TOP 15 SELLING VEHICLES TO KICK OFF NEW YEAR

January 2011 Vehicle Sales
FORD F-Series                 35,806
GM Chevrolet Silverado     28,172
TOYOTA Corolla               20,581
TOYOTA Camry               18,145
CHRYSLER Dodge Ram       16,618
NISSAN Altima                 16,454
HONDA CRV                     16,339
GM Chevrolet Impala         15,188
HONDA Accord                 15,012
HONDA Civic                    14,634
FORD Fusion                    14,346
GM Chevrolet Malibu          14,102
FORD Escape                   13,973
HYUNDAI Sonata              13,261
VOLKSWAGEN Jetta          11,460

January 2011 Auto Sales Up Over January 2010

General Motors reported January U.S. sales of 178,896, a 23 percent increase from a year ago for Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC. Retail sales were 36 percent higher than a strong January a year ago.

Ford’s total January sales (including fleet sales) were 127,317, up 13 percent, including a planned 27 percent decline in sales to daily rental companies.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. reported January sales of 115,856, up 17.3 percent over the year-ago month. The Toyota Division had sales of 102,996 units, an increase of 23.7 percent over the same period last year and the Lexus Division reported sales of 12,860 units, a decrease of 17.1 percent from last January.

American Honda posted January sales of 76,269 vehicles, an increase of 13 percent. Honda Division posted January sales of 68,308, an increase of 13.2 percent versus January 2010. Acura with 4,268 units sold was up 32.1 percent.

Nissan North America reported January U.S. sales of 71,847, an increase of 14.8 percent.  Nissan Division sales were up 15.4 percent for the month. Sales of Infiniti vehicles rose 10.3 percent over the prior year.

Chrysler Group reported U.S. sales of 70,118, a 23 percent increase compared with sales in January 2010.

Hyundai Motor America announced record January sales of 37,214 units, up 22 percent versus 2010.

Kia Motors America announced record January sales of 27,789 units, a 25.6 percent increase over the same period in 2010  and besting the previous January record of 22,524 set in 2007 by 23.4 percent.

Volkswagen reported 18,401 vehicles in January 2011, a 2.1 percent increase over prior year sales. Separately, Audi reported record January U.S. sales of 7,812, a 20 percent overall increase from January 2010. The previous January sales record for Audi in the U.S. was the 6,510 vehicles sold in 2010.

Subaru of America reported record January sales of 18,858, up 21 percent versus January 2010.

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported January sales of 18,656 vehicles, an increase of 21.1 percent from the the same month a year ago. 

Mercedes-Benz USA sold 17,273 vehicles in January, a 14% increase over January 2010.

Mazda North American Operations reported January 2011 sales of 14,267, a decrease of 9.1 percent versus January of 2010, primarily due to a substantial reduction in fleet sales this month.

Mitsubishi Motors North America reported January 2011 sales of 5,714 units, an increase of 37 percent compared to January 2010.

Jaguar Land Rover North America January U.S. sales for both brands totaled 3,206 units, up 24 percent from January 2010. Jaguar sales were 935 units, up 48 percent from January 2010 and Land Rover sales were 2,271 units, 16 percent up January 2010.

American Suzuki sold 2,562 vehicles in January, a 26 percent rise over January 2010.

Blog will be updated as manufacturers report.

Audi Will Feature A8 In Super Bowl Ad

Audi will have a 60-second TV spot set to air in the first break after kick-off of Super Bowl XLV.  The spot called "Release the Hounds" will feature an irreverent, satirical overtone and follow two well-dressed inmates as they attempt to break out of a luxury prison. Challenging viewers to re-think luxury, the ad will humorously feature a number of elements that recall the heyday of old luxury and will culminate with an unforgettable and comical cameo at the end. Audi's 2011 Super Bowl spot also will feature the 2011 A8, Audi's flagship sedan. The 60-second TV advertisement is being created by San Francisco-based Venables Bell & Partners.

