March 2013 U.S. Auto Sales

General Motors sold 245,950 vehicles in the United States in March, up 6.4 percent compared with a year ago. Retail sales increased 4 percent, fleet sales were up 12 percent and the fleet mix was 27 percent of total sales. Year-to-date total GM sales are 664,963, up 9.3 percent.

Ford Motor Company sold 236,160 vehicles in March, a 5.7 percent increase over March 2012 for the best sales results since May 2007, and year-to-date Ford has sold 598,483 vehicles, an 11 percent gain over the first quarter of 2012.

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. reported March 2013 sales of 205,342, up 1.0 percent over the year-ago month. For the first quarter, TMS reported sales of 529,444, up 8.7 percent on an unadjusted raw volume basis.

Chrysler Group reported U.S. sales of 171,606, a 5 percent increase compared with sales in March 2012 and the group's best monthly sales since December 2007. Year-to-date sales are 428,352, an 8 percent increase over 2012.

Nissan North America reported March U.S. sales of 137,726, up 1 percent from last year's total and marking the best month in NNA history. Nissan Division also posted its highest volume month ever, with 126,623 deliveries, up 0.4 percent. Infiniti deliveries totaled 11,103, up 9 percent from last March. Year-to-date sales are 318,281, down 1.3 percent from the quarter of 2012.

Hyundai Motor America March sales of 68,306, down just two percent versus the best volume month Hyundai ever recorded last year.  The first quarter of 2013 was the best in Hyundai's history with sales of 164,330, a drop of less tha half a percent from the first quarter of 2012. 

Kia Motors America reported March sales of 49,125, down 14.6 percent from March of 2012. Year-to-date sales are 126,932, down 8 percent from the first quarter of 2012.

Volkswagen of America reported sales of 37,704 in March, a 3.1 percent increase over prior year sales and best March since 1973. Year-to-date sales are 98,178, a 4 percent gain over 2012. Separately, Audi reported March 2013 sales of 13,253 vehicles, a 14.4 percent increase over the previous March record set last year. Year-to-date Audi sales are 34,186, up 16 percent over the first quarter of last year.

Subaru of America reported 36,701 vehicle sales for March 2013, which represents the best-ever sales month for the company and a 13 percent increase over March 2012. Year-to-date sales for Subaru total 92,527, a 15 percent increase over the same period in 2012 and the best first quarter in company history.

Mazda North American Operations reported March U.S. sales of 32,028 vehicles, a decrease of 1.1 percent versus last year. Year-to-date sales of 78,283 through March are down 4.6 percent versus last year.

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported March sales of 33,149 vehicles, an increase of 11.2 percent from the same month a year ago.  Year-to-date, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) sales of 78,957 is up 4.3 percent over the first three months of 2012.  

Mercedes-Benz USA reported record March sales of 24,646, a 6.5 percent increase over March 2012, resulting in year-to-date sales of 69,187, up 12.5 percent.  Combined sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles, smart and Sprinter for the month totaled 27,104, up 6.3 percent, and year-to-date up 12.4 percent at 75,214.

Porsche Cars North America announced record March sales of 3,487 vehicles, an increase of 41 percent. For the year so far, PCNA has delivered 9,650 vehicles, an increase of 34.8 percent, marking the best first quarter in PCNA history.

Sales will be updated as manufacturers report.

2014 BMW 328d Diesel Coming This Fall

The new 2014 BMW 328d, available in rear wheel drive and all-wheel xDrive, will have a 180 horsepower 2.0-liter TwinPower diesel 4-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission when it arrives in U.S. showrooms this Fall. The 328d Sedan will accelerate from 0 – 60 mph in just over seven seconds and is expected to achieve fuel economy of 32 mpg city/45 mpg highway/37 mpg combined. The options list will include Luxury, Sport and Modern Lines as well as M Sport with detailed specifications and pricing available closer to launch.

