If a fish had brains and saw someone holding a shotgun, would it choose to swim in a barrel? Why then would Mike Accavitti, director-Dodge marketing, say this to Ward’s Dealer Business, which has all the sales data on everything. “Accavitti notes the ’09 Ram, which he describes as Chrysler’s ‘bread and butter,’ is grabbing more market share than its ’08 predecessor. Since the October sales launch to mark the ’09 model year, the Ram owned 4.1% of the light-duty truck market, an increase of 0.2 share points over the ’08 model year, according to Ward’s data.” Yes, well, the article was written before December’s sales results; where Ram sales tanked by 48 percent vs. last year, down 31 percent for the year. I wonder how much that market they own now. In any case, it appears Dodge blew the launch.

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I get it! Instead of putting the hate on owners of import-branded cars (as opposed to say imported Fords), supporters of the Big 2.8 could offer special membership benefits to those consumers who chose to support Chrysler, Ford and GM by buying their products (as opposed to say paying their taxes). We’ll have to see how this plays out in Farmington Hills, Michigan, where the owner of The Tribute restaurant is holding the antithesis of hot import nights. You can read the full offer to American-branded car owners (the cars, not the owners) after the jump. Meanwhile, rest assured this is no redneck truck stop. “Each night, executive Chef Rich Travis oversees the creation of eye-opening flavor combinations, pushing the boundaries of innovative cuisine to enthrall diners. His exquisitely detailed food, distinguished by diversity, inventiveness and spectacular presentation, are perfectly complimented by Tribute’s award-winning wine list.” Personally, I recommend the Grilled Honey Chamomile Glazed Duck Breast Duck Confit and Morel Wonton, Parsnip, Carrot, Wild Rice, Chamomile-Citron Gastrique. But then I’ve never eaten there. And I drive a Honda minivan, which, although it’s ranked number seven on cars.com’s American-made index, doesn’t qualify me for a 50 percent discount. Although… “In addition, during the week of Jan. 25-31, Tribute will recognize all American car-markers and offer a 50 percent discount on food purchases to anyone who drives an American made vehicle, including American automotive suppliers and dealers.” 

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I’m not sure why The Wall Street Journal thinks Germany is the next Japan in the U.S. new car market. For one thing, the market itself is lying in the gutter, naked, hungover and bleeding. In this environment, cutting capacity, protecting market share and not losing too much money (a.k.a. eliminating all but essential expenditure) is the only sensible plan. In fact, this article– “Europeans Raise Pressure on Detroit”– would be better entitled “Detroit’s Dead, VW’s Arrogant, BMW’s Hopeful and The Japanese are Hunkering Down.” Scribe Kate Linbaugh is content to take VW’s pre-crash, snicker-worthy “1m Vehicles or Bust” proclamation at face value, and extrapolate from there. “VW is investing in its first U.S. factory in two decades and expects to triple U.S. sales to one million vehicles by 2018. BMW is introducing a new small car and expanding its distribution network.” Never mind those previous, abortive efforts to make the U.S. Germany’s Land of Plenty (excluding Bimmer’s two-mode hybrid SUVs or VW’s Phaeton). “This time, European car makers insist more diverse product lines, healthy marketing budgets and access to nonunion labor can overcome past stumbles. VW is developing specifically for the U.S. several new models, including a family sedan. [VW Routan shown, irony be damned.] A new American manufacturing operation will free it from the currency swings that have hampered its U.S. sales in the past.” Do I detect a thinly-veiled attempt to say Japan and now maybe even Germany have a better U.S. business model than Detroit; a theory made on the cusp of December’s disastrous sales numbers to create maximum embarrassment for Motown? Well duh.

The basic idea behind Hyundai’s new Assurance scheme: if you can’t afford the payments on your new Hyundai-financed Hyundai within the first year of financial servitude, just drop it off and walk away. No debt. No ding to your credit rating. No charge. The devilish details might not keep the Charmed Ones busy, but they’re worth a closer look. For example, you can only boomerang your Hyundai if you’ve experienced “involuntary unemployment, physical disability, loss of driver’s license due to physical impairment, international employment transfer, self-employed personal bankruptcy, accidental death.” One wonders about the importance of credit ratings to someone who’s just shuffled off this mortal coil, but that’s just quibbling. And, of course, there’s a few Hyundai-shaped hoops you have to jump through even if you are dead. 

