Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Honda projects 30 percent of motorcycle sales to come from India by 2020]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/honda-projects-30-percent-of-motorcycle-sales-to-come-from-india/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/honda-projects-30-percent-of-motorcycle-sales-to-come-from-india/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/honda-projects-30-percent-of-motorcycle-sales-to-come-from-india/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 Honda CBR250R

Honda recently released its financial report for the the manufacturer's motorcycle division. Not surprisingly, two-wheel-friendly Asia accounted for a lofty 79 percent of the company's total sales in 2011. The entirety of North America, meanwhile, soaked up just 1.6 percent of the brand's total volume last year. What's more, Honda fully intends to expand its operations in the blooming Indian market. Until last year, Honda worked with Hero MotorCorp to sell its bikes in India. With the two entities officially split, the Japanese company reports it expects to see somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 percent of its sales come from the Indian market by 2020.

India boasts a population of 1.2 billion people, or around 17 percent of the world's population, making it the second-largest bike market globally. As of right now, Honda is working on chipping out a 20 percent share of that pie, which means it already dominates the country's motorcycle market as the largest foreign bike manufacturer.

Honda projects 30 percent of motorcycle sales to come from India by 2020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2012 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asiahondahonda motorcyclehonda motorcycle saleshonda motorcyclesindianorth americasalesWed, 23 May 2012 18:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20243388/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/23/honda-projects-30-percent-of-motorcycle-sales-to-come-from-india/20243388/article-detail.xml 20243388 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/2012-hond-cbr250r-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/2012-hond-cbr250r-628.jpg <![CDATA[Toyota takes title of World's Largest Automaker... again, for now]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/11/toyota-takes-title-of-worlds-largest-automaker-again-for-no/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/11/toyota-takes-title-of-worlds-largest-automaker-again-for-no/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/11/toyota-takes-title-of-worlds-largest-automaker-again-for-no/#commentsFiled under: ,

Toyota badge

Now that the title of world's largest maker has become a clear and eager battle, we can expect more regular updates on the progress of the combatants. Bloomberg reports that Toyota snagged the #1 crown in Q1, taking it away from General Motors with 2.49 million units sold across its five brands compared to 2.28 million for GM. Volkswagen was just another tenth down at 2.19 million units sold.

What all three might appreciate even more than the crown - except for VW, who is monomaniacal about the No. 1 tag - is that sales volumes and profitability are up, at least in America. Toyota's sales rebound from the catastrophes of last year (and indeed, the last few years) is being underlined by its performance here, where the Prius Plug-In is the third-best seller against a background of the nation's best car sales market in five years. Even with double its usual fleet sales in Q1, Toyota expects this financial year's profits to double.

The year isn't over yet and it remains close, but for now it looks like there'll be good news for everyone. Well, until 2016, when Volkswagen is predicted to vanquish all challengers at the top of the podium, two years ahead of its own ridiculously ambitious schedule.

Toyota takes title of World's Largest Automaker... again, for now originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 May 2012 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>general motorsglobal salesgmsalestoyotavolkswagenvwworlds biggest automakerFri, 11 May 2012 09:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20236085/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/11/toyota-takes-title-of-worlds-largest-automaker-again-for-no/20236085/article-detail.xml 20236085 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/11-2011-toyota-highlander-review_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/11-2011-toyota-highlander-review.jpg <![CDATA[Scion changing as brand buyers get older]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/01/scion-changing-as-brand-buyers-get-older/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/01/scion-changing-as-brand-buyers-get-older/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/01/scion-changing-as-brand-buyers-get-older/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 Scion iQ - red - front three-quarter view

Toyota may seek to reposition Scion in the wake of slower sales, according to Automotive News. It's been 10 years since the Japanese automaker unveiled its youth-oriented brand, and Toyota recognizes that the original target demographic has officially grown up. After concluding a nine-month review of the Scion brand, the parent company has decided to move away from quirkiness and toward more mainstream creations.

Models like the FR-S and iQ serve more traditional buyers than the nameplate's best-selling xB, though Jack Hollis, Scion vice president, says the future of the boxy five-door remains uncertain. While speaking with Autmotive News, Hollis said the company may not replace the model with a "one-for-one" interpretation of the box as buyers are less and less interested in funky exterior designs.

Scion suffered dearly during the sales downturn of 2008 and 2009. By 2011, the company's numbers had fallen to within 25 percent of its 2006 volume. With consumer credit tightening by the day, recent college graduates have reportedly found it difficult to finance a brand-new Scion. Hollis says sales are on the mend, and the company is cautiously optimistic. In the meantime, expect to see Scion show off more mainstream marketing aimed at a wider consumer audience.

Scion changing as brand buyers get older originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 May 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fr-siqjack hollissalesscionscion marketingscion salesxbTue, 01 May 2012 08:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20227069/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/01/scion-changing-as-brand-buyers-get-older/20227069/article-detail.xml 20227069 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/2012-scion-iq-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/2012-scion-iq-628.jpg <![CDATA[Chrysler sales explode in California, up 222%]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/chrysler-sales-explode-in-california-up-222/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/chrysler-sales-explode-in-california-up-222/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/chrysler-sales-explode-in-california-up-222/#commentsFiled under:

chrysler 300 srt8

Auto sales in California are red hot right now. The Detroit News reports that sales of new vehicles are up 17.7 percent in 2012, outpacing overall U.S. growth, which sits at a still healthy 13.3 percent. And since gas prices are still extremely high, cars accounted for a reported 62.7 percent of sales, while SUVs dropped to only 24.4 percent.

