2014 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Price Cut Starting Next Month

Toyota has cut the price on the 2014 Prius Plug-in Hybrid by $2,010 to $29,990 (excluding DPH) and on the 2014 Prius Plug-in Advanced model by $4,620 to $34,905 (excluding DPH). The Prius Plug-in qualifies for a Federal Tax Credit of up to $2,500 in addition to the State of California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP) which offers a $1,500 rebate. The 2014 Prius Plug-in is also eligible for the State of California’s HOV lane sticker. Pricing takes effect when these models arrive in showrooms in November in 15 states.

In September, Prius Plug-In Hybrid sales were 1,152, a 24.2 percent drop from a year ago and year-to-date sales are 7,974, up 3.6 percent from 2012. That compares to year-to-date sales for the Prius sedan of 117,251, an 0.4 percent rise over last year, for the Prius C of 33,133, a 27.4 percent increase and for the Prius V of 28,398, down 11.5 percent compared to the first 9 months of 2012.

In comparison, the Chevrolet Volt extended electric vehicle with an MSRP of $34,185 (excluding delivery charges) had sales of 1,766 in September, down 38.1 percent from September 2012 and year-to-day Volt sales are 16,348, a 2.5 percent increase over the first nine months of last year.

All-New 2015 Cadillac Escalade Goes Into Production Next Spring

The all-new 2015 Cadillac Escalade, the fourth-generation of General Motors luxury SUV, is offered with 2WD and 4WD drivetrains in a standard and extended-length ESV edition with a new 420 horsepower 6.2L V-8 engine matched with the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission and delivers 460 lb-ft of torque.

The Escalade ESV has a 14-inch-longer wheelbase and approximately 20 inches more in overall length than the Escalade, maximizing space for third-row passengers and 60 percent more cargo space behind the third-row seat.

Production of the 2015 Escalade begins next spring in Arlington, Texas.

Can Volvo Win Nobel U.S. Sales Comeback Prize?

Identity Crisis
Is Volvo's identity crisis slowing down sales? Bought by Chinese Geely Automobile in 2010 with the volume leading S60 and XC60 both made in Ghent, Belgium, and their biggest sales market being the United States. Does that distance the company from its headquarters in Göteborg, Sweden, where safety slogans like "We built them the way we build them because we have to" originated.
Did Volvo lose its Swedish touch?
Sweden is one of the most successful producers of top talent for its tiny population of just 9.5 million people. Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, is the namesake of the world's most respected prizes, Ikea owner Ingvar Kamprad's furniture sales has made him one of the world's richest people, Henrik Stenson, born in Volvo's hometown, just won golf's top trophies, the FedEx Cup and Tour Championship, after fighting back from two major career slumps that maybe Volvo can follow. Will Volvo take a chapter from the late Stieg Larsson's highly successful Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trilogy and go for some aggressive market share revenge?
Bi-coastal Bouncing
When Ford bought Volvo in 1999, under then-CEO Jacques Nasser, it became part of The Premier Automotive Group and in 2001 moved U.S. headquarters from Rockleigh, New Jersey, where it had been since 1964 to Irvine, California. Alan Mulally became Ford's President and CEO in September 2006, Volvo's U.S. headquarters returned to New Jersey in 2008 and Volvo was the last PAG brand to be sold off. The moves and stretch of ownership uncertainty obviously froze focus.
Management Changes
Now is Volvo rearranging the deck chairs in the wake of sinking sales in the U.S., their largest market, or hoping to relaunch with a vengeance by giving the role of acting president and CEO to Tony Nicolosi, 26 years with Volvo, who will attempt to revitalize U.S. sales with his background at Volvo Cars Financial Services? He replaces one of the most competent automotive marketing men John Maloney, who was asked to consider a senior role in Europe but, with strong ties to Southern California, decided to leave after 14 years with the company. Greg Swetoha, Executive Vice President of sales operations, has also elected to leave Volvo, despite the August news that Volvo Cars of North America ranked first among luxury brands at having dealerships that are effective at influencing the purchase, according to Foresight Research's 2013 Dealership Report. 
U.S. Sales Down
For the first nine months of 2013, Volvo's seven available U.S. models had sales of 48,193, down 6.6 percent from the same period last year. Only the XC60, with sales of 15,441, up 12.3 percent over 2012, and the volume leading S60 with 18,732, a 4.1 percent sales gain over last year, are showing increases. If U.S. sales hold steady for the last 3 months of 2013, they are on pace for sales of about 64,000 for the year, a far cry from the 2004 U.S. sales record of 140,000 vehicles.