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Don’t ya just love marketing guys who trot-out terms like UIO (units in operation, i.e. sold cars) and say things like “We have seen both positive and neutral perceptions grow, and negatives decrease. So we have moved lots of negative perceptions to neutral”? Neither do I. Of course, I’m sure Hyundai Motor America’s VP/Marketing Joel Ewanick is, like most of God’s children, a lovable human being. And if you’re talking to Marketing Daily (MD), what’s a UIO between friends (sounds like something Morris Day would sing about to me)? But I digest. And here’s some interesting factoids from the Ewanick’s Q&A. “We know that 40% of those buying Genesis have traded in vehicles like Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche. We know what their income levels are, and we are finding that people are gravitating from luxury or near-luxury cars to Hyundai.” MD reminds us that “since the sedan version of Genesis went on sale in July, the company has sold 5,127 of the cars, including 1,151 of them last month.” That’s far short of Hyundai’s targets, but a pretty good showing in a market so down it has to reach up to tie its shoes. Anyway, about that Super Bowl ad…

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12/30/2008

To: All GM Dealers
Subject: GMAC APR RATES
Date: December 30, 2008

I wanted to update you on the recent actions that have taken place with regard to GMAC obtaining bank holding status.

We believe GMAC’s ability to extend financing will be greatly enhanced.

To that end, I am pleased to tell you that starting today, GMAC will be offering reduced rate financing as low as 0% APR for up to 60 months on select new cars and trucks. The reduced rate financing is available to qualified buyers (S, A, B and C tiers) through January 5, 2009.

In addition, we have stackable bonus cash and/or dealer cash of $500 to $4,250 on some models.

Following are examples of the supported rates being offered:

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I mean, milestone. I mean, it would be petty and vindictive of me to suggest that Chevrolet’s Project Driveway program was/is an enormous waste of GM’s precious development money. If we are to have a hydrogen economy– and why wouldn’t we (other than the cost of rebuilding a trillion dollar-plus infrastructure from the ground up)– we’re going to need fuel cell vehicles to, uh, get around. So you can’t help but applaud the fact GM now has more than 100 hydrogen fuel cell Chevy Equinox on the road, which have logged a combined total of 500k miles. “The vehicles are performing very well and we are learning a great deal about fuel cell robustness and how to make this program work for real customers,” Marybeth Stanek, GM’s director of fuel cell commercialization, opines [via press release]. “The amount of data we’ve collected over the past year is very valuable to us, and gives us insight into this important automotive technology.” Yes, yes. What exactly have we learned? *crickets chirping* Hey! Jay Leno has one! Been driving it since April. Or, you know, parking it in one of his aircraft hangers.

*  Finalist 2009 North American Truck of the Year (with 2009 Ford Flex for Car of the Year)
* Detroit News Truck of the Year
* Motor Trend 2009 Truck of the Year Award™
* 2009 Best Redesigned Vehicle from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
* Top honors as “Truck of Texas” as well as “Best Luxury Pickup” for the 2009 F-150 King Ranch from Texas Auto Writers Association
* “Best Overall Half-Ton Pickup” from PickupTrucks.com
* “Automotive Excellence” award in the Workhorse Category from Popular Mechanics
* “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its standard safety technology: Safety Canopy side curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control
* “Residual Value” award from Automotive Leasing Guide (ALG) for retaining the highest percentage of its original price among 2009 full-size light duty pickups at the end of a conventional three-year lease, based on ALG projections
* Motor Trend’s Truck Trend Top 5 Trucks from Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) for 2009 Ford F-150 Heavy Duty DeWalt Contractor Concept
* “Accessory-Friendly Truck” Design Award from SEMA

What if they held a North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in the middle of Detroit in the middle of the winter and the Japanese manufacturers’ CEOs didn’t go? We’re going to find out what that means this year, as The Detroit News reports. “Toyota Motor Corp. confirmed earlier this week that CEO Katsuaki Watanabe had canceled plans to travel to Detroit… Previously Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. said their chief executives would not attend. The companies did not give reasons, but officials say they expect the crush of reporters covering the Detroit show will focus almost exclusively on the industry downturn and the U.S. automakers’ difficulties.” So they’re running scared? Uh, I think that’s what you call “projection.” Another explanation comes from Joseph Serra, senior co-chairman of the NAIAS and president of Grand Blanc-based Serra Automotive Inc: “What’s possibly happening now is that, out of respect for the Big Three, they don’t want to upstage anything right now.” So they’re running scared? You know, from anti-transplant blowback. That sounds more likely, especially given the transplant’s low profile and quietly supportive demeanor during GM and Chrysler’s very public, shameful jostling at the billion dollar bailout buffet. Another another explanation: all those NAIAS unveils cost big bucks and sap a lot of time from execs’ scheds. Occam’s razor that.

