autoMedia Auto News Blog : Sales

Honda Fit Production Likely to be Moved to U.S.

Editor — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:59:00 GMT

In an interview yesterday with Automotive News , Honda Motor Company president Takanobu Ito said that moving production of the popular Honda Fit subcompact from Japan to the United States is a "highly likely possibility" in order to reduce the company's financial losses attributed to the yen's eight percent increase in value against the dollar since August. "Considering the foreign exchange, such a structural reform might be called for," Ito said. "That is sort of the direction we are considering." According to Automotive News , approximately 80 percent of all of the cars Honda sells in the United States are built here. The Honda Fit, with U.S. sales nearing 56,000 year-to-date 2009, is imported from Japan. While the Fit has weathered the financial storm this year better than other Honda models, the yen's rise threatens the Fit's profitibility. No announcement was made yet as to when or where in the United States the Honda Fit will be built. ~ Deborah Neal, editorial director, autoMedia.com...(read more)

GM Reports Only One Return Against 60-Day Promise

Editor — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:48:00 GMT

General Motors happily reports that since launching their 60-day love-it-or-return-it guarantee, only one buyer from 150,000 new-vehicle purchases has returned their new GM car, and actually he exchanged it for the same car but with a different transmission. “Out of hundreds of thousands, the people who've selected the 60-day guarantee were in the hundreds,” GM's marketing chief Bob Lutz said during a press conference Wednesday. “We have had one substantiated return of a vehicle.” Actually, of the 150,000 vehicles sold since the sales campaign debuted, only 100 people have opted for the 60-day return offer. The rest of the buyers each chose to take $500 cash. That's $74,900 in sales incentive "costs" the the automaker ... about the value of one nice Vette or a CTS-V ... and an indicator that a lot of people love cash and/or have faith they'll be happy with their new GM purchase decision 60 days down the road. ~ Deborah Neal, Editorial Director, autoMedia.com...(read more)

autoMedia CARnival 10-2-09: This week in the auto blogs

Brandy Schaffels — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:38:00 GMT

It's the week ending October 2, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. Toyota is recalling 3.8 million vehicles to check the floor mats and Cash for Clunkers makes it back into the headlines, but we've also got plenty of unusual news sure to entertain the automotive fan.

Cash for Clunkers might be over in the United States, but it lives on in France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. AutoBlogGreen says European buyers who trade in their cars to purchase something else offering reduced CO2 or powered by compressed natural gas or electricity receive rebates ranging from 1,500 to 3,500 Euros. That's about 2200 to 5000 US dollars!

The first complete month of sales after the Cash for Clunkers has been tallied up and the predicted result - that auto sales would drop once the government stopped giving free money in exchange for clunkers - didn't exactly happen. In fact, according to John Neff at AutoBlog, nine brands posted positive sales in September versus the same period in 2008 with another three posting only single-digit losses.

Penske backed out of its agreement to buy Saturn, and as a result General Motors has announced it will kill the brand. As GM struggles to sell off languishing vehicle divisions, the latest rumor from LeftLaneNews says Chinese automaker Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation is pursuing the tooling and design rights to produce the outgoing Saab 9-5 in one of its Chinese factories. Meanwhile, there's still no word on the status of the sale of Hummer to China's Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company.

Auto show season is upon us! Last month was Frankfurt, later this month will be Tokyo, and in early December, Los Angeles will launch the domestic events. It seems clear that alternative fuel vehicles will be hot concepts this year, and HybridCars has a preview of two plug-in hybrids promised to be on display by Suzuki and Mitsubishi, though I can't wait to see all the far-out and freakish displays that make Tokyo so iconic.

Next week is the inaugural "Heads Up Driving Week," in which the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is urging us all to drive distraction-free for the week. What bad habits will you give up? Coincidentally, this week, According to The Detroit Bureau, President Obama signed an Executive Order directing federal employees not to engage in text messaging or using cell phones while driving government-owned vehicles or while driving privately owned vehicles when they are on official government business. Todd Lassa has more on the topic of distracted driving in his blog here at Motor Trend.