2014 Mitsubishi Mirage 5-door Goes On Sale This Fall

The all-new 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage 5-door subcompact powered by a 74 horsepower 1.2-liter three-cylinder DOHC engine is expected to achieve fuel economy of 40 mpg combined/37 mpg city/44 mpg highway. For better collision protection Mitsubishi engineers have strengthened the all-new Mirage 5-door by incorporating Mitsubishi's RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) impact-absorbing safety cell technology with an impact energy-absorbing front end along with use of high tensile steel in key areas throughout the platform.

World Car Awards: Golf, Boxster/Cayman, F-Type, Tesla

2015 Volkswagen Golf - 2013 World Car Of The Year

 

 
The World Car awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs. The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid, 2014 Infiniti Q50 This Summer

The new 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid utilizes a supercharged 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder and an electric motor powered by a compact Lithium-ion battery pack located under the 3rd row seat with an estimated net system 250 horsepower that is projected to get acombined city/highway 26 miles per gallon, a 24 percent increase over standard QX60 models. The Infiniti QX60 Hybrid is projected to be priced about $3,000 above the 3.5-liter V6 equipped models.

The all-new 2014 Infiniti Q50 sports sedan offered with a choice of a 3.7-liter V6 or new Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid system in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive will have an introductory starting M.S.R.P. for pre-orders of $36,450 in the U.S., $900 lower than the base M.S.R.P of the 2013 Infiniti G37 Sedan.

Both vehicles are set to go on sale at Infiniti retailers in the United States later this summer.

2014 Dodge Durango Coming In The 3rd Quarter

The new 2014 Dodge Durango, available in five trim levels: SXT, Rallye, the new for 2014 Limited, R/T and Citadel, has a standard 290 horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine paired with the new standard eight-speed transmission and an available 360 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine with cylinder-deactivation that seamlessly alternates between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V-8 mode when more power is in demand to optimize fuel consumption.

The new eight-speed automatic transmission with rotary shifter and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters improves fuel economy up to 9 percent while enhancing performance and smoother shifts. The V-6 engine Durango can tow up to 6,200 pounds and with the V-8 engine up to 7,400 pounds. Production is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2013.

Subaru WRX Concept

The Subaru WRX Concept is a turbocharged AWD sports car that features a carbon-fiber roof to reduce weight and is lower and wider for low center of gravity. A look to the future for the WRX.

2014 Scion tC Goes On Sale In June

The new 2014 Scion tC sports coupe has a 179 horsepower 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with either a six-speed manual transmission or an updated six-speed automatic that can change gears nearly twice as fast as the previous model for both upshifts and downshifts. The tC will have the all-new Scion Standard Display Audio with a 6.1-inch LCD touchscreen, auto-off headlamps and an auto-up and down driver's window. The 2014 Scion tC will arrive in dealerships in June.

Volvo S60, V60, XC60 new R-Design Models

The new Volvo S60 sedan, V60 wagon and XC60 SUV R-Design versions have a 325 horsepower T6 engine with the Advanced Quick Shift transmission optimization software that improves the speed of each gear change, a new feature available on all T6 engines and activated when the transmission is set to sport mode or when using paddle shifters. The new Volvo S60 and XC60 R-Design will be available in all markets that sell the standard versions of these models. Volvo expects that around 10 percent of buyers will choose the R-Design version. The V60 wagon R-Design just made its global debut and the new standard version Volvo V60 will come to the U.S. market in early 2014.

2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid Coming Late This Summer

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid will have a supercharged 2.5-liter gasoline engine, 15 kW electric motor and advanced Nissan Intelligent Dual Clutch hybrid control system and get 26 mpg fuel economy (estimated combined city/highway) with a 526-mile driving range. The Pathfinder Hybrid will be priced at around $3,000 above the standard 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine-powered Pathfinder models. Also announced was the next generation 2015 Nissan Murano based on the recently introduced Resonance Concept which will include a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro SS, ZL1, Z/28 Coming Later This Year