The car versus-SUV-paradigm isn't all that surprising given the price of petrol, but what is surprising is the brand that has received the biggest sales increase on a percentage basis. The Chrysler brand (aka the 200, 300 and Town & Country) is up a whopping 222 percent through March.

That's a shockingly big bump, but perspective comes with a glance at 2011 numbers. Last year, Chrysler sold just 2,470 vehicles in the largest car market in the U.S., compared to 7,955 sales in the first three months of this year. Chrysler has been so bad in California that in 2011 it reportedly accounted for only one percent of overall sales.

We don't know how much of this increase is accounted for with fleet sales of the Town & Country and 200, but at the very least it's probably safe to assume that rental car companies probably don't make up anything close to the 222 percent increase. It seems Chrysler may have a (somewhat muted) pulse in Cali after all.

Chrysler sales explode in California, up 222% originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>200300californiachryslersalesThu, 26 Apr 2012 13:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20224390/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/26/chrysler-sales-explode-in-california-up-222/20224390/article-detail.xml 20224390 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2012-chrysler-300-srt8-review_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/2012-chrysler-300-srt8-review.jpg <![CDATA[Scion targeting 20,000 annual FR-S sales]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/scion-targeting-20-000-annual-fr-s-sales/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/scion-targeting-20-000-annual-fr-s-sales/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/scion-targeting-20-000-annual-fr-s-sales/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2013 Scion FR-S

Scion has high sales hopes for its new rear-wheel-drive FR-S sports car. According to Ward's Auto, Jack Hollis, Scion's vice president, said that he anticipates sales as high as 20,000 units each year. "We're confident we can sell every one we get our hands on," Hollis stated.

The FR-S is slated to hit dealerships at the beginning of June and Scion projects that it will sell around 10,000 units before the end of the year, with an additional 20,000 cars finding homes in 2013. The automaker already has 1,243 pre-sale orders for the FR-S.

The nearly identical Subaru BRZ will also be sold in the United States, but parent Fuji Heavy Industries has less ambitious sales hopes. Subaru is only looking to move between 5,000 and 7,000 units annually. Hollis believes the FR-S, which is priced at $24,200 (not including $730 for destination) will sell in higher numbers largely in part to Scion's larger network of dealers.

Scion targeting 20,000 annual FR-S sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 scion fr-sbrzfr-sfrssalesscionscion fr-s salessubaru brztoyobaruThu, 26 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20224750/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/26/scion-targeting-20-000-annual-fr-s-sales/20224750/article-detail.xml 20224750 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/01-2013-scion-fr-s-2d-1335447945_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/01-2013-scion-fr-s-2d-1335447945.jpg <![CDATA[Ford says it already has 8,000 orders for new Escape]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/ford-says-it-already-has-8-000-orders-for-new-escape/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/ford-says-it-already-has-8-000-orders-for-new-escape/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/16/ford-says-it-already-has-8-000-orders-for-new-escape/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2013 Ford Escape - front three-quarter view at sunrise

The 2013 Escape will soon arrive in dealerships, and it appears Ford has quite a few excited buyers waiting in the wings. The Detroit Free Press reports that Ford already has about 8,000 pre-sales in-hand before buyers have even had the chance to drive the handsome crossover.

That's good news for Ford for obvious reasons, but the new Escape is going to need all the sales it can muster. That's because the current Escape, which dates all the way back to 2001, has been one of the most consistently hot-selling Ford vehicles ever made. For reference, Ford managed to sell 22,679 units in March - enough to make those 8,000 pre-sales seem like the first few drops in a very large, very important bucket. In fact, in 2012, the outgoing Escape is already ahead of its 2011 sales pace by nearly 3,000 units.

At this point, it's difficult to project whether the new Escape will be able to surpass sales of the outgoing model, but we are pretty sure Ford will achieve higher transaction prices. The departing CUV features a hoard of cash incentives, but the new model features pricey options and a top-of-the-line Titanium trim model that can crest $37,000 with options. Speaking of pricing, Ford has finalized the numbers and options on its Escape configurator since we first told you about it in January, and you can check it out here.

Ford says it already has 8,000 orders for new Escape originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 ford escapeescapeescape salesfordford escapepre-orderssalesMon, 16 Apr 2012 10:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20216079/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/16/ford-says-it-already-has-8-000-orders-for-new-escape/20216079/article-detail.xml 20216079 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/2013-ford-escape628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/2013-ford-escape628.jpg <![CDATA[Early Subaru BRZ sales running at 4x projections in Japan]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/28/early-subaru-brz-sales-running-at-4x-projections-in-japan/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/28/early-subaru-brz-sales-running-at-4x-projections-in-japan/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/28/early-subaru-brz-sales-running-at-4x-projections-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Subaru BRZ

The Subaru BRZ is off to an impressive sales start in Japan. According to Subaru, the two-door is besting the automaker's sales projections by wide margins. As of right now, Subaru has sold 3,551 of the coupes, which is around four times the company's estimates. Fuji Heavy Industries put out a very conservative number of 450 units per month as a sales goal for the BRZ before the vehicle hit the market.