In a disappointing twist of fate, I couldn't find anything that made me ROFL at Jalopnik this week, so in order to present some silly entertainment, I'm giving you a link to a video of some "Candid Camera" style automotive pranks. Have a great weekend!

Thanks for joining us for this week's autoMedia.com CARnival! Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend!

Brandy Schaffels, Contributing Editor

GM Joins Ford with Fall Truck Sale Campaign

Editor — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:49:00 GMT

Maybe it was a marketing ploy, or maybe GM's marketing chief Bob Lutz had a change of heart. After announcing that GM would not be holding the fall season truck sale in order to focus on their new "May the Best Car Win" campaign, Lutz has decided to hold a fall truck sale after all, starting tomorrow, September 25th. So what is GM said to be offering you on Chevrolet and GMC trucks? According to a report today in Automotive News:

$1000 cash on many GMC 2010 trucks, crossovers and SUVs, including Buick Enclave
$500 cash on 2009 and 2010 GMC Canyon pickup trucks
Zero percent financing for 60 months on all Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado trucks, plus the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu sedan
$1500 cash on 2010 Chevrolet Malibu models
$1000 on 2010 Chevrolet Impala sedans, Traverse crossovers, Tahoe and Suburban SUVs, and Silverado and Avalanche trucks

The caveat right now, according to some Chevrolet and GMC dealers, is that they currently do not have a lot of 2010 models in stock. The fall sale ends November 2, 2009. Ford's fall truck sale opened September 10 and ends October 5, 2009, with incentives as much as $4500 on F-150 model line trucks and $5000 on F-Series Super Duty haulers.

Research 2009 Chevrolet, GMC, and Ford models in our 2009 New Car Buyer's Guide.

~ Deborah Neal, Editorial Director, autoMedia.com

autoMedia CARnival 9-4-09: This week in the auto blogs

Brandy Schaffels — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:44:00 GMT

It's the week ending September 4, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. Cash for Clunkers and Papa John's Camaro remain in the headlines for another week, and David E. Davis says he wishes Jean Jennings was dead, but besides all that, we've also got plenty of other unusual news sure to delight the automotive fan.

Cash for Clunkers rebates undoubtedly fueled robust August car sales, with manufacturers showing increased sales over the same time period a year ago, and even better increases over their sales just one or two months ago. Motor Trend's Todd Lassa shares an astute analysis of these figures, with detailed insights into the best-selling models and manufacturers.

Classic Car Examiner Jim Cherry knows cars have had a long and colorful history on TV from the 1966 Batmobile, to Entourage's Maserati Quatroporte, to Starsky & Hutch's Grand Torino. Knight Rider's Kitt car was so popular that Hasselhoff's series was revived years later in the vain hope of selling more lunchboxes. The right car makes the right statement on TV. They hop things up, express characters' characters, provide dramatic action and provide plenty of merchandising oppoutunities. Check out his slideshow of the top nine classic TV cars at examiner.com

AutoBlog files this under "No Cool, Wacky Deed Shall Go Unlitigated." John Schnatter, Papa John of Papa John's Pizza, put out a $250,000 A.P.B. to find his long lost 1971 1/2 Camaro Z28. Papa John Schnatter says the money was for the person whose name was on the title of the car as a reward for selling the car back to him. When the Sloanes of Indiana helped point Schnatter to Jeff Robinson, the current owner, Schnatter offered them $25,000 for the assist. Now the Sloanes aren't happy about "only" getting $25,000 and want a bigger piece of the pie. More details can be found at this local Kentucky news website. Naughty, greedy people get no sympathy from me. Take your finder's fee and quitchurbitchin...

The Detroit Bureau asks if U.S. buyers are ready to return to Motown and buy American for their transportation needs? According to Paul Eisenstein, that's the rather surprising indication of a new survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. This first-ever survey of motorist intentions found that about 80% of new-car buyers said they would be likely or very likely consider a Detroit product, compared with just 47% who said the same thing about an Asian model, and 46% who'd similarly consider a European offering. The CR survey results show good news for the American automakers, as most respondents said the most important consideration in deciding which vehicle to buy is price, followed by fuel economy, safety, and quality.

