Suzuki
Industry Sees 2010 as Prelude to Even Better 2011
By Michelle Krebs January 4, 2011By Dale Buss, Michelle Krebs and Bill Visnic Don't look now, but U.S. automakers may be counting on a stronger-than-expected finish to 2010 to launch a stronger-than-hoped-for beginning to the new year. Industry-wide U.S. sales reached about 11.5 million units, automakers reported on Tuesday, up 11 percent from 2009 sales of about 10.4 million units. That final tally was about what auto executives were predicting throughout 2010. But their confidence grew during a particularly robust fourth quarter, when the Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of sales (SAAR) actually exceeded 12 million units in each month. This means that the American more
November Sales Uptick Feeds Industry Expectations
By AutoObserver Staff December 1, 2010Holiday spirits are bright across most of the U.S. auto industry this week after carmakers posted November sales about 18 percent higher than a year earlier, and at a strengthening seasonally adjusted annual rate sales pace of about 12.2 million units for the second consecutive month. more
Major Makers Report Encouraging Sales for October
By AutoObserver Staff November 3, 2010Traditionally, October is a relatively uneventful month in the U.S. automotive calendar, stuck between the new-model excitement of September and retailers' typical end-of-the-year push for sales. That's why major American automakers were just fine with industry-wide October sales of 949,644 units. Though they were about flat with September's sales, October results improved by 14 percent over October 2009 sales of 763,050 units, representing yet another increment of year-over-year improvement in a market that now is sustaining a modest but firm recovery. October sales, always the third lowest month for unit sales, clocked at a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) more
New Models Drive Luxury Sales in October; Momentum Continues for Others
By Michelle Krebs November 2, 2010October sales reports began rolling in Tuesday and, as predicted, the rate of sales could be the highest of the year. The Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) of sales is forecasted by Edmunds.com to be close to 12 million units. "However," cautioned Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds.com's director of industry analysis, "the actual sales volume will be low. October probably will be the third lowest month for actual unit sales, behind January and February." And that's typical. Edmunds.com's analysis of sales trends from 2002 through 2009 shows October traditionally is the third worst month of the year; January is the worst, November more
August Sales Portray an Auto Industry Going 'Sideways'
By AutoObserver Staff September 1, 2010U.S. auto sales have entered a period where treading water is the best the industry can hope for as American consumers deal with sobering economic realities and grim expectations. August sales results underscored that trend, coming in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 11.5 million units, solidly within the narrow range of the last few months - and consistent with previous expectations for the rest of the year and 2010 as a whole. more
Higher July Auto Sales Leave Industry in Strange Territory
By AutoObserver Staff August 4, 2010By Dale Buss, Michelle Krebs and Marti Benedetti The U.S. auto market has entered something of a twilight zone with the release of July's numbers, which showed an overall sales increase of about 5 percent compared with July 2009. "Dealers told us that they saw buying customers, not tire-kickers," said Albert "Al" Castignetti, vice president and general manager of the Nissan Division of Nissan USA, which saw a 15-percent gain for July. "They needed a car, and they were credit-worthy. So why strange? more
Weakness in June Auto Sales Stokes Fears of Slowing Recovery
By Michelle Krebs July 2, 2010Auto executives across the country were trying to avoid saying so on Thursday, but clearly there is new fear afoot in the industry that the happy "moderate" recovery in the American market may be deteriorating into something much less cheery - like a potential second-half stagnation or even slide. U.S. auto sales in June totaled about 983,000 units, a 15-percent increase over June 2009 sales. That translated into a Seasonally Adjusted Annualized Rate( SAAR) of sales of just 11.1 million light vehicles, ahead of June 2009's lowly 10.6 million. more
April Car Sales Dip from March As U.S. Industry's Overall Picture Steadies
By Michelle Krebs May 3, 2010In a sign of modest progress for the American car market, sales in April were up 20 percent from a year ago, though they declined by 8 percent from March. Still, auto company executives and outside analysts pronounced the industry's modest recovery remains on track - and, in fact, is expected to strengthen - as the year goes on. Industrywide sales of 981,659 vehicles compared with 817,096 sold last April. But last spring marked the depths of the Great Recession, and so a better comparison for the current market actually was March 2010. Sales in April eased to a Seasonally Adjusted more
VW Begins Takeover of Suzuki With 20 Percent Stake
By Michelle Krebs December 9, 2009The Volkswagen Group fired its first volley in what is expected to be an eventual full takeover of Japan minicar specialist Suzuki Motor Corp. by assuming a 20 percent share of Suzuki for $2.5 billion, the companies jointly announced Wednesday from Tokyo. Volkswagen's initial stake is expected to lead to eventual full ownership of Suzuki (de facto management control would come with a 33 percent or greater share of the company) as VW drives to surpass Toyota Motor Corp. as the world's No. 1 automaker. Suzuki's automotive production last year of about 2.4 million vehicles would put VW well more
December Provides Industry-Stirring Finish to 2010
By Michelle Krebs January 5, 2011By Dale Buss, Michelle Krebs, and Bill Visnic Last month showed up for automakers like a luxury sedan wrapped in a huge red bow in one of the many holiday-sales promotions that have dominated TV advertising for weeks. In fact, propelled by seasonal promotions and by the momentum of an increasingly sturdy industry recovery, U.S. automakers sold about 2.2 million vehicles in December, for a 12.48 million Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of sales, the highest rate for any month of the year. In fact, except for the Cash for Clunker-juiced August 2009, it was the highest monthly SAAR since more