Autoblog

Tesla Model S gets over 500 reservations in first week

Domenick Yoney — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Sedan, Green

Tesla Model S - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's been barely a week since the curtain was lifted on the Tesla Model S, and not only has its design received positive reviews, those sensuous lines have seduced 520 people to fork over some deposit cash for the new all-electric sedan. Tesla won't say, however, how many people chose the standard version that requires a refundable deposit of $5,000 or one of the 2,000 Signature Edition models that requires a $40,000 deposit.

Initial sales of the Model S have exceeded Tesla's expectations and are quite a feat considering the economic times, plus the fact that these cars are still a few years away from being delivered. The real test of the S's ability to beguile may come tonight as the all-electric sedan makes its East Coast debut. With the company attempting to secure a $350 million loan from the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program for a plant in which to build the Model S, the car will begin a string of appearances on the right side of the country with a showing at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

Tesla also has good Roadster news. Production of the two-seater sports car continues to speed up and reached 104 units for the month of March. That gives the automaker a total of 170 Roadsters built for the first quarter of 2009 and about 320 altogether, in case you're keeping track. Hit the jump for the press release and bonus videos of the Tesla Model S in action, as well as having its auto-extending door handles explained by CEO Elon Musk.

Gallery: Tesla Model S

Gallery: Tesla Model S: LIVE REVEAL

[Source: Tesla Motors]

Continue reading Tesla Model S gets over 500 reservations in first week

Tesla Model S gets over 500 reservations in first week originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai CEO says early Genesis Coupe sales numbers are "simply smoking"

Michael Harley — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Hyundai

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe - Click above for high-res gallery

"Simply smoking." Those are the exact words that John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai USA, used to describe early sales of the automaker's new Genesis Coupe during a recent interview with Motor Trend. The highly-anticipated two-door is selling better than the Genesis Sedan, which arrived on the market last year, even though Hyundai has focused more advertising dollars on the larger luxury sedan.

Still a newcomer, the Genesis Coupe is offered in turbocharged 2.0-liter and normally-aspirated 3.8-liter trim. The bulk of the cars on dealer lots have been the V6 models, with the late-to-arrive four-cylinder variants (including the Track model and next year's R-Spec model) yet to make a significant impact on sales. Seemingly undeterred by its $27,500 sticker price, Krafcik says that more than 50 percent of the 3.8-liter buyers are driving home in the loaded Grand Touring model (the entry-level 2.0T starts at just $22,000).

Gallery: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

[Source: Motortrend]

Hyundai CEO says early Genesis Coupe sales numbers are "simply smoking" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hybrid sales slide 9.9% in 2008

Dan Roth — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:37:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, GMC, Honda, Nissan, Toyota

Despite all the clamor about how hybrids are going to save the planet, cure cancer, facilitate the second coming, etc., sales of battery-pack-mobiles are down nearly ten percent for 2008. At the beginning of 2008, it looked like hybrids were going to have their best year ever, driven by high fuel prices and a recessive economy. That recession, however,has caused consumers to cut way back, leading to dramatic drop in fuel prices, killing much of the argument for a hybrid's price premium. Consumers shy away from hybrids when fuel dips below $3.50 per gallon, and the incessant clang of news stories about expensive fuel also dries up, causing the issue of fuel efficiency to fall from consciousness.

Toyota is still the hybrid sales king, with 241,000 units shifted in 2008. Honda managed to ring up 31,000 sales, and Ford came in third with nearly 20,000 vehicles sold. While nearly every automaker offering hybrids is down (Nissan actually saw a 5 percent increase, and General Motors garnered a whopping 179 percent jump thanks to its 2008 introductions), Ford was hardest hit, with a 22 percent drop. Some might say "we told you so" about the way things have played out - by the time everyone got on board with more efficient offerings, the bottom has fallen out of the price of fuel - and others might use the sales figures to agitate for a gas tax to stimulate the purchase of fuel efficient vehicles.

[Source: Auto News - sub req]

Hybrid sales slide 9.9% in 2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As yen sweetens, Toyota sales sour

Michael Harley — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

Being Toyota doesn't grant you any additional immunity from simple global economics. Word from Tokuichi Uranishi, executive vice president of Toyota, is that one of the world's largest automakers is going to miss its sales target of 9.85 million vehicles for 2008.

Toyota execs cite slowing sales in the United States, Europe, and Japan as a primary factor. In addition, rising raw material costs are hurting the global automaker, which assembled 9.37 million vehicles in 2007. To top it off, a yen that hit a 13-year high against the dollar at the beginning of this week is cutting profits on exports from Japan.

It may be up to China, Russia, and Korea to pick up some of the slack. Those emerging Asian markets are active, and Toyota is looking at them for future growth. In a move towards achieving that goal, the Prius, Camry, and RAV4 sports-utility will be introduced in South Korea shortly. Sales are expected to be just 500 units per month initially, and then increase to upwards of 1,000 a month.

