Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - (Page 20) 20 • JULY 28, 2008 “Selling 100 - 125 automobiles was a challenge. With the help of A.A.C. we sell more than 150 vehicles every month with increased grosses!” Midland & Oddessa, Texas Europe’s worst sales result? Toyota Automaker down sharply in June, 12.3% in 2008 Jesse Snyder jsnyder@crain.com Estimated Europe registrations by country 6 mos. Percent 2008 change Estimated Europe light-vehicle registrations by manufacturer, June & 6 months June 2008 June Percent 2007 change 6 mos. 2008 6 mos. Percent 2007 change Plunging Toyota sales paced a dreary June for Europe. All mass-market auto groups lost volume in 28 European markets last month as sales fell 7.9 percent to 1.43 million passenger vehicles, said ACEA, the European automakers association. June results pushed Europe’s first-half sales to a 2.0 percent decline, to 8.34 million units. But the Toyota brand’s 17.7 percent decline in June, coupled with an even steeper 25.6 percent loss at Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus luxury brand, was the worst result for the month. For the first six months, Toyota Motor was the only automaker with a double-digit loss in Europe, down 12.3 percent. Toyota’s fuel-efficient Aygo minicar and Prius are up a bit, but most other Toyota and Lexus models are down this year. Europe’s six largest automakers — Volkswagen, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, Ford, General Motors, Renault and Fiat — all lost sales in the first half. The only major players in Europe with first-half gains were BMW, Daimler and Nissan, the latter of which soared 25.9 percent to almost 200,000 units this year. Daimler gained 2.8 percent through June. Its flagship Mercedes-Benz brand was off 0.1 percent for the first half, but Smart brand sales jumped 30.5 percent on full availability of a new-generation ForTwo. The BMW brand gained 6.2 percent, and with the new Clubman model pushing Mini sales up by almost one-fifth, the group rose 8.3 Germany 1,633,169 Italy 1,259,365 United Kingdom 1,247,479 France 1,128,895 Spain 702,368 Belgium 330,697 Netherlands 300,415 Poland 168,680 Austria 168,668 Greece 159,004 Switzerland 152,468 Romania 149,803 Sweden 139,511 Ireland 124,146 Portugal 114,413 Finland 88,012 Denmark 85,354 Hungary 82,943 Czech Republic 73,455 Norway 61,565 Slovenia 39,070 Slovakia 34,883 Luxembourg 29,904 Bulgaria 23,292 Estonia 14,885 Lithuania 12,810 Latvia 11,722 Iceland 7,141 TOTAL 8,344,117 Note: Excludes most commercial vehicles Source: ACEA 3.6 –11.5 –1.6 4.5 –17.6 7.2 1.8 13.3 2.5 –0.3 5.1 4.5 –8.2 –18.8 6.4 13.7 8.3 –2.2 8.7 –6.3 11.2 19.3 2.2 20.5 –11.2 36.2 –32.2 –15.9 –2.0 percent overall. Geographically, Europe’s first-half results are mixed. Among the five biggest markets, Germany and France managed modest gains compared with down markets in the first half of 2007. But the United Kingdom was marginally down, and Italy and Spain fell sharply. The best regional market was the new European Union. The 10 post2004 EU members for which ACEA has data (excluding Cyprus and Malta) posted first-half sales of 611,543 vehicles, up 6.9 percent. c Volkswagen division 148,585 Audi 59,231 Seat 32,061 Skoda 43,657 Other 353 VOLKSWAGEN AG 283,887 Peugeot 98,548 Citroen 84,788 PSA GROUP 183,336 Opel/Vauxhall 120,280 Chevrolet 18,465 Saab 6,771 GM U.S. 431 GENERAL MOTORS 145,947 Ford division 119,090 Volvo 23,113 FORD MOTOR CO. 142,203 Renault division 119,874 Dacia 17,179 RENAULT 137,053 Fiat division 90,164 Lancia 10,659 Alfa Romeo 10,685 Other 530 FIAT GROUP 112,038 BMW division 69,611 Mini 15,249 BMW GROUP 84,860 Toyota Division 66,478 Lexus 2,483 TOYOTA MOTOR 68,961 Mercedes-Benz 64,295 Smart 10,110 DAIMLER AG† 74,405 NISSAN 30,374 HONDA 23,813 HYUNDAI 27,880 MAZDA 23,032 SUZUKI 23,924 KIA 21,060 MITSUBISHI 10,454 Jaguar 3,929 Land Rover 6,505 TATA MOTORS†† 10,434 CHRYSLER LLC† 8,546 OTHER 14,801 TOTAL 1,427,008 156,727 62,381 37,796 45,004 534 302,442 110,269 92,852 203,121 139,528 19,962 8,045 489 168,024 117,892 23,164 141,056 126,942 18,261 145,203 92,512 11,754 14,747 541 119,554 69,351 14,077 83,428 80,733 3,337 84,070 68,995 10,133 79,128 