It's difficult to find the words to describe the highlight of this segment of "Autoline After Hours" being served at TheTruthAboutCars. Let the headline be your guide: "David E. Davis: Fired for Truth Telling, Wants Jean Jennings Dead." Fast forward 15 minutes in, when David-E wishes a piano would land on her head. Yeah: He says that.

In one article, AutoBlogGreen says Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen, says the Chevy Volt is "a car for idiots," and says pure electric vehicles are "for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are." In another article he denies using those words. Well, of course, he has to, especially now that Audi is revealing an all-electric R8 concept car at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. Harrumph.

Honda fans across the internet unleashed "Haterade" on first official Crosstour photos released at Facebook: Honda responds by blaming it on insufficient photography and promises additional photos will come soon. Jalopnik says "We're sorry, but if your vehicle is ugly from 3/4 front and 3/4 back it's just ugly and we doubt more detail is going to change that."

If you've heard the accusations that the rare metals required for production of hybrid car motors and batteries are in short supply and that the mining of such metals is disastrous for the environment, then you'll want to read this report at HybridCars.com which declares such concerns are overblown. In fact, the article states that if domestic and other Canada-based mining concerns go back into production at currently dormant mines, hybrid and electric car production will "not only be on track, it could be done in the United States," within three to four years.

Thanks for joining us for this week's autoMedia.com CARnival! Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend!

Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com Contributing Editor

August Auto Sales Show Shopping Success

Brandy Schaffels — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:40:00 GMT

By all the reports we've seen from the Department of Transportation and other automotive blogs, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program was "wildly successful" at driving consumers towards dealerships. With nearly 700,000 vehicle transactions utilizing "Cash for Clunkers" trade-ins, not to mention standard purchases that didn't include the government-subsidized rebates, it's clear that manufacturers benefited from a giant sales infusion during the month of August.

When comparing sales figures for August 2009 against August 2008, Ford was the most successful American manufacturer with an increase of 16.99 percent (182,149 units sold) for all of Ford Motor Company and a 21.25-percent jump for just the Ford brand itself. Toyota Motor Company and American Honda were up 6.41 (225,088) and 9.93 (161,439) percent respectively. Unfortunately, even with the incentives, some manufacturers still sold fewer cars than they did a year ago, notably Nissan North America was down 2.93 percent (105,312 units sold), Chrysler was down 15.43 percent (93,222), and General Motors was down 20.19 percent (246,479) from a year ago. (Many thanks to John Neff at AutoBlog for his monthly sales report, from which these figures are derived.)

However, if you compare these figures to the sales reports from last month or even the month before, the impact of the CARS program becomes much more apparent (see chart below). Even though the percentages of sales only look good for a few of the manufacturers when comparing July 2008 to July 2009, watch what happens when you compare August 2009 to July 2009 and June 2009: Everybody wins with sales increases ranging from 17.37 percent for Ford, 36.50 percent for Chrysler, and 39.59 percent for General Motors all the way up to an increase of 60.76 percent for Honda, 70.97 percent for Toyota, and a whopping 80.64 percent for Nissan from over two months ago.

Ironically, while DOT Cash for Clunker reports make it look as if the imports were the biggest winners in the C4C transactions, a report at AutoBlog says that "Ford came out as the clear winner in the Top Ten list," based on additional analysis by Edmunds.com. According to their story, "Ford captured three of the top four positions. The Toyota Corolla, which is at the top of the government's list, falls to number five on Edmunds' list behind the F-150, which didn't even make the government's Top Ten. The Chevy Silverado didn't make the government's Top Ten either, but it's number eight with Edmunds."

As far as getting a clear cut answer from all of this, Mark Twain summed it up well when he said: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." A skilled analyst can make a list of numbers demonstrate anything he wants it to show, but one thing is certainly clear: auto sales for all manufacturers have shown a definite trend upwards in the past few months, and as a result of the additional demand, many manufacturers have increased their production schedules and have brought back some employees who had been laid off in recent months.

It will be interesting to see what the next few months show!