Super Bowl MVP Will Get A 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible

The Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLV, to be decided by a media panel and fan vote on www.superbowl.com from the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers on February 6th,  will receive a 2011 Camaro Convertible which arrives in dealerships in February. The 2011 Camaro Convertible is available with offered with a standard 312-horsepower Direct Injection V6 engine (29 miles per gallon on the highway) or with a  426 horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine in the SS model. What's next - replacing the hardtop on Hawaii Five-0?

Kia Returns To Super Bowl With 2011 Optima Ad

 Kia returns with a new 60-second spot that will air in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLV titled “One Epic Ride,” and Kia will extend the campaign by giving away up to five Optimas through its “One Epic Contest,” which challenges consumers to solve a series of puzzles using clues provided in pre-Super Bowl and game day advertisements and social media postings. In “One Epic Ride,” people across space and time — from a police officer and an international villain to aliens and an ancient chief — will go to great lengths to snatch the all-new Optima from the clutches of others and put themselves behind the wheel. The Optima becomes an object of desire, and even Poseidon, the king of the sea, does his best to get his hands on the car.

Created by David&Goliath, “One Epic Ride” demonstrates the extreme measures people will go to get their hands on a midsize sedan that defies the conventions of the segment with a combination of striking design, exhilarating performance and outstanding value not found anywhere else in the category.

Volkswagen With 2 Super Bowl Ads: Passat & Beetle

Volkswagen will premiere two 30 second spots during the 2nd and 4th quarters of Super Bowl XLV showcasing two new vehicles that won't hit showrooms until later this year. The  all-new 2012 Passat and the 21st Century Beetle, are part of a pre-launch advertising and marketing campaign that includes television, digital, experiential, and retail activations to maintain momentum throughout the year.

With its all-new 2012 Passat ad, Volkswagen brings Star Wars™ to one of TV's most talked about events.  Accompanied by John Williams' iconic "The Imperial March," the spot features the most infamous villain in the galaxy, a pint-sized Darth Vader, who uses the Force when he discovers the all-new 2012 Passat in the driveway. The two iconic brands leverage humor and the unforgettable Star Wars score to create an emotional spot and make Super Bowl ad history.

In "Black Beetle," the first spot for The 21st Century Beetle,  there's CGI-generated lush kingdom where the Black Beetle rules, runs, navigates and out performs all the other creatures. With the song "Black Betty," rerecorded by Jon Spencer and the Blues Explosion, the Beetle ad does not feature any actual images of the car, a building anticipation of the reveal.

The ads come from Deutsch LA, Volkswagen’s new ad agency of record.

2011 Chrysler Town & Country & Dodge Grand Caravan In Production

The new 2011 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan had their production launch this week in Windsor, Canada, as two of the 16 new or significantly refreshed products Chrysler has debuted recently. The Chrysler Town & Country was 2010's best selling minivan with 112, 275 sold, a 33 percent increase compared with 2009, and Chrysler's second best-selling vehicle last year. The new 2011 model was shown in Detroit last week and the Dodge Grand Caravan in Los Angeles in November.

The 2011 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan both have the all-new 3.6-litre Pentastar V-6 engine with up to 2 miles per gallon improved fuel economy of 36 MPG Highway . Both feature a new fuel-economizer mode that helps maximize fuel efficiency and more than 40 safety features including a new driver-side knee blocker airbag, front seat-mounted side airbags, side curtain airbags, electronic stability control and tire pressure monitoring.

The newest features include the Super Stow 'n Go seating and storage system, with larger, more comfortable seats and with a new, easy to use one-touch fold down function, the Stow 'n' Place™ roof rack system that lets owners stow the roof bows in the side rails when they're not using them and snap them easily into place when needed to reduce aerodynamic drag and wind buffeting and there's a heated steering wheel. The Uconnect system offers touch-screen and voice command for control of multiple media sources, navigation and hands-free phone.

Chrysler claims to be the inventor of the modern minivan with the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager first launched in 1983 followed by the upscale Chrysler Town & Country in 1989 adding up to 13 million sold since. In 2010, 460,154 minivans were sold in the United States, up 11 percent compared with 2009.

