Formula One Drivers Get First Laps)
Before each Valkyrie is delivered, it is track-tested at the Aston Martin high performance facility at Silverstone where much of the development of the hypercar has taken place. The hybrid V12 powertrain provides a maximum power of 1,155PS, it’s claimed. The electric boost from the hybrid is 160 horsepower and 207 lb. ft. of torque. Continue reading →