Posted on September 1, 2011, at 2:18 pm
In spite of Hurricane Irene’s lingering effects on the East Coast, including power outages and flooding, and a continued slowing of the US economy, which has hurt consumer sentiment, August US light-vehicle sales totals from a number of automakers were slightly stronger than anticipated.
All three Detroit-based automakers posted sales increases from August of last year, which had one less selling day. Both General Motors (+13.5%) and Fiat-Chrysler Group (+25.6%) deliveries were up in double digits, and Ford Motor Co.’s sales improved in the high single digits (+6.9%).
GMC, Jeep, Lincoln Outpace Industry
GMC (+35.1%) was the sales leader in terms of percentage gains among General Motors’ core brands, and sales of the Chevrolet Cruze compact passed the 20,000-unit sales mark for a fifth consecutive month, which likely made it one of the 10 best sellers in the US market. Chrysler’s Jeep brand sales increased by nearly 52% from last year as the automaker’s brands were helped by a 90-day-postponed-payment incentive on some models. Ford Motor Company said both Ford Explorer and Fiesta deliveries were strong, while Lincoln brand deliveries were up in double digits (+19.8%) from a year ago. Ford F-Series totals slipped slightly on a selling-day-adjusted basis*, although more than 48,000 large Ford pickup trucks were delivered and 41% were equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, according to Ford. Continue reading ›
Posted on June 10, 2011, at 6:30 am
In early June, Ford Motor Company announced that its next generation of hybrid vehicles, including a new plug-in hybrid that will launch in 2012, will have a Ford-engineered transmission that will be built in Michigan. The new transmission replaces one that is made in Japan for current Ford and Lincoln hybrids.
However, even though . . . Continue Reading Ford to Produce Transmission for Plug-in Hybrids in Michigan
Posted on June 8, 2011, at 3:36 pm
Ford Motor Company recently announced that it is working on a new small engine—a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder powertrain with its EcoBoost technology. This smaller, fuel-efficient engine may reach the US market later this year in 2012 model-year cars, or will arrive early next year. Ford claims it will deliver horsepower and torque output equivalent to or better than their naturally aspirated 1.6-liter gasoline engine.
 Mike Omotoso The engine is expected to be used in the Ford Fiesta sub-compact, and will possibly be offered as an entry-level engine in the newly redesigned Ford Focus. The Focus and the Fiesta are both selling well, but Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are getting tougher every year, and Ford and other manufacturers need to improve the fuel economy of all cars and trucks in their lineup to meet the higher miles-per-gallon requirements between now and 2016.
Downsizing of Powertrains Continues to Accelerate
In addition to Ford, other automakers have been downsizing their powertrains for the US market, and this trend will only accelerate in the future. The next-generation Chevrolet Malibu (2013 model year) will drop the V-6 option and the new Malibu will only be available with 4-cylinder engines. Continue reading ›
Posted on May 19, 2011, at 8:25 am
 Most premium brands had lower retail turn rates* than the industry average during the first four months of 2011, based on our Power Information Network® (PIN) retail transaction data. This year, the Audi brand had the lowest retail turn rate—new vehicles remained an average of only 23 days on dealer lots before being sold—which was even lower than last year’s 34 days, and less than half of the industry average retail turn rate (54 days) during the first four months of 2011. Land Rover had the next lowest turn rate—30 days—down from 35 days in 2010. Lexus followed with a retail turn rate of 36 days, which was up from 29 days in 2010. Continue reading ›
Posted on May 18, 2011, at 10:23 am
 David Cutting BMW, offering 11 models in the US market, currently is the best-selling luxury, or premium, brand through the first four months of 2011, according to data from our Automotive Forecasting division. BMW’s year-to-date sales through April totaled 71,417 units, which was a 10% improvement over last year’s same time period. The German luxury automaker’s 5 Series midsize premium conventional model posted strong gains for the brand this year—sales rose more than 75%, to 15,986 units vs. 9,111 sales a year ago. Also, the redesigned X3 compact premium crossover (CUV) bolstered the brand’s totals with 7,987 unit sales so far this year. Additionally, all of BMW’s CUV models posted gains this year, while the volume-leading 3 Series, which was the best-selling premium model in the US market, posted a 12% sales decline (26,590 unit sales vs. 30,360 unit sales in 2010).