General Motors Executive Shuffle Again - Effective Feb. 1,2011

Thomas G. Stephens, 62, is the new Global Chief Technology Officer in a move to bring greater focus and urgency to developing leading edge technology for all General Motors vehicles. Stephens, 62, will continue to report to GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson who says  “Tom will make sure that GM technology keeps up with our customers and keeps ahead of our competitors.” The new CTO position is a major element of Akerson’s goal to make the company more customer driven and technology focused.  In December, Akerson elevated Joel Ewanick to Global Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for GM’s brands globally. Stephens also will be responsible for the company’s research and development organization led by GM vice president Alan Taub. The successor for Stephens is Mary Barra, named senior vice president, Global Product Development, to lead the design, engineering, program management and quality of vehicles for the company’s 11 brands around the world. Barra began her career with General Motors in 1980 as a General Motors Institute (Kettering University) co-op student at the Pontiac Motor Division. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. In 1988, Barra received a GM fellowship to the Stanford Graduate School of Business and in 1990 graduated with an MBA.

Linda Marshall has been appointed president of OnStar succeeding J. Christopher Preuss, who has elected to leave the company to launch a communications consultancy practice. Marshall joined GM in November 2010 as executive director, OnStar global business strategy and development from  the position of chief operating officer for Revol Wireless. She will report to Stephen J. Girsky, vice chairman, corporate strategy and business development. Marshall has more than two decades of experience in the telecommunications industry, including senior executive-level roles at both Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless.  She holds a bachelors of science in accounting and business from Elmhurst College and completed the Executive Management Program at Stanford University.

General Motors is making changes in its U.S. marketing operations with former Chevy Marketing V.P. Chris Perry going to vice president, U.S. marketing, replacing Joel Ewanick who was named Global Chief Marketing Officer on Dec. 17, 2010.  Perry, 50, who will report to Ewanick, had served as U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Marketing, since September 2010. Prior to joining GM, Perry was vice president, marketing, Hyundai Motor America.  Perry also spent nearly 10 years at American Isuzu Motors, where he held a variety of marketing and advertising positions. In his new role, Perry will have responsibility for improving the positioning of the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands and consumer consideration of GM vehicles in the United States.

Rick Scheidt, currently executive director, Chevrolet product marketing, is named U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Marketing, replacing Perry.  Scheidt, 57, joined GM in 1980, and has held several marketing positions within GM, primarily with the Chevrolet brand.

John Schwegman, currently U.S. vice president, Buick-GMC Marketing, is named U.S. vice president, GMC Marketing. Schwegman, 46, began his career with General Motors in 1988.  He has held numerous sales and marketing assignments, including positions at the former Pontiac and Saturn divisions and in General Motors Market and Industry Analysis.  Most recently, he led the Marketing launches for Chevrolet’s current generation full-size trucks brands.

Tony DiSalle, currently product and marketing director, Chevrolet Volt, is named U.S. vice president, Buick Marketing. DiSalle, 46, began his career with GM in 1988.  He has held several management positions, including key assignments at OnStar and within GM’s marketing operations.

“These moves support our plans to continue building very clear and distinct swim lanes for our four brands, “said Joel Ewanick, Global Chief Marketing Director.  “These individuals have great track records for leading very aggressive and creative marketing strategies.”

BMW's Ian Robertson On In-Vehicle Technology

 

2011 NAIAS: Media Day 1 Was Overwhelming, Day 2 Was Empty

The North American International Auto Show kicked off with its first of two media days on Monday January 10th with 18 manufacturer media conferences, that's right 18! Beginning at 6:30am, or 3:30am for those of us who flew in from the West Coast, Porsche debuted the Porsche 918 RSR hybrid concept medium-sized coupe that will only be driven by the race car driver assigned to the vehicle, not the masses. A big deal for Porsche being their first Detroit appearance in years because Porsche doesn't sell many cars in Michigan, unlike Los Angeles where it always has a lavish, expansive display in its own exhibit hall. So, exhausted from the outset after a 5:30ET/2:30PT wake up call, it's race and scramble to make the media conferences. Just 10 to 15 minutes between the vehicle introductions so no time for lunch because you would miss BMW, Audi and Toyota. Nearly 12 hours later, the challenge was staying awake for the 6:15pm Chevy Sonic unveiling, by using the toothpicks from GM's mini-burgers to keep my eyelids open. As it turns out, it was Chris Perry's last Chevy announcement as he now takes over U.S. marketing under GM's global marketing chief Joel Ewanick.