2014 Camaro Z/28

The restyled 2014 Chevrolet Camaro line represents the most significant redesign since the introduction of the fifth-generation Camaro as a concept car in 2006. The Camaro SS has a 6.2-liter 426-horsepower LS3 engine. The 2014 Camaro Z/28 (above) has the lighter, naturally aspirated 500 horsepower 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine first introduced in the Corvette Z06 and is mated to a Tremec TR6060 manual transmission. The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 features a revised exterior design and is three seconds faster per lap and weighs 300 pounds less than the 580 horsepower 6.2-liter LSA supercharged engine in the Camaro ZL1. The Camaro Z/28 features 19-inch diameter wheels and tires, which reduce unsprung weight by 42 pounds per car compared to the 20-inch wheels standard on Camaro SS and ZL1. The 2014 Camaro will arrive at Chevrolet dealers later in 2013.

2014 Camaro SS

2015 Volkswagen Golf Coming In Early 2014

 
The seventh-generation 2015 Volkswagen Golf is 2.2 inches longer, 0.5 inches wider, 51 pounds lighter and as much as 15% more fuel-efficient than the car it replaces. The Golf will be powered by a 170 horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder TSI engine or a new 150 horsepower 2.0-liter common-rail, turbocharged, direct-injection diesel engine which is 10 more horsepower than the current engine. The GTI will also use an uprated version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged TSI engine expected to generate about 210 horsepower and, like the current GTI, the engine will drive the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or six-speed DSG transmission.

For the first time, Volkswagen is using touchscreens with a proximity sensor, allowing drivers to change functions with a swipe of the hand, just like a smartphone. The base radio has a 5.8-inch touchscreen and the new navigation systems are DVD-based with a 3D display.

2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Arrives In Early 2014

 
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive, based on the conventionally powered B-Class which made its market debut in 2011, is powered by an electric motor with more than 134 horsepower and a 0 to 60 mph time of less than ten seconds. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 100 mph, to get the range to around 115 miles. The B-Class Electric Drive battery can be recharged at any standard domestic power outlet. In the USA, the charging time for a range of about 60 miles is less than 2 hours at 240 V/40 A. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive will only be introduced with battery electric drive in the U.S. and will be available in the U.S. from early 2014 with the European launch to follow. Move over Nissan Leaf if the price is right.

2014 Acura MDX Coming This Summer

The all-new third-generation 2014 Acura MDX seven-passenger luxury SUV, on a completely new platform, is powered by an all-new 290 horsepower direct-injected 24-valve 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management™ mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with Sport Mode and Sequential SportShift Paddle Shifters. The new MDX will be offered in both Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ and, for the first time, a more affordable front-wheel-drive model that gets an EPA rated at 20 city/28 highway/23 combined miles per gallon.

Measuring 193.6 inches in overall length, the 2014 MDX is 2 inches longer than the current model riding on a 111-inch wheelbase that's up 2.75 inches from the previous model. The 2014 Acura MDX will be available in four grades: MDX, MDX with Technology package, the MDX with Technology and Entertainment packages, and the top-of-the-line MDX with Advance and Entertainment packages. The Alabama-made 2014 Acura MDX is scheduled to go on sale at U.S. Acura dealers nationwide this summer with pricing details announced closer to launch.

Looks like the New York Auto Show is the SUV show with the new 2014 Acura MDX, 2014 Toyota Highlander, 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2014 Infinti QX60 Hybrid, 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid and 2014 Jeep Cherokee all making debuts.

2014 Kia Forte Koup Goes On Sale In 4th Quarter

The all-new two-door 2014 KIa Forte Koup EX comes equipped with a 173 horsepower 2.0-liter GDI four-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and the SX has a 201 horsepower 1.6-liter gasoline direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine that may be mated with either a standard 6-speed manual or optional 6-speed automatic featuring steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Sales are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2013, and pricing will be announced closer to the Koup’s launch.

2014 Kia Soul Coming In The 3rd Quarter This Year

The all-new 2014 Kia Soul urban utility vehicle is 0.8 inches longer and 0.6 inches wider than the current Soul that was first introduced in 2009 and the new body gets a 28.7 percent increase in torsional rigidity over the present Soul.