[Source: Automotive News, subs req'd]

As yen sweetens, Toyota sales sour originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By the Numbers: September 2007

John Neff — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: By the Numbers

Analysts who feared the worst for September 2007 car sales were wrong. It wasn't that bad at all. General Motors pulled out a 3.8% increase in sales, for Pete's sake! Fellow domestics Chrysler LLC and Ford Motor Company, however, did not fare as well. Chrysler LLC sales went down only 1.5% last month thanks to the saving graces of the Jeep Wrangler, as well as the mere presence of new models like the Dodge Nitro and Avenger.

FoMoCo, however, is shrinking fast. The Blue Oval sold at a 21% slower rate this September than last. Blame the car division, which in raw numbers dropped 45.1% in sales. Of course, those are mostly lost fleet sales, and Ford shrinking in size is a good thing once it finds an equilibrium that produces profits.

In other big news, Toyota Motor Co.'s sales rate actually fell last month, though only by 0.6%. Meanwhile, cross island rivals Honda (13.8%) and Nissan (11.0%) both saw appreciable gains for their North American divisions.

The individual break down by brand is below, so check them out. Remember, there were only 25 selling days in September 2007, versus 26 selling days in September 2006. Thus, our percentages reflect the change in the Daily Average Sales rate rather than the change in raw number of units sold.

Biggest Winner
MINI 41.4% at 4,031 (09/06: 2,964)

Biggest Loser
HUMMER -21.6% at 5,080 (09/06: 6,739)

Biggest Loser (Honorable Mention)
Ford -21% at 155,037 (09/06: 204,070)

BRANDS
Acura -8.4% at 14,369 (09/06: 16,323)
Audi 4.2% at 8,021 (09/06: 8,004)
BMW 6.9% at 20,901 (09/06: 20,339)
Buick -5.1% at 17,754 (09/06: 19,463)
Cadillac 4.9% at 20,398 (09/06: 20,217)
Chevrolet 6.1% at 194,637 (09/06: 190,825)
Chrysler -14.8% at 38,668 (09/06: 47,211)
Dodge 9% at 83,671 (09/06: 79,784)
Ford -21% at 155,037 (09/06: 204,070)
GMC 18.9% at 44,754 (09/06: 39,141)
Honda 17.5% at 112,831 (09/06: 99,903)
HUMMER -21.6% at 5,080 (09/06: 6,739)
Hyundai 3.5% at 33,214 (09/06: 33,384)
Infiniti 2.7% at 10,250 (09/06: 10,378)
Jaguar -4.7% at 1,061 (09/06: 1,158)
Jeep -7.0% at 37,460 (09/06: 41,893)
Land Rover 25.6% at 4,190 (09/06: 3,469)
Lexus 1.6% at 25,114 (09/06: 25,700)
Lincoln 38% at 9,764 (09/06: 7,362)
Mazda 28.8% at 25,098 (09/06: 20,261)
Mercedes 18.0% at 22,549 (09/06: 19,873)
Mercury -9.6% at 11,403 (09/06: 13,117)
MINI 41.4% at 4,031 (09/06: 2,964)
Mitsubishi 22.3% at 12,102 (09/06: 10,287)
Nissan 12.0% at 84,019 (09/06: 77,962)
Pontiac -11.5% at 31,817 (09/06: 37,376)
Porsche 24.2% at 2,641 (09/06: 2,211)
Saab -17.9% at 2,424 (09/06: 3,069)
Saturn 7.2% at 20,776 (09/06: 20,153)
Subaru 6.1% at 16,457 (09/06: 16,128)
Suzuki 0.2% at 7,653 (09/06: 7,940)
Toyota -0.9% at 187,929 (09/06: 197,250)
Volkswagen -2.2% at 18,891 (09/06: 20,082)
Volvo -9.6% at 8,408 (09/06: 9,672)

NOT YET REPORTING
Kia

COMPANIES
BMW Group 11.3% at 24,932 (09/06: 23,303)
Chrysler LLC -1.5% at 159,799 (09/06: 168,888)
Ford Motor Co -17.3% at 189,863 (09/06: 238,848)
General Motors 3.8% at 337,640 (09/06: 338,380)
Honda America 13.8% at 127,200 (09/06: 116,226)
Nissan North America 11.0% at 94,269 (09/06: 88,340)
Toyota Motor Co. -0.6% at 213,043 (09/06: 222,950)

By the Numbers: September 2007 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game on: Truck incentives set to soar

Chris Shunk — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:37:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Toyota

The slumping housing market and gas prices have hurt truck sales, so automakers are going to have to step up on givebacks to keep metal moving. Toyota has taken the first shot with thier five month old Tundra, with 0% financing and buckets of cash. Edmunds tallied final Tundra incentives at $5,083 per unit last month, which is second to only the much older Dodge Ram. The new Silverado, which currently carries only $1,500 to $2,000 on the hood, is set for a bump in incentives to help level the playing field vs. the fierce competition, and older offerings from Ford and Dodge will have to follow suit. With Toyota's deep pockets, there may be no end to how far the folks from Aichi will go to reach their stated sales goal of 200,000 units in 2007, so $5,000 may just be the beginning.

