Sales and Marketing

Editorial: Things Are Not Always What they SEMA

By Edward Niedermeyer
November 6, 2008 - Environmental exploitation is here to stay. Even the threat of industry collapse has failed to take the collagen out of American automaker's eco-friendly lip service. In this they are hardly alone. The litany of firms running advertisements professing their undying love for our Mother Earth, and building concept cars to show their unconsummated devotion, continues apace. 2008 is the first year that the SEMA has set aside a portion of its annual show for green trendiness. It's not a concept that sits well with the show's ethos of excess. But never underestimate the power of hypocrisy. And America's ability to co-opt controversy to unite our society under the banner of the almighty buck. Amen.

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Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 6 comments

The Truth About Honda’s U.S. Success

By Andrew Dederer
August 19, 2008 -

With Chrysler’s slide well underway, it’s only a matter of time before Honda becomes America’s fourth largest automaker (behind Toyota, GM and Ford). Honda will then hold the same rank stateside as it occupies in Japan-- behind Toyota, Nissan, and Suzuki. While Honda’s relative success in its home territory may surprise some American industry watchers, the automaker’s contrasting strategy in the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) reveals a hidden “secret” to their U.S. success.

The Truth About Honda’s U.S. Success editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 61 comments

Fleet Enema Helps Sales Backlogs

By Frank Williams
August 15, 2008 -

All car manufacturers would like you to believe they're turning their back on fleet sales. It simply doesn't pay to be known as a "pile 'em high and sell 'em cheap" automaker-- even if that's exactly what you are. Hence manufacturers' quarterly reports that highlight models whose rental sales have fallen. I repeat, rental. Lest we forget, companies and government agencies are also significant bulk buyers. So, BS aside, who leads the pack in the fleet sales that all carmakers say they don't rely upon to drive up their numbers and keep the factories humming?

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Posted in Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 28 comments

By the Numbers: July Sizzles, Sales Fizzle

By Frank Williams
August 6, 2008 -

July's temperatures may have been hotter than Hell, but U.S. new car sales were in Hell. Rising gas prices have thrown the entire American auto industry into turmoil, flooding the market with used SUVs and pickups, cratering residual values and trapping millions of consumers in light truck limbo. At the same time, automakers can't ramp-up production quickly enough on those fuel-sipping models that are leaving the lots. Incentives aren't moving the metal, but NOT increasing them would be worse. The downturn is widespread. And despite what the automakers say, it's going to get worse. Soon. For now, here's the damage report. 

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Posted in By The Numbers | Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 45 comments

The Dangers of Sciontology

By Robert Farago
August 4, 2008 -

With great size comes great stupidity. General Motors' fall from grace-- from world's largest and most profitable company to bailout bait-- illustrates the point perfectly. And while it's about thirty years too early to suggest that GM's replacement will fall victim to the same size-related entropy, there are already hints that the profits powerhouse known as Toyota is capable of massive miscalculations. I speak here not of the full-size Tundra pickup, but of Scion, the brand that should have never made it out focus group.

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Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 79 comments

The Truth About Leasing

By Ken Elias
July 29, 2008 -

It comes as no surprise that GMAC and Chrysler Financial no longer offer leases in North America. Ford Motor Credit now joins the "no lease" club by pricing its leases sky high making them unaffordable. Why now? It's simple; the captive finance arms can't get the funding to support these transactions due to the deteriorating credit of the finance arms and their parent automakers. 

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Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 56 comments

Below the Radar No More: Hyundai/Kia Kick Ass

By Paul Niedermeyer
July 29, 2008 -

In the aftermath of Black Hole Tuesday (June ’08 sales numbers), a big story got lost in the vortex. Yes, The Big 2.8 tanked, Toyota and Nissan took hits to the jaw and Honda was proclaimed the new Messiah. But June’s unsung winner puts Honda’s accomplishments to shame. In the midst of a violently contracting U.S. new car market, Hyundai-Kia (“HK”) kicked ass. And that butt-whooping is a direct threat to Detroit’s survival.  

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Posted in Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 60 comments

Forbidden Fruit

By Paul Niedermeyer
July 28, 2008 -

In The Land of the Free our choice of automobile brands is highly limited. Well, relatively. Dozens of European import brands have long fled our shores, curtailing our automotive freedom of expression. What happened to all those storied marques, such as Alfa-Romeo and Peugeot? And what’s keeping American pistonheads from once again enjoying the forbidden fruit of Europe’s exotic brands?

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Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 45 comments

As Go SUV Buyers, So Goeth Detroit

By Andrew Dederer
July 24, 2008 -

Since this summer's sales slump, Detroit's stopped bitching about the so-called "perception gap." That's the alleged difference between consumers' idea of their vehicles' quality-- relative to their Asian rivals-- and "the reality." Suddenly, the concept is a lot less important than finding something, anything fuel-efficient to sell. Besides, there's a far more catastrophic "gap" in play, one that threatens Motown's very survival: the "gap" between what a SUV is worth new and its value come trade-in time.

As Go SUV Buyers, So Goeth Detroit editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 75 comments

The World Car is Not Enough

By Paul Niedermeyer
July 16, 2008 -

Ford’s survival may depend on the U.S. success of the European-designed Focus and Fiesta. An embattled GM agrees with FoMoCo's "world car" strategy, talking up its "global platforms." Meanwhile, Honda and Toyota’s dominant Camcordias were designed predominantly with the North American market in mind. Does success in the brutally competitive American market demand specifically tailored designs? Or are “world cars” the salvation to Detroit’s passenger car woes?

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Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 48 comments