By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com Contributing Editor

Brand	August 2008	August 2009	Increased Volume % over one year ago	July 2009	Increased Volume % over one month ago	June 2009	Increased Volume % over two months ago
American Honda	146,855	161,439	9.93	114,690	40.76	100,420	60.76
Chrysler Group LLC	110,235	93,222	-15.43	88,900	4.86	68,297	36.50
Ford Motor Company	155,690	182,149	16.99	165,279	10.21	155,195	17.37
General Motors	308,817	246,479	-20.19	189,443	30.11	176,571	39.59
Hyundai	41,130	60,467	47.01	45,553	32.74	37,943	59.36
Kia	25,065	40,198	60.38	29,345	36.98	26,845	49.74
Nissan North America	108,493	105,312	-2.93	71,847	46.58	58,298	80.64
Subaru	18,932	28,683	51.51	21,839	31.34	18,620	54.04
Toyota Mo Co	211,533	225,088	6.41	174,872	28.72	131,654	70.97

autoMedia CARnival 8/21/09: This week in the auto blogs

Brandy Schaffels — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:36:00 GMT

It's the week ending August 21, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. Big news involves the end of the CARS rebates on Monday, as once again the Feds predict the money will run out over the weekend. People: That's nearly $3 billion dollars in rebates and admin costs car shoppers have burned through in barely a month!

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced the cash for clunkers program will come to a close on Monday, August 24th at 8 p.m. EDT. According to The Detroit News, the latest round of Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) rebates has inspired 457,476 sales worth $1.91 billion in rebates. Apparently, dealers have been submitting paperwork for 20,000 vehicles, or about $100 million, a day in recent days, since the program was renewed. And this time, lawmakers have no interest in extending the program. Unfortunately, while sales have been brisk, reimbursements have not, so Chrysler Group and General Motors have announced they will advance funds to dealers who are still awaiting payment from the government for clunkers deals. DetNews reports the administration has paid just $145 million of the $1.9 billion in vouchers submitted -- or less than 10 percent of the funds requested. YIKES!

For more than a year now, says The Detroit Bureau, automotive manufacturers have, done nothing but cut, cut, cut. Thanks to the cash for clunkers sales melee, and inventories so low that some popular models are literally being sold right off the car haulers, automakers are cautiously starting to ramp up production again. Hope they get to lots before the money runs out!

Dealership inventory is quickly thinning many towns, even as factories ramp up overtime to deliver small, fuel-efficient vehicles in before the funds run out. There is a definite race against the clock for all involved to take full advantage of this unique program, and car shoppers shouldn't delay. You can learn about the so-called "cash for clunkers" from our guide, and research year-end clearance models in our new car buyer's guide and reviews here at autoMedia.com

It might appear to be little more than a toyish looking box on wheels, but Trabant has released teaser images of its upcoming all-electric Trabant nT set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. AutoBlog Green has a fun photo gallery of the new electric Trabant nT (new Trabi) which promises a range of about 156 miles from its lithium-ion battery.

With the oldest car yet, cross-dressing maids, and a crash-and-roll finale, people have been talking about this high-performance exhibition for weeks! At last Jalopnik has posted the results of all 95 entries into the Buttonwillow Histrionics 24 Hours Of LeMons. Be sure to check out the gallery of entries - it'll almost be like having attended the event! And to think: Some of these cars could have been worth $up to $4500 as Clunker trade-ins...

She's the modern-day version of a photographic Mata Hari, and LeftLaneNews reports that ABC News spent a day Automotive Spy Photographer Brenda Priddy as she followed various camouflaged vehicles the sun-soaked southwest desert. To read ABC News' report and to watch their video, click here.

Would you spend $129 for a video game if it promised to make you a better driver? AskPatty.com reports on DriveSharp -- computer-based exercises produced by a provider of brain fitness programs -- which has been shown in independent studies to improve reaction time, cut crash risk by up to 50 percent, and increase control in most driving conditions.

Last week, General Motors gave journalists and consumers a sneak peek at several models expected to debut over the next two years. This week, in response to its poor reception, All Cars All The Time reports that Buick has decided to cancel the Saturn-Vue-based electric crossover, but promises the important plug-in hybrid technology will quickly be applied to another vehicle.