The 2014 Kia Soul has three trim levels: Base, Plus and Exclaim. The Base Soul has a gasoline direct injection 130-horsepower 1.6-liter all-aluminum DOHC four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission or, optionally, to a six-speed automatic. The Plus and Exclaim models get a 164 horsepower 2.0-liter NU power plant. The Plus model may be equipped with either transmission while the Exclaim is available exclusively with the six-speed automatic. U.S. sales are expected to begin in the third quarter of this year. Pricing will be announced closer to the Soul’s launch date.

2014 Toyota Highlander Arrives In Early 2014

The all-new 2014 Toyota Highlander is 2.7 inches longer than the previous model at 191.1 inches and 0.6 inches wider on the same 109.8 inch wheelbase. The 8-passenger Highlander has an overall interior width increase of 4.3 inches in the third-row and a standard recline function creates added room for up to three passengers. Rear cargo space behind the third-row has increased by up to 34 percent for added storage. The 2014 Toyota Highlander offers a 2.7-liter four cylinder and 3.5-liter V6 with new 6-speed Automatic Transmission will be mated to the V6. The 3rd-generation Highlander will continue to offer a Hybrid Synergy Drive system paired to the 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine with a high-torque electric drive motor-generator.

The new Highlander has standard Display Audio with an Integrated Backup Camera, or an optional 8-inch touch screen Navigation with the Entune™ multimedia system. Highlander also has a Blind-Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Alert System, Auto High Beam headlamps, and a Pre-collision System with Dynamic Cruise Control. New available features include rear parking sonar, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Departure Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and a Pre-collision System.

Bill Fay, Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. said "We listened and made improvements where it counts for consumers.  Our goal was to create a mid-size SUV with "No Sacrifice”. Current owners told us that Highlander is “just the right size” for maneuverability, but that it could use some extra space.  So, we increased passenger seating capacity AND cargo capacity through structural changes and a close attention to interior packaging.  We were able to achieve this without greatly expanding the external size of the vehicle."

The all-new, Indiana-made Highlander will reach dealer showrooms in early 2014.

All-New Range Rover Sport Goes On Sale In 3rd Quarter

The all-new Range Rover Sport is almost 2.5 inches longer than its predecessor and about 6 inches shorter than its Range Rover sibling and will have a choice of a 510 horsepower 5.0-liter supercharged V8, a new 340 horsepower 3.0-liter supercharged V6, a 258 horsepower 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 and a 292 horsepower diesel SDV6. Later this year a high performance 339 horsepower 4.4-liter SDV8 diesel version is coming and a diesel Hybrid model will be available to order later this year for delivery in 2014. A choice of two full-time 4WD systems will be offered. One system provides a two-speed transfer case with low-range option, for the most demanding off-road conditions with a front-rear 50/50 percent default torque split, and 100 percent locking capability. The all-new Range Rover Sport goes on sale during the third quarter of this year.

2015 Audi A3 / S3 Sedans Coming First Quarter Of 2014

The all-new third generation 2015 Audi A3 and sporty 2015 Audi S3 (above) sedans are coming to showrooms in the first quarter of 2014 with a choice of a 170 horsepower 1.8 TFSI, a 150 horsepower 2.0 TDI clean diesel for the A3 and with a high-output 2.0 TFSI engine with power still to be announced for the high performance S3. All engines mated to the standard 6-speed S tronic® transmission. The A3 will offer MMI® technology, Audi drive select, 4G LTE connectivity and Bang & Olufsen® audio. The Audi A3 base model comes equipped with standard features that include leather upholstery, Bluetooth® technology, rain sensing wipers, Audi pre sense basic and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Audi also confirmed that it will be adding the A3 Sportback with a plug-in gasoline electric hybrid (PHEV) model in the U.S. market.

2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite With Vacuum This Summer

The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite will offer HondaVAC, an in-vehicle vacuum system developed in conjunction with Shop-Vac, when it hits Honda dealerships nationwide this summer. The refreshed Odyssey Touring Elite will also come equipped with an expanded view driver's mirror, forward collision warning and lane departure warning.