2008 Volvo XC60 Geneva Auto Show Debut

2014 Volvo XC60

Relaunching
The popular XC60, introduced at 2008 Geneva Auto Show is said to be redesigned for 2014 which should boost sizzle and sales. They don't look a lot different but Volvo says the 2014 XC60 has a new hood, front fenders, grille design, headlight assemblies, vertically mounted LED daytime running lights, Corner Traction Control by torque vectoring with interior changes including a new instrument cluster, white illumination in buttons replaces the previous green illumination, new front door sill plates, new metal threshold for cargo area, revised automatic transmission shift knob with piano black background and illuminated symbols, to name a few. In 2010, I spent a week in the XC60 diesel driving around Southern Sweden and loved the vehicle.

The latest Volvo Concept Coupé is being touted as a Scandinavian creation. The Swedish touch, safety legacy and revitalized products will be the key to the return of a brand that sold 456,224 vehicles globally just 9 years ago.

Volkswagen XL1 Plug-in Hybrid Shown In Chattanooga

The Volkswagen XL1, plug-in hybrid with a 48 PS (35kW) two-cylinder TDI® engine, a 27-hp electric motor, a seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a lithium-ion battery, made its U.S. debut in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The XL1 offers an estimated European combined fuel consumption rating of 261 mpg (more than 200 mpg estimated in the U.S. cycle) and can cover up to 32 miles as a zero-emissions vehicle in all-electric mode.

The XL1 also has a top speed of 99 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 12.7 seconds. The XL1 is 153.1 inches long, 65.6 inches wide, and just 45.4 inches tall. By comparison, a Volkswagen Polo is slightly longer (156.3 in) and wider (66.2 in), but is significantly taller (57.6 in).EV1 or old Honda Insight similarity?

September 2013 U.S. Auto Sales

General Motors delivered 187,195 vehicles in the United States in September, down 11 percent year over year. Retail sales were down 6 percent versus a year ago and fleet sales were down 27 percent. Year-to-date sales are 1,603,319, an 11.6 percent increase. GM sold 13,828 Cadillacs in September, up 9.9 percent, and 133,414 of the luxury brand vehicles this year, a 28.9 percent gain over 2012.

Ford sales totaled 185,146, a 5.8 percent increase for its best September since 2006 while year-to-date sales are 1,893,426, a 12 percent increase of last year. The Lincoln brand had sales of 6,453, a 5.1 percent drop from September 2012 while year-to-date sales of the luxury brand are 59,852, a 6.3 percent decline.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. reported September 2013 sales results of 164,457, a decrease of 4.3 percent from year-ago month. Toyota Division posted September 2013 sales of 144,935, down 4.3 percent over September 2012. Lexus reported September sales of 19,522, a 4.2 percent decline on a raw volume basis year-over-year.

Chrysler reported U.S. sales of 143,017, a 1 percent increase compared with sales in September 2012 for the best September sales since 2007. Year-to-date sales of 1,357,003 is a 9 percent gain over last year.

American Honda September 2013 U.S. sales of 105,563 was a decrease of 9.9 percent compared with September 2012 while year-to-date sales 1,159,012 are up 8.7 percent over 2012. The Honda division posted September 2013 sales of 93,915, a decrease of 8.7 percent compared with September 2012 with year-to-date sales of 1,038,182, a 9.2 percent increase over last year. Acura U.S. September sales of 11,648 is a decrease of 18.9 percent compared with September 2012 and year-to-date is 120,830, a 4.4 percent gain over last year.

Nissan U.S. sales in September totaled 86,868, down 5.5 percent from last year while year-to-date, sales are 941,116, an 8.6 percent increase over 2012. Nissan Division September sales finished at 77,828, a decrease of 5.6 percent. Sales of Infiniti vehicles totaled 9,040 units, down 4.3 percent.