If you've been waiting on your truck purchase, we have a feeling your patience is about to be rewarded. Everybody's pickup offerings are stronger than they've ever been, and with more competition comes more money in your pocket.

[Source: Detroit News]

Game on: Truck incentives set to soar originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By the Numbers: December 2006

John Neff — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Earnings/Financials, By the Numbers

The numbers are in for December, the last month of 2006, and it appears that those year-end sales drives produced results for many brands. We haven't seen this much green on the sales chart all the year. Congrats go to Kia for being the months Biggest Winner by posting a 66% sales gain over last year, and our sympathies once again go out to Jaguar, the Biggest Loser again this month, which on average sold 34% less this month. Strong gains were also posted by Audi (39.7%), BMW (21%), Hyundai (19.56%), Toyota (18.1%) and, look out, Saturn (41.8%). Last year at this time, however, Saturn was a three-vehicle brand, whereas this year it's been bolstered by the Aura, Sky Roadster, and even the Outlook, which tacked on 144 sales despite only being on sale for a fraction of the month.

BMW's strong sales overcame the small deficit of the MINI brand to give the group as a whole a 20% increase in sales for the month, but again it's Toyota that continues to astonish with a 16.6% gain in December to follow up on its 15.9% jump in November. Both Ford and General Motors saw their sales fall over 9%, and Toyota Motor Co. was just over 5,000 units away from passing FoMoCo for the No. 2 sales spot in the U.S. this month. Toyota can take heart, however, its namesake division bested the Ford brand in December by just 173 units, making it the second-best selling brand in the U.S. behind Chevrolet for the month.

Keep an eye out for our By The Numbers: 2006 yearly wrap-up post later day.

Biggest Winner
Kia66% at 30,004 (12/05: 18,767)

Biggest Loser
Jaguar-34% at 1,553 (12/05: 2,445)

BRANDS
Acura 6.3% at 19,056 (12/05: 18,621)
Audi 39.7% at 11,897 (12/05: 8,842)
BMW 21% at 30,945 (12/05: 24,464)
Buick -24.5% at 15,986 (12/05: 22,002)
Cadillac 2.8% at 22,715 (12/05: 22,946)
Chevrolet -12.9% at 194,369 (12/05: 231,628)
Chrysler 11% at 55,839 (12/05: 52,208)
Dodge 9% at 88,489 (12/05: 84,023)
Ford -11.2% at 190,914 (12/05: 223,324)
GMC -14.4% at 41,770 (12/05: 50,688)
Honda 2.5% at 112,722 (12/05: 114,179)
HUMMER -10.9% at 6,928 (12/05: 8,079)
Hyundai 19.56% at 43,021 (12/05: 37,365)
Infiniti 5.9% at 13,112 (12/05: 12,856)
Isuzu 9.56% at 2,566 (12/05: 2,432)
Jaguar -34% at 1,553 (12/05: 2,445)
Jeep -10% at 46,087 (12/05: 53,218)
Kia 66% at 30,004 (12/05: 18,767)
Land Rover -9.65% at 6,014 (12/05: 6,913)
Lexus 9.9% at 37,235 (12/05: 35,186)
Lincoln 5.44% at 12,806 (12/05: 12,612)
Mazda 7.94% at 19,912 (12/05: 19,156)
Mercedes -6.39% at 28,115 (12/05: 31,192)
Mercury 6.16% at 13,809 (12/05: 13,507)
MINI 5.38% at 2,472 (12/05: 2,436)
Mitsubishi 6.39% at 9,910 (12/05: 9,673)
Nissan 4.2% at 78,663 (12/05: 78,397)
Pontiac -6.2% at 32,772 (12/05: 36,288)
Porsche 3.95% at 2,947 (12/05: 2,944)
Saab 32.7% at 3,535 (12/05: 2,766)
Saturn 41.8% at 20,686 (12/05: 15,145)
Subaru 7.46% at 20,613 (12/05: 19,919)
Suzuki 14% at 7,317 (12/05: 6,662)
Toyota 18.1% at 191,087 (12/05: 168,093)
Volkswagen -20.2% at 19,942 (12/05: 25,956)
Volvo -2.5% at 8,525 (12/05: 9,080)

COMPANIES
BMW Group 20% at 33,417 (12/05: 28,900)
Chrysler Group 4% at 190,415 (12/05: 189,449)
Ford Motor Co -9.43% at 233,621 (12/05: 267,881)
General Motors -9.6% at 341,327 (12/05: 392,041)
Honda America 3.0% at 131,778 (12/05: 132,800)
Nissan North America 4.4% at 91,775 (12/05: 91,253)
Toyota Motor Co. 16.6% at 228,322 (12/05: 203,279)

Note: December of 2005 had 27 selling days, whereas December of 2006 had 26 selling day. On acount of this, all percentages reflect a change in the daily average sales rate, not the difference in the number of raw units sold each month. The percentages, in effect, reflect the difference in how many vehicles were sold per day on average during each month.

By the Numbers: December 2006 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Jan 2007 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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