GOTD’s brief mental health break is over, with our breakdown of sales in the biggest car segment in America: Midsize family sedans. The big news is that no model (save the Chevy Malibu and Hyundai Sonata) outdid its August ’09 number, thanks to the Cash For Clunkers effect a year ago. The other big lesson: things are getting tight at the top of the D Segment food chain. Based on these numbers, the capacity-constrained Sonata seems to be separating from the pack, leaving a big clump of nameplates stuck near the 18k mark. Based on the last several months, Hyundai could be one Sonata volume bump away from having the best-selling midsize sedan in America… just when it was beginning to seem like the Camccords would never be challenged. More chart action after the jump.
Category: News Blog
I think there’s a decent business case if you take the long view
a showroom of 2,500 to 3,000 square feet would be sufficient to start… To get there, some dealers are going to have to take it slower. They’ll have to offer a separate showroom but go beyond that as more product becomes available.
healthy gross profits of up to $1,500 on each Fiat 500
TTAC Commentator Supaman writes:
Hey Sajeev, I drive a 2006 Mazda 6s and as cheesy as it sounds, I love this car. No better combo than a V6/manual for driving pleasure, plus the car is practical and has given no mechanical problems (current mileage is 47000). My problem is twofold.
There are no rumors to report here, just a hypnotic video of Mazda working through its new Kodo design language on a compact hatchback concept. As with the Shinari concept, Mazda’s stated goal of becoming “the Japanese Alfa Romeo” is well-evidenced, and though it’s early days yet, the new direction looks promising. But then, anything that looks less like a stimulant-crazed Pokemon than the current Mazda3 would have counted as improvement.
What would intellectual property lawyers do without China’s Chery? In 2005, a legal dispute between Chery and GM was settled after Chery swore that they would never sell a Chery car in the U.S. – GM took the position that Chery was dangerously close to Chevy. Attorneys, start your accordion file folders, here we go again: Read More >
When GM announced the arrival of the first “driveable Volt” in China, they promised that that their Chinese Volt pricing “will be competitive.” They didn’t say with whom and with what. And they probably had the lavish Chinese incentives in mind. The trouble is, nobody did read the fine print. Read More >
The last time we looked at the evolving Opel Astra coupe, I wondered
what do you call a Buick coupe that could fit under the hood of a classic Riviera?
Though we have a much better idea of what the Astra Coupe looks like, and we know that the Astra sedan/wagon will be called the Buick Verano in the US market, the question remains unanswered. Surely “Buick Verano Coupe” is too bland for what could (in theory) be the next Integra/RSX. Skyhawk? Apollo? Wildcat? Or is the dearth of promising names indicative of the challenges facing any compact Buick Coupe?
On The Booth Babe’s last article, TTAC commentator, LALoser, stated that he originally thought that I was the Booth Babe! He based this theory “because of the just below the surface Anti-Americanism.” So to address this accusation, I decided to blog the following… Read More >
In less than three years, officials in New South Wales, Australia have been forced to refund 18,944 faulty or illegally issued speed camera citations. Between July 2007 and May 2010, the state government has returned A$3,788,885 worth of citations issued by automated ticketing machines that were not operating properly, according to freedom of information documents obtained by the NSW Liberal Party, which used the figures to attack the party in power.
Yesterday, The Nikkei [sub] had it on good authority that Mitsubishi and PSA will co-develop a compact commercial electric vehicle for the European market. Now, Mitsubishi says it’s a product of fantasy in overdrive. Mitsubishi told Dow Jones Newswire that the story is not true. The funny thing is, the Nikkei wire is dead silent on the issue. Even funnier: After saying that it’s not true, the Dow Jones rehashes the allegedly false Nikkei story in great detail.
DNA India reports that Tata is making a concerted effort to source parts for Jaguar and Land Rover from low cost countries like China, India (duh!) and Poland. DNA’s source for this claim said: “Earlier, Ford used to procure 17 percent from low-cost countries like Poland, China and India, whereas Tata Motors is planning to increase it to 35 percent.” Tata has buys more than just cheap parts. They outsourced low-end design and development work to lower-wage countries. But before you start the “If you thought JLR reliability was bad now…” don’t get too carried away. Read More >
After 13 months of rising car sales, Japan is looking into a deep, dark abyss. A government subsidy program will end any minute. Officially, the program runs through the end of September, but the funds have dried up. As of Monday, around 10.2 billion yen ($122m) were in the kitty. That’s about a day’s worth of subsidies. Read More >
In the middle of closing a deal on a 2010 Fusion Hybrid, the buyer asks the salesman: “Didn’t I trade in a 1928 Whippet for a used Model A with you?” Salesman Al Steinmetz whips out his meticulous sales notebook, and says “Yes, I credited you $12.65 for a 1928 Whippet as a trade in for a 1929 Ford Model A that you bought for $25. On July 29, 1939”. Read More >
Ed pitched a perfect no-hitter yesterday, with the clue to his hot new love object. And I struck out, once again: the 2002’s distinctive rear tail light trim was instantly identified by vermontwalton, a former owner. I should know better: if you’ve ever washed and waxed a car repeatedly, every detail becomes intimately familiar. So how many out there have rubbed your hands over this detail: does it feel familiar?
Stumping TTAC’s Best And Brightest is never an easy task, even with a relatively obscure picture clue. But if ever there was a car to do it, it’s the BMW M Coupe. Hell, three weeks ago, I had forgotten it existed… and now I own one.
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