Perhaps more interesting is the fact that a whopping 60 percent of buyers are under 40 years old, and two-thirds of all BRZ owners are opting for the six-speed manual gearbox. Those numbers are particularly impressive given the reports indicating a declining interest in cars and driving in Japan's youth. According to the company, over a quarter of buyers are under 30.

BRZ sales kick off in the U.S. on April 20, and we wouldn't be surprised to see similar demand levels in our neck of the woods, at least initially. We certainly want one.

Early Subaru BRZ sales running at 4x projections in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brzbrz salesjapansalessubarusubaru brzsubaru brz salessubaru salesWed, 28 Mar 2012 16:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20202986/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/28/early-subaru-brz-sales-running-at-4x-projections-in-japan/20202986/article-detail.xml 20202986 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/subaru-brz-628-1332954852_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/subaru-brz-628-1332954852.jpg <![CDATA[BMW reports record profit margin, but Audi's is better]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/08/bmw-reports-record-profit-margin-but-audis-is-better/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/08/bmw-reports-record-profit-margin-but-audis-is-better/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/08/bmw-reports-record-profit-margin-but-audis-is-better/#commentsFiled under: , ,

BMW and Audi logos

It reported a record profit margin, but BMW still wasn't as profitable as its rival Audi. According to a report in Automotive News, BMW booked an 11.8-percent profit margin, up from eight percent last year. Audi, however, managed 12.1 percent.

Both figures were calculated using the earnings before interest and tax method (EBIT).

Audi and BMW have had a blossoming rivalry since Audi began directly targeting BMW, both in the development of its products and in its advertising. The two ultra-competitive German luxury brands most famously clashed in a series of billboard ads in Southern California.

Analysts had forecast an 11.9-percent profit margin for BMW, according to AN. Despite this "mild disappointment," as one analyst called it, BMW still led Audi and Mercedes-Benz as the top-selling luxury brand in 2011.

The company expects to set another annual sales record this year, besting the 1.67 million units it moved in 2011, thanks largely to it's new-for-2012 F30 3-Series.

BMW reports record profit margin, but Audi's is better originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audibmwbmw profitbmw salesprofit marginsprofitabilitysalesThu, 08 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20188856/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/08/bmw-reports-record-profit-margin-but-audis-is-better/20188856/article-detail.xml 20188856 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/bmw-audi-logos-1331233902_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/bmw-audi-logos-1331233902.jpg <![CDATA[Why the Fiat 500 isn't the flop it's being made out to be]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/23/why-the-fiat-500-isnt-the-flop-its-being-made-out-to-be/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/23/why-the-fiat-500-isnt-the-flop-its-being-made-out-to-be/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/23/why-the-fiat-500-isnt-the-flop-its-being-made-out-to-be/#commentsFiat 500 C

The poor Fiat 500. The adorable three-door hasn't exactly been the resounding success Fiat had hoped, missing sales projections by a wide margin. As you may recall, the company managed to sell just 17,945 units between March and December of 2011. That's a far cry from 50,000 units annually the company projected before the 500 landed in dealerships. But, according to Polk, things may not be as bad as they seem. While it's true that the 500 managed to pull down just four percent of the subcompact car segment, the results look a bit rosier when you compare the 500 to other three-door B-segment offerings.

In that admittedly small group, the 500 did quite well, pulling down 27 percent of all sales and landing in second place behind the Mini Cooper. The plucky Italian even manged to best the Hyundai Accent and Toyota Yaris. Still, as Polk points out, that's a good portion of a very small corner of the total subcompact segment, and an even thinner slice of the American car market.

The upcoming five-door 500 will likely give Fiat an extra edge, though whether the vehicle helps the automaker crest its 50,000 unit goal remains to be seen.

Why the Fiat 500 isn't the flop it's being made out to be originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>500fiatfiat 500fiat 500 salesfiat salessalesThu, 23 Feb 2012 09:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20177330/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/02/23/why-the-fiat-500-isnt-the-flop-its-being-made-out-to-be/20177330/article-detail.xml 20177330 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/fiat-500-c-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/fiat-500-c-628.jpg <![CDATA[Rolls-Royce records highest annual sales in 107-year history]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/11/rolls-royce-records-highest-annual-sales-in-107-year-history/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/11/rolls-royce-records-highest-annual-sales-in-107-year-history/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/11/rolls-royce-records-highest-annual-sales-in-107-year-history/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

rolls-royce ghost

Some would say that 2011 wasn't exactly a banner year, but the good chaps at Rolls-Royce would likely respond with a definitive "Poppycock!" That's because the 107-year-old brand experienced its best-ever sales totals in 2011, with 3,538 very expensive autos sold around the globe. That's a 31 percent increase over the 2,711 models sold in 2010, thanks mostly to brisk sales of the Ghost and Phantom models.

With sales up 31 percent, it's clear that the storied automaker was on fire the world over, but certain markets really catapulted the marque. In fact, sales in Asia were up 47 percent, and the U.S. saw 17 percent growth. Austerity measures in England didn't stop the craze for new Rolls-Royce models, either, with sales up 30 percent.