* Automobile Magazine – All Star Award
* Texas Auto Writers – Overall CUV of the Year
* Texas Auto Writers – Full Size CUV of the Year
* Canadian Auto Writers – CUV of the Year
* Society of Plastic Engineers – Team of the Year
* Popular Mechanics – Automotive Excellence Awards
* Autobytel – Best Family Car
* Autotropolis – 2009 Truck of the Year
* Autobytel – Utility Vehicle of the Year
* GQ Magazine – Best Stuff of the Year Awards
* SEMA Design Award from the Auto Writers – Most Accessory Friendly SUV
* Maxim Magazine – Hottest Cars of the Summer
* Kelley Blue Book – 10 Best Road Trip vehicle
* Maxim Magazine – Favorite new Color – Cinnamon
* Car and Driver – SEMA Show Surprisingly Good Canvas Award
* Maxim Magazine – Ultimate Road Trip Car
* Active Network – Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year
* Gay Men Magazine – Top Retro Flagship

Automotive News [sub] reports that the propeller people are pushing prices upwards, by an average of .7 percent. “The automaker said the move was driven by ongoing economical changes in the marketplace and ‘will ensure revenue generation for the company’s U.S. operations and help to protect the quality of business.'” Uh, how’s that again? (And what’s an “economical change” anyway?) “The rise comes despite the fact that the brand, like the rest of the industry, saw its U.S. new-vehicle sales slip by just over 12% to 231,053 units in the first 11 months of 2008 vs. a year ago.” So, in a declining market, BMW is raising its prices? In theory. In practice, not even the Germans can change the law of supply and demand to hoik prices on vehicles that aren’t selling.

According to a picture posted on Flickr, corporate identity firms all over the globe are busy adapting their clients’ corporate design to the new strained financial environment. People dig it: A the time of this typing, the picture has received  4172 diggs. The current “Top in all topics” is “If Marijuana was legal” with only 1981 diggs.

Conservative talk show host Bill “I swear the nuns didn’t beat me” O’Reilly likes to rail on (and on and on) about America’s cultural degradation. In fact, it’s one of our country’s greatest strengths. Rappers who started by singing (well, shouting) the praises of capping cops end-up in Bentley-and-bling filled videos that make unbridled consumerism seem like the ultimate revenge against The Man. Hell, there ain’t nothin‘ we can’t assimilate! For profit, obviously. And the people who profit most are always the distributors. I’m not sure what Karl Marx had to say on the subject– I’ve got “How To Make a Killing off of Karl Marx” on my night table– but he who controls the distribution owns the gold. So along comes Zipcar. Nice idea: rent a car by the hour. Here’s your card. Pick up a car, swipe ‘n go. After eight long years, they get a bit of traction: 5,500 cars in 13 cities. Rad dude! I guess we’re showing those big rental companies how it should be done! Problem: Hertz.

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Date: 12/08/2008 Ref. number: Marketing /  Programs and Promotions /  G_0000017071
Subject: GM Dealership Employee Discount for Family
——————————————————————————–
Beginning Monday December 8, 2008, GM is offering a temporary program allowing GM Dealership Employees the opportunity to offer GMS (Employee Discount) pricing to the same eligible family members that GM Employees do.

This means that GM Dealership employees can offer GMS pricing to their spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, stepgrandchildren, grandparents (including in-law and step), parents, stepparents, siblings (including full, half and step), mother/father in-law, sons/daughter in-laws, brothers/sisters in-law, and same sex domestic partner (SSDP) where applicable (NOTE: Eligible SSDPs are treated the same as spouses, and therefore, their dependent children and stepchildren are also included).

Eligible family members must take delivery by January 5, 2009 and may only purchase GM vehicles that the employing dealership location is franchised to sell or from GM dealerships owned by the sponsoring Dealer Operator at the time of delivery.  The program excludes Saab vehicles.

To get an authorization number for your family member, log in to gmded.com and select “Dealership Employee Discount for Family” along the left.  Enter your eligible family member’s date of birth and zip code and get you authorization number

Authorization numbers for this program must be submitted for payment to BARS by January 5, 2009.

——————————————————————————–
Contact name: Program Headquarters E-Mail:
Department: Marketing and Advertising – CRM NVPP Marketing Phone: XXX
Intended roles: Internet Sales Person,  UItest,  Parts Manager,  General Sales Manager,  Medium Duty Sales Manager,  Internet Sales Manager,  Wholesale Sales Person,  Warranty Administrator,  Used Vehicle Sales Manager,  Used Vehicle Sales Consultant,  Title Clerk,  Systems Manager,  Service Manager,  Service Advisor,  Parts Inventory Manager,  Parts Counter Person,  Parts & Service Director,  Office Manager,  New Vehicle Sales Manager,  New Sales Consultant,  Medium Sales Coordinator,  Inventory Manager,  HR Manager,  General Office Support (Cashier),  General Manager,  Fleet/Commercial Manager,  Fleet Sales Consultant,  F&I Manager,  F&I Director,  Dealer,  Business/Accounting Manager,  Body Shop Technician,  Body Shop Manager,  Sales Functions,  Sales Management
Archives: 01/08/2009