Hyundai Motor America September sales of 55,102 was down eight percent versus the same period in 2012. Year-to-date sales of 548,218, was a 1.6 percent increase of 2012.

Kia Motors America reported September sales of 38,003, a 21 percent tumble from 2012, while year-to-date sales of 416,383 is a 4.3 percent fall from last year.

Subaru of America reported 31,755 vehicle sales for the month of September, an increase of 15 percent over September 2012, representing the best September sales month in company history. Year-to-date sales for Subaru totaled 313,407, 28 percent higher than the same period in 2012.  Subaru is on track to achieve its fifth-consecutive year of sales increases.

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported September sales of 28,874 vehicles, an increase of 8.3 percent from the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) is up 11.6 percent on sales of 262,200 in the first nine months of 2013 compared to 2012.

Mercedes-Benz USA reported the highest September sales in its history with 27,474 sold across the Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart model lines, an increase of 5.8 percent from September 2012.  Retail volumes for the Mercedes-Benz brand rose 6.7 percent over the same period last year to 24,697, while year-to-date sales of 215,056 was up 12.2 percent. Adding year-to-date sales of 14,940 for Sprinter Vans and 6,937 vehicles at smart, MBUSA's year-to-date total reached 236,933, marking a best-ever third quarter for both the Mercedes-Benz brand and MBUSA.

Mazda North American Operations reported September U.S. sales of 22,464 vehicles, representing a decrease of 6.9 percent versus last year. Year-to-date sales through September are up 5.3 percent versus last year, with 220,490 vehicles sold.

Jaguar Land Rover North America reported September 2013 U.S. sales of 4,700, a 1 percent increase from September 2012. Jaguar sales were 1,313, 31 percent up from September 2012 with year to date Jaguar sales 12,447, up 30 percent. Land Rover sales were 3,387, down 7 percent from a year ago but still up 12 percent year-over-year. Year to date through September, Jaguar Land Rover North America is up 16 percent.

Volvo Cars of North America reported U.S. sales of 4,188, a 15.9 percent decrease versus September 2012. Year-to-date sales are 48,193, down 6.6 percent over the first nine months of 2012.

Porsche Cars North America September 2013 sales of 3,093 vehicles was an increase of 13 percent over the same period in 2012. During the first nine months of the year, Porsche has sold 31,549 cars in the U.S., 26 percent ahead of last year's year-to-date total.

Mitsubishi Motors North America reported September sales of 4,001, down 16.7 percent compared to September 2012. 

The 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty Unveiled Today

The 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty with a second-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbo diesel engine with reverse-flow that places the exhaust inside the engine’s V-shape while the air intake is positioned on the outside of the V to shorten airflow from the exhaust system to the turbocharger sitting between the engine’s cylinder banks also the turbo inside the engine’s valley helps isolate the engine’s hottest temperatures, improving performance and efficiency.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD Arrives In First Quarter Next Year

The all-new 2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD full-size pickups arrive in the first quarter of 2014, including the 2500HD and 3500HD models, and the Sierra Denali HD, which will carry a payload of 7,374 pounds and be able to trailer 19,600 pounds. The pickups will have a CornerStep rear bumper, EZ Lift and Lower tailgate, standard upper tie-downs, Standard StabiliTrak with Trailer Sway Control, Integrated cruise control, auto grade braking and diesel exhaust braking on the diesel models. These GM pickups will take on customers shopping for the Ford F Series, Chrysler Ram trucks, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan.

2014 Accord Hybrid Halloween Treat For $29,945 At 47 MPG

The 2014 Accord Hybrid, with EPA fuel-economy ratings of 50 mpg city/45 mpg highway/47 mpg combined, has a starting MSRP of $29,945 (including $790 destination and handling charge) for base model. Standard features include Honda's LaneWatch™ blind spot display system, a rearview camera, LED daytime running lights, an Expanded View Driver's Mirror, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, USB/iPod® integration, Pandora® compatibility, SMS text message function, dual-zone automatic climate control, alloy wheels, a driver's seat with 10-way power adjustment, and a 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system.