It may not be all that exciting to see that the rich can afford more Rolls Royce models, but we're guessing the 1,000 employees working in Goodwood are probably tickled at the brand's rising popularity. Hit the jump to read over the official Rolls-Royce press release.

Continue reading Rolls-Royce records highest annual sales in 107-year history

Rolls-Royce records highest annual sales in 107-year history originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ghostgoodwoodluxury car salesluxury carsphantomrollsrolls roycerolls-roycesalesWed, 11 Jan 2012 09:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20144151/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/11/rolls-royce-records-highest-annual-sales-in-107-year-history/20144151/article-detail.xml 20144151 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/04/2012-rolls-royce-ghost-extended-wheelbase-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/04/2012-rolls-royce-ghost-extended-wheelbase-opt.jpg <![CDATA[2011: Onward and Upward Edition [UPDATE]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/04/2011-onward-and-upward-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/04/2011-onward-and-upward-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/04/2011-onward-and-upward-edition/#commentsFiled under: ,

Which were the best-performing brands and automakers in 2011? We'll tell you, and the answers may be surprising. The top two best-performing brands surprised us. Jeep led the pack with a 44.04-percent sales increase for the year, followed by Mitsubishi, whose sales jumped 40.07 percent.

Behind those two are the two brands we knew early on would have great years: Kia and Volkswagen. Kia gained significant ground on fellow South Korean automaker Hyundai last year by posting a larger sales increase for the year, 36.27 percent to 19.97 percent, respectively. Volkswagen, meanwhile, proved everyone wrong who questioned its decision to make the redesigned Jetta more cost competitive with a sales gain of 26.21 percent for the year on the back of that little compact car's 54.5-percent increase in sales.

The bottom of our table is also not surprisingly occupied almost entirely by Toyota, Honda and their luxury brands, which are joined by Infiniti and Lincoln. One could too easily argue that Toyota's and Honda's sales trouble in the U.S. last year had everything to do with natural disasters and their effect on production, but that would be ignoring their aging fleet of products, some not-so-well-received redesigns and how much more fierce their competition has become.

Finally, since we teased you last month with a select group of particular sales races we were interested in, we thought we'd let you know which models won.
UPDATE: All brands and companies are now reported.

Brand/Company Vol.% 2011 2010 DSR*% 2011 2010
Jeep 44.04 419,349 291,138 43.57 1,366 951
Mitsubishi 40.07 77,995 55,683 39.61 254 182
Kia 36.27 485,492 356,268 35.83 1,581 1,164
Volkswagen 26.31 324,402 256,830 25.90 1,057 839
Mini 25.54 57,300 45,644 25.13 187 149
Volvo 24.64 67,240 53,948 24.23 219 176
Ram 20.97 257,610 212,952 20.58 839 696
Hyundai 19.97 645,691 538,228 19.58 2,103 1,759
Land Rover 19.57 38,099 31,864 19.18 124 104
GMC 18.81 397,986 334,981 18.42 1,296 1,095
Dodge 17.56 451,040 383,675 17.17 1,469 1,254
Ford 17.45 2,062,915 1,756,439 17.07 6,720 5,740
Nissan 17.25 944,073 805,159 16.87 3,075 2,631
Mercedes-Benz 16.28 261,573 224,944 15.90 852 735
Audi 15.68 117,561 101,629 15.30 383 332
Porsche 14.62 29,023 25,320 14.25 95 83
Buick 14.32 177,633 155,389 13.94 579 508
Chevrolet 13.42 1,775,812 1,565,632 13.06 5,784 5,116
BMW 12.57 247,773 220,113 12.20 807 719
Chrysler 12.10 221,346 197,446 11.74 721 645
Suzuki 10.94 26,618 23,994 10.57 87 78
Mazda 9.09 250,426 229,566 8.73 816 750
Cadillac 3.72 152,389 146,925 3.38 496 480
Saab 3.01 5,610 5,446 2.68 18 18
Subaru 1.20 266,989 263,820 0.87 870 862
Lincoln -0.22 85,643 85,828 -0.54 279 280
Infiniti -4.79 98,461 103,411 -5.10 321 338
Toyota -5.75 1,446,109 1,534,266 -6.05 4,710 5,014
Honda -6.65 1,023,986 1,096,874 -6.95 3,335 3,585
Acura -7.71 123,299 133,606 -8.02 402 437
Jaguar -7.98 12,276 13,340 -8.28 40 44
Smart -12.30 5,198 5,927 -12.59 17 19
Lexus -13.42 198,552 229,329 -13.70 647 749
Fiat NA 19,769 NA NA 64 NA
COMPANIES
Chrysler Group 26.16 1,369,114 1,085,211 25.75 4,460 3,546
Nissan NA 14.74 1,042,534 908,570 14.37 3,396 2,969
BMW Group 14.70 305,421 266,269 14.33 995 870
General Motors 13.66 2,503,820 2,202,927 13.29 8,156 7,199
Jag Land Rover 11.44 50,375 45,204 11.08 164 148
Ford Mo Co 11.02 2,148,806 1,935,462 10.66 6,999 6,325
Toyota Mo Co -6.74 1,644,661 1,763,595 -7.05 5,357 5,763
American Honda -6.76 1,147,285 1,230,480 -7.06 3,737 4,021
*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 307 selling days in 2011 and 306 selling days in 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be different than the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