Mercedes-Benz, with a lineup of 15 models in the US new-vehicle market, was very close to its rival BMW, selling just 32 fewer units through the first four months. Mercedes delivered 71,385 premium cars and light trucks in January through April 2011, up 7% from last year’s 66,857 unit deliveries. In addition to being the best-selling luxury brand, the Mercedes C-Class and E-Class passenger cars were among the 10 best-selling luxury models in the United States during this same time frame. The Sprinter van has sold 3,764 units in year-to-date sales, but is not included in the above figures as it is not considered to be a premium model. Continue reading ›
Posted on April 15, 2011, at 6:48 am
 First-quarter light-vehicle sales in the United States were up 18.6% from the same three-month period in 2010, based on our Automotive Forecasting Division analysis. Overall car and light-truck sales advanced to 3.05 million unit sales during the quarter, from 2.5 million units a year ago. Nearly 513,000 more new vehicles were delivered in the quarter than in the first quarter of 2010.
Retail sales led the early 2011 recovery with a 23.0% increase, while fleet sales were up only 4.6%, based on our Power Information Network® (PIN) retail transaction data. Escalating gasoline prices (nationwide average approaching $4.00 per gallon) during the first quarter boosted the Compact segments, which were up 25.4% from the same period a year ago, while the Midsize and Large segments increased only 13.1% and 16.4%, respectively. Continue reading ›
Posted on March 17, 2011, at 2:45 pm
Fourteen of 34 brands included in this year’s U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) outperform or match the overall industry average for problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). Nine of these 14 brands are premium nameplates, while five are non-premium or mass-market brands.
David Sargent
For the first time in the history of the VDS, . . . Continue Reading Lincoln Ranks Highest Among Brands in Vehicle Dependability
Posted on February 24, 2011, at 9:25 am
Five premium automotive brands—Cadillac, Jaguar, Lexus, Lincoln and Mercedes-Benz—are among 40 brands that stand out in customer service excellence from 1,200 brands that were evaluated for our first cross-industry special report, “Achieving Excellence in Customer Service.”
 Chance Parker Among the five luxury auto brands that have been named J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champions, we determined from customer feedback that Cadillac and Lincoln, for example, have changed discussion with customers in a positive way by focusing on the value they provide rather than their pricing. Both brands perform especially well in one of the five drivers of excellence in customer satisfaction and advocacy—Price. In addition, three of the premium auto brands—Cadillac, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz—stand out among the 40 Customer Service Champions in the area of Presentation—with products, showrooms and marketing efforts differentiating them in the eyes of their customers.
J.D. Power and Associates identifies the J.D.Power 5 PsSM as the features in which each of these 40 Service Excellence Champions excel: People, Presentation, Price, Product and Process. To be a champion, brands didn’t just need to master one or two of these features, but customers also had to indicate the brand excelled in them. Continue reading ›
Posted on December 2, 2010, at 8:11 am
Among the four factors measured to determine overall new-vehicle ownership satisfaction in Mexico, new-vehicle appeal (design, style, performance and vehicle comfort) and dealer service performance turn out to be the primary differentiators. The other two factors measured—vehicle quality and reliability and ownership costs (service, fuel consumption and insurance costs)—are less prominent differentiators, according to . . . Continue Reading Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction in Mexico Driven by Vehicle Appeal, Dealer Service
Posted on August 23, 2010, at 9:21 am
2010 Infiniti G-Series
Through July, the eight best-selling premium, or luxury, brands in the U.S. auto market outperformed the industry’s year-to-date 14.7% improvement, based on J.D. Power sales research. All eight of the premium brands also had faster average retail turn rates* this year compared to last year, and the majority achieved higher . . . Continue Reading Premium Brands Outpace Industry in 2010
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