The Accord Hybrid EX-L, strating at $32,695, has Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning along with leather-trimmed and heated front seats and the HondaLink™ cloud-based media and connectivity system featuring Aha® compatibility. Power driver's seat memory, front passenger seat with 4-way power adjustment and one-touch moonroof are also standard on the EX-L trim. The top-of-the-line Accord Hybrid Touring, starting at $35,695, adds the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition and FM traffic data, LED headlights with blue tinted chrome bezels, Adaptive Cruise Control and hard disk driveaudio memory. The 2014 Accord Hybrid goes on sale October 31st.

Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition Concept

The Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition concept car is equipped with V8 twin turbo engine with 530 horsepower with a top speed of over 190 miles an hour and an acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds. So where does men's fashion designer Ermenegildo Zegna come in? The interior greige tint with soft moka and greige leather in the seats, door panels and roof lining finished in genuine soft leather, and a smooth, bright fabric created especially for the Quattroporte which they say conveys a formal, sophisticated character.

2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Arriving Soon For $184,995

The 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S, which arrives in showrooms around the world over the next few weeks, is equipped with the new 565 horsepower AM28 6.0-liter V12 engine mated to the Sportshift™ III automated manual transmission taking the V12 Vantage S just 3.7 seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph and to a top speed of 205 mph. The price: $184,995

Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R Concept Has 420 Horsepower

The Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R Concept has a 420 horsepower hybrid powertrain system with its front wheels driven by a 300 horsepower 4-cylinder 1.6 turbo engine with direct injection and at the rear, each wheel is individually powered by a 60 horsepower electric motor providing an ‘intelligent’ electric four-wheel drive capability. The two electric motors work as electric generators during the braking phase and supplement the gas engine during the accelerating phases as does a 3rd 60 horsepwoer electric motor, located between the engine and the 6 gear sequential transmission.

Jaguar C-X17 Sports Crossover Concept Rolls Out In 2015

Jaguar C-X17 sports crossover concept vehicle, built on the aluminium-intensive architecture, will be powered a wide variety of engines including diesel and the F-TYPE's 340 and 380 horsepower 3.0-liter V6 supercharged gas engines with intelligent All-Wheel Drive, according to Jag. The C-X17 features a Meridian 28-loudspeaker system for its four passengers riding in individual bucket seats. Its global rollout will begin in 2015.

Audi nanuk quattro concept - Move Over R8

Audi nanuk quattro concept two-seater, made of lightweight, aluminum Audi Space Frame and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, is powered by a newly developed 544 horsepower 5.0-liter V10 diesel engine installed longitudinally in front of the rear axle giving it a curb weight of around 4,190 lbs. A seven-speed S tronic transmission located behind the engine transfers the torque to a specially designed quattro drivetrain. It has a 0 to 62 mph time of 3.8 seconds, and top speed of about 190 mph. Thermal management with separate cooling loops and the regulated oil pump contribute to fuel consumption of 30 mpg on average. Luggage is stowed at the front of the car, where there is room for a couple of small carry-ons or a golf bag - now that's the clincher, never go anywhere without my clubs.

The adaptive air suspension allows the driver to manually adjust the ground clearance of the Audi nanuk quattro concept in three stages. With integral steering, when the driver steers at low to moderate speeds, the rear wheels turn up to nine degrees in the opposite direction of the front wheels while at higher speeds the system turns the rear wheels by as much as 2.5 degrees in the same direction as the front wheels. Just when I assigned my lotto ticket winnings to an R8, the nanuk quattro comes along.

Interview: Bob Hegbloom, Director, Ram Brand Marketing

Bob Hegbloom, Director, Ram Brand Marketing, brags about awards and market share growth for Ram trucks, a division of Chrysler Group.

2014 Ram ProMaster Latest Delivery To Ram Commercial Line Up

The new 2014 Ram ProMaster is a front-drive wheel drive van powered by either a 280 horsepower 3.6-liter 24-valve Pentastar V-6 or 174-horsepower 3.0-liter inline 4-cylinder EcoDiesel engine. The ProMaster is available in two roof heights, three wheelbases and four body lengths and a total of 14 different configurations. The latest addition to Ram Commercial’s line up comes from Italy as the ProMaster is based on the Fiat Ducato, which has been in production for more than 30 years. Benvenuto!