2011: Onward and Upward Edition [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011auto salesby the numbersfeaturedsalesWed, 04 Jan 2012 19:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20140557/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/04/2011-onward-and-upward-edition/20140557/article-detail.xml 20140557 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/uphill-car-1325715318_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/uphill-car-1325715318.jpg <![CDATA[Audi sets U.S. annual sales record with a month to spare]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/04/audi-sets-u-s-annual-sales-record-with-a-month-to-spare/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/04/audi-sets-u-s-annual-sales-record-with-a-month-to-spare/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/04/audi-sets-u-s-annual-sales-record-with-a-month-to-spare/#commentsFiled under: , ,

audi r8 gt

Audi may not have the market share of its German rivals here in the States, but that dynamic appears to be changing. Audi announced that 2011 is already a record-setting year here in the U.S., besting its 2010 record by Thanksgiving weekend.

Audi has already sold 104,906 vehicles through November 30, better than the 101,629 units sold in all of of 2010. December is traditionally a strong sales month (who wouldn't want an R8 for Christmas?), which should only add more distance between the old sales record and the new mark. Audi Certified pre-owned sales also had a banner year, moving 33,102 used vehicles so far in 2011, beating the previous high of 32,108 units in 2008.

Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen sounds pleased with the brand's progress in the U.S., attributing the success to "the steady arrival of exciting new models that have captured the imagination of the American premium car customer." Hit the jump to read the brag-tastic Audi press release.

Continue reading Audi sets U.S. annual sales record with a month to spare

Audi sets U.S. annual sales record with a month to spare originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiJohan de Nysschenr8salessales recordusSun, 04 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20117104/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/04/audi-sets-u-s-annual-sales-record-with-a-month-to-spare/20117104/article-detail.xml 20117104 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/r8-gt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/r8-gt.jpg <![CDATA[November 2011: Black Friday Edition]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/01/by-the-numbers-november-2011-black-friday-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/01/by-the-numbers-november-2011-black-friday-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/01/by-the-numbers-november-2011-black-friday-edition/#commentsFiled under:

U.S. auto sales during the month November were up on the backs of companies like Chrysler, Volkswagen and Kia, all three of which reported major gains for their respective brands. The Chrysler Group in particular posted positive numbers for all four of its brands, including a spectacular 92.23-percent rise in sales for the Chrysler brand itself. Volkswagen and Kia didn't perform quite as well, but each managed gains of around 40 percent.

This time, Honda stands alone as the only major automaker to post a sales decline in November. The Japanese automaker's brands (Honda and Acura) together posted a drop of 6.35 percent. Toyota, which had been keeping Honda company they each struggled with restoring production after this year's series of natural disasters, had a relatively decent November with identical gains of 6.68 percent for both Toyota and Lexus.

Being the second-last month of the year, you may be interested to know how some close model-to-model sales races are shaping up. Here are some year-to-date sales races that will be decided in December, as well as always-interesting Camaro versus Mustang numbers.

Brand/Company Volume % November 2011 November 2010 DSR %* November 2011 November 2010
Smart 96.21 414 211 88.36 17 9
Chrysler 92.23 18,577 9,664 84.54 743 403
Mini 70.50 4,750 2,786 63.68 190 116
Jeep 49.76 36,246 24,202 43.77 1,450 1,008
Mercedes-Benz 47.17 26,796 18,208 41.28 1,072 759
Dodge 42.70 30,317 21,246 36.99 1,213 885
Volkswagen 40.73 28,412 20,189 35.10 1,136 841
Kia 39.12 37,007 26,601 33.55 1,480 1,108
Land Rover 30.73 3,820 2,922 25.50 153 122
Hyundai 21.82 49,610 40,723 16.95 1,984 1,697
Nissan 21.48 76,754 63,184 16.62 3,070 2,633
Mazda 20.44 18,432 15,304 15.62 737 638
Ford 20.23 160,560 133,544 15.42 6,422 5,564
Volvo 18.78 4,844 4,078 14.03 194 170
Chevrolet 9.63 128,907 117,588 5.24 5,156 4,900
Ram 7.22 20,414 19,040 2.93 817 793
BMW 7.09 21,521 20,097 2.80 861 837
GMC 6.81 29,470 27,590 2.54 1,179 1,150
Toyota 6.68 118,502 111,077 2.42 4,740 4,628
Lexus 6.68 19,458 18,240 2.41 778 760
Audi 3.58 9,700 9,365 -0.57 388 390
Infiniti 3.01 8,428 8,182 -1.11 337 341
Cadillac -5.56 11,145 11,801 -9.34 446 492
Honda -6.19 74,016 78,899 -9.94 2,961 3,287
Porsche -6.66 2,255 2,416 -10.40 90 101
Buick -7.21 10,880 11,725 -10.92 435 489
Acura -7.55 9,909 10,718 -11.25 396 447
Saab -10.33 356 397 -13.91 14 17
Mitsubishi -13.26 3,735 4,306 -16.73 149 179
Subaru -15.08 17,657 20,792 -18.47 706 866
Lincoln -17.56 6,305 7,648 -20.86 252 319
Jaguar -18.08 915 1,117 -21.36 37 47
Suzuki -21.87 1,822 2,332 -24.99 73 97
Fiat NA 1,618 NA NA 65 NA
COMPANIES
Chrysler Group 44.53 107,172 74,152 38.75 4,287 3,090
Nissan NA 19.36 85,182 71,366 14.58 3,407 2,974
Jag/Land Rover 17.23 4,735 4,039 12.54 189.4 168
BMW Group 14.81 26,271 22,883 10.21 1,051 953
Ford Mo Co 13.25 166,865 147,338 8.72 6,675 6,139
General Motors 6.91 180,402 168,739 2.64 7,216 7,031
Toyota Mo Co 6.68 137,960 129,317 2.42 5,518 5,388
American Honda -6.35 83,925 89,617 -10.10 3,357 3,734