So, do you enjoy the broad variety of headlines and automotive websites here in our weekly carnival? If this still doesn't provide a broad enough selection of car content, then you should check out autos.alltop.com: They've got links to more than a hundred automotive websites, and list the five most recent headlines at each. So whether you're looking for the most popular auto items at Digg.com, auto & transportation press releases from PR Newswire, and anything in between, autos.alltop.com is the place to go when you've got too much time on your hands, and an insatiable appetite for car news.

Thanks for joining us for this week's autoMedia.com CARnival! Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend!

Brandy Schaffels, Contributing Editor

autoMedia CARnival 8/7/09: This week in the auto blogs

Brandy Schaffels — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:00:00 GMT

It's the week ending August 7, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. The biggest news this week continues to be discussion of Obama's Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program, as websites discussed the outcome of the program's first week, as well as plans for its next installment.

Thanks to AutoBlogGreen for the latest update clarifying the mysterious status of the Car Allowance Rebate System legislation, telling us it looks set to continue for at least another month. Apparently, the Senate confirmed the House's $2 billion funding of the incredibly popular program yesterday in a 60-37 vote, Obama is expected to sign it into law soon, and the money should last through Labor Day. Note: If you're considering making a purchase based on CARS rebates, don't delay, as it's not expected to be extended again.

A report at Edmunds Auto Observer, which was heavily based on information obtained from a Hyundai press release, states that these new purchases could result in a 59-percent fuel economy improvement between the new and old vehicle of the early clunker trades. In fact, according to their report, Hyundai estimates individual fuel consumption will decrease by 275 gallons per year, reducing fuel costs by nearly $680 annually at current gas prices. According to Hyundai's calculations, this first round of trade-ins could potentially decrease annual fuel consumption across the U.S. by 69 million gallons, reducing spending by a total of nearly $170 million on gasoline and cutting CO2 emissions by more than 600,000 metric tons.

A deluge of car shoppers purchased nearly 185,000 vehicles within the first week of activity: Consumer Reports shared data showing what participating consumers were trading in and then buying with their rebate dollars. As expected, the vehicles most often cashed in are popular SUVs and pickup trucks, with small and midsized sedans dominating the new-car purchases. They also include lists of the top vehicles purchased (Toyota Corolla was the number one most purchased car) and the top ten vehicles traded in (Ford Explorer 4WD wins that dubious honor).

With nearly all gas-electric hybrid cars qualifying for the Cash for Clunkers vouchers, hybrid sales in July grew to 3.55 percent of the new car market--its largest market share ever. According to HybrdCars.com, new car dealers sold 35,429 hybrids, with more than half of the sales coming from the Toyota Prius. Hybrid sales jumped by 35 percent in July compared with last month and a year ago--while sales of conventional new vehicles rose 15.4 percent for the month and were down 13 percent from July 2008.

Finally, there's been lots of greenwashing on this subject, but Bill Basore over at AutomotiveTraveler has the courage to explain, in painful detail, all the reasons why the Cash for Clunkers program is bad. While many consumer and industry insiders may quietly agree with him, nobody has written anything that so clearly explains why it's so clearly bad. Plus, all the videos demonstrating how they disable what appear to be perfectly reliable cars are just tragically sad.

Sick of Cash for Clunkers news? Okay, let's move along....
We already know those snarky guys over at Jalopnik love cars. They love movies, too. Would it surprise you to hear they also love movies about cars? Well, we all know there are some really great car flicks out there, as well as some really pathetic car flicks. Click this link to view Jalopnik's list of 12 of the greatest car flicks of all time. Or click this link to view their list of 12 of the worst.

If you're one of those folks who's always on the move, check out this article at The Detroit Bureau explaining a new generation of wireless technology that provides Internet access via cellular data networks for devices in a moving vehicle. With in-car internet service like this, your kids may soon start asking, "Already?" rather than, "Are we there yet."

Automotive journalists drive a lot of cars. And since most of that time is spent sitting in the driver's seat, certain things tend to annoy them more than others. AutoBlog has compiled a slideshow of interior annoyances, gripes, and grievances. Not everyone will agree with all the choices, but some of them are especially problematic. What do you think?