32,173 30,349 28,235 22,635 26,858 23,986 13,504 2,981 10,262 13,243 11,289 21,276 1,549,574 –5.2 –5.0 –15.2 –3.0 –33.9 –6.1 –10.6 –8.7 –9.7 –13.8 –7.5 –15.8 –11.9 –13.1 1.0 –0.2 0.8 –5.6 –5.9 –5.6 –2.5 –9.3 –27.5 –2.0 –6.3 0.4 8.3 1.7 –17.7 –25.6 –18.0 –6.8 –0.2 –6.0 –5.6 –21.5 –1.3 1.8 –10.9 –12.2 –22.6 31.8 –36.6 –21.2 –24.3 –30.4 –7.9 844,959 342,336 191,956 249,991 2,286 1,631,528 590,513 488,146 1,078,659 681,102 102,850 38,619 3,417 825,988 695,157 128,045 823,202 648,709 90,657 739,366 556,780 64,747 53,689 3,885 679,101 374,320 83,614 457,934 428,666 16,156 444,822 378,468 52,157 430,625 197,961 155,256 150,601 141,152 139,415 135,291 72,326 20,937 45,025 65,962 56,333 118,596 8,344,117 849,147 –0.5 353,971 –3.3 204,776 –6.3 253,119 –1.2 2,756 –17.1 1,663,769 –1.9 611,897 –3.5 515,697 –5.3 1,127,594 –4.3 728,104 –6.5 105,578 –2.6 44,764 –13.7 3,001 13.9 881,447 –6.3 705,535 –1.5 142,308 –10.0 847,843 –2.9 657,419 –1.3 85,212 6.4 742,631 –0.4 539,096 3.3 71,963 –10.0 82,071 –34.6 3,124 24.4 696,254 –2.5 352,505 6.2 70,268 19.0 422,773 8.3 486,220 –11.8 21,251 –24.0 507,471 –12.3 379,023 –0.1 39,961 30.5 418,984 2.8 157,270 25.9 169,514 –8.4 156,566 –3.8 129,918 8.6 147,767 –5.7 130,933 3.3 76,568 –5.5 18,072 15.9 54,551 –17.5 72,623 –9.2 61,704 –8.7 104,377 13.6 8,516,006 –2.0 †DaimlerChrysler sold the Chrysler group on Aug. 3, 2007; Chrysler LLC and Daimler AG totals through July 2007 are extracted from DaimlerChrysler. ††Ford Motor Co. sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors on June 2, 2008; Jaguar and Land Rover sales through May 2008 are included with Tata Motors for comparison purposes only. Note: Reflects estimated registration data from 28 European countries; excludes most commercial vehicles Source: ACEA Need Results? You Need The Performance Partnership www.hatadv.com AUTO SHOWS Aug. 28-Sept. 1 — Moscow International Motor Show, Crocus Centre, Moscow, 7 495 935 7350, www.motorshows-ite.com Sept. 11-15 — Nitra Motor Show, Vystavnictvo Agrokomplex, Nitra, Slovakia, 421 37 6572 301, www.agrokomplex.sk Sept. 11–21 — Auto Show at the Oklahoma State Fair, Oklahoma State Fair Park, Oklahoma City, 405-607-0400 Sept 26-Oct. 19 — State Fair of Texas Auto Show, Fair Park, Dallas, 214-421-8728, www.bigtex.com Oct. 2-5 — Orange County Auto Show, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif., 323-782-2216, www.motortrendautoshows.com Oct. 2-5 — San Antonio Auto & Truck Show, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, 210-732-9647, www.saautodealers.com Oct. 4-19 — Paris International Motor Show (press days: Oct. 2 and 3), ParisExpo – Porte de Versailles, Paris, 33-1-56-88-2240, www.mondial-automobile.com Oct. 10-12 — Northwood University International Auto Show, Northwood University, Midland, Mich., 989-837-4823, www.northwood.edu/mi/studentlife/ autoshow Oct. 16-19 — Long Island Auto Show, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y., 717-671-4300, www.autoexpo.com GENERAL Aug. 11-15 — Management Briefing Seminars, Center for Automotive Research, Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Traverse City, Mich., 734-929-0463, www.cargroup.org Aug. 13-14 — Next Generation Automotive CRM Summit, Westin South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, Calif., 866-599-1189, www.usaautocrm.com Aug. 20-21 — All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle Symposium and Ride & Drive Event, Society of Automotive Engineers, Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, Ypsilanti, Mich., 724-776-4841, www.sae.org Sept. 3-5 — North American International Powertrain Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Westin Chicago River North Hotel, Chicago, 724-776-4841, www.sae.org Sept. 9-11 — Small Engine Technology Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Midwest Airlines Center, Milwaukee, 724-776-4841, www.sae.org Sept. 14-19 — FISITA World Automotive Congress, International Federation of Automotive Engineering DO NOT BUY A NITROGEN SYSTEM… until you've talked to NitroFill. NitroFill combines high purity nitrogen with a customer retention and benefit program that's unsurpassed. Take a moment and call the company