Ford S-MAX Concept Measures Driver's Heart Rate

The new Ford S-MAX Concept has a more flexible interior than its predecessor and features connectivity and wellness technology including Ford SYNC with AppLink, which enables drivers to voice-activate apps from behind the wheel, and the Ford ECG Heart Rate Monitoring Seat, which records the driver’s heart rate. The S-MAX Concept offers an Intelligent Protection System with Pre-Collision Assist, which identifies pedestrians and automatically applies the brakes if a collision is imminent. Dual-View Display allows the driver to receive important information while from the same center console screen that the front passenger can enjoy a movie. No wonder there's a heart rate monitor with so much going on.

Oh Doctor! as my friend and longtime San Diego Padres commentator Jerry Coleman would say to describe a home run.

BMW i8 Shown In Frankfurt 2 Years After L.A. Auto Show Concept

 The BMW i8 is a 2+2-seater sports car powered by a 231 horsepower 1.5-litre combustion engine that drives the rear wheels  and a 131 horsepower electric drive sends its power to the front wheels giving the i8 an all-electric range of up to 22 miles and a top speed of 75 mph. We saw the BMW i8 2 years ago at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show so it's been a long wait for the production model. The 2014 BMW i8 will be priced from $135,700 plus destination and handling fee. This is before any federal or state incentives for which the i8 may qualify.

Ferrari 458 Speciale With 597 Horsepower Debuts In Frankfurt

The Ferrari 458 Speciale with a 597 horsepower naturally aspirated new mid-rear-engined V8 berlinetta is a more powerful version of the 458 Italia and 458 Spider with an expected cost of over $300,000.

Mercedes-Benz Concept S-Class Coupé Looks Into The Future

The Mercedes-Benz Concept S-Class Coupé is powered by a 449 horsepower V8 Biturbo engine and is equipped with the Intelligent Drive technology that, with two cameras, can create a three-dimensional view of the area up to about 160 feet in front of the vehicle. A multitude of assistance systems monitors the surrounding traffic for the driver. The infotainment system with the MoodGrid software from Gracenote provides whatever music fits the mood from a catalogue containing 18 million tracks. With a wheelbase of 116 inches the coupé measures 198.8 inches in length, 77 inches in width and 55.5 inches in height. Sleek looking high tech luxury.

2014 Nissan Rogue Starts At $23,350 In November

The all-new 2014 Nissan Rogue compact utility vehicle powered by a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine is scheduled to go on sale at Nissan dealers in the United States in November for a starting price of $23,350 (including $860 Destination and Handling fees) for the Rogue S front-wheel drive model. The Rogue SV FWD starts at $25,090, Rogue SL FWD at $28,930, Rogue S AWD at $24,700, Rogue SV AWD at $26,440 and Rogue SL AWD $30,280, and there's a $239 Rogue Reservation Program lease. Fuel economy is projected to be 33 mpg highway for front-wheel drive models, an 18 percent improvement over the 2013 model.

For the first time, Rogue will offer optional 3-row/7-passenger seating, a Divide 'n Hide® Cargo System providing 18 adjustable variations (two-row models) between the cargo and occupant areas. The EZ Flex™ Seating System includes a reclining 40/20/40-split 2nd row seat and 2nd row legroom of 37.9 inches and 9.0 inches of fore/aft adjustability. Standard interior features include Streaming Audio via Bluetooth® and Hands-free Text Messaging Assistant. Available features include power panoramic moonroof, a power rear liftgate, NissanConnect℠ with Navigation and NissanConnect℠ Apps, Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Warning.

I almost bought one three years ago in the Cash for Clunkers program but the dealer talked me out of it, now I might reconsider. Great looking and fuel efficient with a lot of competition though, from the Honda CRV, Toyota Rav4, Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, many Subarus, Jeep Cherokee, to name just a few. Happy shopping!