The only manufacturer to present on Day 2 was Volvo which is going through a product realignment so they showed off a crashed electric C30 and only got some audience because Wall Street analysts were gathering to hear Ford CEO Alan Mulally next door explaining their global strategy to Wall Street analysts. Fitting that Volvo had a crashed car given the state of many of us West Coast journalists. Otherwise, Day 2 was for getting photos and videos of the cars that were so mobbed on Day 1, but unfortunately without the executives to provide commentary on their new products. My personal show disappointment was the absence of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, apparently shown in a sneak preview to a select group of invited journalists. Talk is that show organizers will have to go back to spreading out the OEM presentations over a few days. It will help the local economy, not to mention the health of the sleep-deprived California journalists. Twitter may have tweeted out on Day 1, too. On a positive note, by viewing this website, you can see the quantity of material gathered. Next stop is NADA in San Francisco where manufacturers and dealers mix to examine their industry and its challenges.

Toyota's Jim Lentz Forecasts Better 2011 Sales vs. Flat 2010

2011 NAIAS: MINI Paceman Concept Is Peppy 2-Door Countryman

The all-wheel drive MINI Paceman has a 211 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the same 1.6 liter John Cooper Works twin-scroll turbo engine that's in the John Cooper Works version of the Mini hatchback. Though still being billed as a concept, the Paceman will very likely go into production and showrooms. With so many tech-loaded small vehicles hitting U.S. streets, the MINI buyer must have an acquired taste and larger wallet than other compact car shoppers. The powerful Paceman promises to please those picky personalities.

2011 NAIAS: 2011 Jeep Compass Takes Cues From Grand Cherokee

 The new 2011 Jeep® Compass, taking design cues from the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, is available in three drivetrain configurations: Standard front-wheel-drive, the Freedom Drive I four-wheel-drive system and the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package four-wheel-drive system that delivers Jeep Trail Rated® capability in Compass form. Compass features a standard 158 horsepower 2.0-liter World Engine with the continuously variable transmission and delivers 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway when mated to the five-speed manual transmission. The 172-horsepower 2.4-liter World Engine with dual Variable Valve Timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts, is available on all models.

 The 2011 Jeep Compass is available in three configurations: Compass, Latitude and Limited. All are available with front-wheel drive, the Freedom Drive I full-time, active 4x4 system or the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package full-time, active 4x4 system with low-range capability. There's a long history of affection for the Jeep Grand Cherokee so its smaller sibling is hitting a market and loyalty sweet spot.

2011 NAIAS: Ford Vertrek Concept

The Ford Vertrek concept, built on Ford's global C-segment platform, has new 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine from the global Ford EcoBoost family mated to a new, fuel-saving Ford Auto Start-Stop technology. By 2012, the C-segment platform will underpin more than 2 million vehicles globally and by 2013, 80 percent of Ford's global nameplates and 90 percent of Ford's North American nameplates will have an EcoBoost option.

 Looks like Ford's latest charge into the growing mid-size CUV segment that Lexus started and built into a huge success with the RX.

Chrysler 200 Convertible: Retractable Hard Top Or Cloth Soft Top

The new 2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible has been redesigned and re-engineered as a mid-sized convertible that seats four adults with ample room in the trunk, even when the power top is dropped. There are two automatically latching tops, a body-color painted steel, retractable hard top, or a cloth soft top, both of which can drop with the press of a button on the key fob. The 2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible is offered with the available new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine and 2.4-liter I4 World Gas Engine, both mated to a six-speed transmission.

One of my favorites excursions was a 5-day, 1,100 mile late August drive behind the wheel of a Sebring retractable hard top through upstate New York and Massachusetts. If successor, the 200 convertible, is better, it will be a big hit.

AN World Congress: VW's Jonathan Browning On Tracking Quality

2011 NAIAS: Ford's Latest Techology Innovations

2011 NAIAS: Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler On Technology

2011 NAIAS: BMW's Ian Robertson On Manufacturing Expansion

2011 NAIAS: Volvo Pres. & CEO Stefan Jacoby On Strategy