I hate to report it myself, so I'll let the folks at MotorTrend.com say it: The Chevy Camaro got a 4-star crash test rating in front driver and passenger tests. :( Now that the NHTSA put the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro through four crash tests, the Mustang has another minor selling point over its main rival: Compared to the Mustang coupe's five stars all around, the Camaro only received five stars for the side driver and rollover tests. According to the article, the Camaro continues to outsell the Mustang, and in July, 7113 Camaros were sold to 6686 Mustangs.

The 15th Annual Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise is taking place next weekend! Are you going? Whether you'll be there or not, you'll want to check out this collection of billboards that Chevrolet has commissioned to be displayed in the Detroit area as part of the festivities. Happy Cruising!

Thanks for joining us for this week's autoMedia.com CARnival! Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend!

Brandy Schaffels, Contributing Editor

Muscle Car Sales Shootout – Which is the Most Popular?

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:14:00 GMT

The July automotive sales numbers were released yesterday, showing a tremendous surge over the past week driven by the cash for clunkers program. (Read: “Cars for Clunkers Works, Time for a Sequel?”) As a result, sales on fuel-efficient small and midsized vehicles have soared the last few days. Hybrids and fuel sippers are flying off the lots, leaving trucks and SUVs behind. As enthusiasts, we’re left wondering about a certain segment that received too little attention lately, the muscle cars.

Car nuts have been bench racing the latest Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Mustang, as the experts have weighed in with their professional reviews. Horsepower has been boasted, quarter-mile slips compared, and value debated. In the end, the popularity contest that matters most to manufacturers is the sales race.

So, for the month of July, the figures break down to:

7,113 - Chevrolet Camaro
886 - Dodge Challenger
6,686 - Ford Mustang

More significant is seeing how these reborn legends fair over time, but the midyear introduction of the Camaro and 2010 Mustang mean it is too soon to draw conclusions there. Since we know you’re curious, year to date:

22,510 - Chevrolet Camaro
15,968 - Dodge Challenger
40,474 - Ford Mustang

As Top 40 music has taught us, popularity doesn’t equate to the best. That part of the bench racing debates will never be settled, though numbers can point to how the people are voting with their checkbooks. The Camaro looks strong out of the gate, though its lead is quite limited compared against the Mustang, suggesting that the original pony car may take the lead once the Camaro plateaus. It may come down to a battle of special editions, like the Camaro Transformers edition, in which case the battle could be quite exciting for enthusiasts. We hope the checkered flag in this race isn’t waved for many years, but it is interesting to see how these competitors measure up on this lap.

Cars for Clunkers Works, Time for a Sequel?

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:27:00 GMT

The CAR Allowance Rebate System (CARS), popularly known as “cash for clunkers” was executed in a bumbling fashion that only government could manage, yet it was a resounding success. Manufacturers have released their July sales figures, and the news is largely good (or at least, not as bad), with most full-line automakers seeing a lift in the past week from the CARS program. (Learn how cash for clunkers works.)

Subaru boasted the most impressive gain, comparing July 2009 to July 2008, with a stunning 34-percent increase. Although not known for high fuel economy, much of its model line is eligible for consideration, and the AWD-automaker is drawing showroom traffic with its redesigned Legacy and Outback. Volvo saw a 26-percent gain, with the XC60 crossover gaining new buyers to what is otherwise an aging product line. Hyundai issued CARS credits weeks before the program was finalized, and as a result, the crafty company saw a 12-percent gain. (See “Hyundai Honors Cash for Clunkers CARS Rebate – Now.”)

But the real winner is arguably Ford Motor Company. Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln retail sales increased nine percent versus a year ago; total sales (including fleet) were 158,838, up two percent versus a year ago. Ford itself boasted its first sales increase in 19 months. The big winners in the Ford line were Focus (21, 830 sales) Escape, (20,241 sales), Fusion (17,610 sales), and Ranger (7,695 – up 65 percent). Combined, its hybrid models sold 5,353 units.

General Motors figures were down 19.4 percent over July 2008 – a dramatic improvement over past months. Chrysler fared even better, just 9.4 percent off. The Jeep Patriot was up 134 percent, the Dodge Caliber up 63 percent, and the Chrysler PT Cruiser up 24 percent – making the move to continue production seem rather sage. Both companies pulled this off despite significant dealer reductions in the past 12 months. Combined, the Detroit 3 accounts for an estimated 47 percent of the cash for clunkers sales, according to the Detroit News. In addition, the program proved to prime the retail pump and brought many more additional sales.