that started it all. Over 1,200 NitroFill dealers nationwide share our enthusiasm. Societies, International Congress Center, Munich, 49 (0) 211 6214-687, www.fisita.com Sept. 23-25 — AutoRomania, InterContinental Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania, 44 (0) 20 7368 9465, www.wbr.co.uk/autoromania Oct. 12-15 — Brake Colloquium and Exhibition, Society of Automotive Engineers, Grand Hyatt, San Antonio, 724-776-4841, www.sae.org Oct. 13-16 — SCMLogistics World, Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore, +65 6322 2757, www.terrapinn.com/2008/scmlog Oct. 16-19 — Manufacturing in Mexico Summit, Offshore Group, Camino Real Hotel, Saltillo, Mexico, 520-889-0022, ext. 1251, www.offshoregroup.com autonews.com For a complete listing of events, see our Web site. To see our online list of auto shows and other events or to add your event to the list, go to www.autonews.com/ calendar. E-mail calendar information, including Web site address, to: autonews@crain.com Or send it to: Deputy Managing Editor Automotive News 1155 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207-2997 COPIED BY ALL. DUPLICATED BY NONE. www.nitrofill.com 1-877-246-3455 http://www.hiousa.com http://www.hiousa.com http://www.hatadv.com http://www.northwood.edu/mi/studentlife/autoshow http://www.fisita.com http://www.northwood.edu/mi/studentlife/autoshow http://www.hatadv.com http://www.autoexpo.com http://www.wbr.co.uk/autoromania http://www.motorshows-ite.com http://www.sae.org http://www.agrokomplex.sk http://www.cargroup.org http://www.terrapinn.com/2008/scmlog http://www.usaautocrm.com http://www.bigtex.com http://www.offshoregroup.com http://autonews.com http://www.sae.org http://www.motortrendautoshows.com http://www.nitrofill.com http://www.saautodealers.com http://www.sae.org http://www.autonews.com/calendar http://www.autonews.com/calendar http://www.nitrofill.com http://www.mondial-automobile.com http://www.sae.org
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - July 28, 2008 Automotive News - July 28, 2008 A scared-stiff industry stomps on the brakes No-lease edict stuns Chrysler dealers Hummer: Bonuses, buyouts Amid the gloom, Mercury celebrates Ford banks on Mulally's small-car plan PACE awards open for innovative suppliers GM expands employee discount plan through July American Axle blames strike for big quarterly loss Mercedes expects U.S. sales to fall; B class may come in 2011 Chevy plans new U.S. subcompact by '11 GM or Reynolds? Dealers must decide now Ralph Kisiel Ghosn: It's wrong time for a new partner GM geniuses turned their auto dreams into realities Dealers fresh out of Mini Coopers Chrysler, Ford, Honda top NAACP report card GM alters bonus for dealers who outperform their region Automakers angle for Chrysler's idle engine plant Chrysler revokes franchises in Pa. Sonic-Mercedes case could allow big dealers to add stores Buick's new LaCrosse It's still true: Product is king Still a bad idea NHTSA's Nason is leaving some big jobs undone Don't advertise them until they're on sale Safety matters much more than mpg Chrysler's no 'fuel economy laggard' $4 gas won't turn the U.S. into Europe For Europeans, America still spells opportunity Challenges travel with OnStar to China Personnel Mexico sales rise 1.2% in June Picture this Europe's worst sales result? Toyota Kia spends big to launch Borrego Kia launches Borrego just as SUVs lose favor Detroit 3: Goodbye, bailouts Dealers Eaton: Supercharger sales will grow Fla. appeals panel overturns class status in Kia brake suit Audi certified push pays off Used-car rule goes to the shop for tuneup Big-truck prices take a tumble in June Automaker tax break piggybacks on mortgage bill Honda rides high in 2nd-quarter rankings Ford Credit takes a hit as truck values fall 100 years of the Tin Lizzie Lamborghini profit soars AutoNation net income falls GM names CFO for N.A. TI Automotive unit will move Mercedes to cut Ala. production Fleming was a consummate newspaperman Toyota plans to raise Prius output A dart for Smart Tesla gets good reviews at Bentley 422 hp — and, uh, easy at the pump Ford's 2nd qtr: The reddest ink ever Bill Gates joins the