EU Car Market Falls 15%, NY Art Sale Augurs Supercar Collapse

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Can you believe that GM used to claim that their foreign ops would prop-up the sinking North American market while they got their shit together? I mean, these are the same guys that were busy touting the advantages of a world car. Anyone who doubted that it’s a small world after all should have a gander at October sales stats across the pond [via Bloomberg UK]. “Registrations dropped to 1.13 million vehicles last month from 1.33 million a year earlier, the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said today in a statement. Sales for the first 10 months fell 5.4 percent to 12.8 million vehicles, accelerating from a 4.4 percent contraction through September.” And who got whacked the hardest? “GM’s sales in Europe fell 25 percent to 94,479 vehicles, with the Saab brand reporting a 28 percent plunge… Registrations in Europe by Toyota slumped 24 percent to 54,612 cars. Asia’s largest carmaker, leading GM in global auto sales this year, posted a 69 percent plunge in quarterly net income on Nov. 6. Deliveries of its Lexus brand fell 32 percent.” So, that’s the mass market, then. How about the top end?

Lamborghini, Maybach, Ferrari, Aston and the like tender their sales stats with a little less alacrity than the volume automakers. And the majority of the hyper-priced auto-exotica shuffles through the auction houses. Or at least it did. “A Damien Hirst painting of four skulls that was tipped to fetch at least $3 million at Phillips de Pury & Co.’s New York auction didn’t sell, the biggest upset of last night’s auction that missed presale low estimates by more than half,” Bloomberg reports. “It was the third sale this week to disappoint art dealers and may herald a decline that tracks the drop in stock markets.” So much for those who say that the top of the market is immune from the swings and roundabouts of an outrageous free market economy.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Jjdaddyo Jjdaddyo on Nov 14, 2008

    Sorry to be a nerd, but it is "augur" not "auger", unless you are saying that a supercar auction will be attacked by a giant screw-shaped digging machine. Hey, get Hollywood on the line!

  • Charly Charly on Nov 14, 2008

    The decline in the European car market is more a regional affair than one which is broadly carried. It is true that almost all markets are declining but most are only declining a few percent while some are declining much more than 15%. So firms that are strong in the UK see a large decline while companies that are strong in Old Europe see a decline which isn't that steep.

  • TCowner We've had a 64.5 Mustang in the family for the past 40 years. It is all original, Rangoon Red coupe with 289 (one of the first instead of the 260), Rally Pac, 4-speed, factory air, every option. Always gets smiles and thumbs ups.
  • ToolGuy This might be a good option for my spouse when it becomes available -- thought about reserving one but the $500 deposit is a little too serious. Oh sorry, that was the Volvo EX30, not the Mustang. Is Volvo part of Ford? Is the Mustang an EV? I'm so confused.
  • Mikey My late wife loved Mustangs ..We alway rented one while travelling . GM blood vetoed me purchasing one . 3 years after retirement bought an 08 rag top, followed by a 15 EB Hard top, In 18 i bought a low low mileage 05 GT rag with a stick.. The car had not been properly stored. That led to rodent issues !! Electrical nightmare. Lots of bucks !! The stick wasn't kind to my aging knees.. The 05 went to a long term dedicated Mustang guy. He loves it .. Today my garage tenant is a sweet 19 Camaro RS rag 6yl Auto. I just might take it out of hibernation this weekend. The Mustang will always hold a place in my heart.. Kudos to Ford for keeping it alive . I refuse to refer to the fake one by that storied name .
  • Ajla On the Mach-E, I still don't like it but my understanding is that it helps allow Ford to continue offering a V8 in the Mustang and F-150. Considering Dodge and Ram jumped off a cliff into 6-cylinder land there's probably some credibility to that story.
  • Ajla If I was Ford I would just troll Stellantis at all times.
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