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 25 selling days in November 2011 and 24 selling days in November 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be different than the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

November 2011: Black Friday Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto salesby the numbersnovembernovember 2011november 2011 salessalesu.s. auto salesu.s. salesThu, 01 Dec 2011 15:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20118905/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/01/by-the-numbers-november-2011-black-friday-edition/20118905/article-detail.xml 20118905 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/uphill-car_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/uphill-car.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan says it's still committed to Cube despite slow sales]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/22/nissan-says-its-still-committed-to-cube-despite-slow-sales/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/22/nissan-says-its-still-committed-to-cube-despite-slow-sales/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/22/nissan-says-its-still-committed-to-cube-despite-slow-sales/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

nissan cube

The Nissan Cube is... different. There aren't many vehicles that pack the length of a sub-compact, the height of a crossover and the sex appeal of a postal truck. There is no question that Nissan was thinking out of the box with this boxy ride, but the model has never really caught on in the States. In 2009, Nissan sold 21,000 units, followed by 23,000 units in 2010. This year, however, sales have dipped to just 13,850 units through 10 months, a tepid 198 units having been sold in October.

But while the Cube isn't selling well, AutoWeek reports that Nissan isn't giving up on it just yet. Nissan North America sales boss Brian Carolin told the magazine at the Los Angeles Auto Show that the Cube "has found its place in the market." Carolin added that demand for the Cube was strong when gas prices spiked, and that at that point, the automaker was "struggling to get a supply of it."

Part of the Cube's sales decline could be attributed to parts shortages as a result of the Japan earthquake back in March, but that doesn't seem to explain its very weak October sales numbers. Even with obviously slow sales, Carolin sounds bullish on the Cube, but we're betting that Nissan will struggle to keep the Cube in the U.S. lineup if sales continue to dip, and we haven't heard a peep about a next-generation model.

Nissan says it's still committed to Cube despite slow sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 nissan cubebrian carolincubenissannissan cube salessalesU.STue, 22 Nov 2011 13:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20111839/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/11/22/nissan-says-its-still-committed-to-cube-despite-slow-sales/20111839/article-detail.xml 20111839 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/003_us_cube_review_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/003_us_cube_review_opt.jpg <![CDATA[Porsche wants to double sales by 2015]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/10/porsche-wants-to-double-sales-by-2015/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/10/porsche-wants-to-double-sales-by-2015/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/10/porsche-wants-to-double-sales-by-2015/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Volkswagen is on a role right now, and management in Wolfsburg hopes that winning streak results in the company becoming the largest automaker by volume by 2018 or sooner. Those ambitious sales goals stretch to VW's many brands as well, including Porsche.

The Detroit Bureau reports that Porsche is looking to double sales by 2015, with new products and emerging markets leading the charge. The numbers involved are taking last year's 97,000 vehicles sold worldwide and hitting a nice, round 200,000 by mid-decade. The new products that will help spur sales are the recently released 2012 911, the forthcoming Cajun mini ute and perhaps the sub-Boxster entry-level Porsche that we've been hearing about for years.

Those models would likely help improve sales here in the U.S., which is still the number one market for Porsche. But the performance and luxury car maker is also hoping to make inroads in the world's three biggest emerging markets: China, Russia and India. Those markets are clamoring for luxury autos right now, and Porsche is all too happy to help fill the void.

Porsche board member Wolfgang Hatz added at a preview of the new 911 that profitability will remain a major focus. Porsche has long boasted a ridiculously good 15 percent Return on Sales number, and Hatz and company want to keep that advantage as sales improve.

Porsche wants to double sales by 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911boxstercajunporschesalesvwThu, 10 Nov 2011 17:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20103013/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/11/10/porsche-wants-to-double-sales-by-2015/20103013/article-detail.xml 20103013 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/dvtogetty50338100-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/dvtogetty50338100-opt.jpg <![CDATA[October 2011: Pillowcases of Candy Edition [UPDATE]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/01/october-2011-pillowcases-of-candy-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/01/october-2011-pillowcases-of-candy-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/01/october-2011-pillowcases-of-candy-edition/#commentsFiled under:

Some automakers returned from trick or treating last night with pillowcases full of great sales numbers, and others wish they had stopped at a few more houses.

The biggest winner continues to be the Chrysler Group, which for the month of October 2011 posted a sales gain of 27 percent versus the same month last year. The Pentastar's ghoulishly good numbers are due among other things to Jeep, which enjoyed positively trending sales across the board except for the Grand Cherokee and a stellar performance from the Chrysler 200/Dodge Avenger duo. The new 200 alone added 11,205 sales to replace the Sebring's achievement of 2,221 sales last October.