This overall success was just the boost the auto industry needed, infusing capital and helping to clear away year-end 2009 models. It didn’t come easy. One billion tax dollars went to the cause, and the rush to implement CARS meant many speed bumps along the way.

Last Friday, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) estimated that the funds were at risk of expiring, just days after the program began. Yet the federal government encouraged sales to continue over the weekend, ensuring the funds would be made available and chaos would ensue, as some dealers hesitated to risk reimbursement to make sales. Program overseer the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is struggling to catch up with the filed paperwork that would identify the number of credit claims filed and therefore determine the money spent.

For now, the official word from Cars.gov is that the program is in effect. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives passed a bill to contribute another $2 billion to extend cash for clunkers. It rests with Senate now. This week, the Senate will accept the House bill, revise it, or reject it altogether. There seems to be significant momentum behind supporting CARS. After all, the first deployment exceeded expectations.

Research new vehicles in the 2009 new car buyer’s guide. Learn even more from “Cashing in on Clunkers.”

Chrysler Changes Mind: PT Cruiser Will Live On

Editor — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:39:00 GMT

Reversing a decision made earlier this year to kill the PT Cruiser after 2009, Chrysler Group LLC announced this weekend plans to continue production of their retro-style wagon at its Mexico assembly plant.

Chrysler has sold over 1.3 million PT Cruisers in 60 countries since its 2000 debut as a 2001 model. Even though sales have significantly softened during the first half of 2009 - and it has yet to receive a substantial redesign since its launch - the very distinct PT Cruiser has continued to earn awards, model year after model year. In June, the PT cruiser tied with Honda's CR-V for first place in J.D. Power's Initial Quality Survey IIQS) in the compact truck/multi-activity vehicle category.

While changes - if any - for the 2010 PT Cruiser model have yet to be disclosed, Fiat's alliance with Chrysler appears to reveal a partnership that recognizes the PT Cruiser's popularity around the world.

-Deborah Neal, Editorial Director

Acura Reveals Restyled, Revised MDX for 2010

Editor — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:21:00 GMT

Acura announced today changes to their quintessential MDX SUV for the 2010 model year. Updates include a revised grille, a new hood and front fascia, new rear bodywork, improvements to its 300-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6 powertrain (that includes better fuel economy), and a new six-speed automatic transmission. An all-new Advance Package offers a revised Active Damper System and new, 19-inch wheels and tires. New, 18-inch wheels are standard. As with recent MDX model years, the 2010 MDX transfers power to the wheels through its renowned Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system that actively distributes the optimum amount of power to all four wheels.

On the inside, the 2010 MDX features a new, bolstered, Milano-leather steering wheel with paddle shifters, new gauges and available AcuraLink Real-Time Weather and Traffic Rerouting via a new, full VGA eight-inch navigation screen. A new rear-view camera is also on the options list, and features three different view choices. Acura says, “In keeping with Acura’s leadership in the application of advanced, customer-relevant features, the 2010 MDX is available with an array of technologies to improve convenience, including an all-new blind spot information system and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and enhance safety, with Acura’s unique Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS).”

Coming soon will be a full road test review of the restyled, refined 2010 Acura MDX. Read about other Acura vehicles currently on sale in our 2009 Acura Buyer’s Guide.

-Deborah Neal, Editorial Director, autoMedia.com

2010 Lexus HS 250h Pricing Announced

Editor — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:36:00 GMT

The world’s first dedicated hybrid luxury vehicle arrives in dealerships in late August. Lexus announced pricing this morning for the all-new sedan, which starts at $34,200 for the standard model, and $36,970 for the Premium edition. An additional $875 for delivery and handling will apply.

The HS 250h is Lexus’ fourth luxury hybrid and the most affordable. It also offers the best combined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mileage rating of any luxury vehicle in the U.S., and produces 70 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new car, according to Lexus. EPA estimated city/highway mpg is 35/34, with a combined 35 mpg result from 87-octane fuel.