car-dealer club Detroit 3 should put Mini under the microscope What's a Gov. to drive? Automotive News - July 28, 2008 Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Hummer: Bonuses, buyouts (Page 1) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Hummer: Bonuses, buyouts (Page 2) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - American Axle blames strike for big quarterly loss (Page 3) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - GM or Reynolds? Dealers must decide now Ralph Kisiel (Page 4) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - GM or Reynolds? Dealers must decide now Ralph Kisiel (Page 5) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - GM alters bonus for dealers who outperform their region (Page 6) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - GM alters bonus for dealers who outperform their region (Page 7) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Buick's new LaCrosse (Page 8) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Buick's new LaCrosse (Page 9) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Buick's new LaCrosse (Page 10) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Buick's new LaCrosse (Page 11) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Chrysler's no 'fuel economy laggard' (Page 12) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Chrysler's no 'fuel economy laggard' (Page 13) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - For Europeans, America still spells opportunity (Page 14) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - For Europeans, America still spells opportunity (Page 15) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Personnel (Page 16) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Personnel (Page 17) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Picture this (Page 18) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Picture this (Page 19) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Europe's worst sales result? Toyota (Page 20) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Europe's worst sales result? Toyota (Page 21) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Detroit 3: Goodbye, bailouts (Page 22) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Dealers (Page 23) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Fla. appeals panel overturns class status in Kia brake suit (Page 24) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Fla. appeals panel overturns class status in Kia brake suit (Page 25) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Big-truck prices take a tumble in June (Page 26) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Big-truck prices take a tumble in June (Page 27) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Big-truck prices take a tumble in June (Page 28) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Big-truck prices take a tumble in June (Page 29) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Big-truck prices take a tumble in June (Page 30) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Big-truck prices take a tumble in June (Page 31) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Big-truck prices take a tumble in June (Page 32) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Honda rides high in 2nd-quarter rankings (Page 33) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - 100 years of the Tin Lizzie (Page 34) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Mercedes to cut Ala. production (Page 35) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Toyota plans to raise Prius output (Page 36) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - Toyota plans to raise Prius output (Page 37) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - What's a Gov. to drive? (Page 38) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - What's a Gov. to drive? (Page 39) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - What's a Gov. to drive? (Page 40) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - What's a Gov. to drive? (Page 41) Automotive News - July 28, 2008 - What's a Gov. to drive? (Page 42)
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