As for the other domestics, Ford Motor Company put up a 6.25-percent increase with no thanks to Lincoln, which was down 10.83 percent. General Motors, meanwhile, barely eked out increased sales of 1.71 percent thanks to a strong enough showing by Chevrolet (6.04 percent) to balance out negative numbers from GMC, Buick and Cadillac.

Volkswagen continues to be a standout brand, backing up last month's gains of 35.57 percent with an industry-leading 39.55 percent performance in October. Honda and Toyota, however, continue to quietly lose sales. Ostensibly, blame can at least be partially attributed to the continued effects on production issues stemming back to the natural disasters suffered by Japan earlier this year.

Check out the rest of last month's sales numbers in the table below.

Brand/Company Vol. % Oct-11 Oct-10 DSR %* Oct-11 Oct-10
Volkswagen 39.55 28,028 20,084 44.92 1,078 744
Mini 37.09 5,415 3,950 42.36 208 146
Chrysler 28.39 21,244 16,547 33.32 817 613
Mercedes-Benz 28.17 24,449 19,076 33.10 940 707
Audi 25.80 10,225 8,128 30.64 393 301
Jeep 25.47 35,733 28,480 30.29 1,374 1,055
Dodge 24.85 33,734 27,020 29.65 1,297 1,001
Hyundai 22.85 52,402 42,656 27.57 2,015 1,580
Volvo 22.60 4,899 3,996 27.31 188 148
Nissan 22.06 75,484 61,843 26.75 2,903 2,290
Kia 20.81 37,690 31,199 25.45 1,450 1,156
Ram 20.71 21,836 18,090 25.35 840 670
BMW 13.50 21,873 19,272 17.86 841 714
Ford 12.59 161,709 143,624 16.92 6,220 5,319
Land Rover 10.65 3,273 2,958 14.90 126 110
Chevrolet 6.04 131,804 124,294 10.12 5,069 4,603
Jaguar 2.47 1,327 1,295 6.41 51 48
Mazda 1.74 18,326 18,013 5.65 705 667
Acura 0.94 11,115 11,011 4.83 428 408
Honda -0.66 87,218 87,800 3.16 3,355 3,252
GMC -4.61 31,609 33,136 -0.94 1,216 1,227
Suzuki -4.70 1,947 2,043 -1.03 75 76
Toyota -6.78 115,954 124,383 -3.19 4,460 4,607
Buick -7.02 11,687 12,569 -3.44 450 466
Lincoln -10.83 6,094 6,834 -7.40 234 253
Smart -10.90 327 367 -7.47 13 14
Subaru -11.62 20,081 22,720 -8.22 772 841
Cadillac -11.93 11,795 13,393 -8.54 454 496
Infiniti -13.47 6,862 7,930 -10.14 264 294
Lexus -14.22 18,092 21,091 -10.92 696 781
Porsche -14.24 2,270 2,647 -10.94 87 98
Mitsubishi -14.34 4,378 5,111 -11.05 168 189
Saab -54.52 337 741 -52.57 13 27
Fiat 1,965 0 76 0
COMPANIES
Chrysler Group 27.04 114,512 90,137 31.93 4,404 3,338
Nissan NA 18.02 82,346 69,773 22.56 3,167 2,584
BMW Group 17.51 27,288 23,222 22.03 1,050 860
Ford Mo Co 6.25 167,803 157,935 10.33 6,454 5,849
General Motors 1.71 186,895 183,759 5.62 7,188 6,806
American Honda -0.48 98,333 98,811 3.34 3,782 3,660
Toyota Mo Co -7.86 134,046 145,474 -4.31 5,156 5,388

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 26 selling days in October 2011 and 27 selling days in October 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be different than the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

UPDATE: Added sales figures for Suzuki and Saab.

October 2011: Pillowcases of Candy Edition [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto salesby the numberscar salesfeaturedoctober 2011salesTue, 01 Nov 2011 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20096044/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/11/01/october-2011-pillowcases-of-candy-edition/20096044/article-detail.xml 20096044 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/uphill-car-1320179147_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/uphill-car-1320179147.jpg <![CDATA[VW CEO Winterkorn happy with rebounding Seat, Skoda]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/31/vw-ceo-winterkorn-happy-with-rebounding-seat-skoda/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/31/vw-ceo-winterkorn-happy-with-rebounding-seat-skoda/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/31/vw-ceo-winterkorn-happy-with-rebounding-seat-skoda/#commentsFiled under: ,



Martin Winterkorn is a happy man: Volkswagen is putting up big numbers in North America, its latest field of dreams, Audi, is breaking records every month, there are exciting cars in the pipeline - from Bugatti down to the XL1, Porsche's digestion continues, and now Skoda and especially Seat are turning in no-questions performance.

It seems Skoda has been on the ups for years, making the most of keen pricing and modern redesigns of the chassis and tech it gets handed down from big brothers VW and Audi. Winterkorn predicts the Czech brand will just about double its 2010 sales by 2018, going from 762,000 to 1.5 million.

Seat, on the other hand, wasn't just on the hotseat a year-and-a-half ago, phrases like "uncertain future" - code for "possible demise" - were rumbling in the background. A new CEO was brought in, new money and new models were thrown against the wall, and the efforts have stuck. The Spanish brand has hit three strong chords with Winterkorn, with increased sales, strong performance in China and anticipated models due. If this keeps up there won't be much left for him to do but, a la Alexander the Great, break down and cry with no worlds left to conquer.