Read our 2010 Lexus HS 250h complete test drive review, and Vie to Win a 2010 Lexus HS 250h Luxury Hybrid.

~ Deborah Neal, Editorial Director, autoMedia.com

Vie to Win a 2010 Lexus HS 250h Luxury Hybrid

Editor — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:27:00 GMT

Lexus says their research has revealed that “more than 60 percent of entry-luxury car buyers would have considered a hybrid if available,” which means the all-new 2010 Lexus HS 250h should be a huge hit when it reaches showrooms later this summer. If you want a chance to drive one for free—for either one week or an entire year—go to www.drivehs.com and enter by July 31, 2009 for a chance to win.

There are several ways—and prizes—to win. First you can create an account to become a potential driver or just vote for others to win, based upon their profile as to why they believe they should be selected. If you think you’re the best potential driver, create your own Driver Profile explaining why you should be voted to win the chance to drive the new HS 250h. In the world of social networking, you can campaign to your heart’s content through facebook, Twitter, You Tube or any other legal means to persuade friends, family, coworkers and strangers to vote for you. Not only that, every person who submits a vote for a “driver,” will get their name entered into a random drawing to also win.

The Voter-only grand prize is a one-year Lexus HS 250h lease and a Lexus Hybrid Living gift bag (contents of which are a secret at this time).

The Driver candidate with the most votes will win a one-year lease of the HS 250h, a weekend at a Fairmont Resort, and a Lexus Hybrid Living gift bag. Two runners-up winners will receive a one-week HS 250h test drive, two nights’ weekend accommodations at a Fairmont Resort hotel, and that secret Lexus Hybrid Living bag of goodies. Finally, 98 winners will receive a one-week test drive and, you guessed it, the Lexus Hybrid Living gift package. Now I’m dying to know more than ever what is in that bag!

The 2010 Lexus HS 250h is actually the world’s first luxury car available with only a hybrid engine. Read our complete road test review of the HS 250h by veteran automotive engineer and journalist, Gary Witzenburg, for more details. Then check out lexus.com and drivehs.com to get started on your chance to drive this new high-end, high-tech luxury hybrid model—and vote for whomever you believe will fully represent. Or at least enjoy reading all the good reasons why so many people want to drive and own the new HS 250h. Enthusiasm is contagious. Remember, contest ends July 31st. Good luck!

-Deborah Neal, Editorial Director, autoMedia.com

Hyundai Honors Cash for Clunkers CARS Rebate – Now

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:05:00 GMT

Proving it is increasingly clever and aggressive, Hyundai will honor Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) credits at its dealers nationwide, well ahead of then the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is expected to have sorted out the program details. Technically, the law states the program began July 1st, though NHTSA was given about three weeks to develop the process to ensure dealers are reimbursed, cars crushed, and fraud averted. Hyundai is providing funds to its dealers, providing the CARS cash in the interim. (Read: "Ready to Go Car Shopping? Obama signs Car Allowance Rebate System into Law.")

In May, Hyundai research showed that 11 percent of car buyers delayed their purchases until the CARS legislation was resolved. This strategy positions Hyundai to get a sales boost from the pent up demand from current owners of gas-guzzlers seeking the significant funds to put toward a new, more fuel-efficient model.

Under the CARS program, consumers qualify for a $4,500 rebate on the purchase or lease of new vehicles that achieve 10 miles per gallon more than a trade-in car or five miles per gallon or more than a trade-in light truck. New vehicles that achieve between 4 to 9 mpg more than a trade-in car, or 2 to 4 mpg more than a trade-in light truck qualify for a $3,500 incentive. A total of 13 Hyundai models and engine combinations qualify for the CARS incentive program, including the Accent, Elantra, Elantra Touring, Entourage, Sonata, Genesis Coupe, Tiburon, Tucson, Sante Fe, and Veracruz variants.

In addition, Hyundai continues to offer its job-loss protection program, Hyundai Assurance, 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, and new Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock, which offers a year's worth of gas at a guaranteed price of $1.49 per gallon.

Research Hyundai models in our new car buyer's guide, and see our Hyundai reviews.

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