VW CEO Winterkorn happy with rebounding Seat, Skoda originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car salesmartin winterkornsalesseatskodaMon, 31 Oct 2011 08:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20094139/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/31/vw-ceo-winterkorn-happy-with-rebounding-seat-skoda/20094139/article-detail.xml 20094139 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/gyi0063882578_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/gyi0063882578.jpg <![CDATA[Ford Explorer hits 100,000 sales mark]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/21/ford-explorer-hits-100-000-sales-mark/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/21/ford-explorer-hits-100-000-sales-mark/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/21/ford-explorer-hits-100-000-sales-mark/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2011 ford explorer

The 2011 Ford Explorer is a massive improvement over the last-generation model, and the Blue Oval's sales tally supports this claim. Ford tells us that the the Explorer is flying off store shelves, with 100,000 units sold so far in 2011. Those numbers are up 290 percent compared to 2010 totals, making the Explorer the fastest-growing mid-size utility vehicle in the country. This is the first time the Explorer has hit the 100,000 mark since 2007, and there are still over two months left in the year.

The Explorer appears to be selling quite well in spite of mixed reviews. While the vehicle came in for 2011 North American Truck Of The Year laurels, it hasn't fared as well in a number of comparison tests. Cars.com recently ranked the Explorer sixth in its $37,000 SUV Shootout, and earlier in the year, Consumer Reports ranked the Explorer as the 17th best utility vehicle out of 19 models, with complaints centering on the CUV's MyFordTouch infotainment system.

Ford would likely counter that the company is more concerned with what CUV buyers think, and those customers appear to be giving their vote of approval with their pocketbooks, and they might also note that the Explorer's 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder model is only hitting the market as a 2012 model now (though it's already claiming about 15 percent of the model mix). Hit the jump to read Ford's official press release.

Continue reading Ford Explorer hits 100,000 sales mark

Ford Explorer hits 100,000 sales mark originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1000002011 ford explorerconsumer reportsexplorerfordreviewsalessuvFri, 21 Oct 2011 09:14:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20086858/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/21/ford-explorer-hits-100-000-sales-mark/20086858/article-detail.xml 20086858 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/2011-ford-explorer-review-lead1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/2011-ford-explorer-review-lead1.jpg <![CDATA[Gap widens between average price of U.S. car and foreign-built auto]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/20/gap-widens-between-average-price-of-u-s-car-and-foreign-built-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/20/gap-widens-between-average-price-of-u-s-car-and-foreign-built-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/20/gap-widens-between-average-price-of-u-s-car-and-foreign-built-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ford dealership American flag

Automotive News reports that domestic automakers are gaining market share thanks in part to the weak dollar. Import vehicles are currently selling at the highest price premium in 12 years compared to their domestic counterparts.

Whereas imports sold for an average of $31,636 in August, domestic vehicles left the lot for an average of $23,922. That's a difference of over $7,000, and the largest gap since 1999. That fact has helped Chrysler, Ford and General Motors pick up some market share. In addition, the earthquake and tsunami activity in Japan earlier this year resulted in tight supply of some Japanese vehicles, further pushing buyers into the waiting arms of domestic automakers.

The report says that total domestic light-vehicle deliveries increased by 10 percent from this time last year. That pushed GM to gain a full point of market share and Ford to pull an extra tenth of a percentage point.

Gap widens between average price of U.S. car and foreign-built auto originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american automakerschryslerdomesticdomestic automakersfordgeneral motorsgmimportmarket sharesalesThu, 20 Oct 2011 10:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20085724/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/20/gap-widens-between-average-price-of-u-s-car-and-foreign-built-a/20085724/article-detail.xml 20085724 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/ford-american-flag_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/ford-american-flag.jpg <![CDATA[Kia gunning for 500,000 sales, 800 stores in 2012]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/kia-gunning-for-500-000-sales-800-stores-in-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/kia-gunning-for-500-000-sales-800-stores-in-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/kia-gunning-for-500-000-sales-800-stores-in-2012/#commentsFiled under: ,



While its corporate cousins at Hyundai have recently been generating plenty of sales headlines, Kia is on its own roll. Sales in the United States are on track to top half a million units in 2012, and through the first three quarters of 2011, the Korean automaker has already topped last year's total. In fact, September was Kia's 13th straight monthly sales record, led by its best-seller, the Sorento crossover.

Kia Vice Chairman Hank Lee told Automotive News that it is adding dozens of dealers, bringing the company's U.S. retail force to about 800. Lee said Kia has spent the first half of 2011 culling 50-60 low-performing dealers and signing up new ones, with a focus on strengthening its presence in 20 key markets.

AN reports that Kia has helped some dealers move into better locations and facilities, and that about 80 dealers have agreed to build new stores. They should be able to afford it, as the brand's average monthly sales per dealer have doubled since 2008.

Kia gunning for 500,000 sales, 800 stores in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dealerskiasalesMon, 17 Oct 2011 15:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20083354/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/17/kia-gunning-for-500-000-sales-800-stores-in-2012/20083354/article-detail.xml 20083354 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/kiadealer628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/kiadealer628.jpg -1 2